Science Fiction• It explores the influence of

the imaginary and future scientific and technological

developments on people and society.

• Insights into flying machines, alien races and

advanced civilisations have been found in early Arabic

literature and Hindu writings.

• Literary critics have argued that both Shakespeare and

Dante used elements of science fiction in their work.

The Fathers of Science Fiction

Jules Verne (French, 1828 – 1905)

Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1864)

From Earth to

Moon (1865)

Twenty Thousand Leagues

Under the Sea (1870)

The Time

Machine (1895)

H. G. Wells (English, 1866 – 1946)

The Island of Dr

Thoreau (1896)

The War of Worlds

(1898)

Science Fiction in the 20th century

Science Fiction magazines such as ‘Astounding Science Fiction’, founded in 1930 by John W.

Campbell, published renowned writers like:

Isaac Asimov (1920 – 1992) I-Robot – 1950

Arthur C. Clark (1917 – 2008) 2001: A Space Odyssey – 1968

Robert Heinlein (1907 – 1988) The Man who

Sold the Moon – 1978

Hard Science FictionThey’re often set in the future, and predict how technology will change the world we live in. For

example:• H. G. Wells (1901) man on the moon

• Arthur C. Clark (1962) a draft of the InternetSoft Science Fiction

They focus on how society works and comment on

human behaviour.They’re set in an

alternative parallel time and explore a ‘what if’ situation. For example:

• What if Martians landed on Earth?

• What if there was a device that allowed us to read

people’s minds?