Seeing real life scientists and engineers work together to create collaborative projects as the Green Float Concept (and others–see THIS ARTICLE) makes me proud to be a science fiction writer (and, proud to be a big nerd, evidently).
To me, science fiction is more than just setting, like a post apocalyptic world or a spacecraft. Don’t get me wrong, those setting are still COOL, but it’s not the main reason why I love science fiction.
When I think “science fiction,” I think of Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert…those pioneers in the genre who used their writing to create new landscapes that evolved from current political/social climes or adventure stories that explored/explained the unknowable (at least in their day).
Science fiction is an ally to innovation and progress because it explores the “what ifs?” and lends itself to the “why not?” Why not create a rocket that can break free of Earth’s gravity and land on the moon? It sounds sort of like a beta test, right? I mean, alien conspiracies aside, I wonder how motivated we would have been to explore the moon if Jules Verne had not written From the Earth to the Moon.
It all brings to mind this Einstein quote: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” What an awesome gift to have, the ability to influence a whole generation with imagination and all the other possibilities (and power) inherent in creativity.
Liza Kane 
So cool, Liza. Love the quote at the end!
^_^ It’s one of my favorites!
Great post. It’s definitely true that SF is more than just setting–it takes you on other kinds of journeys as well.
And, oh what awesome journeys they are! Thank you for commenting! 😀
I’m proud to be a Sci-Fi nerd. I’ve always enjoyed imagining what the future of technology will be and who we will become in the midst of it and because of it. Great post!
Thanks John! We proud nerds need to stick together ^_^
That’s my article you link to — this makes my day! I actually pitched that story to my editor when I first got the idea for my current WIP. It’s one of my favorite pieces I’ve written for MNN. Thanks for sharing — I love this post!
OMG, that makes me so happy to hear! It’s like fate or kismet or something! ^_^ I saw the image this morning when I logged into my tumblr account (a rare/random occurrence in and of itself!)
Anyway, you’ll understand more, too, when you read more of WIP2, but I was in awe that people were actively researching these things as a reality, versus as a conceptual design kind of thing.
Now, if only they’d get on the Intelligent Kitchen and Hover Car ideas, I’d be a happy nerd!
I just went to your Tumblr page and saw you reblogged MNN! MNN is now following you! (I run the Tumblr account…hehe)
heehee, I’ve had that tumblr account For.Ever! I log in like once or twice a year! BUT, I wanted to be more active on it because of all the cool pics/articles kinda like pinterest 😀