Science fiction is one of the most popular genres of literature and film in the world. It is difficult to adequately explain this type of fiction because it has practically no limits. However, there are certain consistencies within the genre. In most cases, the story is based on the exploration of a scientific principle that is not possible with current technology but may be possible in the future. Therefore, many such stories are set in a futuristic setting.

Oddly enough, much of what was once considered science fiction is reality today. For example, Jules Verne wrote of a nuclear powered submarine in his novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. At the time, people were not even seriously considering nuclear fission as a source of power. However, today, nuclear submarines make up the bulk of many nation's submarine fleets as well as other ships, such as nuclear powered aircraft carriers.

Even the improbable antimatter used to fuel stars
hips in the Star Trek series of books and movies has been found to be real and composed of atoms, with all electrical charges on the subatomic particles reversed from normal matter. This means that the nuclei are made up of anti-protons which carry a negative charge and anti-neutrons made up of an anti-proton and a positron. Positrons carrying a positive charge orbit the nuclei.

Isaac Asimov wrote many books about robots equipped with positronic brains. These robots had a built-in artificial intelligence. While AI has not progressed that far in reality as of yet, the potential exists and work is ongoing in this area.

The world of medicine has been another area explored extensively in this type of fiction. Cures and procedures that were envisioned by writers in the genre have been realized and are being used daily.

The reason speculative fiction remains popular is that it usually has at least some basis in science fact; the genre explores possibilities. While not all stories will ever come to be reality, many of the discoveries made in recent years have shown that much of what has been envisioned in the minds of speculative fiction writers through the years may come to pass.

Another aspect of this genre that contributes to its popularity is the hope for a better tomorrow. Most stories are set in a futuristic world where many of the problems of this world have been solved. This gives readers hope that humanity will find ways to improve their lot, and perhaps the world.

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Science fiction in literature

The focus of a science fiction writer is on fiction rooted in science and plausibility. It must be remembered that what seems fantastical today may turn out to be a common-place event tomorrow and this makes the job of writers dealing with science fiction even more difficult. Novels based on this imaginary but plausible genre are generally super hits and sell like hot cakes, finding a wide readership. The future of science and what is to occur has fascinated people for generations, and it is of little wonder that a good science fiction writer is held in high esteem. One possible reason for this could be because of his ability to project into the yet-to-come tomorrow.

The effective or ineffective way the subject is handled by the author makes or breaks his career. Writing about advanced science and technology, aliens, space travel and persons having paranormal capabilities need a lot of imaginative powers. Together with this, innovative thinking and being blessed with a clear vision helps. Screenplays that have a tone of rational scientific alternatives go to make movies or TV series that create waves if other factors are also present such as excellent photography, lighting and sound effects. A science fiction writer can have the people eating out of his hands due to the spell of thrill he casts upon them. Other genres that are closely related to sci-fi are fantasy, alternate history, horror, mystery and superhuman powers. A novel even making subtle mention of the subterranean earth, traveling across time, aliens, robots and other such suspension of disbelief are devoured by readers.

A science fiction writer attempting to write about future technology such as teleportation, ray-guns, mind control or faster-than-light travel had better sound convincing enough or else he is likely to lose the battle before it begins. The main point is to take a peek into the future while keeping an eye on the past and write along the hypothesis of scientific tenets. A screenplay that deals with any of the sub-genres of science fiction finds its way through the closely guarded gates Hollywood. A science fiction writer has to dwell on the antecedents of mythology and go far beyond the realms of mind's eye. Logical reasoning has little or no interplay when innovative ideas take shape in the author's head yet, the ideas should be firmly based on the existing technology.

It is the dream of any science fiction writer to win the notable Hugo Award or the Nebula Award that are bestowed after critical assessment and interpretation of the creative literature. Science fiction works have emerged across the world and have the maximum appeal for male adolescent population. The perennial desire for excitement in this segment of society enraptures the hearts and minds of young readers. Without destroying the doctrines of science the future is harnessed and this is the main difference between literature of other fields and sci-fi. The discrete information given by the writer may not be entirely true but not impossible either!

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Short stories are often a great way to pass a quick afternoon on a beach, fill the void on the train ride into work, or just a nice read before bed. The beauty of science fiction short stories is that we are able to make a trip to a different world in an hour or so and have the story completed in a single read. Many of the TV shows and movies we watch today find their roots in some classic stories created decades ago.

One of the most notable short stories of the 1950s was "The Minority Report." While there are obviously some commonalities in the Tom Cruise movie, they are quite different overall. The short story takes us into the mind of a completely different character than the one played by Cruise in the movie. It presents a different approach to the dilemma and a completely different outcome.

"Am I Still There?" was published in 1963 and while only eight pages long, it brings to light some pretty interesting possibilities of our medical futures. Just a few minutes into the short story, we realize the subject of the story is four centuries old! Not only that, but the surgery of which he is preparing for is brain replacement surgery! The title comes from the fact that our hero is about to lose his final, original body part.

Time travel has become a major part of science fiction over the years and "For A Single Yesterday" uses this concept in a very unique way. The subject of this 1970s short story lives through a nuclear holocaust and is stuck in a place where he would rather not be for the rest of his life. To escape, he takes a magical drug that enables him to not just remember past memories, but actually relive them. One has to wonder if this was the inspiration for such TV shows as Quantum Leap.

