From Joel Garreau, Broad Run, Virginia, US
I’m a fanboy of Annalee Newitz and hesitate to question anything they say about science fiction. But one aspect of their recent column has me scratching my head (27 December 2025, p 16). Can they really be mystified by why humans are far more interested in anything a member of their species does in space than anything a robot does?
I don’t think people are fascinated by going into space themselves because of sci-fi stories. It’s the other way around: sci-fi stories are focused on humans (and humanoids) because they were created by master storytellers – like Newitz. They know what readers want. The US paid a significant percentage of its federal budget on the Apollo programme because it grabbed the imagination of the entire planet.
Sci-fi isn’t primarily read because of the science. It’s about humans – who we are, how we got that way and where we’re headed. For untold aeons, humans have been seeking out new territory. It’s in our DNA. Humans want to boldly go where no one has gone before.
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