Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Futurism.
I Can Americanize You
They hardly knew a lick of English. They could comprehend dribs and drabs here and there, but could by no means speak it fluently. But they worked. They had just finished receiving Delaware’s first non-government-backed business license for restaurants. As the family rejoiced at this achievement, they still had trouble with assimilating into the American culture. That all changed when cacao-colored Shanae Tyner walked through the doors of the well-kept restaurant.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Futurism
My Experience Watching the 'Star Wars Holiday Special'
Let me tell you something about Star Wars fans: we rarely agree. I mean, we've agreed that A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi are all great movies. But some of us like the prequels and others don't.
By Jonathan Sim7 years ago in Futurism
Project D.U.C.K.
Against the swirls of water, the bottles, crates, tires and straws all gathered together in a soup of the final stage of the productive process. Fish chomped on shoestrings. Birds gobbled up plastic bags like they were carrion. Something had to be done. Gertrude Octavio surveyed the area and held back tears. She and her photographer, Lorenzo Jerkins, had covered this part of the Christina River in Wilmington, Delaware for the past fifteen years documenting the various changes to the habitat.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Futurism
Where Are the Aliens?
In 1950, Enrico Fermi went to lunch with his friends. It was a good time to be a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Science was cracking the shell of an entirely new discipline, one with terrible potential and unlimited government funding. The mood was light and everybody at the table was a genius. The scientists joked about a recent rash of UFO spottings over their sandwiches. Suddenly, Fermi exclaimed, "Where is everybody?"
By Anna Gooding-Call7 years ago in Futurism
1968: The Successful Journey of Apollo 8
Dates: Dec. 21, 1968 – Dec. 27, 1968 The second manned spaceflight mission in the United States Apollo space program, Apollo 8, was launched on December 21, 1968. It became the first manned spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, reach the Earth's moon, orbit it and return safely to Earth.
By Shandi Pace7 years ago in Futurism
How Real Is Real?
Humans have sought to explain reality since of the dawn of our species. Our thirst for the answers of the unknown is the driving force behind all innovations and advancements. When answers could not be found, we developed religion to fill in the gaps. Over time, we proposed the scientific method to measure the material world and interpret it through an empirical lens. In modern times, both spirituality and science are believed to be polar opposites with one being "faith" and the other being "realistic." Today, I want to challenge both perspectives to answer the life-long question: what is real and how real is real?
By Justin Gignac7 years ago in Futurism
Garden of the Guardians
There’s much to say about the Garden of the Guardians. Firstly, it was named that to recognize the recent men and women who, through private means, founded the United States of America. Then, sculptor Talbot Cardigan realized that he should expand the exhibit to include those people from various centuries who built up an entire country. Cardigan himself would take the time to show the tourists around the various pieces. A group of the curious followed Cardigan through the labyrinth that misty Monday in Wilmington, Delaware.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Futurism
Lifting Off to 'The Calculating Stars'
All stories start with a simple question: "What if?" That is especially true of the alternate history genre where writers imagine versions of history where things might have been different. In it, writers have presented everything from Axis victories in the Second World War (such as The Man in the High Castle) to JFK avoiding an assassin's bullet (such as in Bryce Zabel's Surrounded by Enemies). Human spaceflight, which has seemed grounded for so long, has also been a topic popular with writers such as Stephen Baxter with his tale of a 1980s Mars mission in Voyage. Few, however, have been as compelling or convincing as The Calculating Stars, the opening salvo in Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut series.
By Matthew Kresal7 years ago in Futurism
Is Nostalgia Killing 'Star Wars'?
Nostalgia. What does it really mean? Why is it important? Why does it hold so much power over us? It is difficult to say. The past is the past, yet it affects our future in more ways than we realize at times, especially in the entertainment industry.
By Taylor Denson7 years ago in Futurism
