
The Science of Science Fiction
Related Books
Running Across America
A True Story of Dreams, Determination, and Heading for Home
In Running Across America: A True Story of Dreams, Determination, and Heading for Home, Dave McGillivray tells the touching tale of how he ran 3,452 miles from Medford, Oregon, to his hometown of Medford, Massachusetts, in 1978. Braving mountains, the elements, crickets, snakes, and homesickness, McGillivray runs in support of the Jimmy Fund and relies on good friends, family, a sense of humor, and sheer determination to
$16.95Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Engineers
With Stem Projects for Kids
In Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Engineers with STEM Projects for Kids, readers ages 8 to 11 meet five female engineers who revolutionized the role of women in engineering, including Ellen Swallow Richards, Emily Warren Roebling, Kate Gleason, Lillian Moller Gilbreth, and Mary Jackson. These women made innovative contributions to a field on which human
$14.95 - $19.95Explore Poetry!
With 25 Great Projects
Poems can be silly, serious, or fun, just like kids! Whether it's the sing-song rhythm of a limerick, the serendipitous magic of a found poem, the deceptive simplicity of a haiku, or the easy familiarity of an acrostic poem, children are charmed by poetry. In Explore Poetry! With 25 Great Projects children have fun learning
$14.95 - $19.95Forces
Physical Science for Kids
In Forces: Physical Science for Kids, readers ages 5 to 8 observe different types of forces, including gravity, magnetism, pulling, pushing, and friction. By combining children's natural curiosity with prompts for keen observations, quick experiments, and beautiful, detailed illustrations, Forces provides a useful and fun introduction to physical science for kids!
$9.95 - $19.95Reviews
Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's Literature
Rating: Recommended - -Superior in style, liveliness, integrity and format.
"Good addition to STEAM collections in middle and high school. Designed to allow readers to discover the science behind classic and modern SF stories, many of which have inspired today’s inventors (think flip phones, small, hand-held tablets and Star Trek). QR codes provide links to primary sources and a chance to dig deeper into the subjects presented. Questions and STEAM activities help foster critical thinking skills. Topics included are de-extinction (even if we can bring back dinosaurs is it a good idea?); robots, androids and artificial intelligence; living on Mars; aliens and alien worlds—deep space exploration; faster-than-light travel; and time travel (think Doctor Emmet Brown’s time travelling DeLorean). Timeline of ideas and their related inventions, glossary, metric conversions, resources and index. Get this pre-bound."
School Library Connection
"By exploring the intersection between the arts and sciences, this book provides an engaging discussion of how works of science fiction can influence actual scientific innovation and vice versa. This title is best for middle and high school libraries looking to expand their STEAM collection or with a substantial sci-fi fan base in their community. The suggested activities included in this title provide many opportunities for collaboration, high-level thinking, discussion, and debate. Recommended"
Archimedes Notebook
". . . What I really like are the hands-on investigations. You can extract your own DNA, calculate the likelihood of intelligent life in the universe, and play around with centripetal force. My favorite, though, is measuring the speed of light using a microwave, a bar of chocolate, a ruler, and a calculator. Who can resist an experiment that involves chocolate?" Read the complete review online.
Publishers Weekly
"In this intriguing addition to the Inquire and Investigate series, Wood explores the science behind cloning, time travel, and other science fiction staples . . . Comics, sidebars, and experiments offer a variety of approaches to the topics (such as using a microwave and chocolate bar to calculate the speed of light), and QR codes provide links to supplemental online resources. It's an engrossing look at how science and fiction converge and diverge." Read the complete review online.
Booklist
"This latest addition to the award-winning Inquire and Investigate series will be a welcome acquisition for librarians wanting to spice up their STEAM collections. Accessible text, multiple subheadings, guiding questions, and follow-up activities, plus a bevy of graphics (sidebars, cartoons, fact blurbs, bulleted lists, charts, graphs, vocabulary lab exercises, scannable QR codes, primary resources), tackle six familiar science fiction themes: cloning, robots, colonizing Mars, interstellar travel, time travel, and aliens. Fictional characters, settings, and gadgets mesh with science fact and theory, making the technical going easier (and a lot more entertaining)... an excellent way to capture students' imaginations, whether they're of the science and technology or literature and video-arts persuasion."
School Library Journal
"Blockbuster hits like Star Wars and Jurassic Park have plots, settings, and technology that could exist only in the far distant future. But as science advances and new discoveries are made, fantastical sci-fi technologies might be closer to reality than one may think. This title compares fictional stories with real-life scientific breakthroughs, including artificial intelligence, cloning, space travel, and beyond. Older examples such as H.G. Wells's The Time Machine and more contemporary movie releases like 2015's The Martian are cited. After presenting a work of sci-fi and its fictional aspects, the author uses information and theories about the subject to explain how possible or impossible it is presently and in the future (for instance, the chances of humans traveling to Mars or cloning a woolly mammoth). Accompanying the main text on each page are additional facts, photos, and short comics infused with a bit of corny humor . . . VERDICT Jam-packed with high-interest material, this selection will be useful for science classes or literature units that cover the books mentioned within."
Learning Magazine
"Alien civilizations. Artificial intelligence. Time Travel. This book explores the actual science behind popular science fiction ideas such as these. The book includes STEAM activities to foster critical thinking skills."
Teacher Resources

Classroom Guides
For educators! Download a packet of essential questions, mentor texts, and Common Core State Standards to use in classrooms and libraries.
Classroom Guide Common Core State Standards
Collections
Looking for more? Take a look at related books in these collections!
Detailed Book Description
Alien civilizations, artificial intelligence, time travel–is there any truth in these exciting ideas? In The Science of Science Fiction, readers ages 12–15 explore the science behind classic and modern science fiction stories, many of which inspired today's inventors and innovators.
- Encourages intellectual exploration of appealing science fiction franchises such as Star Wars and Jurassic World.
- Draws readers along critical thinking pathways as they connect science fiction to fact.
- Provides a number of exercises in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) that can either be done in a classroom or at home with a parent.
Hardcover, $22.95 9781619304666 |
Paperback, $17.95 9781619304703 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Timeline
Introduction
The Science Behind Science Fiction
Chapter 1
Cloning Ancient Creatures
Chapter 2
Robots, Androids, and Artificial Intelligence
Chapter 3
Living on Mars
Chapter 4
Aliens
Chapter 5
Faster-Than-Light Travel
Chapter 6
Time Travel
Glossary
Metric Conversions
Resources
Index