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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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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Philip K Dick's only novel for children to be reissued in UK

A boy leaves Earth to rescue a cat in a short novel from ‘the Shakespeare of science fiction’ which has been unavailable in the UK for more than 20 yearsA boy and his family leave Earth on a “gentle” quest to save his cat, Horace – not the kind of manuscript you might expect from the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2015: Tor Celebrates 35

Tom Doherty, president and publisher of Tor Books, worked his way up through the sales force ranks at Simon & Schuster and was mentored by Betty and Ian Ballantine when they launched the first science fiction and fantasy line in the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Priest’s Mission Embodied the Pope’s Focus on the Poor

With the ascension of the first pontiff from a Third World country, is liberation theology, suppressed under John Paul and Benedict, poised for a comeback? Missionary priest Claude Lacaille writes of his life dedicated to practicing "the preferential option for the poor," which has become a... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors withdraw from Hugo Awards

Two authors and a fanzine have withdrawn their work from the Hugo science fiction awards, claiming alleged right-wing activists are skewing the voting process. The annual awards honour the best science fiction and fantasy works and achievements of the previous year across a number of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Leckie on Hugo Awards shortlist

Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Sword (Orbit), the sequel to her multi award-winning Ancillary Justice (also Orbit), is among the finalists for this year’s Hugo Awards. The annual awards honour the best science fiction and fantasy works and achievements of the previous year across a number of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Acclaimed 'Discworld' author Terry Pratchett dies aged 66

Sir Terry Pratchett, the author best known for his Discworld series, has died aged 66. His novels weaved fantasy, science fiction, satire and whimsy to great effect -- more than 80 million Discworld books have been sold worldwide. Despite publishing ... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 2024

You send a command from your smartphone and your house automatically decorates itself with a holographic Christmas tree complete with decorations and a suitably conifer-like smell. Sound like science fiction? Maybe, but this is among the predictions by the authors of a new book that looks at how... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ursula K Le Guin's speech at National Book Awards: 'Books aren't just commodities'

In a passionate speech, writer takes aim at publishers who put profit before artUrsula Le Guin cries freedom as she is honoured for contribution to literatureTo the givers of this beautiful reward, my thanks, from the heart. My family, my agents, my editors, know that my being here is their... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vice Launching Sci-Fi Site

Terraform, Brooklyn-based Vice Media Group's first standalone literary platform, will be dedicated to original pieces of science fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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