We read a few samples of short stories by famous authors such as Isaac Asimov. We also heard the story of how "The War Of The Worlds" radio broadcast panicked many Americans on October 31, 1938. It taught early broadcast newtorks about the power of the airwaves.

Photo from the 1953 movie based on H.G. Wells' book "The War Of The Worlds"

(Source: http://www.tiac.net/users/detulleo/WoW.html)

We have viewed classic sci-fi movies such as "The Day The Earth Stood Still." (Click here for synopsis of movie.) We learned the meaning of these words which could save the world: "Klaatu barada nikto." We also learned a little bit about Esperanto, a universal language. (Want to translate to and from the Esperanto language? Try this translator site.)

  

From the movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still" (1951)

 

 

We also interpreted some interesting cartoons based on artist Steven Johnson's view of the future. Here are three samples of his cartoons.

 

 

We wrote our science fiction stories using the computer lab and, when that was not available, we used the portable "Alpha Smart" keyboards. These stories are available in our on-line magazine, "The Gernsback Gazette." The latest version of it is published/posted each June. The magazine is named in honor of Hugo Gernsback.

 

Isaac Asimov

Modern science fiction is the only form of literature that consistently considers the nature of the changes that face us, the possible consequences, and the possible solutions.

That branch of literature which is concerned with the impact of scientific advance upon human beings. (1952)

 

Ray Bradbury

Science fiction is really sociological studies of the future, things that the writer believes are going to happen by putting two and two together.

 

Hugo Gernsback

By "scientification,"... I mean the Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and Edgar Allan Poe type of story---a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prosphetic vision.

 

James E. Gunn

Science Fiction is the branch of literature that deals with the effects of change on people in the real world as it can be projected into the past, the future, or to distant places. It often concerns itself with scientific or technological change, and it usually involves matters whose importance is greater than the individual or the community; often civilization or the race itself is in danger.

Introduction, The Road To Science Fiction, Vol 1, NEL, New York 1977

 

Robert A. Heinlein

A handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method. To make this definition cover all science fiction (instead of "almost all") it is necessary only to strike out the word "future."

from: Science Fiction: its nature, faults and virtues, in The Science Fiction Novel, Advent, Chicago:1969

 

Science Fiction is speculative fiction in which the author takes as his first postulate the real worldas we know it, including all established facts and natural laws. The result can be extremely fantastic in content, but it is not fantasy; it is legitimate--and often very tightly reasoned--speculation about the possibilities of the real world.

from: Ray Guns And Spaceships, in Expanded Universe, Ace, 1981

 

 

 

These definitions are from: http://www.panix.com/~gokce/sf_defn.html

 

 

 

 

How did science fiction begin?

 

What was the very first science fiction movie?

The Father of Science Fiction, Hugo Gernsback also coined the word scientifiction, which we now know as Science Fiction. Hugo Gernsback was the publisher of the first Radio magazine in the world, Radio Craft, later Radio-Electronics, Amazing Stories, Sexology, and other magazines. The Hugo award, annually presented to the best in science fiction, is a coveted prize.Lesser known, but just as popular were Hugo's annual "Forecast" booklets. First published in 1951 Forecast was sent only to friends and associates each December. Forecast was Hugo's "Christmas Card", but in another sense, it was his dream of the future. Hugo Gernsback's insight into science and technology amazed many a scientist, among them Lee DeForest, inventor of the triode vacuum tube that set the wheels of technology into frantic motion, to where we are today!

