The Seven Cardinal Virtues of Science Fiction
The collection, edited by Isaac Asimov, features seven science fiction stories exploring cardinal virtues like justice, temperance, prudence, and fortitude.
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Isaac Asimov Presents the Best Science Fiction of the 19th Century
This is a sterling, entertaining anthology of finest stories handpicked from the 19th century, marking the birth of modern science fiction.
Catastrophes
Catastrophes are inevitable processes, not aberrations, driven by complexity, plate tectonics, and cosmic risks. Understanding these forces through reason offers humanity the necessary knowledge and power to mitigate and survive.
Visions of the Universe
The story, Visions of the Universe, details humanity's logical journey from believing in a small, Earth-centered cosmos to comprehending a vast, expanding system governed by universal laws and filled with billions of galaxies.
How Did We Find Out About Volcanoes
Earth's volcanoes"outbursts of a pent-up planet" are driven by internal heat and radioactivity, evolving from ancient myths (Thera, Vulcan) to modern tectonic plate understanding.
How Did We Find Out About Solar Power
Centuries of patient work clarified how sunlight influenced charge, transforming the Sun from myth to a practical, essential supplier of modern global energy.
Venus, Near Neighbor of the Sun
Asimov traces cosmic sleuthing from ancient beliefs to modern knowledge, revealing the surprising, harsh realities of Venus, Mercury, and objects near the Sun.
Asimov on Science Fiction
Science fiction is a rational mode of thought exploring the impact of technological change, demanding intellectual rigor and preparing humanity for dynamic futures.
The Red Queen's Race
A physicist died ruining a power plant to send a Greek chemistry text back in time. The translator secretly ensured this act only codified existing ancient knowledge, preserving history A Red Queen’s Race.
Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories, 5
Foundational 1943 Golden Age stories, written by talented amateurs, invented new professionalism, exploring core ideas with boundless creative confidence.
In the Beginning
Isaac Asimov scientifically decodes Genesis, viewing it as humanity’s earliest intellectual attempt to explain reality coherently, linking ancient myth to modern reason.
How Did We Find Out About Coal
Ancient swamp forests became coal. This black stone powered the Industrial Revolution's steam engines, creating modernity and dangerous carbon dioxide pollution