Author: Phil Temples When researchers at the University of Queensland announced the creation of a quantum microscope that could reveal biological structures otherwise impossible to see, they predicted it would answer fundamental questions and spark revolutionary ...

Author: Robert Beech There was a monster loose in the city. I, like everyone else in the city who could spare a moment to look at the news screens, had been tracking events as they unfolded all day. There were at least two hundred dead, including a score of peace keepers, ...

Author: Brian Etta Professor Thomlin was equivocating as to whether or not he’d let his TA, Lee, teach his last class before finals until Lee decided to return to Shenzhen to pursue tenure in his home country. Historically it was a complete and utter slaughter of a perfect ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer I crouch by the fire, gazing across at the mass of blue curls that bob and sway as she works. “You can still escape. Shake off the ghosts of the past. Fly higher.” She smiles sadly at me. “Did it ever occur to you that I don’t want to ...

Author: Leon Taylor “Tonight’s the night,” Devon said to his robot. “Conditions are perfect. Cool, dry weather and a long night.” Of course, he was talking to himself. The robot could not speak or do anything but deliver to its human the daily kasha meal, stored in its ...

Author: Rick Tobin “Sandman, I'm so alone Don't have nobody to call my own Please turn on your magic beam Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream.” “Here come those irritating anal-probe bastards in their black helicopters.” Theodore pointed his bison-penis walking cane at the ...

Author: Jakob Angerer The blank landscape of pale dust and rocks, contrasting against the encompassing expanse of darkness above, was almost dreamlike. She felt like a god surveying her living canvas. The potential within the nothingness laid out before her was so ...

Author: Brian Etta “Time travel is real I tell ya...I just took the long way ‘round” Frank intoned. He’d been talking with a group of 12 to 15 year olds physically located in Mumbai, San Francisco and New Zealand, who combined, formed this cloud based classroom. Things had ...

Author: David Barber This wasn't Frankie's usual catch-up with his shrink, this was his annual review. If he could convince them he'd learned his lesson, they'd remove his conscience. Turned out it wasn’t the usual guy, but a woman in her mid-thirties, good-looking, but ...

Author: Alzo David-West A vacuum sound like a whirlwind was booming through the shattered corridor of the third level of an orbital satellite. Sparks and debris shards were suspended in its artificial magnetic field. The single occupant, Morioka, was missing. Commander ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Flickering light fills the clearing, reflecting in the wide eyes of five people in restraint sleeves laid out next to a pair of freight containers. I wait until they turn their attentions to me. “Good morning. Welcome to Dantalius Nine. ...

Author: Rachel Sievers The baby wailed in the woman’s embrace. Despite the infant’s slight weight, it felt heavy in her arms. It was born weak and cried constantly. It had to be one of them. She would have to take it back. Everyone knew if she raised it, it would only bring ...

Author: David P Rogers They met in the coffee shop by accident, which in itself was odd. Neither of them ever did anything unplanned. Or so Fayt thought. But even Mort had to take an occasional break, and neither of them was omniscient. They got coffee and sat by the ...

Author: Alzo David-West “I'm outta the surveyor, Sungod.” “Wazzit like down there, Starman?” “The place's green, all 'round, like a forest a' leaf towers. There's this noise, too. It ain't animals. Zero showed up on my scans. It's jus' plants everywhere. The noise's ...

Author: Steve Smith, Staff Writer He woke from a deep sleep, the room still dark. Had there been a noise? It was quiet now. He reached in the darkness and lifted his phone, the display coming to life just as the alarm sounded, the unexpected noise startling him fully ...

Author: Michael Cavalli The coffee was already on. They could hear the pot gurgling, could smell the process. His lips were curled slightly inward, hers were pursed as they waited. A dismal stillness emanated from them both. White sheet pulled up nearly to his chest, he ...

Author: Gus Doiron I lift a shovelful from the conveyor belt and heave it into the furnace. Same as the one before, and will be after. I spill nothing on the dirt floor. There, it is much harder to scoop and my burden has time to build up. The belt, loose and drooping on ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer They’re sitting in the middle of the road, a bearded older gentleman facing a young girl in a saffron tutu. He’s sitting cross-legged, she’s kneeling. His hands move as he talks, face a picture of concern. She’s gazing at the ground, head ...