Science Fiction

A publicity photo of Carrie Fisher wearing Princess Leia's white gown from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was on display when the late actress was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May. 

You Can Now Buy Princess Leia's White Gown From 'Star Wars'

Carrie Fisher wore the garment while filming the final scene of "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope"

One of the iterations of the Enterprise that fans can explore on the portal

'Star Trek' Fans Can Now Virtually Tour Every Starship Enterprise Bridge

An interactive web portal explores the vessel's evolution over nearly six decades

Engineer Martin Cooper made the world's first cellphone call on April 3, 1973, using a Motorola DynaTAC.

From 'the Brick' to the iPhone, the Cellphone Celebrates 50 Years

As the technology turns 50, science fiction might hint at the cellphone's next chapter

Bradbury's encounter with Mr. Electrico “really started him on his quest to become a writer, which was essentially a quest to become immortal,” says Jason Aukerman.

The Sideshow Magician Who Inspired Ray Bradbury—Then Vanished

Experts have been unable to verify the existence of Mr. Electrico, whose 1932 electric chair act supposedly affirmed the young author's interest in writing

A googly-eyed rock is among the items up for grabs.

You Can Buy Hot Dog Fingers and Pet Rocks From 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'

A24 is selling props and costumes from the Oscar-nominated film at an upcoming charity auction

Some fungi can take over ants' minds, killing the host and using its body to spread spores to other victims.

The Real Zombie Fungus That Inspired HBO's 'The Last of Us'

Humans will probably never face a fungal apocalypse, but in the insect world, mind-controlling fungi can pose a serious threat

Critics say the portrayal of the Na'avi alien species in Avatar appropriates and homoginizes Indigenous cultures.

Indigenous Activists Criticize 'Avatar' Sequel

They say the film romanticizes colonization and reduces Indigenous cultures to vague stereotypes

The vaunted unobtanium from Avatar.

The Etymology of Unobtanium

The much-mocked wonder-rock from the 2009 blockbuster 'Avatar' doesn’t have an atomic number, but engineers have used the actual word for decades

Steven Spielberg on the set of Jaws

Steven Spielberg Regrets How 'Jaws' Impacted Real-World Sharks

The movie contributed to a rise in shark trophy hunting

A young Sammy Fabelman (Mateo Zoryan Francis-DeFord) in The Fabelmans 

Based on a True Story

The Making of Steven Spielberg

"The Fabelmans" is a lightly fictionalized dramatization of the famous director's childhood

The costume worn by Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War is in the collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The suit imbues him with powers similar to the abilities of the dark cats.

14 Fun Facts About Black Panthers

Many of the Marvel superhero’s powers are inspired by the namesake predator

E.T. looks out the window with Elliott (Henry Thomas) in a scene from the 1982 movie. 

Original 'E.T.' Mechatronic Model Could Fetch $3 Million at Auction

The metallic skeleton, created by special effects pro Carlo Rambaldi in 1981, features 85 movement points

Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown in the film) poses onstage at London's production of Back to the Future: The Musical

Great Scott! 'Back to the Future' Is Coming to Broadway

Marty McFly, Doc Brown and their iconic DeLorean are heading to New York City this summer

James Earl Jones beside Darth Vader in 2002

James Earl Jones Retires From Voicing Darth Vader

Future "Star Wars" productions will recreate Jones' menacing voice using artificial intelligence

David Bowie released his iconic song “Starman” in 1972.

There’s a Starman Waiting at the Auction Block

David Bowie's handwritten lyrics for 'Starman' could sell for more than $35,000

Nichelle Nichols as Nyota Uhura in “Star Trek”

Nichelle Nichols, Pioneering 'Star Trek' Actress, Dies at 89

She made history as one of the first Black women to appear in a leading role on television

One reader wonders why men’s bicycles have crossbars but not women’s.  

Why Do Only Men's Bicycles Have Crossbars? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts.

Detail from Tolkien's Conversation With Smaug, 1937

Rarely Seen Paintings by J.R.R. Tolkien Portray a Lush 'Lord of the Rings' Landscape

The Tolkien Estate recently published a trove of rare, unpublished art by the famed fantasy author on its website

Map from front endpapers to The Odyssey of Homer (translated by T. E. Shaw (Col. T. E. Lawrence)), 1935. 

Art Meets Science

See Fantastical Maps From 'Game of Thrones,' 'Lord of the Rings' and More

In honor of the centennial of James Joyce's 'Ulysses,' a San Marino, California exhibition takes museumgoers on a literary journey

Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, holding the Mattel Hoverboard in a scene from Back to the Future II

Marty McFly's 'Back to the Future II' Hoverboard Sells for $500,000

Signed by the franchise's star, actor Michael J. Fox, the movie prop easily surpassed its auction estimate

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