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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?

12 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. Spaceflight-specific, sort of. by Myself · · Score: 3, Interesting

    David Darling has tons of info on spaceflight and advanced propulsion concepts. Some of them are present-day stuff, like ion thrusters and solar sails. Others are pure wild speculation, various forms of faster-than-light travel, etc. It's incredibly readable and quite broad.

    Are you familar with ShouldExist and HalfBakery? They're also not sci-fi-specific, but a good place to check out ideas and post your own.

  3. That'd be cool by QuantumG · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I like Peter F. Hamilton's rejuvenation and memory storage crystal technology. He invented the technology in one book, Misspent Youth, and then carried it over to his Commonwealth Saga. His space travel technology in the Night's Dawn trilogy isn't as interesting, but the neural implant and artificial intelligence technologies he describes in Fallen Dragon is phenomonal.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  4. 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.

  5. 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

    1. Re:Orion's Arm and Technovol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Technovelgy.com has (as of today) 1,056 science fiction ideas and inventions from 314 different works by 135 different authors. The material is cross-referenced by book, author, subject matter category, timeline and alpha-sort. Entries range from Jules Verne's "retro rockets" to Cordwainer Smith's "laminated mouse brain computer" to Robert Heinlein's "waldoes" to Larry Niven's "Ringworld" to ... you get the picture.

      I accept contributions from all readers; I'm currently redoing my site and database to allow reader additions and alterations (wiki-style). Tagging by readers is also on the way.

      The site also offers hundreds of articles about recent science and technology advances that were presaged by science fiction writers.

      Any discussion of how I can improve the site is appreciated!

      Bill Christensen
      Technovelgy.com

  6. Alphabet game of Sci-Fi species by LoudMusic · · Score: 2, Interesting

    My wife and I played the alphabet game of sci-fi species while on our latest road trip. When we returned home I tried to look up letters we had difficulty with. There were a few lists of species, but they were all missing one or another major component - some had Star Trek, but not Babylon 5, or had Babylon 5 but not Farscape, or, well you get the idea.

    This Sci-Fi encyclopedia is a damn fine idea and I might just throw in a few submissions of my own. Where's the petition I sign to get this one rolling?

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    No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
  7. Oy. by Selanit · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Silly robot, there is life beyond the web.

    Now, all of those encyclopedias of science fiction are stored in the library at the University of Texas. You very likely live nowhere near Texas. The point is that there are about a zillion encyclopedias of science fiction around, and you can find them easily. Check YOUR local library. Even if you haven't got a university library, I'll bet your local library has atleast one of these, unless, possibly, you live in a town with a very very small library. In which case you can get it through inter-library loan, or buy it cheap from a used bookseller.

    Now, I'm no luddite; if somebody wants to build a gigantic science fiction wiki, terrific, have fun. I'm just annoyed that so many people now think of the Internet as the One True Source of Information, which contains All Wisdom and Knowledge. Good grief.

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. Here's one... by RingDev · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://www.uspto.gov/ ;)

    -Rick

    --
    "Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs