Science Fiction: What If the Future Were Different?

Science fiction imagines how science and technology could change the world.

Science fiction, often called sci-fi, asks 'What if? ' questions about science and technology. What if people lived on Mars? What if robots had feelings? What if we could travel through time? Unlike fantasy, sci-fi explains its amazing events with science, even if the science is invented or far in the future. Common settings include spaceships, distant planets, and future cities.

Here's the difference. Fantasy: 'The witch waved her wand, and the bridge appeared. ' Science fiction: 'The engineer activated the gravity projector, and a beam of solid light stretched across the canyon. ' Both are impossible today, but sci-fi uses technology instead of magic.

Sci-fi stories often make readers think about real questions too, like how we should treat the planet or how technology changes friendships. Readers who like puzzles, inventions, and space often love this genre.

• 1Sci-fi asks 'What if?' about science and technology.
• 2It uses technology, not magic, to explain events.
• 3It often raises real-world questions.