WDR: "Welche Auswirkungen hätte das bevorstehende Eintreffen von Außerirdischen für unsere menschliche Zivilisation? Das Hörspiel nach dem international gefeierten Science-Fiction-Bestseller von Cixin Liu inszeniert die Welt vor ihrem potentiellen Ende."
In meinem zweiten Weblog habe ich kürzlich eine umfangreiche Linksammlung mit Kurzgeschichten des nature Journals veröffentlicht. Hier die Links zu den drei Teilen:
"There's no doubt about it. We picked up several from different parts of the planet, took them aboard our recon vessels, and probed them all the way through. They're completely meat."
Big Brother im 21. Jahrhundert Der Überwachungsstaat in der Literatur (mp3)
SWR: "Der Überwachungsstaat wird in literarischen Klassikern meist im Zusammenhang mit einer übermächtigen politischen Diktatur beschrieben. Heute funktionieren die Mechanismen der Kontrolle subtil und sogar freiwillig. Was auch die aktuelle Literatur spiegelt." Weiter
Edgar Allan Poe geht auf‘s Standesamt (mp3)
BR: "Edgar Allan Poe hoffte natürlich mehr auf gute als auf schlechte Zeiten, als er am 22. September 1835 auf´s Standesamt ging - um die sehr, sehr junge Virginia zu heiraten. Doch viel zu bald schon krächzte der Rabe: Nimmermehr."
Peter Pan und sein Erfinder (mp3)
SWR2: "Bis heute hat dieser Klassiker der Jugendliteratur nichts an Strahlkraft eingebüßt.. Erfinder der Geschichte war der Schotte James Matthew Barrie - ein nur 1,52 Meter großer, vom englischen Königshaus geadelter Journalist, Theaterautor und Schriftsteller. Wie das Leben seiner Fantasiefigur Peter Pan war auch seines durchdrungen von Tragik, ungestillter Sehnsucht und Einsamkeit."
Postapokalypse in Serien: Noch nie war so viel Weltuntergang wie heute (mp3)
dradio: "Das Genre des Endzeit-Films gibt es schon lange. Aber jetzt erscheinen immer mehr Fernsehserien, die sich mit der Frage beschäftigen, wie Menschen nach einer Katastrophe leben oder leben würden. Die Frage, wie es zum Untergang kam, wird gar nicht erst gestellt - denn es ist klar: Die Probleme haben wir selbst verursacht." Weiter
Physik-Fiction ist nicht genug
"Warum wir unser Bild von Science-Fiction unbedingt erweitern sollten – Eine Kolumne von Adam Roberts"
Her & Black Mirror: Maschinenliebe, die nächste Stufe
spex.de: "In Spike Jonzes Her, just auf DVD erschienen, verliebt sich Joaquin Phoenix in sein Betriebssystem. In der britischen TV-Serie Black Mirror heißt es dagegen, etwas weniger romantisch: The future is broken. Zwischen Hoffnung und Angst lernen wir: Nur weil etwas simuliert ist, muss es noch lange nicht unecht sein."
Jeff VanderMeers Roman-Highlight Auslöschung
Jeff VanderMeer ist nicht nur einer der wichtigsten Herausgeber der englischsprachigen Fantastik-Gegenwart. Er ist außerdem einer dieser amerikanischen Autoren, die so außergewöhnlich und dabei so versiert und hervorragend sind, dass sie hierzulande eigentlich keine Chance auf dem Markt haben, völlig egal, wie gut ihr Standing innerhalb der Szene ist oder wie viele Awards sie ihm Regal stehen haben." Weiter
fontmagazine.org: "Although not actually banned, Saudia Arabia’s first science fiction novel H W J N, more easily pronounced as ‘Hawjan’, is causing problems for its creator. Official unease about its contents have meant that the religious police have been confiscating copies from a number of bookshops in the country despite it being a bestseller there.
Written by Ibraheem Abbas, and translated from Arabic to English by Yasser Bahjatt (co-founders of Yatakhayaloon, aka The League of Arabic SciFiers), the novel is less science fiction and more science fantasy, dealing as it does with a modernday jinn who finds himself falling in love with a human and joins battle against demons and sorcerers on her behalf." Rad on
Der Humanistische Pressedienst stellt TV Serien vor:
Battlestar Galactica - Was ist ein Mensch?
hpd.de: "Battlestar Galactica erscheint auf den ersten Blick sehr religiös, besonders für eine Science-Fiction-Show. Manche Kritiker warfen den Machern einen zu beschönigenden Blick auf die Irrationalität des Glaubens sowie peinliche Eso-Verherrlichung vor. Das greift jedoch viel zu kurz, denn der “Glaube” ist in der Serie nur ein strukturierendes Werkzeug, die organisierte Religiosität wird überdeutlich kritisiert und Spiritualität als Gesamtes in Frage gestellt."
