I'm happy to share my award winning hard Scifi story, FELDSPAR. This was published in 2017 on the Baen Books website after it won their short story award. After so many years, I thought it would make it available for all of you to enjoy on my website.
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Exploring Alien Worlds on Netflix (Ep1)
Part review, part scientific dialogue, Biologist Philip Kramer, PhD and SETI Institute employee Margaret Reeb discuss the Netflix series Alien Worlds which Aired December 2nd, 2020. In this article, the authors combine their scientific expertise with their love of science fiction to address the triumphs and failures of the series in its depiction of alien life on other planets. Join them as they explore Alien Worlds and the imaginative field of astrobiology.
The Science of Space Warfare
Military Science Fiction is one of the oldest sci-fi categories. It combines something humans know well, war, with the cold expanse of space. It can be difficult, however, to adapt the physics of warfare on Earth to those outside of its gravity well. Spacecraft, for example, cannot change direction on a dime with a tilt of their wings. I will cover some basic considerations in this article.
Writing Update- March 2019
It’s been a productive last few months, and I have some big news to share.
The first piece of news is that I’ve just had a sci-fi short story accepted in a reprint anthology titled Final Frontier. The editor, C. Stuart Hardwick, reached out to me a while back to see if I had something to contribute. The anthology will be released in time for the 50 year Anniversary of Apollo 11, and Stuart requested I submit a story that “celebrated the indomitable spirit that carried mankind to the Moon.”
Icarus Drowned- A SciFi Short Story
The inspiration for this story came while writing a blog post over a year ago. After nearly a year of submissions, I was unable to find a home for this story in either pro or semi-pro markets. I guess not all stories are destined for publication. Still, I really enjoyed writing this story, and I hope you will enjoy reading it. I present to you the Science Fiction Short Story, "Icarus Drowned."
Writing Update- The 2017 Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest
I am pleased to announce that my short story, “Feldspar,” won the 2017 Jim Baen Memorial Writing Contest. It is an honor to be chosen as the grand prize winner from such a pool of talented finalists.
The Science of Time Travel
Time travel features heavily in speculative fiction. It provides a useful means of foreshadowing and helps to heighten suspense as the characters try to avert a looming disaster or manipulate the future for their own ends. It appeals to all of us who have ever experienced guilt or loss and want to go back and fix it. It is rife with unintended consequences and can trigger exciting conflicts. However, it is also provides a great source of frustration for writer and reader alike as they try to contend with the plot holes, paradoxes, and skewed logic associated with tampering with the fundamental laws of our universe.
In this post, I will address the most common problems and paradoxes associated with time-travel, and then discuss the science of time travel.
The science of enclosed ecosystems
A Closed Ecological System (CES) is a broad term that encompass any self-sustaining and closed system in which matter does not leave or enter. These artificial habitats can be built in space, underground, or underwater, but no matter where they are, chances are they are closed for a reason. Whether it is an underground bunker in a post-apocalyptic setting, a distant planet in the early stages of colonization, or a spacecraft carrying the last remnants of humanity, the environment outside is not hospitable. To ensure long-term survival, the occupants must maintain a well-balanced air and water system, a continuous food supply, and a reliable source of energy.
