An interview with Neal Stephenson about his new novel, Seveneves, humanity’s resilience, and more.
‘Frankenstein’ Has Become a True Monster

Ed Finn and David H. Guston The Wall Street Journal
A cultural engine for thoughtful optimism
Ed Finn and David H. Guston The Wall Street Journal
By Joey Eschrich and Ed Finn
Future Tense – Slate
Michael Bennett
Education Week
Ed Finn
Aeon
An interview with Neal Stephenson about his new novel, Seveneves, humanity’s resilience, and more.
An experimental philosopher’s project to document 100 or even 1,000 years of change with a single photograph.
Joey Eschrich
Slate – Future Tense
Climate fiction, or “cli fi,” can be a dreary genre. Storytellers like to make a grim business of climate change, populating their narratives with a humorless onslaught of death, destruction, drowned monuments, and starving children. Margaret Atwood is the conspicuous exception, somehow managing to tackle the subject, including these familiar elements, with deadpan wit and an irreverent playfulness, making it both more interesting and believable. The flood is coming, her MaddAddam trilogy promises, but there is hope.
You just don’t see many illuminated manuscripts these days. There’s a good reason why: They take a long time to make.
I learned this recently when I set out to commission a thoroughly modern illuminated manuscript: not a religious text, but an interview with theoretical physicist and cosmologist Paul Davies, a professor at Arizona State University and the author of books like How to Build a Time Machine.
Humankind has lots of great ideas for the future. We need people to carry them out.
Neal Stephenson
Slate – Future Tense
Sci-fi’s warning tales are as important as its optimistic stories.
Ramez Naam
Slate – Future Tense
Science fiction has inspired scientists and political activists, but it should be an inspiration for municipal governments too.
Annalee Newitz
Slate – Future Tense
When I wrote a novel about a Nigerian space program, I didn’t expect it to be so close to the truth.
Deji Bryce Olukotun
Slate – Future Tense
A short story from Hieroglyph, a new science fiction anthology.
Charlie Jane Anders
Slate-Future Tense
What sci-fi gets wrong about income inequality.
Lee Konstantinou
Slate – Future Tense
Joey Eschrich
Robohub
Why gadgets aren’t the coolest part of science fiction.
Joey Eschrich
Slate – Future Tense