What is Science fiction: Definition and 101 Discussions

Science fiction (sometimes shortened to sci-fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life. It has been called the "literature of ideas", and often explores the potential consequences of scientific, social, and technological innovations.Science fiction, whose roots go back to ancient times, is related to fantasy, horror, and superhero fiction, and contains many subgenres. Its exact definition has long been disputed among authors, critics, scholars, and readers.
Science fiction literature, film, television, and other media have become popular and influential over much of the world. Besides providing entertainment, it can also criticize present-day society, and is often said to inspire a "sense of wonder".

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. GiantSheeps

    Hard Science Fiction Fans: Recommendations & Farside by Ben Bova

    If anyone else here is a fan of hard science fiction, do you have any recommendations? I just read Farside by Ben Bova and I really enjoyed it, so I'd say it's worth a read if you come across it.
  2. A

    Can an AI write a credible novel with Wikipedia and YouTube?

    I always wanted to create a toolbox of critical analysis tools for young people to analyze, debate, and anticipate the near term future given our human nature and our history, especially since the scientific revolution. This is what my novel is intended to do, but writing a first (crap) edition...
  3. S

    Hiring astronomer for science fiction?

    I'd like to hire an astronomer to help me with a writing project (fiction). Do you guys have any tips on how I can go about doing this? The work should be somewhat simple (I would think at least), it involves crafting a fictional galaxy and a few star systems therein. Sorry if this is the...
  4. S

    What are good time travel theories to use for Science Fiction?

    Hello! Sorry, I'm not not exactly sure if this post is in the right thread. But I would just like to ask what time travel theory is appropriate, and hopefully much easier to use, for science fiction? I am planning to write a semi sci-fi short story, and it involves using time travel: to the...
  5. ZapperZ

    Photo Contest - Science Fiction (9/7-9/13)

    Science Fiction The theme this week could be a challenge. The subject matter is all about Science Fiction. This could be images related to a sci-fi movie, books, TV shows, etc., or something that might easily be considered as a science fiction, such as a spaceship-looking building. Things...
  6. M

    What does science fiction really mean

    Science fiction in my opinion means something scientific that isn't real (at the moment). Looking through history, star trek ect a lot of science fiction there has become a reality. I'm interested in hearing from people who teach / research physics if there was ever a time when something was...
  7. K

    Deja Vu: one amazing science fiction movie

    De javu is the best science fiction movie i have ever watched,,, the characters are amazingly matching although it is so confusing about this moves from past to present and vice versa but the movies is great :cool:
  8. D

    Hypothetical question from a science fiction writer.

    Hi there, I have a hypothetical question which is prima fascia more than a little ridiculous, but it relates to a science fiction book I'm working on writing. I'm hoping that one or more of the general smart folks here can weigh in on it and give me some realistic answers about a very...
  9. E

    A problem from science fiction - intersecting curves

    1. Homework Statement [/b] A spaceship is traveling on a curved path, f(t) = (t, t2) (We'll assume that the path isn't affected by gravity, this is a math problem, not physics :-) ) It has to release a pod to intersect a space station that has an orbit described by the following: g(t) =...
  10. Ryan_m_b

    Science Fiction and Fantasy Forum Rules

    This forum is ONLY for the discussion of existing science fiction and fantasy stories in movies, books, tv, comics. It is NOT for discussing personal ideas, those would go in the Science fiction WRITING forum if they adhere to the rules for that forum. This forum is not for new ideas or...
  11. lpetrich

    Dimensions of Science Fiction - Hard to Soft, Optimism to Pessimism

    How hard is that SF? – Pharyngula mentions a survey that someone once did, asking people to rate various science-fiction movies on two dimensions. Hard: a work "takes great care in accurately presenting then-known scientific facts". Soft: a work "often and casually violates our understanding...
  12. lpetrich

    Asimov on Science Fiction: the Reaction, not the Action

    In "Future? Tense!" in his essay collection From Earth to Heaven (1965), Isaac Asimov wrote about the nature of science fiction. He noted that science-fictioneers are stereotyped either as indulgers in weird fantasies or as farsighted predictors of the future. After discussing some SFers'...
  13. Aaronvan

    Is Breaking Bad science fiction?

    It contains a lot of science references and is clearly fiction. How should we pidgeonhole it?
  14. S

    Science fiction inventor with another science fiction question

    I am trying to come up with an idea of something tougher than steel for a starship hull and thought there might be a possibility of using a form of rock over an exoskeletal steel frame. I really am ignorant of temperature tolerences of any form of rock but am slightly aware of ceramics heat...
  15. R

    Science-Fiction: What could impede the use of electricity on half of Mars?