Triple Canopy : "Triple Canopy is pleased to announce Speculations (“The future is ______”), fifty days of lectures, discussions, and debates about the future, as part of EXPO 1: New York at MoMA PS1.
Triple Canopy is inviting writers, artists, scientists, activists, economists, and technologists to bet on futures they want to see realized and to describe them as clearly as possible, while considering what demands these futures make on the present." Read on
Here is my biased towards scifi authors selection. But please make sure to check the complete list at www.momaps1.org
Samuel Delany is the author of science-fiction novels including Dhalgren and Babel-17. Kelly Link coedits Small Beer Press and has written three collections of fantastic short stories, most recently Pretty Monsters. They will talk about how we use and abuse the future. View the Livestream.
Maureen McHugh’s latest story collection, After the Apocalypse, was one of Publishers Weekly’s Ten Best Books of 2011. She will speculate on the consequences of depopulation and de-extinction, and the possibility of terraforming Earth itself to ensure our survival. View the Livestream.
Katie Kitamura has written for Frieze, Wired, and the New York Times. Her novels include The Longshot and Gone to the Forest. At 2 p.m. she will draw on Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film World on a Wire to consider simulacra as a model for thinking about fiction writing and authorship. At 4 p.m. she will describe a future where languages are traded like currency. View the Livestream.
Kim Stanley Robinson is a science-fiction author and the winner of Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. At 1:30 p.m., he will deliver a keynote talk, “What Is the Future For?,” and consider the strange shape that climate change gives the future. View the Livestream. At 4 p.m., he will be in conversation with novelist John Crowley. View the Livestream.
Jace Clayton is an artist focused on the intersection of sound, technology use in low-income communities, and public space. As DJ /rupture, Clayton has released a number of acclaimed albums. At 2 p.m. he will talk about Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life." At 4 p.m. he will discuss inexpensive time-travel devices and how the future might not exist. View the Livestream.
Ted Chiang is the author of Stories of Your Life and Others and, most recently, the novella The Lifecycle of Software Objects. His fiction has won the Hugo, Nebula, Sturgeon, and Locus Awards. At 2 p.m. he will discuss the short story "The Guy Who Worked for Money" by Benjamin Rosenbaum. At 4 p.m. he will describe how technology will change the way we narrativize our lives. View the Livestream.
Marina Abramovic' has been using her own body as subject, object, and medium since the early 1970s. In 2011, the Museum of Modern Art presented her retrospective “The Artist Is Present.” She will talk about how to create a productive union between the arts, science, technology, spirituality, and education in the future. View the Livestream.
Sergio De La Pava is a public defender in New York City and author of the novels A Naked Singularity and Personae. At 2 p.m. he will discuss Philip K. Dick's story "The Minority Report." At 4 p.m. he will speak about the future of criminal justice. View the Livestream.
Just saw the the trailer for Luc Besson's upcoming movie Lucy. Reminded me of Ted Chiang's novellete Understand.
Understand:
"The story follows a man who is given an experimental drug to heal brain damage caused by anoxia after he nearly drowns. The drug regenerates his damaged neurons and has the unintended side effect of exponentially improving his intellect and motor skills. As he gets smarter and smarter, he is pursued by several government agencies and eventually receives a message from—and then enters into conflict with—another super-intelligent test subject."
Lucy:
Lucy is a woman living in Taipei, Taiwan who is forced to work as a drug mule for the mob. The drug implanted in her body inadvertently leaks into her system, which allows her to use more than the normal 10% of her brain's capacity, thus changing her into a superhuman. As a result, she can absorb information instantaneously, is able to move objects with her mind, and can choose not to feel pain or other discomforts.
An audio version of Understand can be found at archive.org
Lucy is based on the humans only make use of 10% their brains nonsens.
Audio:Flying Cars And Tricorders: How Sci-Fi Invented The Present (mp3)
"From Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to George Orwell’s 1984 to Spike Jonze’s Oscar-winning Her, artists have imagined what the future will look like. In this week’s episode, Kurt Andersen explores how science fiction has shaped the world we’re living in right now. The inventor of the cell phone gives credit to Star Trek’s communicator; International Space Station superstar Chris Hadfield explains the ups and downs of space; and science writer Carl Zimmer says the giant sandworms of Dune got him interested in life on Earth." Read on
James S.A.Corey: Authors at Google
In conversation with James S.A. Corey at Google. James S.A. Corey is the pen name of fantasy author Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.
