SCI FI news

How do you watch a film that plays with scientific principles, especially when you’re an expert who knows exactly where the film is getting it right…and wrong? That’s the dilemma faced many of the scientists we interview here at Recursor. As we chatted about robotics with Vassar College’s John Long (read the interview here), we asked him his thoughts on which science fiction films handle the science of robotics accurately. One of the biggest challenges in making robotics believable in films is a problem that plagues other genres too.

Asking when robots will take over the world sounds like a review of Robopocalypse. Yet with recent advances in artificial intelligence, everyone is chiming in on the subject, even the New York Times. How do you separate conjecture from real science? You call an expert! We spoke with John Long, Professor of Cognitive Science and Biology at Vassar College, and Director of the Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory, about the current state of robotics. Long is well suited for robotics research. “I started out as a biologist specializing in biomechanics, which studies how.

Looking for grounded, gritty science fiction filmmaking? That’s what audiences enjoy about the work of writer and director Eli Sasich, the creative mind behind sci-fi short films HENRi and ATROPA. Sasich developed his passion for science fiction at a young age and cites the classic 1970s film Silent Running (a dystopian flick with a strong ecological message) as a strong influence. “My dad introduced me to it,” says Sasich. “What struck me was the emotion — how much emotion the filmmakers got out of the droids. It leaves you in tears, but it’s.

In part 2 of our interview with sci fi writer Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky and Six Months, Three Days, we discuss favorite genre authors, her work at io9, writing funny sci fi, and more. (If you missed part 1 of the interview, view it here.) RECURSOR: Who are some of your favorite sci fi/fantasy writers, and why? ANDERS: I’m a huge fan of Ursula K. LeGuin and Douglas Adams. I’m a huge fan of Iain M. Banks’ work. He was one of the.

In the visionary sci-fi short film Wanderers, we visit a future where the greatest adventure humanity may ever undertake has already begun — our migration to the stars. The stars have fascinated and intrigued us from time immemorial. Instinctively, we know the day will come when we will have to leave Mother Earth in order to ensure our survival as a species. Wanderers captures the wonder and the science of space travel beautifully. Using real photographs, maps, and archival footage from NASA, filmmaker Erik Wernquist has created dazzling digital recreations of actual locations.

Ideas for stories come from everywhere. That’s what any good sci fi writer will tell you — and Charlie Jane Anders is no different. Author of the 2016 genre mashup, All the Birds in the Sky, Anders also served as a writer and editor for many years at the sci fi/fantasy site, io9. We spoke to her recently about writing, science fiction, All the Birds in the Sky, and her upcoming projects. Here’s part 1 of our interview. (Find part 2 here.) RECURSOR: What inspires you as a sci.

Producing great visual effects that look great and excite audiences isn’t a one-man show. It requires a team that works well together. That’s a truth that sci fi VFX supervisor and Nina Unlocked director Martin Hall knows well. (If you missed part 1 of his interview, you can check it out here.) “Visual effects is a blend of the artistic and the technical,” Hall says, “but it’s also very collaborative. This discipline is a lot more of a collaborative effort (than people may realize). It involves everyone bringing their.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh (UK) recently suggested that life might evolve in the Earth-like atmosphere that can exist around brown dwarfs (aka failed stars). And scientists continue to search for signs of life on Mars, moons, asteroids, and other points beyond Earth. We spoke with Daniel Apai, Assistant Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona and Principal Investigator of the NASA-funded Earths in Other Solar Systems (EOS) Team. Here’s part two of our interview. RECURSOR: How feasible is it that life could survive when not rooted.

When we say Armageddon, you say… Asteroids, of course! It’s impossible not to think of that movie, and so many others, without remembering the impressive visual design work that drives them. And it’s skilled, creative professionals like VFX supervisor and director Martin Hall, who currently directs Recursor’s Nina Unlocked sci fi series, who make it all possible for filmgoers to enjoy. Visual effects teams are vital to today’s big blockbuster sci fi and action films, and Hall has been a part of the ride since the 1990s. “I’ve always been.