Humans have had a long standing fascination with travel, particularly in regards to various attempts to circumnavigate the world. In recent years, attempts have been made in hot-air balloons and various types of vessels. Most recently, Adrian Cross, a self-proclaimed adventurer and master yachtsman, attempted to circumnavigate the globe in his 31-foot yacht, the Gentoo. Unfortunately, Cross had to...
This podcast is for fans of science fiction and fantasy in all of its forms - including "books, movies, games, and comics." Geek's Guide to the Galaxy is hosted by fantasy writer David Barr Kirtley and John Joseph Adams, editor of science fiction anthologies and Lightspeed Magazine. The show features interviews with a diverse group of authors and conversations about a wide variety of issues, from...
This site is dedicated to Isaac Asimov, who wrote over 500 books in his lifetime. The site features essays and reviews of Asimov's work (particularly, but not exclusively, of his work in science fiction); annotated catalogs, guides, and bibliographies for works by and about Asimov; and links to related sites, including publishers and periodicals with archival materials by the author. Since Asimov...
What can readers learn about science from fiction? "Lab Lit: Writing Fiction Based on Real Science," a series of lesson plans designed by the New York Times Learning Lab, has been designed to explore this question and others like it. Interdisciplinary in nature, Lab Lit may be of interest to science and English literature instructors alike. At the heart of this lesson is a 2012 Times essay by...
An excellent example of science fiction turned science fact is the Star Trek communicator. It is virtually identical in function to today's cellular phones, but it was envisioned nearly 30 years before it became a common accessory. Many other parallels of Star Trek concepts to everyday life are illustrated in a short article from the winter 2002 Albright College newsletter (1). Researchers at the...
Over the years, Penguin Books has acquired quite a reputation for their distinctive book covers and graphic design. This rather unique site explores the history and cover art of science fiction published by Penguin Books from 1935 to 1977. The site was created by James Pardey, and it starts off with an introductory essay that answers the questions: "Why Penguin, and why science fiction?" After...
Looking for a podcast that doesn't demand hours of listening and is simultaneously weird, funny, creepy, and perplexing? Check out Welcome to Night Vale, which is a "twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures...