Actual science in science fiction

[james_davis_nicoll]

Not applied sciences, I mean, or feats of engineering but the actual process of science. Is this a suitable topic for SF, by which I mean "can it be the seed for a story?" Or maybe better yet, "how does one use it as the seed for a story?"

One example would be the Steerswoman books. I think part of what makes that possible is that the protagonist is discovering scientific models that we are already familiar with, so the author is not saddled with the problem of coming up with a new scientific model.

I am not fussy about "Yes, this was cutting edge science 200 years ago and it still is today" stories, where whatever bit of pop-science that made the cover of DISCOVER is still new and exciting centuries from now.

Comments

The Gregs

[da-lj.livejournal.com]

A number of novels by Greg Egan are science-related. For example "Teranesia" involves scientists trying to explain something that looks like directed evolution, with lots of similar "aha" moments like you're describing, and "Distress" has a number of plot-points revolve around scientific understanding of a Theory of Everything. "Schild's Ladder" is quite possibly as well, though it was a while ago that I read it.

Greg Bear uses similar plot twists in "The Forge of God" as scientists try to figure out how the Earth will be destroyed, though the developments are mostly a "oh shit, we're in trouble" "oh shit, it's even worse" kind.

...and I'm amused that both the recent posts I've made in your journal were about Greg Egan and Greg Bear. :)

Re: The Gregs

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

Teranesia was the one I was looking for -- but I'd misremembered it as being by Bear (and Bear and Egan aren't shelved near each other).