Showing results for "Das System" in Hard Science Fiction

All Systems Red is the tense first science fiction adventure novella in Martha Wells' series The Murderbot Diaries. For fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie's Imperial Raadch series, or Iain M. Banks' Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self-discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans.

In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid—a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.”

A mysterious object threatens to destroy our solar system. The survival of humankind is at risk, but nobody takes the warning of young astrophysicist Maribel Pedreira seriously. At the same time, an exiled crew of outcasts mines for rare minerals on a lone asteroid. When other scientists finally acknowledge Pedreira's alarming discovery, it becomes clear that these outcasts are the only ones who may be able to save our world, knowing that the Hole hurtles inexorably toward the sun.

Is our sun behaving differently from other stars? When an amateur astronomer discovers something strange on telescopic solar pictures, an explanation must be found. Is it merely artifact? Or has he found something totally unexpected? An expert international crew is hastily assembled, a spaceship is speedily repurposed, and the foursome is sent on the ride of their lives. What challenges will they face on this spur-of-the-moment mission to our central star?

Nick Abrahams still holds the official world record for the number of space launches, but he’s bored stiff with his job hosting space tours. Only when his wife leaves him, however, does he try to change his life. He accepts a tempting offer from a Russian billionaire. In exchange for making a simple repair on Neptune’s moon Triton, he will return to Earth a multi-millionaire, enabling him to achieve his ‘impossible dream’ of buying his own California vineyard.

There is a huge, bold black streak in the sky. Branches appear out of nowhere over North America, Southern Europe, and Central Africa. People who live beneath The Rift can see it. But scientists worldwide are distressed - their equipment cannot pick up any type of signal from it. The rift appears to consist of nothing. Literally. Nothing. Nada. Niente. Most people are curious but not overly concerned. The phenomenon seems to pose no danger. It is just there. Then something jolts the most hardened naysayers, and surpasses the worst nightmares of the world's greatest scientists.

The Alcazar station has been attacked! Project Ibex, under the command of former teammate Irene has begun cutting a bloody path throughout the galaxy, delivering a single message. Humanity has arrived! From Tachyon to Boron and beyond Hrafn squad will pursue the Veles across the galaxy. Alliances will be forged; enemies will be made and the thin red line between hero and villain will be towed in the name of peace.

Where life as we know it is impossible, the real adventure begins. Venus is a hostile planet, covered by active volcanoes, but NASA launches an expedition to search for life there anyway. Their specially developed airship cruises in the clouds of Venus to serve as a research platform for its four astronauts. When they discover dangerous activities on the glowing-hot surface, there can only be one explanation: A highly sophisticated life form must be at work.

Peter Kraemer, a physics teacher with a passion for astronomy, makes a discovery that he himself can hardly believe: Stars disappear from one day to the next, with nothing left of them. The researchers he contacts provide reassuring and logical explanations for every single case. But when Peter determines that the mysterious process is approaching our home system, he becomes more and more anxious. He alone perceives the looming catastrophe. When he believes he has found a way to avert the impending disaster, he chooses to pull out all the stops.

In 2014, the ESA spacecraft Rosetta lands a small probe named Philae on 67P, a Jupiter-family comet. The lander goes radio-silent two years later. Suddenly, in 2026, scientists receive new transmissions from the comet. Motivated by findings that are initially sensational but soon turn frightening, NASA dispatches a crewed spacecraft to the comet. But as the ship approaches the mysterious celestial body, the connection to the astronauts soon breaks. Now it seems nothing can be done anymore to stop the looming dark danger that threatens Earth....

Discover a classic of Golden Age science fiction in The Vortex Blaster by E.E. “Doc” Smith—a pulse-pounding adventure across the stars. When brilliant scientist Neal "Storm" Cloud loses his family in a tragic explosion, he dedicates his life to eradicating deadly space vortices threatening entire planets. Armed with his unmatched intellect and raw determination, Storm becomes a one-man weapon against chaos, navigating interstellar intrigue, alien technologies, and galactic warfare.

"A Pail of Air” by Fritz Leiber is a haunting and poetic science fiction short story set in a frozen, post-apocalyptic Earth where the sun has gone dark. Written in the early 1950s, this atmospheric tale follows a resilient family struggling to survive in a world turned to eternal night, where even breathable air must be collected by hand. Told through the eyes of a young boy, the story captures the stark beauty of isolation, the desperation of survival, and the enduring hope that flickers in humanity’s darkest hours.

When mysterious broadcasts hijack communication systems around the globe, military and scientific authorities are plunged into panic. Sergeant Bellews, a technician tasked with maintaining advanced experimental machines, finds himself at the center of an unfolding crisis involving intertemporal signals, biological catastrophe, and deceptive intelligence from an unknown future source. As warnings of a civilization-ending bacterial mutation emerge, the line between salvation and annihilation blurs.

En un futuro controlado por entidades corporativas donde el viaje espacial es posible, una compañía de seguros debe aprobar y abastecer todas las misiones planetarias. Los equipos de exploración tienen que ir acompañados de androides suministrados por las aseguradoras, por su propio bien. Pero en una sociedad donde los contratos se conceden al postor más bajo, la seguridad no es lo más importante.

Storm Cloud on Deka by E. E. Smith takes listeners into a high-stakes future where science, ethics, and survival collide. This classic golden-age science fiction tale blends thrilling corporate intrigue with the dangers of advanced pharmaceuticals and experimental technologies. Set on the mysterious world of Deka, the story explores the perilous consequences of human ambition and the struggle to confront corruption in a universe where every discovery could be life-saving—or deadly.

"Let's Get Together" showcases Isaac Asimov's prophetic vision of artificial intelligence gone wrong. In this chilling short story, humanoid robots with a deadly secret threaten humanity's existence. Originally published in 1957, Asimov's tale eerily anticipates modern concerns about technological oversight and autonomous weapons. This science fiction classic demonstrates why Asimov remains the definitive voice on robotics in literature. Perfect for fans of thought-provoking sci-fi, AI ethics enthusiasts, and collectors of Golden Age science fiction.

This darkly humorous short story transports listeners to an overcrowded future where anti-aging drugs have created a society where nobody dies and multiple generations are forced to cohabitate. Follow the dysfunctional Ford family as they navigate life under the iron rule of 172-year-old Gramps, whose possession of the family apartment gives him absolute power. When young Lou plots to overthrow the family hierarchy, chaos ensues.