The Brief Basics of Science Fiction

Science fiction, SF or Sci-Fi is one of the most beloved genres in the world. From alien invasions to building humanoid creatures, stories that have combined science with imagination have entertained humans for around 300 years in books, movies, cartoons, tv shows and pretty much every form of media. If you are a die-hard Sci-Fi fan, or just beginning to dip your toes into the genre, here is a very brief history to get you started. 

What is Science Fiction?

At its most basic, science fiction is a genre that deals with futuristic scientific and technological concepts. These can include time travel, aliens or parallel universes. You may also run into the terms dystopia and utopia when looking at science fiction, and while they may interact, they are different things. Science fiction is a genre that covers many different forms of media, from graphic novels and books, to plays, movies and tv shows. 

Fact vs Fiction

Sometimes a creator of science fiction can be eerily accurate, and there are many instances of ideas that started in science fiction eventually becoming reality. Science fiction is a type of speculative fiction, which means it focuses on ideas and events that do not exist in our reality. Or do they? One of the most popular debates is that of the existence of aliens. While extraterrestrials are a common feature in works of science fiction, many people believe they do actually exist in our own reality, and if you watch or read a piece of science fiction, you may find yourself asking what’s up with UFO’s? Items and elements of our everyday lives that may once have just been science fiction ideas include underwater exploration, 3D printers, Broadcast news, space exploration and wearable tech. 

What are some of the tropes?

A literary trope is a recurring theme, idea, motif or cliché, and they can be used to identify a genre, or combined to mix different genres. Common science fiction tropes that you may encounter can include:

• Time travel
• Robots
• Clones
• Body modification
• Parallel universes
• Extraterrestrials

Many works of science fiction combine multiple tropes and ideas, to create an alternative future that is completely different to our own, or only slightly different. Other genres may also borrow science fiction tropes (and vice versa) in order to build the story and world, and appeal to a larger audience.

Popular science fiction works.

Science fiction is one of the most popular literary genres, and there are multiple works being produced every year that fit into this category, in many different kinds of media. Some of the most well-known examples of science fiction literature include:

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
• 1984 by George Orwell
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

There are also numerous examples of science fiction in other types of media, such as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Avatar, Alien, Predator, and graphic novels such as Watchmen and The Ghost in the Machine.???????