Science fiction becomes science fact!
Posted by Science Oxford on November 4, 2009 | comments
Scientists from the Science & Technology Facilities Council and science fiction writers have teamed up to produce a collection of science fiction short stories. This collection is set to provide a fascinating insight into the science behind the stories.
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Visit this page »A contemporary anthology of short stories which uses the research of real scientists to put facts back before fantasy in popular science fiction has been published.
‘When it all Changed’, edited by novelist Geoff Ryman brings together scientists from institutions across the UK – including STFC Daresbury Laboratory and The University of Manchester – and science fiction writers.
Ryman, a senior creative writing lecturer at The University of Manchester, paired off literary colleagues with scientists to produce the book of short stories published by Comma Press.
Three scientists working at STFC Daresbury Laboratory, and one from the neighbouring Cockcroft Institute for Accelerator Science and Technology, were among 14 who helped the authors to write the stories, and add a fascinating insight into the science.
Geoff Ryman, who is based at The Centre For Creative Writing at the University of Manchester, said: “We wanted to go out and locate what is fresh and new in the sciences, and give writers a chance to work with researchers to come up with different, contemporary themes. ‘When it Changed’ actively extends the scientific repertoire of fiction – all fiction because we have mainstream writers as well. The best SF is a fairy tale made plausible by science that could give readers a lot to think about as well as wonder at.”
The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Director of Computational Science and Engineering Dr Richard Blake was delighted to be involved in the project. He said: “Much science fiction is based on fantasy and has become anything other than scientific. The real work and research of real scientists is largely absent from fictions set in the real world. This book of short stories aims to change that. I was delighted to be involved with this book and help to give science fiction readers a genuine taste of how future science could impact the lives of human beings.”
‘When it all Changed’ was launched at a special event as part of The Manchester Science Festival on 24 October.
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