Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Futurism.
Excerpt from 'Somewhere in the Skies: A Human Approach to an Alien Phenomenon' by Ryan Sprague
Ordinary people are seeing extraordinary things in our skies. And while reports of UFOs and their possible occupants are littered with dates, times, and descriptions, they rarely focus on those who've actually experienced them. How have these dramatic and often traumatic events affected those involved? Could both the positive and negative implications, whether subtle or revelatory, further our knowledge of what exactly these phenomena represent?
By Ryan Sprague9 years ago in Futurism
The Career of Carrie Fisher, Sci-Fi Princess (Part 2: 1985-2016)
Continued from Part 1: 1969-1984 Star Wars catapulted the young Carrie Fisher into stardom overnight, which led to wild partying and drug use. Since her recovery from those days, she always took responsibility for her actions and put forward the message that she had a real problem that required real help, and she was strong enough to eventually get it. As someone who really struggled with a nasty drinking habit, I fully appreciate Fisher’s advocacy for addiction therapy and mental health treatment. Sometimes a person with a dependency issue is just too damn scared to admit an uncontrollable problem and get help. Who better to get that last nudge and encouragement to clean up your act and walk tall again than from the Princess of Alderaan?
By Zach Foster9 years ago in Futurism
The Career of Carrie Fisher, Sci-fi Princess (Part 1: 1969-1984)
Carrie Fisher passed away this morning, and her passing leaves tens of millions of sci-fi and Star Wars fanatics stunned. Already, the obituaries and Facebook tribute artwork are flowing freely as people communicate their sadness at this passing. I’m one of them, though this moment is admittedly more bittersweet than it is sad. In her sixty years, the famous sci-fi princess lived a full and robust life as an actress, a talented writer, and a mother.
By Zach Foster9 years ago in Futurism
'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' Holds Up
What made the movie special was the way it approached the topic of first contact. It was not through the typical science fiction fare and space battles we have come to expect from 21st century Hollywood. Much like 2016's, Arrival, nearly 30 years earlier, 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind took a very original and very cerebral approach to sci-fi storytelling. Rather than the challenges of interspecies linguistics, the film used music as the unifying language between man and extraterrestrials. This theory was later explored by then OMNI editor Claire Evans. Perhaps the success of Arrival is why Close Encounters of the Third Kind holds up for me. Sci-fi films that, at their core, are not relying on special effects but rather challenge the intellect in a more organic fashion often best stand the test of time.
By Mike Mavenful9 years ago in Futurism
Transient Lunar Phenomena
In our present phase of post-Apollo enlightenment, it would be wrong to suggest that all the mysteries of the moon have been solved. Curious things, seen now and then—faint glows, flashing lights, patches of "mist"—still provoke argument and continue to enlist scientific inquiry and speculation.
By Stephanie Gladwell9 years ago in Futurism
Interview with 'Alien' Co-Creator Dan O'Bannon
In the below excerpt from Film Fantasy Magazine, Ed Sudden II interviews Alien co-creator Dan O'Bannon. In excerpt, O'Bannon recounts that the concept of the movie Alien began as a simple story called “Gremlins”. I was about a World War II B-17 bomber crew on a mission over Tokyo who are terrorized by a horde of midget monsters. Dan O’Bannon began his career as the the co-author and director responsible for design, editing, and special effects on the movie Dark Star. He also co-starred as Sgt. Pinback. Pinback’s scenes with his alien, a mean-looking and very mischevious beach ball with feet are notable high points of humor in sci-fi film history. Dan went from Dark Star to pre-production work on Jodorowsky’s Dune, the Frank Herbert novel, to effects work on Star Wars and his most iconic movie Alien.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
Antimatter: X-mas Files Edition
Sure. Sure. The Christmas season is full of crass commercialism. Materialist dogma -- of all varieties -- are on display everywhere. But the season has traditionally been regarded as a time of supernatural activity and high strangeness, as this edition of Antimatter shows.
By Matt Swayne9 years ago in Futurism
Interview with Investigative Filmmaker Jeremy Corbell
Jeremy Kenyon Lockyer Corbell makes his living seeking out the ExtraOrdinary; that seemingly gratuitous capitalization perfectly encapsulating his mission to–as he puts it–“force us to reconsider the fabric of our own beliefs” and consider an atypical alternative. His approach is to undermine attempts to discredit unorthodox opinions by way of discrediting the opinion holders themselves.
By Rachel G. David9 years ago in Futurism
