Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Futurism.

Dummies Guide to iPhones
Apple continues to dominate the market for smartphones, smartwatches, tablets and portable music players—with a new grasp on the audio market with their acquisition of Beats by Dre, and new bonds with mega-corporations like Nike adding a few more pennies in Tim Cook’s pockets.
By Word9 years ago in Futurism
Colorful
"Terry! We'll be late if you don't hurry!" "Calm yourself, Bobby. The event doesn't start for another hour, and the pods will get us there in minutes."
By Steve Benton9 years ago in Futurism
Woody Allen Sci-Fi Intellectual
“I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government.” - Woody Allen This dystopian flavored quote seems more in sync with Agent Fox Mulder of The X-Files or even whistleblowers Edward Snowden or Julian Assange of WikiLeaks. It wouldn’t routinely be attributed to one of America’s funniest comedians and creative film artists. Woody Allen is many things to many people. To Hollywood and the performing arts community, he’s a towering figure, but the Woodman as a sci-fi visionary? It’s indisputable how playful Allen can be with his movies, jokes, books and public persona, but on par with the clairvoyant visual musings and wondrous ideas of Rod Serling, Gene Roddenberry, Steven Spielberg or George Lucas? For his loyal fans, however, the notion he’s a science fiction aficionado, fantasist or futurist isn’t so far fetched.
By Will Stape9 years ago in Futurism
Scariest Movies Set in Space
Grab your blanket, a partner, and some popcorn and settle in for some horror in the silence of space. These titles range to include the absurd to the all too possible. From classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, to Aliens, the second installment of the Alien franchise to space vampires in Lifeforce, they all share themes of humanity’s fear of the unknown and the desolation of space. There’s something so isolating about the idea of space that makes horror set in it so much more terrifying. It might just be the perfect setting for exploiting our fears. Prepare yourself for the scariest movies set in space.
By Lindsie Polhemus9 years ago in Futurism
Sleep
Her breathing was soft. It touched my face with a gentle rhythm. I opened my eyes. Her head was resting on my shoulder, with her hair curling in every possible direction. Strands dancing into my face, free from gravity. With my one free hand I brushed her floating hair aside. Her hand clutched tightly onto mine. It seemed so small and fragile now, nestled gently in my grip.
By Joachim Heijndermans9 years ago in Futurism
Balancing Fears of Artificial Intelligence with Sci-Fi
“Let me put it this way, Mr. Amor. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error." - HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey
By Will Stape9 years ago in Futurism
The Junk Food Has It
Yellow. The out-of-order tape emblazoned over the vending Machine’s cash intake was yellow. Written on the golden surface were the words “Out of Order,” which taken as literal meant, “Stop. No snacks available at this time.”
By Joseph Somers9 years ago in Futurism
When Saucers First Flew
Ray Palmer was the father of a sizable, and still-growing, chuck of Western pop culture. One of the first generation of science fiction editors (Amazing Stories), he discovered and first published writer Isaac Asimov and artist Virgil Finlay. Nonetheless, when it came to pulp, he liked it slapdash, slam-bang, and science-free.
By Jack Womack9 years ago in Futurism
Classic 1940s Sci-Fi Movies
When people think of sci-fi movies, they rarely think of the best 1940s sci-fi movies. They usually think of franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek, the Stargate TV series, and the many original flicks on SyFy Channel. There’s a huge selection of science fiction movies to choose from and the genre has become mainstream thanks to shows like The Big Bang Theory. Sometimes, though, the most diehard sci-fi aficionados crave the classics from the silver screen era. These are some of the best 1940s sci-fi movies:
By Lindsie Polhemus9 years ago in Futurism
Lucid Dreaming Is the Best Way to Probe the Unconscious Mind
I used to think I would stumble upon my lifelong interest through serendipity someday. I was waiting for the elusive AHA moment, and never thought to solicit my brain for the information. But now that I’ve asked and received an answer, I’m not sure what to do.
By Brian Stanton9 years ago in Futurism
New Words Were Needed
I spent the past semester teaching two separate courses— one on science fiction, the other on modernism— to some very bright high school students. Having expected to suffer some intellectual whiplash as I shifted several times a day from talking about aliens and cyberpunk to Dadaism and the Harlem Renaissance, I was relieved at how naturally it all came to me. No doubt this is because I like all this stuff and generally know my way around it, but what surprised me was how much overlap these "genres" turned out to have (they're not really "genres," but I can't seem to find a better word)— that is, that I enjoy Ulysses and A Martian Odyssey for many of the same reasons; it's just that these reasons are operating at different levels of the text.
By M. Thomas Gammarino9 years ago in Futurism
Famous Female Astronauts
When many of us think of space travel and astronauts, we go to towering figures like Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin; but what many people fail to realize is the importance of women in space. Women have played an important role in space exploration since the US and Soviet Russia began their space programs in the 1960s; advancing both our understanding of space and women's rights. Among the dozens of women who have become space pioneers these are the most important women in space and some of the most famous female astronauts.
By George Gott9 years ago in Futurism