    Hello. I’m a new addition to the board, and if I’ve posted in the wrong place or this is otherwise unwelcome, please PM me and let me know. I’m a writer and I’m working on a science-fiction novel set on Mars in the distant future. I can gather most of the information on the planet, the...
  16. Greg Bernhardt

    New Forum: Science Fiction Media

    We are announcing that mid next week "Skepticism & Debunking" will be removed. All threads will be placed in GD. The "Product Claims" forum will be spared and temporarily placed in GD as well. Over the past year we noticed many threads being locked due to guideline violations. So much so...
  17. L

    Science fiction: what is the green goo in Half-Life?

    This being a physics forum, I'm sure many of you have heard of the 1998 computer game Half-Life. If you don't know, the game is set within a top secret research laboratory deep within the deserts and mesas of Arizona. All hell breaks loose after a massive screwed-up experiment. The...
  18. T

    Exploring Physics & Fiction: Is Consciousness Possible?

    First off, apologies. I'm not as advanced as most on this forum and hope that my (less than ideal) pairing of physics with science-fiction will not sound completely stupid. Nevertheless, I came here to find a community who actually knows about the physical sciences so I can correct any...
  19. S

    How Much Impact Can a -200 Degrees Centigrade Ice Shield Withstand?

    Hello, all! Thanks for all the help I have received on other threads. My latest science fiction invention is an battle ice cruiser. I have done the math for how to use energy weapons to compromise the ice shield around my ice ship but have no clue as to how to calculate how much impact ice at...
  20. Integral

    Great TV series: Prophets of Science Fiction

    Runs on the Science channel. Did you know that HG Wells wrote a novel about our modern atomic bomb in 1914. He inspired Szilard to investigate the possibilities. HG Wells has to be seen as the grandfather of the atomic bomb. The World Set Free
  21. R

    What are some of your favorite science-fiction novels?

    I'm going to be making a list of good ones to purchase for summer reading. I would like to see what are some people's favorite books here. If you can put a short description or say why you liked it, that would save me the trouble of reading a plot synopsis on wiki. Go, go, go!
  22. S

    Spaceships and Science fiction

    Moderation note: This thread has been split from another so as not to derail the former thread I have a hard time enjoying Star Wars anymore because of how those spaceships fly around :(
  23. G

    I have a question regarding a science fiction story I am writing.

    I don't know how often you get questions like this here, if ever, but I was hoping you could help me solve a problem I have come across in writing a story. It is not exactly Hard Sci Fi, but it is definitely not soft science fiction, and I want to get the physics at least mostly right. Here it...
  24. QuarkCharmer

    What are the top sci-fi shows for space adventure lovers?

    This seems like the appropriate forum to ask and get a decent reply. I have watches every star trek except for the original and enterprise (I gave the original a shot but the first two episodes were horrible). I really liked TNG, the action parts of DS9, and the borg parts of Voyager. I saw...
  25. S

    Science fiction writer needs help on sci-fi weapon

    i'm not a physics major so i have to ask a question and i may not know what I'm talking about but here goes. if i had a giant circular accelerator accelerating a metal slug from zero velocity to high velocity with say 10^12 watts per electromagnet in a circle of 10 electromagnets is it possible...
  26. F

    What is the concept of 'entering into another dimension' in science fiction?

    Yeah, you know science fictions often have people going in and out into other dimensions? What does that even mean. In Linear Algebra, the "dimension" with the dimension in science fiction are completely different. For instance, how can someone enter R2??
  27. D

    Sci-Fi Story Idea: Avatar Autonomy & Black Hole Singularity

    I was thinking of idea for a sci-fi story and not being a physicist wanted to know if there are any fundamental weaknesses in the support conjectures. First I allow for some givens, which of course are far from "givens" within the scientific community. The first given is that consciousness...
  28. A

    Science Fictions: Exploring Possibilities & Impossibilities

    Hey, I have been quite curious about science fictions. Now, I want to start a thread for possibilities or impossibilities of various stuff in science fictions. So, let's get it started. My first one is this :
  29. A

    Discuss Possibilities of Science Fiction Movies

    I think it would be fun to start a thread which discusses the possibilities ( or impossibilities) of various stuff in science fictions and other movies. So let's get started.
  30. A

    If you like science fiction would you be a good engineer?

    Well i love science fiction and love science , especially math and physics. Based on this would you go for engineering? let's say mechanical engineering?
  31. Ivan Seeking

    Science Fiction Trivia Contest

    I don't know if this will work, but I thought we might try something a little different. As with other contests, get the answer, ask the next question, but the difficult part is to give a clue or clues that would not be easily searchable. So, only one or a few keys words should be used that in...
  32. H

    Calculating the Minimum Orbit Radius for a 'Chainworld' System

    Trying to compute a 'Chainworld' with simplest possible Newtonian physics but still lost with my lousy math. By 'Cainworld' I mean series of man-made, worlds inspired by classic novel "Ringworld", which orbit around a common center of mass in one, common, perfectly circular orbit. They are...
  33. B

    Science approaching science fiction

    I hate it how science is fast approaching the realms of science fiction, it seems as if it diminishes the quality of the real subject. Trying to explain principles of general relativity and quantum to my father, and it sounds like some script from startrek. How can it be taken seriously by any...
  34. M

