OUR cover story this week underlines how science is increasingly stranger than fiction. This has led some to wonder whether the days of sci-fi are numbered (see 鈥淚s science fiction dying?鈥�). We ran a poll to investigate, and found that most of those who replied do indeed prefer vintage sci-fi 鈥� such as Frank Herbert鈥檚 Dune (1965) and Isaac Asimov鈥檚 Foundation (1951) 鈥� to more recent works from the likes of Iain M. Banks or Neal Stephenson (see 鈥淵our all-time favourite sci-fi鈥�).
But the comments showed that sci-fi can still invoke passionate feelings, reveal the world in a new light, and even change the course of someone鈥檚 life. Despite the claims of the doomsayers, sci-fi provides a way to explore our deepest desires and fears. Long may it provide the history of the future and a captivating glimpse of imaginary worlds.