Second Variety by Philip K. Dick:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

"The claws were bad enough in the first place - nasty, crawling little death-robots. But when they began to imitate their creators, it was time for the human race to make peace - if it could!"


('Second Variety' by Philip K. Dick)

The story takes place after a war between Russia and the UN; Russian victories force the American government to flee to the Moon. UN technicians develop robots called 'claws' to protect remaining UN forces.

This short story was the inspiration for the 1995 film Screamers, starring Peter Weller, Roy Dupuis and Jennifer Rubin.

Select an invention:

Claws (Attack Robot) - screamers!
Autonomous guard robots that attack living tissue.

Machine Evolution
An early look at the idea that machines can evolve all by themselves, physically and intellectually.

 

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Science Fiction
in the News

Russians Create Robot Tank Platoons
re: Philip Nowlan w/D. Calkins
(8/15/2025)

3D-Printed Exoskeleton Learns From Your Hand
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Smartwatch Powered By Slime Mold
re: Philip K. Dick
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Unmanned Boats Attack At Sea
re: Ray Naylor
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Carpentopod Walking Table
re: Terry Pratchett
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Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAV Operations
re: Robert Sheckley
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SpaceX Rocket Shuttle Point-To-Point On Earth
re: Robert Heinlein
(7/3/2025)

Quaise Uses Beams Of Energy To Dig Geothermal Wells
re: Frank Stockton
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Robots Repair And Modify Themselves
re: Harry Harrison
(6/29/2025)

Waymo And Tesla 'Autonomous Cabs' Are Piloted By Remote Drivers
re: Philip K Dick
(6/27/2025)

Robot Janitors Get To Work
re: Philip K. Dick
(6/25/2025)

Robots Learn To Install Charged Batteries Into Themselves
re: Not known.
(6/23/2025)

Robot Rabbits Entice Pythons
re: JW Groves
(6/21/2025)

LLM 'Cognitive Core' Now Evolving
re: Philip K. Dick
(6/19/2025)

More SF in the News

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