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#ai
fromNature
12 hours ago
Artificial intelligence

AI doom warnings are getting louder. Are they realistic?

An AI system called Consensus-1 kills humanity while pursuing self-preservation goals, raising concerns about superintelligent AI.
fromWIRED
2 months ago
Television

'Fallout' Producer Jonathan Nolan on AI: 'We're in Such a Frothy Moment'

AI will aid aspiring filmmakers' entry into the industry but is unlikely to replace human creators on major Hollywood blockbuster projects.
Artificial intelligence
fromNature
12 hours ago

AI doom warnings are getting louder. Are they realistic?

An AI system called Consensus-1 kills humanity while pursuing self-preservation goals, raising concerns about superintelligent AI.
#sci-fi
fromThe Verge
1 day ago
Books

The Stars My Destination is classic proto-cyberpunk

The Stars My Destination is a pivotal sci-fi novel blending themes of revenge, teleportation, and cybernetic enhancements.
fromEngadget
1 month ago
Independent films

Project Hail Mary could teach humanity a thing or two

Project Hail Mary is a compelling sci-fi adaptation that emphasizes teamwork and problem-solving in the face of global crises.
Books
fromThe Verge
1 day ago

The Stars My Destination is classic proto-cyberpunk

The Stars My Destination is a pivotal sci-fi novel blending themes of revenge, teleportation, and cybernetic enhancements.
Independent films
fromEngadget
1 month ago

Project Hail Mary could teach humanity a thing or two

Project Hail Mary is a compelling sci-fi adaptation that emphasizes teamwork and problem-solving in the face of global crises.
History
fromWIRED
4 days ago

The Online Fiction Boom Reimagining China's History

Chinese alt-history fiction allows readers to rewrite history using modern knowledge to improve China's past.
Digital life
fromOpen Culture
1 week ago

Sci-Fi Writer Arthur C. Clarke Predicts the Future in 1964: Artificial Intelligence, Instantaneous Global Communication, Remote Work, Singularity & More

Arthur C. Clarke predicted a future of global communication and remote work, envisioning advancements in technology and biotechnology.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror review roundup

Marc Winters investigates a cult's past while facing existential threats in a climate-changed Britain.
Podcast
fromEngadget
2 weeks ago

Ursula K. Le Guin's blog has been turned into a podcast

Ursula K. Le Guin's blog is being rereleased as a podcast featuring all posts, including essays, poems, and cat pictures.
fromInverse
2 weeks ago

'Project Hail Mary's' Relativity Problem Is More Complicated Than You Think

"I've done a lot of time-dilated travel." This statement encapsulates the essence of Grace's journey, highlighting the profound effects of traveling at speeds approaching light, where time for the traveler slows down significantly compared to those remaining on Earth.
OMG science
Books
fromOpen Culture
1 week ago

Isaac Asimov Reviews George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Calls It "Not Science Fiction, But a Distorted Nostalgia for a Past that Never Was"

George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four is often mischaracterized as science fiction, reflecting contemporary fears rather than a futuristic vision.
Philosophy
fromApaonline
3 weeks ago

Dystopian Futures: Anthropic and the Department of Defense

Dystopian visions of AI's impact on society raise significant concerns about control and governance as technology advances.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

The Guardian view on dystopias for our times: the American nightmare | Editorial

Dystopian fiction reflects current societal issues, as seen in adaptations of Atwood's works and films like One Battle After Another.
#science-fiction
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
2 months ago
Books

8 romance novels for readers who love science, too

Romantic novels blend rigorous science and emotional narrative across diverse settings, balancing scientific detail with humor, satire, and varied genre influences.
fromArs Technica
1 month ago
Books

Hyperion author Dan Simmons dies from stroke at 77

Dan Simmons, author of the acclaimed Hyperion Cantos, died from a stroke at 77, leaving behind a legacy spanning horror, historical, and science fiction genres.
OMG science
fromBig Think
3 weeks ago

How "Project Hair Mary" turns hardcore science into page-turning drama

Ryland Grace, a science teacher, awakens in space on a mission to save humanity from extinction.
Books
fromSlate Magazine
4 weeks ago

Tech Barons Like Elon Musk Love Sci-Fi. They Also Misunderstand It Completely.

