Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

An Encyclopedia of Sci-Fi Technology?

Posted by Cliff on from the wikipedia-has-quite-a-bit dept.

RobotWisdom asks: "Is there a wiki somewhere that I haven't found, dedicated to cataloging all the technological innovations imagined by science fiction writers? So that if someone wants to explore a particular class of innovation like weapons, or medical, or transportation, they can (eventually) easily find summaries of all the major thinking on that topic? And if it hasn't been started yet, does anyone have the wherewithal to start it?" If such a thing isn't available in one place, what sites have you found that catalog the technology of specific sci-fi mythologies?

6 of 29 comments (clear)

  1. Ultimate Star Trek Resource by SpectreHiro · · Score: 3, Informative

    Some misguided trekkies would send you to Memory Alpha, but that place is strictly bush league. If you want the best in Treknology, all the way down to fictional elements and even elementary particles, you've gotta head to Ex Astris Scientia. When I found this place, it blew my freaking mind.

    Engage!

    --
    You can't win, Darth. If you mod me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.
  2. Star Trek by Dragoon412 · · Score: 2, Informative

    It may not be tech-specific, but Memory Alpha has the most detailed technological descriptions behind Star Trek technology that I've seen. For example, take a look at their phaser page.

  3. Orion's Arm and Technovol by PxM · · Score: 3, Informative

    Try this: http://www.technovelgy.com/ The site lists sci-fi stuff and real world instances of that tech.

    I also suggest Orion's Arm. It's a "reference" for a pretty in depth sci-fi universe and has a nice encyclopedia of tech and social ideas.
    http://www.orionsarm.com/main.html
    http://www.orionsarm.com/eg/index.html

  4. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by Thakandar2 · · Score: 2, Informative

    This book, ISBN 1 85723 897 4, by John Clute and Peter Nichols, published by Orbit publishing, is a huge collection of encyclopedic entries on everything Sci-fi, from authors, to themes, literary terms, but pertaining to this discussion, the science as well. It will list the history, who talked about it or used it, the theories behind the science and the fiction of the idea, and give cross references. I have it on my shelf since I have an English Lit degree, but took a class on Sci-Fi and have been reading it all my life. It's priceless ( except for right here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031213486X/102-84 00598-1536961?v=glance&n=283155 ) and I highly recommend it.

  5. Wikipedia to the rescue by FleaPlus · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Fictional_te chnology

    It could always use improvement of course, but it seems fairly comprehensive already.

  6. Not a wiki, but... by julesh · · Score: 2, Informative
    ...I'm rather fond of the Tough Guide to the Known Galaxy, which is a humuorous look at standard SF tropes, including much of the tech that's common to multiple stories. E.g., the first entry starts:

    AI. Artificial intelligence. This was once commonplace in the KNOWN GALAXY, but has been on the decline in more recent times. The reason (as with ROBOTS), is that in the real world AI progress has so far been disappointing, which is why Web browsers turn up a million sites but not the one you're looking for.