Out of this World

This is the second time I’ve been to an exhibition at the British Library (the first time being last summer when I stumbled upon Magnificent Maps), and fortunately I was as impressed as I was first time round. Out of This World showcases an array of books that represent the science fiction genre of literature. I hope to familiarise myself better with the genre; a number of books from the exhibition have made my reading list since my visit.

The antecedents of science fiction date back much further than you might expect. Voltaire’s Micromégas (1752), for example, recounts an extra-terrestrial man's visit to Earth and comments on western culture from the perspective of the outsider. However, the genre only really took off a century later. The popularity of science fiction literature grew in tandem with the advent of a great age of discovery; in the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century, archaeological finds such as the tombs of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings fascinated the public and thus inspired a ‘Lost World’ sub-genre to form. Scientific intrigue was prolific during this period, giving birth not only to notions of different life on Earth, but also life on Mars, hence the rise of a 'Martian' sub-genre. Real-life political and social events were also integral to the development of science fiction.; case in point: the ‘Superhero’ sub-genre was influenced by Nietzsche’s Ubermensch. History also features in science fiction literature: counter-factual novels speculated on what would have happened if Hitler had won WWII, if Napoleon had won the Battle of Waterloo, etc.

A collection of science fiction novels on display focus on the future, looking into how mankind would be affected if current developments were to continue or increase in intensity. The prophetic Man after Man: An Anthropology of the Future by Dougal Dixon, for example, imagines the evolution of humans after an era of extensive genetic engineering. Morphed with various creatures, human beings can adapt to survive in environments they currently cannot, e.g. the vacuumorph described in the book can live in the vacuum of space, and the aquamorph can breathe underwater.

Within the section dedicated to the future, 'End of the World' novels dominate. Real-world events such as the development of the nuclear bomb and climate change awareness informed these novels, with authors using them to weave apocalyptic yarns. Of particular note is Earthdoom, a satiric novel that mocks this sub-genre.

Overall, Out of this World is cleverly and thoughtfully put together. It challenges the unfavourable stereotype of science fiction perpetuated by 1950s B-movies, with little green men and frisbee spaceships, and highlights the scientific, historical, political and cultural influences prevalent in this oft-bashed genre.

Condensed London

A couple of weeks ago, I whiled away a drizzly bank holiday Monday in the Museum of London. The museum encapsulates seven major time periods, allowing visitors to journey along the city's extensive lifeline. It illustrates the evolution of the small Roman town of Londinium into the heaving, sprawling London of today.

As I progressed through the eras, what struck me was how much London has endured; from the the Great Fire and the Black Death to the Blitz of WWII, the city has been dealt more than its fair share of adversity. London as a centre of culture and high civilisation, the economic heartbeat of the country, the hub for imperialist endeavors, etc. - this image of the city as a 'success story' is generally impressed upon us more than one of a city afflicted by death and devastation. I'm glad that the MoL does not assign more weight to the former image (and I always enjoy the more gruesome bits of history!).

The museum does not miss a beat: it includes archaeological findings, animated disaster stories, paraphernalia from social movements and wartime, mock Victorian shops and much more. A day is definitely needed to explore all the galleries... and perhaps a second visit.