Archive - The Science of Fiction

That time America almost started World War 3 over space weather

A dramatic solar storm in For All Mankind almost led to nuclear war. The plotline has eerie echoes of history.

Mar 13, 2021 •

Hallucinations-on-demand, artificial reefs: How science fiction is inspiring innovation

An MIT researcher is helping students bring their favorite sci-fi technologies to life.

Feb 27, 2021 •

How The Expanse made realistic space travel more exciting than warp drive

This post, along with this newsletter, has moved.

Dec 12, 2020 •

The space junk crisis in Space Sweepers is already here

Orbital trash is a big problem in 2092. It's a big problem in 2021 as well.

Feb 13, 2021 •

The secret history of The Science of Fiction

And an important announcement about this newsletter's future!

Jan 30, 2021 •

What life on Venus would really look like

Space jellyfish make good science fiction, but reality might be even stranger.

Feb 6, 2021 •

What would have happened if we never fixed the ozone hole?

A new U.N.-backed animation explores an environmental nightmare we avoided.

Feb 20, 2021 •

The Science of Fiction is moving!

Greetings, readers! After giving it a lot of thought over the past week, The Science of Fiction has decided to pick up its digital foundation and move…

Mar 24, 2021 •

How we'd really defend Earth from an asteroid attack

In The Expanse, Earth's defenders must stop a cosmic catastrophe. Scientists weigh in on how to do it.

Jan 16, 2021 •

For All Mankind’s women astronauts on the fight to make space for everyone

The Apple TV+ alt-history shows a more inclusive version of NASA in the Apollo era.

Mar 6, 2021 •

Wonder Woman 1984's Stark Warning About Big Oil

Greed, grifts, and the oil industry are at the heart of Warner Brother's latest superhero flick.

Jan 23, 2021 •

A few final housekeeping notes

Mar 28, 2021 •

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