"Cyberpunk" was ahead of its time and it did not even know it. Bruce Bethke wrote the story just as the computer and Internet world were about to explode in the 1980s. Mr. Bethke may have had a looking glass into the future, as quite a few happenings in this story actually unfolded in real life. He may not have gotten everything 100 percent, but he was not far off. Anyone who enjoys the cyberpunk genre will find this absolutely delightful.

Science fiction short stories have influenced both movies, TV shows, and actual novels. They may be brief, but they pack quite a bit of entertainment into those pages. If you would like to learn more about science fiction short stories, visit DigitalScienceFiction.com today!

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Science fiction is a genre that is difficult to write. And those who succeed and become famous and popular do so because they are able to craft words into vivid pictures that get emblazoned on people's mind forever.

Here are some of the most famous science fiction authors, who are considered to be the greatest of all times:

o Arthur C Clarke: He captured the imagination of the world with his Space Odyssey series, in particular the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. This novel was made into a popular film and helped to bring science fiction back into mainstream cinema.

o Isaac Asimov: He is one of the most creative and productive writers in the history of science fiction writing. He has edited or published over 500 books. His Robot series and Foundation series ended becoming the foundation for many new sci-fi writers. I, Robot was made into a highly popular film starring Will Smith and it managed to break many box office records.

o Jules Verne: His books were ever so popular and took time to be translated in English. He wrote about travel and much to it. He wrote about things that were impossible for a human mind to even think of and explored that side of the world that we got addicted to. His books Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in 80 Days are classics. They were written at a time when space travel and submarines were considered figment of imagination.

o H.G. Wells: Undoubtedly the most famous and influential sci-fi writer. His book The Time Machine is the ultimate sci-fi novel ever to be written. Then there are other books, The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man, that are classics. H.G. Wells ensured that the genre never fades into oblivion. Hollywood still loves to make his books into movies.

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Science fiction in the movies

Science fiction has always been a popular genre of film. While the movies today are a far cry from what we saw on the big screen some twenty or thirty years ago, many of them are still considered classics that all sci-fi fans are guilty of watching a few times a year. Of course, this list may not feature everyone's favorites, but it would be hard to argue they are true classics which changed movie making forever.

Alien - This was a movie that combined sci-fi with slasher effects and introduced a whole new group of fans to the genre of film. It may not have been a favorite of true sci-fi fans, but there is no denying the success of the film. Every person watching the film got behind Ripley and hoped that she would somehow get of this "sticky" situation.

2001: A Space Odyssey - No "classic" science fiction list would be complete without this film. In 1968, this movie hit the big screen and fans all over the country were truly amazed. This was not a film, but a true adventure into the world of science fiction. It laid the groundwork for films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and created the format that many films would follow for decades.

Road Warrior - World, meet Mel Gibson. Some will argue if this belongs in the sci-fi category, but we are going to give it the nod. There is little argument here that this movie is packed with action and could find its place in several different genre, but we think it fits here best. This was another groundbreaking film that would introduce different aspects into sci-fi that would be found in hundreds of films following it to the big screen.

Planet of the Apes - Every science fiction franchise in existence probably has this film to thank for it. Planet of the Apes was introduced to sci-fi fans in 1968 and never looked back. In all, there were five Apes movies on the big screen and fans flocked to see every one of them. Instead of just cashing in on the brand, filmmakers used each sequel to delve deeper into the story line. This is a true classic.

Star Wars - Who is going to argue this choice? Is it the best science fiction movie of its time? That will depend on whom is asked, but it has to be at the top of everyone's lists for most influential films. Much of the technology used on this film was introductory and it took movie making to an entire different level. Would we have movies like The Matrix were it not for this film? Probably, but who knows how much longer the techniques would have taken to find their ways into movie making.

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There is nothing like watching an "old school" science fiction film, but the effects in those movies hardly compare to what we are seeing today. Yes, some of them have effects which were ground-breaking for their day, but movie making has hit an entirely different level in modern times. It has made the movies more aesthetically pleasing to the viewer and truly takes us inside these magical worlds.

Jurassic Park - Leave it to Spielberg to take us where people had only dreamed of going in years past. We can only imagine what movies like the original Star Wars would have looked like had CG been refined to this level at that time. Mr. Spielberg took us from our local theaters into a world filled with walking dinosaurs that was truly realistic.

Aliens - Where the first movie combined slasher with sci-fi, this movie just took everything to the next level. Ripley once again had everyone in the theater rooting for her to be able to beat this disgusting looking creature back and save the world. Cameron was already on the map before this film ever hit the screen, but he became rooted there after this flick was seen across the country.

T2: Judgement Day - Any of the Terminator movies could be here, but this one holds a special place because of the "liquid" terminator. While Terminator was a great concept, flipping the script and turning Arnold into a hero fighting against an indestructible terminator was pure genius. The effects in this movie were truly stunning and ground-breaking for their time.

The Matrix - Reeves was a pretty boy actor before this trilogy hit the big screen, but he became a true superstar of the big screen upon its completion. All of the movies in this series were incredible, but this was where we were introduced to the Matrix and wondered ourselves if this was really happening. The one scene that still stands out is when Neo realizes his powers, comes back to life, and merely puts his hand up to stop the onslaught of bullets coming his way.

Avatar - Love it or hate it, this movie is an example of where science fiction is headed into the future. Cameron has literally been waiting his entire life for technology to catch up to his vision. The on-screen features of this movie make it almost scary to think about what goes on in this man's head. The movie is a true spectacle from start to finish and has everyone hungry for the future of this genre.

We all enjoyed older science fiction movies, but today's movies are truly something else

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