I love science fiction. I have since childhood... third grade, I believe. My oldest sister came home from visiting our dad in Florida with a copy of Robert Heinlein's "The Star Beast" and tried to get my other older sister to read it. She wouldn't. I would (then my other sister read it just to keep up).
I was hooked.
It didn't take long to find that some people consider loving scifi a little, or even a lot, strange. I've talked to people who just don't understand science fiction at all, or picture it to be like the stuff printed in the old pulps; you know, all blasters and bug eyed monsters, mad scientists and beautiful daughters.
And then there are the people who flat out disapprove of it. How dare anyone speculate on such a level! My inlaws think my husband and I need to clean out our selection of scifi and just read the standard bestsellers, or better yet, nonfiction! Yawn! Just not my style.
I see nothing wrong with enjoying being a scifi fan. If you're reading this, you probably don't either.
It's fun seeing science fiction hit more and more of the mainstream. You see it on television. You see it in top movies. You see it on the bestseller lists.
And yet to many there's still that stigma. Being a geek is more fashionable now, but it doesn't necessarily mean becoming popular. Loving science fiction to many is just plain weird.
Thank goodness there are so many of us who love the weirdness. Dressing up for conventions, waiting in long lines to see the movie the first night... in costume, no less, is just a part of the fun. It's to be embraced.
I love introducing people to science fiction. I've talked people into reading science fiction novels who were shocked that it included themes they love in whichever brand of fiction they already loved. To them, the idea that it could have a great storyline, romance, adventure, whatever, was truly astonishing.
Sharing your favorite science fiction television shows, movies and novels with people who think they have no interest in it is fun. I urge all of you to try it. Some will appreciate the experience and you might end up with a new friend to drag to conventions, or at least talk about favorite stories with.
Also make sure you share your favorites with your fellow fans. How else are they to hear about the great books, movies or television shows that somehow escaped their notice. How else are you going to drive the people who still don't understand loving science fiction utterly nuts?
?The Stilleto? is a weapon featured in Clarke's science fiction novel ?Earthlight?. In the 1955 Clarke novel, the weapon is said to emit a beam of light that was able to pierce a spacecraft. The writer afterwards explains that the weapon he mentioned in his novel was actually a stream of liquefied metal that gets shot through space with very high speed and force.
The research and development arm of the Department of Defense (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency or DARPA) is developing a weapon called MAHEM. This is patterned after Clarke's fictional weapon.
MAHEM stands for Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition. The weapon will be using magnetism to propel either liquid or solid metal. It will be similar to other currently existing weapons since it will use explosions and electromagnetism to power the release of the metal. Weapons that use the same kind of power are called High-Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT). One example of a HEAT weapon is a bazooka.
DARPA is currently developing MAHEM as something that can be attached to a warhead. Once the missile is near the target, it will release MAHEM and be able to stop tanks and other large moving vehicles at close range.
This is not the first time that Clarke has inspired a scientific or technological change. He is also known for the geostationary orbit. The geostationary orbit means that an object in the sky can appear not to move as long as it is aligned with the earth's equator. This means that the signal from a point on earth will correspond directly with a satellite placed in this orbit. Clarke popularized this in a 1945 with an article in the Wireless Word magazine.
Arthur C. Clarke writes science fiction books and makes inventions. The British national joined forces with renowned director Stanley Kubrick to write the book 2001: A Space Odyssey. The book was later turned into a movie with the same name that was directed by Kubrick.
As the research and development arm of the Department of Defense, the mission of DARPA is to ensure that the United States remains more advanced than other countries in terms of military offense and defense. Originally named Advanced Research Projects Agency, the organization was established in 1958 and its name was changed to DARPA in 1972.
Earthlight was a book released in 1955 of the science fiction genre. Set in the 22nd century, the story revolves around conflicts between the Earth and colonies on the moon along with other people in the solar system.
Both Stephanie Foster & Robert D. Thomson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Stephanie Foster has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Shopping and Pets. Stephanie Foster got hooked on science fiction at a young age and now owns