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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Jack Vance, prolific, prize-winning pulp author, dies at 96

Jack Vance, prolific author of science fiction, mystery and epic fantasy, died Sunday at 96, his son John told the Associated Press. He had written more than 60 books during his long life.Jack Vance, prolific author of science fiction, mystery and epic fantasy, died Sunday at 96, his son John... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Building a Sci-Fi and Fantasy Publishing House from Scratch

Science fiction and fantasy publisher Angry Robot, part of the Osprey Group, is the creation of one man and many minds working in tandem across the UK and the Atlantic. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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San Diego Comic-Con: Bigger, Still Better

Even with attendance capped at 130,000 by the fire marshal, the San Diego Comic-Con International remains the granddaddy of all comics conventions. It’s the biggest pop culture event in North America—comics are the core of an event that also showcases movies, toys, video games, science fiction,... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paolini eyes sci-fi for next venture

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Thu, 10/11/2011 - 09:00 Christopher Paolini is likely to turn his hand to science fiction for his next work, as the final book in his epic Inheritance Cycle series is published this week. The series has sold 4.5m in export and UK sales, including... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon expands into SF publishing

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 11/10/2011 - 14:30 Amazon.com has announced its seventh imprint, a science fiction, fantasy and horror brand called 47North, which has launched with 15 books. The imprint name is based on the latitude co-ordinates of Seattle, where Amazon was... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Turpin moves from L,B to Angry Robot

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 26/09/2011 - 11:48 Angry Robot has appointed Little, Brown online marketing manager Darren Turpin to the role of marketing and digital manager. Turpin will join the company on 7th November and report directly to Marc Gascoigne, publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pagan exits Orbit for Tor

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 04/08/2011 - 14:30 Orbit commissioning editor Bella Pagan will be joining Tor, Pan Macmillan's science fiction and fantasy imprint, as a senior commissioning editor on 1st November. Pagan will report to Pan Macmillan fiction publisher... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gollancz deal to put Encyclopedia of Science Fiction online

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 06/07/2011 - 09:19 The third edition of the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction is to be released online later this year by ESF Ltd, a new company set up by the contributors to the book, in association with Orion imprint Victor Gollancz. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Angry Robot's Zoo City wins Arthur C Clarke award

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Thu, 28/04/2011 - 07:32 Lauren Beukes's Zoo City has been honoured with the Arthur C Clarke Award for science fiction novel of the year, being tipped to bring "a whole new readership" to the genre. Zoo City's publisher Angry Robot Books has also... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC defends genre fiction coverage

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 20/04/2011 - 09:45 The BBC is broadcasting an item on “The Culture Show” about science fiction next month, in the wake of a row about the broadcaster’s approach to genre fiction. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Genre authors attack "sneering" World Book Night coverage

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 18/04/2011 - 09:19 Authors including Iain M Banks and Michael Moorcock have written to the BBC's director general Mark Thompson, attacking the treatment of genre fiction in its recent World Book Night coverage. In total 85 authors, across the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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