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Space Disaster Movies
"Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another." Plato's quote from The Republic is certainly becoming a reality. The Martian, a film released on October 2nd, 2015, looked at the possibility of a manned mission to Mars more extensively than moviegoers had ever seen. Based on Andy Weir's The Martian, a novel by the same name, the film is about astronaut Mark Watney who gets left behind on Mars after his team presumes him dead following an intense storm. All alone, he must create his own food and find water in order to survive while constantly trying to contact Earth to tell them he's alive. However, this isn’t the first space disaster movie and it will not be the last. The reason space disaster movies are so popular is that a majority of space is still unexplored territory for humans. With so much that is unknown, there are major fears about what happens if someone gets stranded out there. Some of the best space disaster movies involve the simple idea of getting disconnected from the space station while others involve hostile alien life forms attacking those in deep space.
By Emily McCay10 years ago in Futurism
Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk
“The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.” Neil deGrasse Tyson doesn’t care if what he says upsets you; it’s all based in science and science is fact. The astrophysicist has been very outspoken about science for decades now. In fact, he and fellow scientist Bill Nye celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Planetary Society—an organization dedicated to all things astronomy, planetary science, and exploration—in October of 2015.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Sci-Fi TV Series to Watch Right Now
Cerebral sci-fi TV series were a welcome addition to a decade of questionable fanfare. From AMC's Into the Badlands to Syfy's hit Dominion, sci-fi series explored the post-apocalyptic future that seems to excite sci-fi fans. Guillermo Del Toro upped the ante with The Strain, and Halle Berry in Extant is by far the hottest sci-fi woman of the 2000s. If you have not yet, binge on all of these great sci-fi TV series.
By Isaac Shapiro10 years ago in Futurism
History of Deadly Diseases
Humans have been dealing and living with the realities of deadly diseases for thousands of years. For the majority of this time period, there were little to no effective methods for controlling the diseases. While modern medical technology has changed these statistics, countless individuals still die everyday from deadly pathogens, most of which are preventable. In this article, we will explore the history of some of the world’s most infamous diseases.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Best Star Trek Books
"Boldly go where no man has gone before...." Actually, many people have gone to the bookstore to buy the best Star Trek books, but in case you don't feel like leaving the comfort of the StarshipEnterprise, we have compiled the ultimate list that can be beamed up into your Kindle. From the beginning of James Kirk's career as Captain, to his death, and all the incredible missions in between, these books include the best of the original crew and all the people who join them along the way. Titles like Federation, Q-In-Law, and Avatar are sure to delight the Trekkies from the past and entertain the Trekkies of the future. A large number of authors have attempted to successfully narrate the story of Star Trek, but only true Trekkies know who stands out among the rest. These are the best Star Trek books that will "live long and prosper" among fans and stand the test of time.
By Isaac Shapiro10 years ago in Futurism
Best Netflix Sci-Fi
Move over Syfy channel, Netflix is moving at light speed. For science fiction fans, Netflix is a destination point for great content. Whether you are watching your favorite film for the 100th time or looking for something new to binge watch, Netflix has an enormous pool of sci-fi movies and TV shows to choose from. Netflix is incredibly popular with the demanding sci-fi fanbase. Boasting a wide selection of science fiction oldies, cult favorites, and new picks, Netflix takes you down a deep rabbit hole. After the introduction of original content, Netflix firmly established itself both as studio and distributor. Sense8 took original science fiction programming to a new level, and the BBC's Black Mirror gave the millennials their own version of The Twilight Zone. The list is sure to generate debate amongst die hard sci-fi fans.
By Frank White10 years ago in Futurism
Best Sci-Fi Art Books
Sci-fi art doesn't just tell a story. It takes you into a story, often of your own making. Science fiction art inspires a creative process in the mind. Your intellect is forced to wrap a tale of other worlds and dimensions around the visual your eyes are locked on. From the erotic sci-fi art of greats like Hajimi Sorayama to the sweeping landscapes of sci-fi artist Vincent Di Fate, the works of sci-fi artists can be found in the best sci-fi art books, which provide countless hours of imagination and storytelling.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Quantum Physics Books for Beginners
Quantum physics is like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there. This, of course, refers to Erwin Schrodinger’s experiment which revealed that putting a cat in a box with acid will not prove detrimental until the box is opened. Therefore, the cat can either be dead or alive.
By Natasha Sydor10 years ago in Futurism
They're Made Out of Meat
"They're Made Out of Meat," by Terry Bisson, is one of the most influential stories in science fiction, and is regularly discussed in college classes about cognitive science, cosmology, and philosophy. The story consists entirely of two extraterrestrials having a conversation at a dinner. Their mission is to discover sentient beings capable of traveling faster than light, and offering them "first contact." Human-beings, as carbon-based life, befuddle the aliens. They cannot fathom how "sacks of meat" can be sentient. Disturbed by their discovery, the aliens mark the solar system has uninhabited, cutting off humanity from the galactic community. "They're Made Out of Meat" is regularly cited as an explanation to the Fermi paradox, the contradiction asking why we cannot see other intelligent life in the universe.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Sci-Fi Anime Robots
Anime and giant robots are to Japan what baseball and warm apple pie are to America. They're an institution, a national export that has managed to captivate people all over the world. Japan may not be the place to originate the giant robot, but they're certainly the place that’s managed to popularize them in the collective consciousness of popular culture. We here at OMNI, after several days of long heated debate, have collected our favorite sci-fi mechs for our definitive list of the best sci-fi anime robots to ever come out of the land of the rising sun. Check out our list and see how it stacks up against your personal list for the best badass robots in anime.
By Isaac Shapiro10 years ago in Futurism
Space Conspiracy Theories
Everything you know about space is a lie. We’ve never been to the moon, Pluto is a hologram, and Obama visited Mars twice. Conspiracy theorists believe all of this and so much more. NASA is one of the top organizations accused of conspiracy theories, and has been since the day it was created. Established in 1958, NASA was founded to compete with the Soviet Union in the space race. After Russia launched Sputnik, people were afraid that they would start building weapons in space. NASA was created to combat this. In the 1960s, John F. Kennedy approved the Apollo program which was aimed at successfully sending a man to the moon. While the Apollo 1 ended in disaster, the Apollo 8 and 10 missions went to the moon to test equipment and take photos but did not land.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Best Star Wars Books
Star Wars is perhaps one of the most important franchises of the 20th century. The 21st century promises to deliver more of the ever expanding universe. Disney has bought Lucasfilm and has mapped out the next decade of Star Wars activity. With some of the most exciting characters in the franchise being women, the audience for the franchise has grown exponentially. Not only has J.J. Abrams rebooted the movies, but the franchise has inspired an army of writers focused on the Star Wars universe. The Star Wars books enhance the experience of being a Star Wars fan, whether it’s learning ancient history, getting background on a favorite character, or following the heroes of the original trilogy.
By Frank White10 years ago in Futurism
