Sci-Fi Fuel #11
New Story + Quantum Quote & More!
— This is a longer post than usual, so if you’re reading this via email, you might want to hop on over the the web version here to read the full thing! —
In This Newsletter:
Welcome to Sci-Fi Fuel #11
Interdisciplinary exiles + quick analysis!
Weird science/tech news + jokes!
TV/film/video/podcast recommendations
Sci-phoria (Sci-Fi Moment Of Zen)
They had a lot of fun on the Galaxy Quest set.
Welcome to Sci-Fi Fuel #11! —
— an Alternate Timeline series highlighting news from the realms of science, tech, history, and pop culture to help fuel your imagination.
Welcome to the eleventh installment in this quadrant of the
!It’s a brand new year, and with it, and few new things will be implemented.
Firstly, I’ve chosen to make all of the short stories here interconnected, meaning they are all a part of one alternate timeline. I was hesitant to do this because I feared it would lead to lazy writing and over-complicated plots—but I couldn’t ignore the fact that it excited me. This is the internet after all, not a physical magazine, so as the monthly stories get released, a grander narrative will emerge that won’t distract from the individual tales, but are there if you choose to follow the white rabbit. There may be minor alterations to the per-existing stories regarding dates to smooth out the transition, and I’ll leave a note at the bottom of each story in which that is the case.
I go over how all of this will work here:
You can also refer to this living document (a.k.a. THE TIMELINE) to see where each story and character lands in the grander scheme of things:
Speaking of stories—the latest tale from the timeline, Method, was released at the end of December:
It’s one of my favorites, and marks the return of the Morgan Stern character I invented for Watching Ghosts. Paid subscribers can look forward to a Behind The Story post about it soon.
Lastly, I’ve decided to make the NEWSTOPIA segment of Sci-Fi Fuel monthly instead of weekly. It takes a staggering amount of energy to compile headlines on a weekly basis, so you can look forward to a comprehensive list of fascinating facts on the last Sunday of each month.
Beyond that, some of my goals for the year include writing stories that take place on distant planets, make Sci-Fi Fuel updates more personal and fun, and conducting a few interviews with people who work in the genre.
Let me know about the 2024 sci-fi projects you’re working on in the comments!
-Tim
Okay… NOW let’s dive in!
Find past Alternate Timeline stories here.
QUANTUM QUOTE:
This week’s QUANTUM QUOTE comes from a Jan 2, 2024 Wired piece by Paul Ford titled To Own the Future, Read Shakespeare (Link) which despite being posted on Jan 2, says it was published in their October issue (I don’t know who to believe… maybe some time travel is involved):
When stuff gets out of hand, we don’t open disciplinary borders. We craft new disciplines: digital humanities, humangeography, and yes, computer science (note that “science” glued to the end, to differentiate it from mere “engineering”). In time, these great new territories get their own boundaries, their own defenders. The interdisciplinarian is essentially an exile. Someone who respects no borders enjoys no citizenship.
SCI-FI ANALYSIS:
I love any quote that can easily be taken out of context and become the opening lines of a sci-fi epic. But what gives this quote that quality?
The answer lay within Ford’s definition of interdisciplinarians as exiles.
Suddenly we have the framework for an exciting character who, for no reason other than following their genuine interests, has broken the social fabric and has no place to call home.
Bridging into fantasy—wizards emerge as the ultimate fictional interdisciplinarians. What is wizardry if not the combination of science and mysticism?
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” - Arthur C. Clarke
Wizards such as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings seem to be roaming, self-imposed exiles who are allowed into the land of each race without ever fully settling in. By being so in-between, he sees the value of a small hobbit in a large war.
And in the original Star Wars, Jedi are scattered space wizards continuing a practice that an evil empire seeks to eradicate. As an exiled watcher, Obi-Wan Kenobi gets to play chess with the situation before him and forges the group that eventually destroys The Death Star and ushers in a new age for the galaxy.
Similar to the dynamic of skeptic/believer duos, it is often the interdisciplinary skills of such ragtag groups that we are most drawn to.
No sci-fi series exemplifies this more than Star Trek, where characters embody both siloed emotions (logic, passion, anger, etc.) and areas of expertise.
These stories work because all of the siloed areas of expertise are forced to mingle and clash on one bridge. Perhaps such narratives are palatable because they mirror how we’re taught to structure our lives. Choose one path. Learn one thing. Have one opinion. Tell one story. And fight until you’re forced to reach consensus, or take matters into your own hands.
But is this the best way to live our lives and structure our stories?
