Richard Bachman (aka. Stephen King), “The Running Man”, 1982.

Stephen King (pen-name Richard Bachman), “The Running Man”, 1982 was a dystopian science fiction novel about a television game show. The title of this TV game show is “The Running Man”. Contestants on the game show are chased around the world by “Hunters”. A contestant runs to keep from being killed by “Hunters”. “The Running … Continue reading Richard Bachman (aka. Stephen King), “The Running Man”, 1982.

Carl Sagan, "Contact: A Novel", 1985.

Carl Sagan, “Contact: A Novel”, 1985 was a science fiction novel about radio astronomy.   The radio telescope is used for SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence). A message from the ET (extraterrestrial) is the storyline. In his “day job” Carl Sagan was an astronomer and space scientist. Continue reading Carl Sagan, "Contact: A Novel", 1985.

"Retinal Isomerase", Enzyme Commission 5.2.1.3 Eye Retina.

Oliver Sacks, “The Island of the Colorblind“, 1997 was the topic of an earlier blog post.  The Micronesian isle of Pinggelap  suffers from hereditary achromatopsia (colorblindness) and neurologist Oliver Sacks describes this eye condition.  While “cone cell” blindness is present, the “rod cell” is functional.  In the diagram  above,   I show the visual process … Continue reading "Retinal Isomerase", Enzyme Commission 5.2.1.3 Eye Retina.

George Orwell, “(1984) Nineteen Eighty Four”, 1949.

George Orwell, “(1984) Nineteen Eighty Four”, 1949 was a dystopian science-fiction novel about governance. Government in “1984” uses “tele-screens” to watch over its people, in a totalitarian society. Technology in “1984” is an instrument of “Big Brother (government)” for totalitarian control over society. George Orwell’s writings in “1984” was a futuristic dystopia of the time … Continue reading George Orwell, “(1984) Nineteen Eighty Four”, 1949.

Ray Bradbury, “The Martian Chronicles”, 1950.

Ray Bradbury, “The Martian Chronicles”, 1950 was a science-fiction novel set in 1999 to 2029. Nuclear war has destroyed Earth, and the survivors colonize Mars. This was a dystopian nuclear age story classic. Ray Bradbury won a Pulitzer Prize, and this was his masterpiece. Continue reading Ray Bradbury, “The Martian Chronicles”, 1950.