Science Fiction n (1851) : fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals or having a scientific factor as an essential orienting component.

Predicting and describing the future is no easy task, and eerily, some of the early science fiction writers have hit pretty close to the mark. Cloning, biometric security, space travel, nuclear warfare, burning books; while some of these are more drastic then others, all were predicted by the pioneers of science fiction writing. Writers such as, Isaac Asimov, Ursula Le Guin, William Gibson, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, George Orwell, Daniel Keyes, H.G. Wells and Mary Shelley, predicted and described the future of our world and our species in such detail that they, more than any other genre of fiction writers, have sparked controversy, outrage and fear. Many people do not like science fiction because of the fear of the unknown that this genre attempts to capture.

Aliens, war, artificial intelligence and government control are frightening subject areas and for someone to predict that this is our future can be downright horrifying. So why do we have such a fascination with science fiction? What is the appeal? Perhaps it is the ultimate escape. No one lives the life depicted in sci-fi. It is fake, make believe, unfounded, un-provable. Or is it? Many science fiction writers spend years researching and backing up their claims of what our future will be. Each week dozens of new books and movies reach their audiences with un-paralleled believability. Are the stories different? Are the writers getting better? Is the “future” getting closer?
Many stories about the future that were written in the 40s and 50s are actually coming to fruition.

Reading Fahrenheit 451 you can find many parallels between Ray Bradbury’s future-world and the real world of 2005. Giant flat screened TVs, interactive reality television, “Pods” in people’s ears, babies delivered only by Cesarean section. Sound familiar?

For a possible glimpse into your future, check out the Meniscus picks for best Science Fiction movies.

• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
• A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• Star Wars (1977)
• Alien (1979)
• Mad Max (1979)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
• Brazil (1985)
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
• 12 Monkeys (1996)
• The Matrix (1999)
• Donnie Darko (2001)
• Minority Report (2002)

Beyond all of the fear mongering that goes on in science fiction, there are a few writers and filmmakers that have chosen to take a comedic look at the future. The best way to deal with the unknown is to laugh about it and hope for the best. Check out these 10 Sci-Fi comedies:

• Sleeper (1973)
• Back to the Future (1985)
• Cocoon (1985)
• Weird Science (1985)
• Innerspace (1987)
• Spaceballs (1987)
• Mars Attacks! (1996)
• The Fifth Element (1997)
• Men In Black (1997)
• Galaxy Quest (1999)