Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Futurism.

The Dynamo
Guy sat watching the foreman’s sweat-lined lips moving, not hearing a word. Something about birds nesting in the coil. He’d never liked the foreman, a fat man, aggressive, whose tiny amount of power had gone to his head. He could hear the restlessness of the crew all around him — this was eating into their lunch break. He listened for the buzzer.
By William E8 years ago in Futurism
The Problem with Hollywood's A.I.
The exactitudes of 2015's Ex Machina might have passed from your memory, but the sci-fi film's influence is still felt by many within the industry. Made for a relatively small budget (as science fiction films go) of around $15 million, Alex Garland’s film was a smash hit with both audiences and critics. New Scientist magazine called it “a much needed shot in the arm for smart science fiction.” It was deemed “smart sci-fi” by a host of other reviewers: a benchmark to which later science fiction films should be compared.
By Ari Brin8 years ago in Futurism
Mutants in Spaaaace, Space, Space...
As a child, I was never that interested in the idea of generation space ships. I mean, what was the point, right? We were going to have warp speed or hyperspace to get us to and from all those amazing distant worlds.
By C. A. Wilke8 years ago in Futurism
Sentinel
This is a sequel to Arthur C. Clarke's The Sentinel. Part 1: Reverberation A small, dimly lit orb hurtles through space, surpassing the speed of light, and headed toward the star of a solar system deep within the Andromeda galaxy. One serpent-like being rests at the helm of the transparent craft. The creature's pitch black eyes reflect the distant blue color of the star it is headed for.
By Ty Tatum8 years ago in Futurism
Jenna's Sacrifice
In the beginning, all was shapeless and still, filled with darkness and emptiness. Then with a single low, tolling note, a pale light appeared that quickly grew to fill in the cracks in... everywhere. It grew in intensity as the note was sustained, then it seemed to fade away once more, leaving seemingly countless specks of itself behind that would form the patterns later races would one day call the constellations.
By Aurora Skye8 years ago in Futurism
The Confessions of an Apostatized "Church Mouse" Part I
I sit on a dark orange pew awaiting the sound of music to begin. It is a time of joy, excitement, and sheer wonderment or so I am told. I wait for the "honor" and "privilege" of hearing words of wisdom from a man who has long been identified as an "Apostle of God." He was revered and, in many ways, praised as if he were the second coming of Christ himself. He is not to be challenged nor is he to be disrespected. He will have your abiding attention and his words are to be taken as if gold were being given to those who desired it the most. Because you were much richer for it. Your life was much better off now. But most importantly you are on the right path. The only path to knowing God.
By Taylor Denson8 years ago in Futurism
Kyoto Protocol
A mysterious signal radically shifts the destiny of an entire world... 5th of Harvest. 3314 It was a night like any other night. I was monitoring the equipment of the Lethian Radio Observatory, starting at a screen waiting for something to happen. As I sat there nearly napping, head nodding and eyes to glassy, static erupted from the speakers, launching my heart to the ceiling.
By daniel morris8 years ago in Futurism
The Sci-Fi Writer's World
Science is defined as the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. [courtesy of Wikipedia]
By K.E. Lanning8 years ago in Futurism
The Dynamo
The man staring at Guy across the table had a chest, shoulders and arms built for bending iron bars. He folded them and said, “I don’t trust him.”
By William E8 years ago in Futurism
Doctor Who: Heralds Of Destruction Review
Ever since Doctor Who came back to our screens in 2005, it seems as though past doctors have been sidelined somewhat in prose. Indeed the novel range featuring them disappeared, there have only been sporadic novels since then, and their appearances in multi-Doctor comic arcs. It's only been in the last couple of years that Titan Comics has sought to readdress the balance somewhat with a string of miniseries featuring past Doctors. The latest features the Third Doctor (played on-screen by Jon Pertwee between 1970 and 1974) and sees a return to Who by writer Paul Cornell. Cornell's past Who works include both the novel and later TV adaptation of Human Nature as well as the 2005 episode Father's Day and the groundbreaking 1991 Who novel Timewyrm: Revelation. He was also, back in the day, not a fan of this era at all. Which makes it all the more interesting that what he wrote is essentially something of a blast from the past for this Doctor and Cornell's apparent farewell to Who as a writer.
By Matthew Kresal8 years ago in Futurism
Review of Westworld 1.9
Another episode of Westworld -- 1.9 -- just breathtaking in its philosophical insight and daring. The series, brilliant from the outset, just keeps getting better.
By Paul Levinson8 years ago in Futurism
Space Travel: Breakthrough Starshot Launch Paves The Way To Alpha Centauri
On June 23, 2017, a slew of Sprite spacecraft had a successful launch into orbit. But, it was more than just a trip to Earth's orbit, it was the first step into a new kind of space mission, one that promises to take us farther, faster than ever before.
By Anya Wassenberg8 years ago in Futurism