Topi Barr's Antithiotimoline is in this vintage Analog |
He pointed to a list put together by Connie Willis, an award winning SF author, and an article by Philip Ball in Chemistry World.
I'm working on a column for Nature Chemistry about the ways in which chemistry and science fiction play off each other. Is science fiction more than escapist entertainment? Should chemists care that there's not more chemistry inflected fiction out there? Should we deliberately expose students to science fiction? Should we encourage them to write it?
To go alone with the piece, I'm trying to create a periodic table of chemical fiction (not including articles called out by Retraction Watch). Are there pieces on my list you particularly love? Something I'm missing? I'd love to hear in the comments!
For a full set of periodic science fiction short stories, I encourage you to browse Michael Swanwick's Periodic Table of Science Fiction. What really happened to the Hindenburg?
Author | Work | |
As | Asimov, Isaac | Whiff of Death, The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline, Thiotimoline to the Stars, Pate de Fois Gras |
Pb | Ball, Philip | The Sun and Moon Corrupted |
Ba | Barr, Topi | “Antithiotimoline” |
B | Bujold, Lois McMaster | Vorkosigan series |
Ac | Christie, Agatha | "The Blue Geranium” in The Thirteen Problems |
Cl | Clements, Hal | Phases in Chaos |
Co | Conan Doyle, Arthur | Holmes |
Md | Dewar, Michael | “Temporal Chirality: The Burgenstock Communication” |
F | Foster Wallace, David | Infinite Jest |
Ag | Goodman, Allegra | Intuition |
He | Heinlein, Robert | Glory Road, Have Spacesuit will Travel |
Hf | Hoffman, Roald | Oxygen |
Li | King, Laurie | Russell & Holmes series |
U | Le Guin, Ursula | “Schrödinger’s Cat” |
Sn | Lem, Stanislaw | “Uranium Earpieces” in Mortal Engines |
P | Levi, Primo | The Monkey’s Wrench |
Am | McCaffrey, Anne | Pern series |
H | Piper, H Beam | Omnilingual |
Kr | Robinson, Kim Stanley | Mars series |
O | Sachs, Oliver | Uncle Tungsten |
Dy | Sayer, Dorothy | The Documents in the Case |
Sm | Smith, Edward Elmer “Doc” | “Tedric,” “Lord Tedric" in The Best of E. E. “Doc” Smith |
Ne | Stephenson, Neal | Anathem |
Br | Stoker, Bram | Dracula |
Fr | Vance, Jack | “Potters of Firsk” |
K | Vonnegut, Kurt | Cat’s Cradle |
V | Vourvoulias, Sabrina | INK |
Hg | Well, H.G. | “The Diamond Maker” in The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents |
C | Willis, Connie | The Sidon in the Mirror |
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ReplyDeleteCr Crichton, Michael "The Andromeda Strain" - my favorite science-in-fiction of all time.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great book, and a great addition to the list! pH, as I recall was the key.
DeleteNot science fiction, but science-in-fiction, the Flavia de Luce books. Alan Bradley is the author. It's a series of mysteries where the main character (and sleuth) is a 12 year old genius chemist. They are hilarious and wonderful.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant suggestion! Thanks!
Deletenice
ReplyDeleteAsimov's "The Dust of Death" is one of my favorite chemistry-themed mystery story. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dust_of_Death
ReplyDeleteFor Ge and Ga you could cosnider Blood Music by Greg Bear and Wang's Carpets by Greg Egan
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Thank you for sharing. Hope to hear more from you.
ReplyDeleteAsimov's "The Dust of Death" is one of my favorite chemistry-themed mystery story Webpage
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic and great list. If I may suggest an addition after all this time, The Ultimate Catalyst by John Taine, about a fellow who uses some creative biochemistry to bring down the world's last dictator.
ReplyDelete