Gene Roddenberry famously had a “no conflict” rule when Star Trek: The Next Generation began. He didn’t want the main characters to butt heads on the bridge because it’d be a point against his utopic concept of our future. This, of course, threw people for a loop.
And in a way, perfectly exemplifies the point Ford makes in his piece. We want the clash. We want the drama. Who wants to watch disciplines co-exist in peace?
— This is a large post, so if you’re reading this via email, you might want to hop on over the the web version here to read the full thing! —
ATTACK OF THE JOKES:
A few weird science/tech news items made it into my daily joke series over at Letters from African America last week:
Elon Musk restored the ‘X’ account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Or… maybe that’s what they WANT you to think and X has always been a blank app through which we project whatever it is we wish to see. [This tweet is sponsored by Alex Jones’ ‘Anti-Woke Noggin Juice.’ Anti-Woke Noggin Juice: It Definitely ISN’T Alex Jones’ Sweat In A Bottle!]
Scammers are using QR codes to direct people to websites that can harvest their data. And based on what most of us scan QR codes for, those suspicious websites are restaurant menus. “Should we get the Tasty Tater Tots or the We’ve Located All Of Your Nudes Platter?”
A dolphin with 'thumbs' was spotted by scientists in Gulf of Corinth. They’ve classified it as a dangerous new species called “Film Critic.”
Mark Zuckerberg has a top—secret Hawaii compound equipped with an underground bunker. Some speculate he’s preparing for World War III. Others say he’s opening an exciting free theme park called Face Land: The Happiest Place On Earth For The Low Price Of Access To 100% Of Your Information.
Amazon will use space lasers to transmit data. Sorry to say this but… “Couldn’t that laser have been an email?”
Scientists have detected a poisonous gas emanating from a small moon of Saturn — hinting at the potential of life there OR the secret ingredient to Panera Bread’s charged lemonade.
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts says A.I. will transform how the courts work — “I mean, think about it!” he exclaimed. “I could mediate with an artificial version of Brett Kavanaugh that doesn’t smell like wet ham!”
Debates on A.I., gender and guns will likely dominate state legislatures in 2024. “Dang it!” shouted Cannon, the A.I. voice assistant that self identifies as a gun. But after realizing the safety was on, it shouted “f—k!”
A molecular farming company has inserted pig genes into soy beans to generate meaty-tasting proteins that can be grown in plants. Fake bacon products will soon add this label:
In music news: Rage Against The Machine has broken up for a third time and Elvis Presley is returning to the stage as a hologram. So… one point for the machine, I guess.
Some flowers have evolved to have less sex. Scientists have deemed this phenomenon “Mike Johnson.”
In Tech News: Tesla is recalling virtually every car it’s ever sold in China due to an Autopilot system issues that increase the risk of crashes , Google has written an Isaac Asimov inspired ‘Robot Constitution’ to make sure its new AI droids won’t kill us , and Xbox has a $40 toaster at Walmart. Sources say early news of the toaster is what prompted Mark Zuckerberg to invest in a bunker.
So… did ya laugh? Mash that comment button if you’d like to tell me which was your favorite.
INCOMING TRANSMISSIONS:
PODCAST: Auditory Anthology
My friend Keith Conrad has launched this new sci-fi short story podcast, narrated by Darren Marlar from the Weird Darkness podcast. Conrad wants it to become a resource for writers, so if you or anyone you know has a short story to contribute, visit https://submissions.soundconceptmedia.com/
SHORT: Eyes on the March - Dead Signals of the Sea
My friends at Grimy Ghost released their first short film that mixes found footage with a creepy sci-fi narrative. You won’t be able to stop thinking about this one.
[Director/Writer/Editor - Jarred Endres, Luna Lavender - Cricket Arrison, Dr. Moon - Rosko Lewis, Director of Photography - Steven Morel. Audio Engineer - Jake Robinson, Analog Glitches - Claire Levinson, Composer - Adam Fligsten]
PODCAST: Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Jordan Peele
Conan learns how Jordan Peele navigated his career from comedy to film while pointing out the similarities between the comedy and horror genres.
TV: Carol & The End of The World (NETFLIX)
An instant animation classic, this series somehow finds a glimmer of hope inside of an apocalyptic scenario.
PODCAST: Writer’s Routine - D.V. Bishop - author of ‘Ritual Fire’
Ever wonder what it’s like to write tie-in novels for franchises like Doctor Who? This episode of Writer’s Routine has answers.
SCI-PHORIA (Sci-Fi Moment Of Zen)
They had a lot of fun on the Galaxy Quest set.
I’ll see you the week after that with more…