Here is his obituary as published in the New York Times on August 20, 1967:

1. Hugo Gernsback emigrated to America in 1904 and became a naturalized US citizen. His interest in the future of things electrical probably set in motion the history of American Science Fiction as we know it. Gernsback started early in this mode, as founder of Electric Importing Co in 1905, and editor of Modern Electrics in 1908. In 1925, Hugo founded radio station WRNY. Amazing Stories was created by Hugo in 1926 as the first publication devoted to future fiction. That was soon followed by Wonder Stories in 1929 (bad timing). But despite the depression Gernsback Publications, Inc became a viable force and was fairly diversified with Radio Craft, Short Wave Craft, and Sexology. Gernsback developed Ralph 124C 41+ as a pen name in 1911 and that began a sequence of events that ended in a visionary early science fiction novel of the same name. Hugo was a dreamer and misplaced inventor, his efforts in that field slightly awry, such as the osophone which was a device to allow the deaf to hear through their teeth. At his death, however, Gernsback held 80 patents. Hugo's visionary skills foretold of plastic, stainless steel, jukeboxes and tape recorders, solar power, television, etc. Honored by the field of Science Fiction when it named its award of excellence after Gernsback.
2.  
3. From: http://www.gamecommandos.com/gamecommandos/Books_Hugo.asp

Here is something Gernsback wrote in 1961...

Soon, maybe 20 years hence, spaceflight to other planets will be commonplace. Trips to Venus and Mars will be the preferred ones because they are the nearest planets to us--only a mere 25 and 35 million miles distant respectively when closest to earth.

But Jupiter, the giant of all planets, holds great scientific interest because it is 40% larger than all the rest of the planets combined. Besides it has 12 satellites. It's mass is 317 times larger than that of our earth. Its distance from us when closest is 600 million miles.

But we won't go to Jupiter itself because most of it is still a gaseous sphere, not as yet solidified. We'll probably choose Calisto, its largest moon, less than half as large as our earth. We will probably investigate Calisto, or some of the other moons, intensively. A powerful radio transmitter will be set up at once to radio to earth.

But this will be a bit awkward. You see, to converse with us over the 600 million miles takes 35 minutes and 11 seconds for a one-way message when Jupiter is closest to us. So if our friend on Calisto says "Hello!" we won't here him until 35 minutes later. Then we'll answer "How are you?" and he will hear us over half an hour later. Now we'll take a long walk, and when we come back we will hear his next greeting, perhaps "Merry Christmas to you". You can appreciate that such a conversation can get a bit sticky, even if the voices go back and forth at the speed of radio waves--186,000 miles a second.

Even so, this comes under the glorious definition of progress. I only brought it up because right now I feel very close to you, much less that 600 million miles away! So via telepathy I can easily shake your hand, over a much shorter distance, and repeat my usual message, as has been my custom for 52 years.

December 1961
Despite it all: Your Editor and Publisher since 1908

For a review of his best known book go to:

http://www.sfsite.com/~silverag/124C41.html

Who was a recent winner of the Hugo award?

Best Short Story of 1998: "The 43 Antarean Dynasties" by Mike Resnick

For winners listed up to 1998 go to: http://wsfs.org/hugos.html

Where can I read classic science fiction on-line (for free!) by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells?

Go to http://www.twd.net/ird/forecast/index.html and look in the footnotes for links to read the following books...

• "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells
• "War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells
• "The War In The Air" by H.G. Wells
• "From the Earth to the Moon" by Jules Verne
• "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" by Jules Verne
• "Journey to the Center of the Earth" by Jules Verne
• "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne

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Click here to view a gallery of important books in the history of Science Fiction at:

Here are some members of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame...

Arthur C. Clarke( 1917- ) has been honored with the Nebula Grand Master Award and several Hugo awards. The award for the best science fiction novel in the United Kingdom is named the Arthur C. Clarke Award in his honor. His most famous work, 2001, is based on his earlier short story, "The Sentinel."

Herbert George  Wells (1866-1946)) is one of the founding fathers of science fiction. His best known work is The Time Machine. He published over 60 books and wrote the screen plays for many of the movies based on his work.

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) was one of the most influential writers of science fiction's "Golden Age." He published 400 books including science fiction and mysteries, and subjects from science to the bible. Asimov won every major award in the science fiction genre.