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Technovelgy FAQ
What is the difference between "Science Fiction in the News" stories and "Beyond Technovelgy" stories?
The Science Fiction in the News stories show how the unusual predictions of sf writers are coming true in today's world. For example, in his 1999 novel Starfish, sf writer Peter Watts wrote about "cultured brains on a slab" that could fly a plane. In a widely reported 2004 story, a University of Florida scientist actually found that rat neurons cultured in a glass dish could organize themselves and succeed at using Flight Simulator (story here). The degree of correspondence may vary; in the rat neuron story, for instance, no one piloted an actual plane with cultured brain cells. However, you can't deny that there is an amazing degree of correspondence between Peter Watts' vision in his novel, and the actual story.
The Beyond Technovelgy stories are selected science and technology stories that really challenge our view of the world - and were not imagined by any writer. As you can imagine, I look through a lot of science and technology websites; I found lots of articles that amazed me, but I couldn't share them in the old format of the site.
Why don't you have [this author] [that book] [this item] in your site?
Because you haven't contributed it yet. Go to the contact form and make sure your favorite [author] [book] [item] is represented.
What does "technovelgy" mean and how do you pronounce it?
Okay, here's the deal. First of all, it's pronounced tek novel gee.
My first explanation for this name is that all the good domain names were taken by 1997. The second explanation is that "Technovelgy" is a combination of the words "technology" and "novel." The word "novel" can refer to a book; it can also refer to something new or unique.
And aren't science fiction novels filled with fictional ideas and technologies that are new and unique? So, there you go.
Do you have an rss feed?
Yes! Here it is
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I found a mistake in your site! What do I do?
Please go to the contact form (or better yet, use the comment form at the bottom of the page where you found the mistake), and enter the name of the offending item, your correction and any sources (book name, author, page number etc.) so I can fix it! And I thank you in advance! Let me know if you want me to use your name; I would never publish your email address or any other info.
I try to be accurate; corrections from experts are always welcome.
I saw an ad that I thought was out of place or objectionable on your site.
My goal with the Technovelgy site is to try to get ads that are helpful links for each and every story. Google's AdSense does a pretty good job. However, I don't have much of a choice about the ads. If you see one you really don't like, I can try to exclude it; use the contact form.
Can you help me with my homework?
As a rule, if you can't find it on the site, I probably can't help you. Try the google search at the bottom of most pages for the best results. Although I'm serious about doing a good job on the site - I have other businesses to run. Sorry!
Why don't you have popular thriller authors like Michael Crichton on your site?
Typically, the works of these more popular authors build on science fiction themes, plot details and "plot devices" (technovelgy!) that have been around for decades. I tend to go more for original sources. But, go ahead and submit your favorite author-book-item.
You seem to have a rather arbitrary list of authors and books.
Actually, there is nothing arbitrary about it - these are some of my favorite authors and books! Not to mention some of my reader's favorites. But these are just our preferences; submit your favorites.
Are you one of those people who think that science fiction is all "gadget fiction?"
No - but since this site is oriented toward the imaginative technology of science fiction, most of the books and authors represented here lean toward hard sf.
Are you one of those people who think that science fiction is all about predicting the future?
No - and some of the most imaginative items on the site would probably never exist. But that doesn't mean they aren't fun to read about. And besides - who knows?
Who created this site?
Almost everything on the site, from the text articles to the site design, was created by me, Bill Christensen. I don't have any special credentials for writing about science or fiction, but I do enjoy reading fiction and learning more about science and the history of ideas. If it makes a difference, I created technical documentation professionally for ten years for companies like Northern Telecom, Unisys and Ford, and have been creating and maintaining large websites since 1995.
If my FAQ hasn't answered your question, just use the handy contact form.
