Advancement of Technology and Science and its Influence on Science Fiction Novels

Advancement of Technology and Science and its Influence on Science Fiction Novels

The rapid pace of technology and the advancement of scientific

understanding in the past one hundred years are at the backbone for the

distinctly twentieth century genre -- science fiction. Such rapid advancement

in these fields of technology have opened up literally worlds of possibilities

for the future. One hundred years ago the possibility of simply flying from

city to city may have seemed nothing more than a distant futuristic dream to

most. While a mere sixty years later the impossible was achieved -- a human

being on the moon. Since technology has brought as much change as it has in the

past one hundred years the next hundred should be entirely incomprehendable to

us. Who knows what to expect? "The modern discoveries and applications of

Science throw deeply into the shade the old romances and fanciful legends of our

boyhood" (James 8) observes James. Technology has made what was once thought

impossible, plausible and weather or not technology is directly incorporated

into a science fi ction story as an obvious vehicle, the author knows that it is

always present in the mind of the reader. It is this plausablilty of what

conventionally should not be acceptable that has led to science fiction's

increasing popularity over the years. As James explains, "much sf is concerned

with the future and with the possibilities presented by scientific and

technological change" (James 3). Truly, humans exploring and even colonizing

other worlds, the plot of many a science fiction novel, has to many become

inevitable. The successful series of Apollo moon landings in the 1960's and

the knowledge that we already possess the technology to send humans to other

worlds leads many to believe that it is only a matter of time. Even such a

notably respectable news source as Newsweek has detailed the future maned

missions to Mars (September, 23 1996). When I look forward to the future I can

hardly imagine the changes that will occur as a result of new discoveries in

science and new technologies. With so m any possibilities for the future,

science fiction is able to capitalizes on this by showing the audience entirely

new worlds and alternatives to our own.

Technology presented in science fiction stories most commonly serves a

very important role in the stories plausablilty to the audience. While this

does not mean that technology is necessarily the focus of such stories it is

often used as the vehicle for which such alternative and wonderous events occur.

Without the advanced spaceship how could the Segnauts have gotten to the planet