Hitting the Books: What exactly did Jodi Foster hear in 'Contact'?

Art may imitate life but it rarely does so with realistic fidelity. As Naomi Pequette, Space Science Programs Specialist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, argues in her essay "The Sounds of Contact" as part of The Science if Sci-Fi Cinema: Essays on the Art and Principles of Ten Films, being "based on a true story" doesn't exactly mean we're getting the whole story. McFarlandFrom The Science of Sci-Fi Cinema: Essays on the Art and Principles of Ten Films © 2021 Edited by Vincent Piturro by permission of McFarland & Company, Inc., Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640.How would you react if you found out we aren’t alone in the universe? Imagine the moment you discover a radio signal from another civilization had traveled billions of miles through interstellar space, had been detected by some of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world, and decoded by scientists. Would it matter if it was first detected by scientists from your home country? Would the content of the signal matter? Would you want the chance to be able to meet the alien civilization that sent the signal? These are all questions that the movie Contact explores.The opening sequence of Contact sets the scientific basis for the rest of the film. As the camera travels away from Earth, the audience hears a cacophony of sounds. These sounds, which are radio and television signals traveling out into space, get older and older as we zoom past planets and asteroids. Eventually there is silence as the audience... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2021-09-04 15:30:43 UTC ]

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Gaiman and Jemisin among Hugo award winners

Neil Gaiman and N K Jemisin were among the authors announced as winners at the 2016 Hugo Awards for science fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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​Airbus planning driverless sky Uber

A driverless air taxi to carry you over traffic in congested urban centers, ordered at the push of a button from your smartphone, may sound like science fiction, but Airbus believes it’s much closer to reality than you think. So close, in fact, that it hopes to test such a vehicle by the end of... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2016-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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N.K. Jemisin Has a Plan for Diversity in Science Fiction

The author took to Twitter today to give an explanation for how to increase diversity in science fiction. It starts with publishing more writers of color. The post N.K. Jemisin Has a Plan for Diversity in Science Fiction appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2016-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gollancz Festival 2016 partners with Foyles

Gollancz, Orion's science fiction and fantasy imprint, is partnering with Foyles for the Gollancz Festival 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Small Beer to Publish 400-Year-Old SF Novel

The Easthampton, Mass., press is preparing to release an English language edition of what it is calling the world's first science fiction novel, 'The Chemical Wedding,' written in German in 1616. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Wired' Culture Launches a Book Club

The editors of the publication’s culture section have selected N.K. Jemisin’s 'The Fifth Season' as the first title to be read in the new group, which will focus on works of science fiction and fantasy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pears' app shortlisted for Arthur C Clarke award

Iain Pears’ Arcadia (Faber & Faber), a story that can be read either as a print book or an app, is in contention for this year’s Arthur C Clarke award for science fiction, along with novels by authors such as Becky Chambers and Nnedi Okorafor. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Watch the posthumously released video for David Bowie's 'I Can't Give Everything Away'

It's more than fitting that the first posthumous video for a David Bowie song would depict a psychedelic shot through the cosmos. "I Can't Give Everything Away," a standout track from his final album, "Blackstar," gets a gentle lyric video that recalls vintage animation and science fiction, and... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Getty Foundation to issue $8.5 million in grants for Latino and Latin American-themed shows across SoCal

A show about the boundary-pushing art of radical Latin American women and another devoted to the science fiction of the Americas are just two of 43 exhibitions and events receiving $8.5 million in grants from the Getty Foundation as part of Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles/Latin America,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rentzenbrink and Silberman shortlisted for Wellcome Prize

Cathy Rentzenbrink and Stephen Silberman are among six shortlisted authors for the £30,000 Wellcome Book Prize, awarded annually to the best new work of fiction or non-fiction whose central theme "engages with some aspect of medicine, health or illness". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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January 2016: Top Reviews of Self-Published Books from BlueInk Review

The January 2016 selection of reviews from BlueInk Review includes a science fiction novel set in space and a children's picture book about families. The post January 2016: Top Reviews of Self-Published Books from BlueInk Review appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gollancz signs War of the Worlds sequel

Gollancz is set to publish a sequel to H G Wells’ science fiction novel The War of the Worlds, written by Stephen Baxter. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On the “Virtual Unreality” of Publishing in Spain

Manuel Gil challenges assertions that Spain's book industry is diverse and competitive, calling them science fiction. The post On the “Virtual Unreality” of Publishing in Spain appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Discovery get experimental with virtual reality

Virtual reality may still be closer to science fiction for most people, but don't tell that to Discovery. The company's new eight-person virtual reality unit has gone deep on the tech with videos that show people what it's like to surf, swim with sharks and survive in the wild. Fusion has also... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Five ‘no awards’ given at Hugos

Cixin Liu has won the best novel prize at this year’s Hugo Awards, although no awards were given in five categories, reflecting recent controversy over how the prizes are given. The annual Hugo Awards are for science fiction and fantasy works and are voted for by anyone who is a member of (i.e.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adult Fiction Print Units Bouncing Back in 2015

Since ebook sales exploded in 2009–2010, the adult fiction category has seen the steepest drop in print units of all the major book segments as readers migrated to digital formats, particularly in such fiction genres as romance, mystery, and science fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gollancz partners with Prince Charles cinema

Science fiction and fantasy publisher Gollancz has partnered with London's Prince Charles cinema and mobile video game library the Gamer’s Bus on the second Gollancz Festival. The festival takes place at Waterstones Manchester Deansgate on 16th October and Waterstones Piccadilly in London on... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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George R R Martin urges fans to vote on Hugo Awards

George RR Martin has urged “every true fan” of science fiction and fantasy to vote for this year’s Hugo Awards to “help protect the integrity of the rocket”. The 2015 Hugo Awards, honouring the best science fiction and fantasy works and achievements of the previous year across a number of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Recommended Reading: Science fiction's influence on hip-hop music

Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. The Subversive Science Fi... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orbit to host fantasy workshop

Science fiction and fantasy publisher Orbit Books will host an online fantasy-writing workshop this summer. The week-long free workshop, taking place from Monday 27th July to Friday 31st July and led by author Karen Miller, will invite aspiring authors to take part in a “write-along” challenge... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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