books

1672 – Islam, Science Fiction and Extraterrestrial Life: The Culture of Astrobiology in the Muslim World by Jörg Matthias Determann (2020 book)

The Muslim world is not commonly associated with science fiction. Religion and repression have often been blamed for a perceived lack of creativity, imagination and future-oriented thought. However, even the most authoritarian Muslim-majority countries have produced highly imaginative accounts on one of the frontiers of knowledge: astrobiology, or the study of life in the universe.

This book argues that the Islamic tradition has been generally supportive of conceptions of extra-terrestrial life, and in this engaging account, Jörg Matthias Determann provides a survey of Arabic, Bengali, Malay, Persian, Turkish, and Urdu texts and films, to show how scientists and artists in and from Muslim-majority countries have been at the forefront of the exciting search. Determann takes us to little-known dimensions of Muslim culture and religion, such as wildly popular adaptations of Star Wars and mysterious movements centred on UFOs. Repression is shown to have helped science fiction more than hurt it, with censorship encouraging authors to disguise criticism of contemporary politics by setting plots in future times and on distant planets. The book will be insightful for anyone looking to explore the science, culture and politics of the Muslim world and asks what the discovery of extra-terrestrial life would mean for one of the greatest faiths.

goodreads

Jörg Matthias Determann TW / academia.edu

series

1671 – Nightflyers (2018 TV series)

timespace coordinates: In 2093, a team of scientists embarks on a journey into space aboard an advanced ship called the Nightflyer to make first contact with alien life-forms.

Nightflyers is an American horror science fiction television series on Syfy that premiered in the United States on December 2, 2018 and on Netflix, internationally on February 1, 2019. The series is based on the novella and series of short stories of the same name by George R. R. Martin. The first season consisted of ten episodes, which concluded on December 13, 2018. On February 19, 2019, it was reported that Syfy had canceled the series. (wiki)

imdb

games

1670 – The Last of Us Part II (2020 video game)

timespace coordinates: 2030’s  Jackson, WyomingSeattle, WashingtonSanta Barbara, California

The Last of Us Part II is a 2020 action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Set five years after The Last of Us (2013), the player controls two characters in a post-apocalyptic United States whose lives intertwine: Ellie, who sets out for revenge after suffering a tragedy, and Abby, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict with a cult. The game is played from the third-person perspective. The player can use firearms, improvised weapons, and stealth to fight human enemies and cannibalistic creatures.

Neil Druckmann returned as creative director, co-writing the story with Halley Gross. The game’s themes of revenge and retribution were inspired by Druckmann’s experiences growing up in IsraelAshley Johnson reprises her role as Ellie, while Laura Bailey was cast as Abby. Their performances included the simultaneous recording of motion and voice. (wiki)

TLOU22.0web

THE LAST OF US 2 Walkthrough

THE LAST OF US 2 No Commentary 


Wyoming Museum of Science and History


Seattle Aquarium


movies

1669 – Manta Ray / Kraben rahu (2018)

timespace coordinates: coastal village in Thailand / 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis

Manta Ray (Thai: Kraben Rahu) is a 2018 drama film written and directed by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng. The film had its world premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival on 7 September 2018 and received the award for the best movie in Orizzonti/ Horizon Prize selection. The film stars Aphisit Hama, Wanlop Rungkumjad and Rasmee Wayrana in lead roles. The film focuses on the political theme of Rohingyas in a poetic way. (wiki)

imdb   /   rt

movies, series, Uncategorized

1668 – Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

timespace coordinates: the crew of the USS Enterprise-E travel back in time from the 24th century to the mid-21st century (April 4, 2063, the day before humanity’s first encounter with alien life after Zefram Cochrane‘s historic warp drive flight some time after the Earth had been decimated by the nuclear holocaust of World War III)

Star Trek: First Contact is a 1996 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes (in his motion picture directorial debut) and based on the franchise Star Trek. It is the eighth film in the Star Trek film series, as well as the second to star the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. (wiki)

imdb   /   rt

movies, series

1667 – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

timespace coordinates: 2286 > 1986 San Francisco

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a 1986 American science fiction film directed by Leonard Nimoy and based on the television series Star Trek. It is the fourth feature installment in the Star Trek film series, and is a sequel to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984); it completes the story arc begun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and continued in The Search for Spock.

Intent on returning home to Earth to face trial for their actions in the previous film, the former crew of the USS Enterprise finds the planet in grave danger from an alien probe attempting to contact now-extinct humpback whales. The crew travel to Earth’s past to find whales who can answer the probe’s call. (wiki)

imdb   /   rt   /   trivia