Science and Science Fiction

Mr. Fong Fu Yun

Librarian

Do you read Science Fiction?

Have you read Science Fiction (SF) recently?

What do you think about Science Fiction?

Science Fiction = ……?

Star Wars? Aliens? Robot? Space travel? Time travel?

Indeed…

Science Fiction is far more than such topics

Topics doesn’t mean Science Fiction

Star Wars, aliens, robot, space / time travel …… doesn’t mean Science Fiction

Science Fiction is…

SF is the reflection of science in literature SF reflect and speculate the affect of

scientific method and knowledge to our world and life (by famous SF author R.A. Heinlein)

“How science affect us?” Imagination based on scientific, rational and

naturalist view SF stories may happened in future, present

or past, with or without the topics said before

SF usually step before science

Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein” (1818)

Theme: artificial life Step too far?

Jules Verne (1828 – 1905)

He describes:

“From the Earth to the Moon” (1865) Theme: Space travel

Jules Verne

“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” (1869 – 1870)

Theme: Submarine (“Nautilus”)

H.G. Wells (1866 – 1946)

He describes:

“The Invisible Man” (1897) Theme: Stealth / low observable technology

H.G. Wells

“The War of the Worlds” (1898)

Theme: Aliens……who use Laser as weapon!

Atomic bombs

H.G. Wells “The World Set Free” (1914) Cleve Cartnill “Deadline” (1944) First atomic bomb attack: 1945 Cartnill even being investigated by FBI as his

detail description very similar to the top secret Manhattan Project

“Big Three” Western SF writers

Robert A. Heinlein (1907 – 1988) Arthur C. Clarke (1917 – 2008) Isaac Asimov (1920 – 1992)

Arthur C. Clarke

He contribute to the idea of geostationary satellites, satellites could run synchronously with the earth in certain orbit, always facing the same point on the earth

Now used in communication, broadcasting and weather forecasting

Isaac Asimov His invented the word “Robotics” His also established “Three laws of robotics”

as a respond to the fear of robot development: 1st law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through

inaction, allow a human being to come to harm 2nd law: A robot must obey any orders given to it by human

beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law

3rd law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

(+ 0th law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm)

SF in Hong Kong

Ni Kuang (倪匡 ) As famous as Jin Yong (金庸 )

Eddy Lee W.C. (李偉才 ), as Lee N.S. (李逆熵 ) Former HKO scientific officer and HKUSPACE

staff, 1985 Outstanding Young Person HK Fulltime in science and SF promotion now

Hong Kong SF Club SF publications

Your turn: short SF reading

Try to read the short SF stories distributed to you. Each group share 2 – 3 stories.

Try to mark down the scientific themes you’ve found

There are different stories for each group, extra copies available, try to read more if you’re finished.

Time: 15 minutes

Small competition

How many scientific themes you’ve found?

Homework

Each group mate pick a book from the book list and read

(Of course, READ MORE is encouraged!) Choose at least 5 scientific themes that

interest you

Next week: decide which themes (2 – 3) are used to develop into a short SF story in your group