Alex R. Howe
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My blog of science, science fiction, and more.
The header image is a planetscape based on my short story, “The Lacertan Incident” Search Blog
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Category Archives: Uncategorized
#23 – Overpopulation and Environmental Collapse
In the 60s and 70s, awareness of environmental issues was rising, and that was reflected in the New Wave of science fiction. Of particular note were overpopulation and pollution (leading to widespread environmental collapse). In this episode, we explore the … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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#19 – The New Wave
In the 1960s, science fiction went through a major change as the New Wave moved it away from the hard sci-fi of the 50s into a softer, but more socially conscious space. In this episode, we overview the new ideas, … Continue reading
Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction, Uncategorized
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#18 – Movies in the Golden Age
Like books, movies and television also went through a golden age in science fiction in the 1950s. In this episode we explore the trends in the visual medium at the time and how they compared to print. Movie recommendation: The … Continue reading
20020: the Sequel to 17776
Three years ago, I reviewed a web serial/visual novel called 17776: What Football Will Look Like in the Future created by Jon Bois of the SB Nation blog, an absurdist tale about a far future where humans are immortal, and … Continue reading
Posted in Science Fiction, Uncategorized, Web Review
Tagged 17776, 20020, football, Jon Bois, SB Nation, surrealism
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Essay: The Real Problem with “The Cold Equations”
As part of tomorrow’s episode of A Reader’s History of Science Fiction, I felt the need to write a companion essay analyzing one of the most famous (or perhaps infamous) short stories in the history of the genre: “The Cold … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Science Fiction, Uncategorized
Tagged John W. Campbell, The Cold Equations, Tom Godwin
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The Mars Perseverance Launch Is Tomorrow
Space news of the day: NASA’s Perseverance rover (formerly Mars 2020) will launch at 7:50 am EDT tomorrow morning on its mission to Mars. (It was originally supposed to be July 17, but it was delayed due to equipment problems.) … Continue reading
Posted in Current events, Space exploration, Uncategorized
Tagged Mars 2020, Mars Perseverance, Mars rover
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Book Review: A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
I’ve previously reviewed An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green, a science educator and YouTube host alongside his brother, John (author of The Fault in our Stars). Hank’s debut novel featured a visit by an enigmatic alien robot named Carl, … Continue reading
Posted in Book reviews, Uncategorized
Tagged A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, Hank Green, The Carls
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A Challenge to Flat Earthers
Is the Earth round? Most people say yes, obviously. But a growing (or at least growing in loudness) number on the internet say no. Flat Earthers are (or seem to be) real, and they seem to have an answer to … Continue reading
Posted in Debunking, Science, Uncategorized
Tagged Flat Earth, Photography, Round Earth
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Movie Review: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Well, here it is: the end* of the Star Wars saga. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is the completion of the nine-film series George Lucas originally promised us in 1978. It took 41 years, selling the series to Disney, … Continue reading
Posted in Movie Reviews, Uncategorized
Tagged Star Wars, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Rise of Skywalker
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Frozen II’s Worrying Embrace of Pseudoscience
I wrote in my review that I thought Frozen II was a very well-made movie. However, there was one thing in the story that I strongly disliked and even found inappropriate for children in a weird way. (Not in the … Continue reading
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