list
The best list for everything science fiction.
Trapped on a Desert Island with the Crew of Firefly
Scenario: the Serenity crashes on a desert island with only two survivors: one of the crew members, and YOU. Who do you hope makes it off the ship alive? Who’s going to be the best company when you’re bored? Who’s going to be the best at hunting and gathering food, keeping you safe from predators, and building the sturdiest shelter? Who’s going to be the least likely to betray you or steal your coconuts when you’re napping? Granted, your decision may depend in part on your relationship status. If you’re single and looking for someone to snuggle up to when your bed of palm fronds gets chilly, Inara or Mal might be higher on your list than, say, Shepherd Book. If you’re solely concerned with survival at any cost (and paranoid about intruders on the island), you may toss morals and companionship out the window and go with Jayne. Check out my list of the Firefly characters, from least ideal to most, with whom you could get stuck on a desert island (then go take this quiz and figure out which Firefly character you’d be).
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
Sci-Fi Webcomics to Devour All At Once
Not so long ago, there weren't enough great sci-fi webcomics to shake a ray-gun at. Now, you've got serious options for pretty much every sub-genre you can imagine, from hard sci-fi to space opera to satirical speculative space fantasy. Here's my list of the best sci-fi webcomics to make you laugh, make you think, and feel like a kid again with the best Sunday paper in the galaxy.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
Everything You Need to Know About the Apollo Missions
This list includes everything you need to know about the Apollo missions to help you understand the space race. The Apollo missions took place between 1961 and 1975. These missions were part of a NASA program to put a man on the moon. This was to fulfill a promise made by John F. Kennedy in 1961 to place an American on the moon before the end of the decade. The program ultimately resulted in just that, but it was not without its share of setbacks. This list covers all the manned Apollo missions. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the Apollo missions.
By James Lizowski9 years ago in Futurism
Best Vacation Spots in the Solar System
The best vacation spots in the solar system are places within our little corner of the galaxy that are both amazing and hold historical significance. Like any good vacation spot there has to be a reason to pack up the bags and head there in the first place. Whether it’s a distant moon of Uranus or to visit some of the first spacecraft humans sent abroad, there is a large amount of exciting things to see when choosing the best vacation spots in the solar system.
By Peter Carriveau9 years ago in Futurism
Sci-Fi's Obsession with Ancient Greece and Rome
Sometimes science fiction returns to the past for places, people, and themes to enrich its mind-journeys into the future. Such is the case with these sci-fi movies, TV episodes, and works of fiction, each one drawing from the ancient worlds of Greece or Rome to dress its story. Brit Marling, a screenplay co-writer of Another Earth, says that this isn’t really surprising. “We’re retelling the same dramas from Ancient Greece,” Marling said. “These stories are so fundamentally old, the mythology that they come from, the hero’s journey — the way a narrative works. Science allows you to take the same story and see it from a new perspective because the science is always new and fresh.” Science fiction’s interest in the ancient world goes beyond mere allusion, as in the middle name of Captain James Tiberius Kirk (Tiberius, in case you’re wondering, was a somber, reclusive Roman ruler who nevertheless left the empire in a better state than he found it). If you’re deeply interested in how the speculative worlds of the future and the worlds of ancient Rome and Greece intersect, you may be interested in a serious paper by academic Tony Keen, “The 'T' stands for Tiberius: models and methodologies of classical reception in science fiction.” If that sounds a little heavy, enjoy the following summary of a few times when togas, laurel wreaths, aliens, and spaceships partied it up in one crazy combination.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
The Best New Sci-Fi Graphic Novels
Picture books aren’t just for kids. In fact, when it comes to the best sci-fi graphic novels, they usually aren’t for kids at all (here be mature themes, like crazy alien sex and buckets of violence). Immerse yourself in tantalizingly rendered stories of robots, aliens, human beings, and creatures that lie somewhere in between. From struggling underwater colonies waiting for an inevitable supernova to the madcap adventures of all-American scientific geniuses, you’ll find the story that’s right for you - one that's harder and harder to tear yourself away from.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
The Easiest DIY Star Wars Gifts
Some people would call me crafty. Those people are not technically correct. Can I safely use scissors and Elmer’s glue? Yes, I can. Can I crochet an entire set of miniature Star Wars figurines? Ha ha ha. No. I cannot. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t make some pretty rad DIY Star Wars gifts for all my kinfolk when the holiday season is coming around. My goals when selecting winners for this list were twofold: first, nothing should cost more than $20, and second, nothing should take more than an hour or two of hands-on crafting time. While you might spend a little bit more or take slightly longer depending on your material sourcing and crafting abilities, I hope I’ve hit pretty close to the mark. Grab your supplies and if you’re feeling a little lackluster about your DIY abilities, just remember: do, or do not. There is no try.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
Best Sci-Fi Franchises
The best sci-fi franchises are often based on imagining what problems and solutions future technology will bring us, unlike fantasy, which is largely based on a magical reimagining of a medieval-type world. Where fantasy is conservative, instructing us to learn from the past, science fiction is progressive, asking us to look to the future for answers. This often makes the science fiction genre a challenging and liberal engagement with issues we currently face, issues we may one day face, and solutions that the future might hold. This makes the best sci-fi franchises all the more worth our careful consideration.
By James Lizowski9 years ago in Futurism
Heart-Rending Poems for Sci-Fi Fanatics
Distant relatives to the familiar "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," these sci fi poems are raw, real, and sometimes almost too close for comfort. They blur the line between speculation and reality in their carefully composed stanzas and bring us to mini existential crises - not earth-shattering ones. Each is just the right size to bring along to a good evening of poetry for the starry-eyed dreamer. (And if no one you know is cool enough to host one, you'd better send out invitations to your own. I suggest hot beverages, an antipasto platter, and no, I'm not doing anything, of course I would be delighted to come, thank you for asking!)
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
Hidden 'Star Wars' Easter Eggs
A list of hidden Star Wars Easter eggs is sure to hold at least one surprise for just about every Star Wars fan out there. Star Wars is a classic that has stood the test of time and is possibly the most recognizable sci-fi series to date. It has inspired generations since its making in 1977, and is inspiring new generations with its reboot. With each super series comes super fans. For our Star Wars fans, here are some of the greatest hidden Star Wars Easter eggs from the first six movies.
By Stephen Hamilton9 years ago in Futurism
Sci-Fi's Obsession with Ancient Egypt
At first it sounds contradictory; isn’t science fiction all about what the future holds? But in looking back to a time before toothbrushes and iPads and breakfast cereal, you can get really philosophical without all the minutia that threatens to dominate life today. (Notice that I said you can, not that you have to - some of these films are just here to have fun.) If you love Ancient Egypt AND aliens and spaceships and futuristic weapons, now you can have both in one magical sandy pyramid-shaped package.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Futurism
