Fiction
Unknown Empire
He threw back the covers to look to see what the problem was into his lower limbs which were covered with fire ants!
The Thing in the Woods
The cat’s mouth cranked wide open just as the rock had, the top of her head falling backward until she stared upside down at us with glassy eyes.
The Lady Who Would Not Die
She treads softly on the blood-soaked ground, disturbing the crows that came to feast.
Asimov’s Youth! Shows Us the True Aliens
The conflict between generations, stability and energy, has special in the current events of our time.
Seen
When I opened my eyes a little wider and tilted my head just so—to see, really see—I noticed the fairies dancing between the floorboards of my bedroom.
Evacuation: Earth
Evacuating Earth was arguably the most difficult thing ever undertaken by humankind.
James Blish’s ‘One-Shot’ explores limits of technology
Institutions fail us. Destruction awaits us around every corner. These fears are as true today as in the 1950s, when James Blish wrote his short story “One-Shot.”
Dead Men Walking
My helmet melted away, revealing what should have been a skull, but instead showcased thousands of minuscule cables, flicking lights and tiny gears, latched to my brain and wiring me into the armor’s motor functions. It had become a part of my body.
Dr. Garbanzo Writes the First Draft
There was a quick, frantic splashing, an ascent of bubbles, and then nothing.
Reviews
Aliens in Lagos: sci-fi novel Lagoon offers a bold new future
Lagoon, through its shapeshifting alien protagonist, challenges long-held ideas of how gender and sexual identities are considered in Africa.
How Old is ‘Warp Drive?’ Where was ‘Zap Gun’ First Used?
Do you “grok” jargon? Does your “filk” contain references to “BEM”s or “BDO”s? And do the goings-on in Washington make you want to go into “cryostasis” in your “hobbit-hole”?
Is the Double-Consciousness of ‘Invisible Man’ Still Relevant Today?
I learned by listening. Dad and his friends did not know it then, but they were describing their experiences with double-consciousness, living as a Black man in a white-dominated society.
‘The Damned Place’ by Chris Miller
Chris Miller, with The Damned Place, has written a novel that deserves to launch beyond the trappings of indie horror and into the stratosphere.
‘The Girl Who Owned A City’ Asks What Would Happen if Only Children Survived a Pandemic
Perhaps our contemporary crises brought it back into my mind, as the events of the book take place in the wake of a devastating pandemic that has swept across America, sparing only those under the age of twelve.
‘Renna’s Crossing’ is a progressive, magical coming-of-age story
I just finished “Renna’s Crossing” by Geordie Morse and was surprised, and humbled, by the author’s approach to gender issues.
3 questions I still have after watching Wonder Woman 1984
If you haven’t seen this excellent movie yet, go watch it on HBO Max, then come back. I’ll wait.
Pandemic bingewatch: Tony Shaloub is at his best when infected by space bugs in ‘BrainDead’
I came for Tony Shalhoub and I was not disappointed.
Essays
Where One Vulnerability Researcher Sees AI in 2030
Looking at least one decade into the future, I believe we will see significant advancements in three areas by 2030 as a result of AI — personal assistance devices, genomics, and space exploration.
New CRISPR technology could revolutionize gene therapy
The head of the US National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins had joined forces with Harvard University professor David Liu and others to tackle progeria, a genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly.
Scientists: Super AI will be beyond our control
While more progress is being made all the time in artificial intelligence, some scientists and philosophers warn of the dangers of an uncontrollable superintelligent AI.
Science fiction builds mental resiliency in young readers
Reading science fiction and fantasy may help young people cope, especially with the stress and anxiety of living through the COVID-19 pandemic.
News
Cancer survivor heading to space as part of all-civilian crew
Hayley Arceneaux will become the first astronaut with a prosthetic limb when she goes into space later this year on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission.
The Bone Ships wins 2020 British Fantasy Award
The British Fantasy Society announced the winners of the 2020 British Fantasy Awards yesterday, and RJ Barker’s The Bone Ships was selected as the best fantasy novel of the year.
New postage stamp honors Chien-Shiung Wu, trailblazing nuclear physicist
On Feb. 11, 2021, the sixth International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the U.S. Postal Service issued a new Forever stamp to honor Chien-Shiung Wu, one of the most influential nuclear physicists of the 20th century.
The first Mars photos from Perseverance are here
NASA has been releasing photos as they arrive from Mars and they are awesome.
Perseverance lands tomorrow; lead scientist explains tech and goals
On Feb. 18, NASA’s Mars 2020 mission will be arriving at the red planet, and hopefully will place the Perseverance Rover on the surface.
Ten ‘Keys to Reality from Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek
To understand ourselves and our place in the universe, “we should have humility but also self-respect,” the physicist writes in a new book.
Sci-fi legend Ursula K. Le Guin to get her own postage stamp
The U. S. Postal Service announced its new lineup of stamps for 2021, and sci-fi legend Ursula K. Le Guin is the latest addition to the Literary Arts series.
Nalo Hopkinson is first black woman and youngest winner of Grand Master award
Nalo Hopkinson is the first black woman to win the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award for her lifetime achievements in science fiction and fantasy writing.
On Writing
28 ways to beat procrastination for writers
Have you ever stared at your screen or typewriter or notebook and couldn’t force yourself to write? I have, and here’s what I do to fix it.
Body language master list for writers
A very, very long list of ways to show emotion through body language or actions.
Where to find low-cost, pre-made covers for spec fic books
Pre-made book cover sites offer low-cost, professional-looking covers for independent authors.
Resources for writers
Our master list of best resources for writers of fantasy, horror and sci-fi.