Science Fiction Physics

The acclaimed Science of Discworld centred on an original Pratchett story about the Wizards of Discworld. In it they accidentally witnessed the creation and evolution of our universe, a plot which was interleaved with a Cohen & Stewart non-fiction narrative about Big Science. In The Science of Discworld II our authors join forces again to see just what happens when the wizards meddle with history in a battle against the elves for the future of humanity on Earth. London is replaced by a dozy Neanderthal village.

Mark Maxwell Series #1117 By Garry Higgins In 2087, Earth's atmosphere has collapsed and humanity's survivors cling to existence inside Sanctuary, the last functioning biodome. When former NASA quantum physicist Mark Maxwell is conscripted to investigate mysterious energy fluctuations threatening the facility, he uncovers a secret that defies comprehension—a quantum gateway capable of manipulating time itself. As Sanctuary's life support systems rapidly fail, Mark discovers a horrifying truth: this isn't humanity's first apocalypse, but the sixth iteration of a time loop created by Dr. ...

The President’s Mars advisor, quantum physicist Dr. Kendo Tanaka, is found dead in a Northern California motel room. The administration knows it is the work of The Community, a clandestine organization determined to end Mars exploration. Reporter Rudy Ventana, with the help of Linda Rainwater, a White House aide, is asked to investigate Tanaka’s death. Within hours of meeting, they find themselves in mortal danger, pursued by Community assassins. What dark secret is The Community hiding on Mars?

Based on the newly released personal letters of Albert Einstein, Walter Isaacson explores how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk, a struggling father in a difficult marriage who couldn't get a teaching job or a doctorate, became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos, the locksmith of the mysteries of the atom and the universe. His success came from questioning conventional wisdom and marveling at mysteries that struck others as mundane.

Aaliyah's passion for quantum computing knew no bounds, and the chance to attend a lecture by the renowned Dr. O'Malley was a dream come true. But when a school trip to a cutting-edge space station spirals into chaos after a quantum computer explosion, she finds herself caught in an unimaginable situation—a time loop that only she and a select few are aware of. With each repetitive day, Aaliyah and her newfound allies, including the enigmatic Ethan and the artificial intelligence known as Wayfarer, must unravel the mysteries of the loop. Guided by Dr. O'Malley's wisdom in the science of ...

Watch out - the Earth just fell into a dark sun's orbit! Or maybe you'd rather visit a theme park called Hell? These are just two of the strange and unnerving tales you'll find in this collection of great science fiction and fantasy stories.

When an overworked team of government physicists unwittingly invites something catastrophic into the world, rising young New York lawyer Cal Griffin is forced into a strange new role in a world of nightmare and wonder.

Four sci-fi short stories where you'll find good computers, people who regret their past, and an explanation for something you're familiar with.

Embark on a gripping journey to the edges of the known universe with "The Prometheus Protocol." When the starship Astarte arrives at Kepler-186f, Captain Zara Vega and her team find more than an alien landscape—they discover a mysterious artifact pulsing with otherworldly energy. As they delve into its secrets, the artifact unlocks a power that transforms one crew member and forces them to confront the boundaries of human morality, knowledge, and survival. Racing against time, the crew faces a pivotal choice: harness the artifact’s power to elevate humanity or risk annihilation. In this...

Sometime in the not-too-distant future...unbeknownst to Earth, the galaxy is home to a number of spacefaring societies. This confederation enforces a strict protocol forbidding any contact with civilizations that have not yet achieved both a substantial spacefaring capability and sufficient maturity to control the technology explosion before triggering their own extinction.

The afterlife doesn't come with a manual. In fact, Hart and Bowler (two ordinary but dead men) have had to work out the rules of their new existence for themselves. It's that fact (along with being unable to leave the boundaries of their city center, unable to communicate with the other lost souls, unable to rest in case The Beast catches up with them) that makes getting out of their situation a priority. But Hart and Bowler don't know why they're there in the first place; if they ever want to leave, they will have to find all the answers to be able to understand the physics of the dead.

