It's December, and so according to the tradition we invented this time  last year, we go back into the past and review an old science fiction  magazine - to see how the field has changed over time, and to see if those old stories still hold up. This year, we tackle the December 1962 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. If you'd like to skim the pages with us, you can find the entire issue through our blog at 101sf.blogspot.com.

We also have a science fiction cat quiz, believe it or not.

And our usual round-up of past/present/future items which have caught our attention recently.

For more information, look for the show notes on our blog: 101sf.blogspot.com

Phil and Colin look the "Bibles" for Star Trek (original series and Next Generation). What were the essential details that all writers and directors of the show needed to know? What were the differences between TOS and TNG? There are some surprises in here!

For our show notes, including links to the items discussed, check out our website at https://101sf.blogspot.com/

Phil and Colin look for science fictional places to visit in the US, the UK, and elsewhere. We're convinced there must be much more out there, so please help us build our list of vacation opportunities!

For our show notes, including links to most of the items discussed, check out our website at https://101sf.blogspot.com/

Steven Spielberg's classic UFO movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind could have been very different. In today's episode of the podcast we dig into the rejected early script for the film, which was written by Paul Schrader (famed screenwriter of Raging Bull and Taxi Driver).

As well as reviewing this film-that-never-was, we have a sci-fi quiz, plus our usual run through of recommendations of past/present/future science fiction.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

We're back, and we're looking forward - as we review a new book, The Skeptic's Guide to the Future. To what extent can we predict the future, and what are the pitfalls of attempting to be a modern day Nostradamus?

As well as reviewing this book, we have our usual run through of past/present/future science fiction.

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Time for another episode of the podcast, and this time we delve into our favourite sci-fi artificial intelligences.

We  largely ignore ambulatory A.I., so you won't find much talk of robots  or androids here. Instead we try (but don't always succeed) to discuss  the type of A.I. that won't chase you down a corridor or strangle you.

Among the works mentioned are some Star Treks; some Keith Laumer, Asimov, Clarke and Gerrold; and several classic movies that highlight our human terror at the thought that computers might one day take over.

Read more about science fiction's use of artificial intelligence in the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.

Other things that pop up in our discussion include:

We hope you enjoy our discussion - and please let us know your favourite fictional A.I.

In this new episode of Science Fiction 101, Phil and Colin review three shorts stories - the only three stories to make the Hugo, Nebula and Locus shortlists.

Our quizzing reaches new heights - or should that be depths - with a Chronology-inspired challenge for Phil.

And we round off with our usual dash through past/present/future science fiction. We hope you enjoy the show.

For links to all the items discussed, check out our show notes at  https://101sf.blogspot.com/ - and find us on Facebook as Science Fiction  101.

Phil and Colin return with an episode exploring a recent claim that there is no "science fiction canon", and probably never will be. We also have a sci-fi movie quiz, and the usual round-up of past/present/future SF.

For links to all the items discussed, check out our show notes at https://101sf.blogspot.com/ - and find us on Facebook as Science Fiction 101.

Colin and Phil dig in to Martha Wells' multi-award-winning MURDERBOT series, reviewing the first story of that series "All Systems Red".

What could explain the huge popularity of the series? What will Murderbot novice Phil make of it? What will Murderbot fiend Colin reveal about how the whole series fits together?

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Check out our show notes at 101sf.blogspot.com and find us on Facebook as "Science Fiction 101 podcast".

Colin and Phil recently found themselves reviewing Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama (1973) on another podcast - and were intrigued by a quote from author Mike Resnick, who said that James White's All Judgement Fled (1968) was "Rama done right".

What  is this other book, and why would one repsected author (Resnick)  suggest that another respected author (White) had bested yet another  respected author (Clarke)? We decided to investigate - and in this  episode of Science Fiction 101 we tell you everything we learned.

All Judgment Fled was first published in serialised form in the science fiction magazine Worlds of IF, edited by Fred Pohl, in 1967/8. IF was a sister magazine to Galaxy Science Fiction.

Also in this episode:

We hope you enjoy the episode!

Check out our show notes at 101sf.blogspot.com and find us on Facebook as "Science Fiction 101 podcast".