In a world where technology is growing at a rate like never before, in a world where limitless possibilities hang in front of us; it’s tempting to ask- Why do we still hang on to science fiction and fantasy? Presently, science fiction and fantasy works are the most popular. Be it books or movies, science fiction is a hot topic. But why?

After all, now we all have  gadgets in our pockets and in our homes that we haven’t dreamed about , devices that outstrip the fantasies of yester science fiction— to be honest, we all own devices that can do a bajillion things and still we  persist in writing and reading science fiction.

The most obvious and common answer would be that, science fiction broadens our imaginative horizons. It plants little visuals in our brain that inspire us and push us to achieve our dreams. It propels us to think. It makes us desire for little contraptions that could respond to us, that can make us fly, that would ensure we could sneak like ninjas, fight like warriors- all our fantasies. And it’s true that science fiction and fantasy have both prompted the creation of technological marvels.

But I think it’s pretty inaccurate to credit the genre for all the advances. People have ambitions and experiment regardless of what genres of books they read. The real power of science fiction I guess, lie in its ability to interpret the world around us, to investigate parts of our existence that are too complex, too subtle, to explain the unexplainable with more than facts, figures and numbers.  Sci fi answers the questions that haunt us, with imagination. They replace what we know and can see with what could be…

As with all tweaked and adjusted perspectives, there’s danger in them: it may not always make sense, you may not agree with it, you may frustrate with its naivety; however, for moments you have stepped in someone else’s shoes. You have seen a different side and you know what it feels like. And it inspires and changes you. Would time travel feel so alluring if you hadn’t felt the magic in H.G Well’s Time Machine, without Hermione’s time turner, without ‘Back to the future’?

While present day science talks about, well, the science part of things- the principles involved. Science fiction talks about its effect on our lives. When science talks about time machines, it talks about string theories and alternate dimensions and Einstein’s theorems. However, when science fiction talks about time travel it talks about possibilities, effects- Maybe the world is dying and you go back to fix it, that sort of stuff. It’s a different perception. It’s fun, entertaining and definitely gives you something to think about.

Science fiction is a kind of laboratory where each one of us can intellectually toy with all sorts of ideas. It’s a world in your head where you control and assume all sorts of assumptions from governments to society to physics. Its free of the barriers of reality.

Science fiction is an important tool to show us the full spectrum of possibilities for tomorrow and paints it in front of us.

The stories science fiction shows us, is itself a blueprint for the universe, a universe which we create…

MISSION EARTH

The year is 2500. The dawn of a new century. Pollution free crackers were being burst. There was much joy among the people. It was also the 100^th anniversary of their intergalactic move to Scandia, a rare planet situated 256 trillion kilometers away from their former home, Earth. The planet functioned as one unit. Away from the joy, though, a worried soul was present. The head of the National Science laboratory, prof. Anand Lawrence, waited as the last person exited the Laboratory. He pulled out his file and studied it. Years of tireless work had paid off. This experiment was a success. Only one thing remained. It was a journey too treacherous, even for the brave man. He had to do it alone. He walked up to the bookshelf and pulled out a book titled ‘a mission to our former planet’. Instantly a trap door opened up. He slid through it. Waiting for him was an utterly marvelous sight: a spaceship simply called “the traveller”. He beheld it with a look of admiration on his face. Capable of going at 3 trillion km an hour and holding supplies for 2 years, it was a perfect fit for his needs. He climbed in and started his engine. He wondered if this engine could hit the 3 trillion kilometers per hour mark the makers claimed in its advertisements. Curiosity got the better of him. Well, only one way to find out. He pushed the throttle to full. Mistake. He passed out due to all the G-Force exerted on his body.

When he woke up, he found himself in a deserted place. To his right, he saw the debris of a huge thing. He was too tired to identify it. He got up and with as much energy as he could muster, started walking. He knew not where he was going, nor why. He just walked. As the sunset, he began to lose all hope of surviving. Just then, a tall figure rose from the horizon. A building! A Human settlement! With renewed energy, he managed to make it through. And he passed out again.

On arrival, he rushed to the shelter. They found that he had a fracture on his left arm and internal bleeding. Leading that effort was Anita parker, the surgeon. “She saved my life1 he thought”. He was given food and water later by her as well. He slept a peaceful sleep that night knowing that he still had a lot of work to complete.

The professor spent two days exploring and investing the Earth. He carried out everything from Humidity test to blood cell levels. He knew that the data collected here, let alone the fact that the people on earth and there was a suitable spaceship to go there, would be a huge hit. The inhabitant amazed the professor with their knowledge and efficiency. The people even managed to fix ‘The traveller’ to a certain extent, despite it being a very advance machine. Only the main turbo was missing. It was a vital cog in the spaceship. The people were befuddled. The professor seemed resigned to his fate as stranded. All of a sudden Anita Parker, had a bright idea. She rushed to a nearby Junkyard. After what seemed like an hour of searching, she came up with funky – looking part. She brushed the dust off it. The people gasped. She was holding the TurboG4, the exact part the professor needed! They quickly fitted it onto the spaceship.

It was time to say goodbye. A warm friendship had developed between the people and the professor. As the spaceship lifted off, the professor stole a glance at Anita. He then knew, with utmost certainty, that the saviour of his life was standing before his eyes.