Two common misconceptions about clones and biotechnology
Popular culture has been misrepresenting clones since the term was applied to Homo sapiens. If you want to make the most of the biotech revolution, you’re going to have to unlearn the most egregious of culture’s misapprehensions. A Clone Will Know Everything That You Know, and Will Act As You Do Clones are often depicted…
Mapping the Seven Kingdoms
Want to see a map of the continent of Westeros from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire? Of course you do. Also, see how Martin’s fictional continent stacks up with Europe. I’ve talked about this map briefly before, but renewed discussion on the subject of the size of Westeros and the Seven…
Lazy, self-indulgent reviews of science fiction books
Over at Lazy Self-Indulgent Book Reviews, Nicole Cliffe sort of, kind of, not really reviews books. Here are her tongue-in-cheek reviews of Ellison, Delany, and a prehistoric giant shark. Nova by Samuel Delany My father lobbied really hard, almost certainly while high, for my mom to consent to naming me “Nova.” Because of this book.…
In Defense of Steampunk
A while back, Charles Stross published a spirited critique of steampunk, saying “there’s too much of it” and it’s suffering from “second artist effect.” Now Aurorarama author Jean-Christophe Valtat explains why steampunk and “Teslapop” are more relevant than ever. Talk about bad timing for my time machine. Just when I set up shop as a…