Before the Dawn of the Apes
"The producers of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes have teamed up wth Motherboard (VICE’s short films channel) to create Before the Dawn, a series of short films meant to bridge the gap between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and the forthcoming sequel."
Bowl of Heaven & Shipstar
"In Bowl of Heaven & Shipstar, collaborations by science fiction masters Larry Niven and Gregory Benford, the limits of wonder are redrawn once again as a human expedition to another star system is jeopardized by an encounter with an astonishingly immense artifact in interstellar space: a bowlshaped structure half-englobing a star, with a habitable area equivalent to many millions of Earths…and it’s on a direct path heading for the same system as the human ship."
BBC: "Beneath the calm surface of British politics, lurking in the imaginations of some of our leading writers, terrible things have happened. Professor Steven Fielding examines these dystopian visions which have gripped creative and public imaginations in novels and dramas since the end of the second world war.
Some of these stories have left a lasting legacy on our politics: references to 1984 have become part of our culture, and the iconic Guy Fawkes mask from the film V for Vendetta is worn as a symbol of resistance by protestors around the world. But why? And wherein lies the appeal of these visions of politics gone bad? Steven Fielding asks what the authors intended, and whether these visions make a useful contribution to the political process."
Two Classic SciFi radio dramas can be downloaded from the Internet Archive:
Dimension X was first heard on NBC April 8, 1950, and ran until September 29, 1951. This show dramatized the work of such young writers as Ray Bradbury, Robert (Psycho) Bloch, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Kurt Vonnegut. In-house script writer was Ernest Kinoy, who adapted the master works and contributed occasional storied of his own.
X Minus One aired on NBC from 24 April 55 until 9 January 58 for a total of 124 episodes with one pilot or audition story. There was a revival of the series in 1973 when radio was attempting to bring back radio drama and it lasted until 1975. The show occupied numerous time slots through out its run in the 50's and thus was never able to generate a large following.
X Minus One was an extension of Dimension X. The stories for the show came from two of the most popular science fiction magazines at the time; Astounding and Galaxy. These stories came from the minds of Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Poul Anderson to name a few.
» There Will be Dragons (Council Wars)
» Emerald Sea (Council Wars)
» A Hymn Before Battle (Legacy of the Aldenata)
» Gust Front (Legacy of the Aldenata)
wikipedia.org: "John Ringo (born March 22, 1963) is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers. To date, he has over three million copies of his books in print, and his works have been translated into seven different languages." Read on
Momentan gibt es die Geschichte Die zweite Invasion - Legenden der Zukunft von Frank W. Haubold kostenlos bei Amazon.
amazon.de: "Einige seiner Romane und Geschichten wurden für Literaturpreise nominiert und belegten vordere Plätze bei den jeweiligen Wettbewerben. 2012 gewann er den Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis für die beste deutschsprachige SF-Erzählung. 2008 gewann er den Deutschen Science Fiction Preis in beiden Kategorien (Bester Roman mit "Die Schatten des Mars" und Beste Kurzgeschichte mit "Heimkehr"). Einige seiner Erzählungen wurden mittlerweile übersetzt und erschienen u. a. in Rußland, Irland und Italien."
Georg Klein: "Die Zukunft des Mars"
dradio: "Georg Kleins Roman "Die Zukunft des Mars" ermöglicht uns einen hypothetischen Rückblick auf die Gegenwart. Sein Roman spielt in einer postkatastrophischen Doppel-Welt auf der Erde und auf dem Mars. Dabei vermeidet er Sentimentalitäten der klassischen Öko-Dystopie." Weiter
Der Feigling und die Bestie [mp3]
dradio.de: "Fantasy-Literatur kommt bisher vor allem aus den USA oder Westeuropa, Baris Müstecaplioglu ist der erste türkische Autor des Genres. In seinem Roman über die Abenteuer des Ritters Leofold macht er vieles ganz anders als seine westlichen Kollegen." Weiter
Science Fiction – stimmt das? [mp3]
dradio.de: "Jochen Dreier hat mit dem Nerdcore-Blogger und SciFi-Experten René Walter gesprochen und einige Visionen der Science Fiction auf ihre Realitätstauglichkeit überprüft." Weiter
Authors@Google Presents: Gregory Benford and Larry Niven (youtube)
Larry Niven & Gregory Benford, two of the most respected authors of hard science fiction, talk about their new book "Bowl of Heaven" and the concept of stories about "big dumb objects" as a sub-genre. They review prior stories (including Ringworld by Niven) and then talk about the physics of the "big smart object" that is the Bowl of Heaven -- a half dyson-sphere steering a star on an interstellar voyage.
Gregory Benford & Larry Niven: Himmelsjäger (mp3)
dradio.de: "Die amerikanischen Autoren Gregory Benford und Larry Niven schicken ihre Protagonisten weit ins Weltall hinaus. Und die passende Philosophie zur Space-Odyssee liefert ausgerechnet Marcel Proust." Weiter
Future Imperfect (mp3)
Radio ABC: "does science fiction predict the future, or inspire it?" Read on
Dr Who (mp3)
Radio ABC: "Nearly 800 episodes later this inveterate time-traveller has plumbed the intricacies of some serious philosophical issues: from identity to the nature of time; from personal ethics to radical evil; from the uncanny to quantum entanglement. What can this estranged time lord tell us about some timeless questions?" Read on
Wombs on Legs? (mp3)
BBC: "From HG Wells and Margaret Atwood to Battlestar Galactica, science fiction texts and tv series have long used birth control as a metaphor for the limits on individual freedom. New Generation Thinker Sarah Dillon, from the University of St Andrews, looks at the roles for women which science fiction has imagined and asks is sci-fi sexist?"
Zombies and a Cultural Obsession That Simply Won’t Die (mp3)
files.thesocietypages.org: "Jennifer Rutherford, sociologist, literary scholar, and Deputy Director of the Hawke Research Institute at the University of Southern Australia, helps us understand what can be learned from the cultural obsession. We discuss the power of the zombie as metaphor, the unrestrained drive of the undead, and the allure of becoming zombie at gatherings and celebrations." Read on
Star Trek's Continuing Relevance (youtube)
"Star Trek is not only popular, it's important for current scholarship and industry! As a franchise, Star Trek has drawn upon real history for its narratives and influenced space history through its compelling depictions of a possible future. In this educational panel program, four presenters will offer brief compelling insights into how relevant Star Trek is today." Read on
Tad Williams Interview (mp3)
bookotron.com: "Williams manage to write prose that is not just funny, but insightful, pithy, sad, nostalgic; whatever he sets his sights on, he hits the bull's eye." Read on
Authors@Google Presents: Gregory Benford and Larry Niven (youtube)
"Larry Niven & Gregory Benford, two of the most respected authors of hard science fiction, talk about their new book "Bowl of Heaven" and the concept of stories about "big dumb objects" as a sub-genre. They review prior stories (including Ringworld by Niven) and then talk about the physics of the "big smart object" that is the Bowl of Heaven -- a half dyson-sphere steering a star on an interstellar voyage."
Lontar: Journal of Southeast Asian science fiction
"Premiere issue of LONTAR presents speculative writing from and about the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos and Vietnam."
blurb.de: "This tri-lingual collection catalog presents 162 science-fiction books of the series "Goldmanns Weltraum Taschenbücher" ('60ies & '70ies), with covers designed by German illustrator Eyke Volkmer. It documents a very unique period in German science-fiction illustration that was almost forgotten." Read on
The book at blurb.de
Official webpage: http://weltraumtaschenbuch.de/books/001.html
Wikipedia: "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is a postapocalyptic science fiction short story by Harlan Ellison. It was first published in the March 1967 issue of IF: Worlds of Science Fiction. It won a Hugo Award in 1968. The story takes place 109 years after the complete destruction of human civilization. The Cold War had escalated into a world war, fought mainly between China, Russia, and the United States. As the war progressed, the three warring nations each created a super-computer capable of running the war more efficiently than humans. One day, one of the three computers becomes self aware, and promptly absorbs the other two, thus taking control of the entire war. It carries out campaigns of mass genocide, killing off all but four men and one woman." Read on
Neil Gaiman's keynote at The Digital Minds Conference 2013
“But digital meant the end of several dinosaurs. Encyclopedias – I actually remember encyclopedia salesmen knocking on my door. Well, just one, but he was an encyclopedia salesman. And I still have encyclopedias at home. Ancient Encyclopedia Britannica’s, a set of World Books that was bought for me by my dad in the ‘60’s. They were heavy. They were huge. They took up room. They were rarely consulted. They were out of date when you got them. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as predicted by Douglas, was an encyclopedia that could be updated on the fly. And encyclopedias ended.
Dietmar Dath: "Pulsarnacht"
"Packende Kampfszenen, kilometerlange Raumschiffe und geheimnisvolle Legenden: Der intellektuelle Tausendsassa Dietmar Dath hat einen großartigen Weltraumroman geschrieben, der nicht nur eingefleischte Science-Fiction-Fans begeistern dürfte." Weiter
Image by the 
Birth of a Replicant by 
bei Amazon.