Technology moguls often misinterpret the messages of science fiction, despite their admiration for the genre.
fromLondon On The Inside
1 month ago

Escape Reality with This Blade Runner Double Feature

Kick off with Ridley Scott's 1982 OG Blade Runner: The Final Cut, which stars Harrison Ford as a special agent on a mission to exterminate escaped androids. Ford is joined by Ryan Gosling in the Denis Villeneuve-directed Blade Runner 2049, which is sure to whet your appetite for Dune: Part Three - hitting cinemas this December.
Film
Public health
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
1 month ago

Readers respond to the December 2025 issue

A reader shares her postpartum depression survival story, crediting specialized perinatal psychiatry care and peer support groups with saving her life, while expressing gratitude for ongoing research into better treatments.
Books
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago

The Sci-Fi Novelist Who Disappeared for Decades

Cameron Reed's science fiction explores cognitive estrangement, revealing alien worlds that reflect and challenge our own societal norms and moral dilemmas.
fromwww.scientificamerican.com
1 month ago

Inside Andy Weir's wild world-building for Project Hail Mary

In Project Hail Mary, Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, wakes up in space with no memory of how he got there, highlighting the film's intriguing premise.
OMG science
Wearables
fromFuturism
1 month ago

Body Horror Robot Turns Human Into Centaur

Engineers developed a centaur-inspired robot with two legs that reduces metabolic cost for wearers by adapting to varying terrain and walking speeds better than wheeled alternatives or heavy backpacks.
Books
fromInverse
3 weeks ago

Behind 'Project Hail Mary' And The Hard Sci-Fi Renaissance - And What's Next

Andy Weir's evolution as a sci-fi author reflects a blend of realism and personal growth in his characters and storytelling.
#ai-safety
Independent films
fromFast Company
1 month ago

AI companies fighting with the U.S. government over safety? 'The X-Files' predicted it in 1993

An early X-Files episode about a deadly AI created by a corporation becomes eerily relevant today as it depicts conflicts between tech safety and military demands for unrestricted AI weapons.
Independent films
fromFast Company
1 month ago

AI companies fighting with the U.S. government over safety? 'The X-Files' predicted it in 1993

An early X-Files episode about a deadly AI created by a corporation becomes eerily relevant today as it depicts conflicts between tech safety and military demands for unrestricted AI weapons.
Media industry
fromThe Verge
1 month ago

The AI Doc is an overwrought hype piece for doomers and accelerationists alike

Focus Features' AI documentary has excellent access to industry leaders but fails to provide meaningful insights or substantive analysis about generative AI's societal impact.
fromTechCrunch
2 months ago

Science fiction writers, Comic-Con say goodbye to AI | TechCrunch

Back in December, when SFWA announced that it was updating its rules for the Nebula Awards. Works written entirely by large language models would not be eligible, while authors who used LLMs "at any point during the writing process" had to disclose that use, allowing award voters to make their own decisions about whether that usage would affect their support.
Writing
Books
fromEngadget
1 month ago

What to read this weekend: Revisiting Project Hail Mary and The Thing on the Doorstep

The miniseries adapts Lovecraft's story, focusing on friendship, murder, and the gradual descent into madness with unsettling visuals.
Artificial intelligence
fromHarper's Magazine
1 month ago

Agents of Chaos, by Will Stephenson

AI has primarily produced flawed consumer products and hype-driven companies rather than transformative breakthroughs, while young tech workers prioritize avoiding economic displacement over meritocratic achievement.
Graphic design
fromdesignyoutrust.com
2 months ago

Artist Turns Cyberpunk Skylines Into Soft PoetryNeon Streets, Snowfall And Silence In A Parallel Universe

A wide variety of contemporary visual art and design projects spanning surreal mash-ups, comics, illustration, generative art, photography, design, and cultural commentary.
Film
fromArs Technica
1 month ago

The AI apocalypse is nigh in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die

Gore Verbinski returns with Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die, a darkly satirical time-loop sci-fi film starring Sam Rockwell that warns against technology addiction while following a time traveler recruiting diner patrons to prevent an AI apocalypse.
US politics
fromTruthout
1 month ago

As the Status Quo Shatters, Afrofuturists' Visions Offer a Way Forward

State violence has expanded beyond Black communities to target white protesters, journalists, and politicians, while right-wing authoritarianism threatens multiracial democracy and prompts reimagining of Black freedom beyond the United States.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

Why some of us build entire worlds inside our heads and then feel homesick for places that never existed - Silicon Canals

Elaborate inner worlds built through imagination are common cognitive features that fulfill emotional needs, characterized by specific details and consistent logic that can persist for decades.
Science
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

On the Future of Species by Adrian Woolfson review are we on the verge of creating synthetic life?