Did NASA really spend millions creating a pen that would write in space? Is chocolate poisonous to dogs? Does stress cause gray hair? These questions are a sample of the urban lore investigated in this audiobook, Fact or Fiction: Science Tackles 58 Popular Myths. Drawing from Scientific American’s “Fact or Fiction” and “Strange But True” columns, we’ve selected 58 of the most surprising, fascinating, useful, and just plain wacky topics confronted by our writers over the years.

What if reality isn't what we think it is—and someone found a way to prove it? When brilliant physicist Dr. Marcus Emerson demonstrates a technology capable of altering the fabric of reality itself, he feels he has invented humanity's next big leap forward. However, as test subjects begin to experience vivid other worlds that refuse to remain contained in the laboratory, perception psychologist Dr. Aria Vance learns a horrifying truth: the machine isn't simply altering how people perceive the world; it's fragmenting existence itself. Following the strange disappearance of their most ...

The third and final book in the "Team Quantum" trilogy of superhero adventures! Now married, Mira Verborgen and Giancarlo Colombo have a problem. Turns out, there will be no honeymoon, not yet. And maybe not ever. After all, they'd just been informed that they will be going nuclear in three months. Literally. Their bodies are turning on them, and the more "super" they become, the faster they will explode. But maybe, just maybe there's an answer. It's a long shot, but it just might work. Then, the newlyweds can finally be alone... But first, they must stop the madman who caused this mess. ...

The Science of Superheroes takes a lighthearted but clear-headed look at the real science that underlies some of the greatest superhero comic books of all time, including Spider-Man, Batman, Fantastic Four, and many more. Each chapter presents the story of the origin of one or more superheroes and asks intriguing questions that lead to fascinating discussions about the limits of science, the laws of nature, and the future of technology.

In this SF Short Story, Cosmologist Miranda inherits the quest to find the equation for everything. From two dead men. She knows she can solve it. She's afraid her predecessors did, too. She's scared enough to ask Walter, adrift since they split, to be there when she succeeds.

How does Einstein’s description of space and time compare with Doctor Who? Can James Bond really escape from an armor-plated railroad car by cutting through the floor with a laser concealed in a wristwatch? What would it take to create a fully intelligent android, such as Star Trek’s Commander Data? Exploring Science Through Science Fiction addresses these and other intriguing questions, using science fiction as a springboard for discussing fundamental science concepts and cutting-edge science research.

What’s scarier than a vampire? That’s right physics. Add both together, add a murder mystery, some time travel, a battle between two classic muscle cars and you have a story. Another body was found in the park. Same details as the others, odd clothing from centuries ago, no ID, and all of his blood had been drained. Detective Dani Foster put the puzzle pieces together and realized this serial killer was not only hiding in the distant future, he used his ability to time-travel as a weapon. This body was different. It was a message. She would be the killer’s next victim. What this ...

Our relentless drive to create makes us unique among living creatures. What is special about the human brain that enables us to innovate? Why don't cows choreograph dances? Why don't squirrels build elevators to their treetops? Why don't alligators invent speedboats? Weaving together the arts and sciences, neuroscientist David Eagleman and composer Anthony Brandt explore the need for novelty, the simulation of possible futures, and the social components that drive the inventiveness of our species.

Southern Africa, 2065. Liyan Madikizela is four months pregnant when her partner Tym, a deep-web researcher, reads out a puzzling entry from an Englishwoman's 1836 travel journal. While visiting a lush farm with a manor house set below a loaf-shaped mountain, the writer reportedly saw men in futuristic suits and helmets carrying armaments, some of which seemed to emit light. But when Tym tries to view remnants of the farm via satellite imagery, it remains a mystery. Finding the place becomes his obsession, and later, when city inhabitants flee to the countryside after a solar storm, he ...