    Writing a science fiction novel

    Hey to be honest I am new and don't know very much about science. I don't know if this is even the right place to post this. I am writing a science fiction novel, and basically I want to know, if it is possible for a special element (go with me here) to destroy all types of metal without...
  35. M

    Laser fusion and science fiction

    I'm a science fiction writer, currently I write a novel related to laser fusion. As I know in chemistry, catalysis is the process in which the rate of a chemical reaction is either increased or decreased by means of a chemical substance known as a catalyst. Are there catalysts in the nuclear...
  36. G

    Maxwell's theory of Tm fact or science fiction

    [b]1. Is there anyone who can justify Maxwell's Theory of Terrestial magnetik's bieng taught in schools in 2009. [b]2. Does Schumman's resonance theory or Balser and Wagner's practical work proving the theory have no importance. Does Tm come from lightning or the hot metal core of the...
  37. F

    Formulas needed for science fiction book

    I am writing a science fiction book with the following premise: A starship drive (and weapon) has been discovered that acts as a laser that turns ordinary matter into gamma rays at 100% efficiency; matter goes in one end of a tube and the light comes out the other end, driving the spaceship...
  38. A

    Science Fiction Movie and sound waves

    Homework Statement In a science fiction movie, when a spaceship explodes, the vibrations from the sound nearly destroy a nearby spaceship. If you were the science consultant for the movie, what would your advice be for the producer? Homework Equations I don't think there are any...
  39. C

    Can Heroes Use a Lunar Rock's Angular Momentum to Safely Land a Spacecraft?

    I hope this is an appropriate forum for this question. I'm writing a science fiction story set on the moon. In the story, my heroes, inside a rover type vehicle are blasted into a ballistic arc by a comet impact. The rover has limited "jump" rockets but they and the fuel supply are...
  40. M

    Best Science Fiction Movie ever

    Hey PF.. What do you think is the best Science Fiction movie(s) ever? Thanks :)
  41. S

    Exploring Science Fiction Concepts: Space Combat, Plasma Mirrors, and More

    In case the name didn't give it away, I like science fiction. A while ago (more than a year ago) I decided to look into space combat from a scientific standpoint. After spending huge amounts of time procrastinating from real work by looking up laser efficiencies, theoretical maximums for...
  42. Evo

    History Is History Just a Collection of Myths and Legends?

    Here is another gem I found at [PLAIN]www.talk-history.com[/URL] History: Fiction or Science? Anatoly Fomenko "This is a most unusual book, one that undermines the very foundations of History. According to the author and his team of researchers, History as it has been taught in Europe...
  43. zoobyshoe

    What Should The Next Science Fiction Monster Be?

    This is a big problem because I think they ran out of good ideas a long time ago. The last one that struck me as any good was the graboid in Tremors, but that film is pretty old now. The film Alien really turned the whole genre around and most stuff that's come afterward seems to have it's...
  44. N

    QED: science meets science fiction

    IF QED (quantum electrodynamics) is not a hoax, then matter truly does not exist and all we have is logic-math. The electron according to QED is an infinite set of interacting virtual particles described and understood only in terms of their feynman diagrams which are nothing more than integrals...
  45. loseyourname

    What Qualities Do You Find Common To Great Science Fiction?

    Perhaps the hallmark of the great sci-fi novels is that they always tell stories in service to a fantastic idea, an idea that often comes to fruition in the future. For instance, in 2001 the idea is that an extremely powerful alien intelligence is responsible for the evolution of apes into men...
  46. H

    Best science fiction- your suggestions

    science fiction books that you think are worthwhile for a reading list? What of these books are based on a firm/possible "scientific" basis (kind of visionary science if you would like)
  47. Whitestar

    Aspiring science fiction writer

    I'm an aspiring science fiction writer and the type of science I would like to write is "hard sci-fi". That is, I want to create fantastic technologies that obey the laws of physics. I'm just trying to decide if teleportation is one of those things. Let's examine the two possibilities: quantum...
  48. Janus

    The ultimate Science Fiction quiz.

    Okay all you SF fans out there, just how much of a fan are you? The following is a triva quiz I've cooked up. How many can you get right? A couple of ground rules first: 1.No googling for the answers. (I can't really stop you, but since this quiz is only for fun, you'd be just...
  49. K

    Wireless Energy Transfer: Just Science Fiction?

    There's been some buzz about wireless energy transfer for quite some time now, but it seems really far fetched to me that we will get any significant power usage out of wireless energy transfer. What do you guys think? Does this form of energy have any significant potential at all, or is it just...
  50. N

    Exploring the Physics of Space: A Science Fiction Book

    Hi all, I'm writing myself a science fiction book. I'm also trying to keep the science and the fiction as separate as I can, space is just the setting, I'm focusing on the fiction but would like the science to be possible. So I've been reading a lot of stuff on wikipedia and all over the...
Back
Top