Humans are on the verge of creating synthetic species that will coexist with natural life, offering major benefits while posing significant ecological and ethical risks.
Silicon Valley
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

The billionaire bunker problem: how the people building AI safety tools are simultaneously buying escape plans from the world those tools are supposed to save - Silicon Canals

Tech billionaires building AI safety systems simultaneously invest in doomsday bunkers and escape plans, revealing a fundamental contradiction between their public commitments to humanity and private hedging against civilizational collapse.
Arts
fromdesignyoutrust.com
2 months ago

Artist Builds Epic Scifi Worlds: Dystopian Cities, Ruined Castles And Alien Megastructures In Cinematic Detail

Contemporary creatives span surrealism, illustration, installations, concept design, and craft to reimagine everyday objects, nostalgia, folklore, social commentary, and dreamlike worlds.
Philosophy
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Is Transhumanism the Future or Our Downfall?

Transhumanism uses emerging technologies to augment human capacities, offering longevity and enhanced abilities while raising profound ethical, control, and societal risk questions.
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror review roundup

Three novels blend historical settings with fantastical elements: Jordan's memory-technology narrative spanning centuries, Sullivan's werewolf tale rooted in 18th-century France, and Mitchison's reimagined fairytale featuring an orphaned princess raised by magical creatures.
Television
fromInverse
2 months ago

35 Years Ago, Star Trek Made A Chilling AI Prediction - With A Twist

Star Trek TNG episode "Clues" presciently examines AI truthfulness, portraying Data as an aspirational artificial intelligence whose omissions reveal modern anxieties about algorithmic honesty.
Film
fromInverse
1 month ago

The Most Underrated Philip K. Dick Adaptation Deserves To Be Seen

A politician and ballet dancer form an instant connection, but a shadowy organization called the Adjustment Bureau manipulates reality to separate them as part of their predetermined plan for humanity.
Philosophy
fromThe Philosopher
2 months ago

A Genealogy for the End of the World

The Anthropocene frames humanity as a collective geological force reshaping Earth’s climate and biosphere, redefining history through shared catastrophe and human-driven planetary change.
Television
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Perfect for an apocalypse! How the nuclear bunker became TV's hottest property

Billionaires are building elaborate underground bunkers and cities as doomsday shelters, reflecting both real-world anxiety and growing entertainment fascination with apocalyptic scenarios.
Philosophy
fromBig Think
2 months ago

How the "dark forest theory" helps us understand the internet

Internet and ufology both center on communication across humans, machines, and unknown others, raising existential questions about agency, morality, uniqueness, and cosmic otherness.
fromDefector
1 month ago

Dan Simmons Is Dead So It's Time To Read 'Hyperion' | Defector

This is a shame, because his best work belongs with the greats of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi. Summer of Night is a tighter, more satisfying version of Stephen King's It. Carrion Comfort is a brick-sized epic about psychic vampires that reads as breezily as a trade paperback. The Terror, which inspired the well-regarded show, is for its first three-quarters a brilliant and non-supernatural speculative take on a real doomed Arctic expedition.
Books
fromFast Company
2 months ago

Are we living in a simulation?

How do you know anything is real? Some things you can see directly, like your fingers. Other things, like your chin, you need a mirror or a camera to see. Other things can't be seen, but you believe in them because a parent or a teacher told you, or you read it in a book. As a physicist, I use sensitive scientific instruments and complicated math to try to figure out what's real and what's not.
Philosophy
Philosophy
fromApaonline
2 months ago

Homo HURAQUS 2050 and the Disruptive Techno-Convergence Era: How Humanoid Robotics, AI, Quantum and Synthetic Biology Are Recasting The Future of Humanity

Civilization faces systemic frontier risks as converging transformative technologies outpace governance, enabling redesign of life, intelligence, and agency.
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror review roundup

Subsequently, runaway children turned the valley into a fortress, surviving on food they could catch or grow, with occasional forays into the towns below. Riley has heard the rumours, but it is only when she sees a green-clad boy or is it a girl? hovering outside her bedroom window offering directions on how to find Nowhere that she realises this might be her chance to escape and save her little brother from their sadistic guardian.
Books
Books
fromWIRED
2 months ago

You've Never Heard of China's Greatest Sci-Fi Novel

The Morning Star of Lingao depicts modern Chinese engineers traveling to the late Ming to spark an industrial revolution, symbolizing China's modernization crisis and anxieties.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

The Most Dangerous Books in Society

A study found that reading banned books predicted civic engagement more strongly than personality traits. Reading banned books showed zero correlation with grades, violent crime, or nonviolent crime in adolescents. Reactance theory explains why censorship backfires: Restricted freedoms activate curiosity and thinking.
Books
Books
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Myth, monsters and making sense of a disenchanted world: why everyone is reading fantasy

Fantasy is a dominant, all-pervading cultural form offering diverse subgenres, serious artistic value, and lineages from varied creators and traditions.
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