Science fiction has been around for centuries, though it was not always called that. Some of the earliest examples include stories from ancient times that included fantastical elements like space travel or technology beyond the authors' time. While science fiction is often associated with space, robots, and aliens today, the genre is broadly defined as speculative fiction that features imaginative concepts not yet achieved, but not impossible to achieve potentially through scientific progress. Science fiction grew tremendously in popularity in the 20th century through novels, films, and other media, spawning many subgenres, and blockbuster franchises introduced new generations to the concepts of advanced technology and life among the stars.

1. A Brief History Of The Science-Fiction Genre
When people think of science-fiction (Often shortened to sci-fi), they tend to
think of space, robots, aliens, and things far beyond our reach with current
technology. Though this is not always the case. Science-Fiction is often
associated with Fantasy as they are very similar genres, but where Fantasy
includes things such as magic, mythical beasts and other such seemingly
impossible things, science-fiction more focuses on things that are speculated to
be possible with future technology. And although science-fiction has flourished
within the last century, becoming increasingly popular within movies, novels,
and games, the science-fiction genre has been around for a very long time.
Mythology and some religions have roots in science-fiction, but some of the
earliest recorded stories of science fiction are from as early as the 2nd century
(Though this is now called Proto sci-fi, prototype science-fiction, basically the
predecessor to modern sci-fi). Popular proto sci-fi includes Lucian of Samosata’s
‘True History’ from the 2nd century, ‘The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter’, a Japanese
folktale from the 10th century. And Ibn al-Nafis’ ‘Theological Autodidactus’, from
the 13th century. Although some of these stories may not be considered sci-fi to
us these days, sci-fi is not necessarily about aliens and space and such. To qualify
as sci-fi, a story needs to include feats which are not currently possible with
modern technology, but are not too extremely farfetched as to be dismissed as
impossible some day in the future. Mary Shelly’s ‘Frankenstein’ from the 1800’s
is a sci-fi novel. Animating a corpse was not possible, neither is it still, with
technology. Though it is not regarded as farfetched and completely possible, as it
is considered that this may be possible one day with advanced technology.
Throughout history, science-fiction has always been popular. Envisions of the
future and what science may one day be capable of has always fascinated people.
Onto more modern science-fiction, sci-fi has become increasingly popular in
many different aspects of media within the last century. It has spawned an
insurmountable amount of novels, movies, games, sub-genres (Such as
Cyberpunk, military SF, superhuman, apocalyptic, pulp science-fiction, and space
opera), and many other things. Herbert George Wells’ ‘The War Of The Worlds’ is
considered the Godfather of modern science-fiction along with a couple other
science fictions. What makes this modern science fiction is itsroots in alien life,
advanced technology, and space travel, much of which modern science-fiction is
centered around. In the 1980’s, sci-fi experienced a popularity boom, giving birth
to popular novels and movies (Many of which are still extremely popular today)
such as Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, Star Wars, Star Trek, Blade
Runner, and Total Recall. The science-fiction genre is still going extremely strong
today, with modern blockbusters such as Avatar, Halo, Riddick, and many more.
The science-fiction genre will not be dying out any time soon and will most likely
continue to keep growing, gathering followers and making more and more
extremely impressive movies, novels, and games.