List of science fiction themes explained

The following is a list of articles about recurring themes in science fiction.

Overarching themes

First contact with aliens
Artificial intelligence
- Machine rule/Cybernetic revolt/AI takeover
Extraterrestrials in fiction
End of humanity: Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
The future
- Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction

Apocalypses or worldwide disasters and new societies that develop after the event

History
- Alternate history
- Scientific prediction of the future (e.g. psychohistory)
Human fears: List of science fiction horror films
Language
- Alien languages (e.g. Klingon, Huttese)
- The Sapir–Whorf Hypothesis (e.g. Babel 17, The Languages of Pao)
- Universal translators (e.g. Babel fish)
Military/conflicts
- Interstellar war
- Weapons in science fiction
Parallel worlds or multiverse
- Philosophies and philosophical ideas
Sex and sexuality
- LGBT themes
- Gender
- Reproduction and pregnancy
Simulated reality and consciousness
Social science fiction
Technological singularity
Themes of fantasy fiction

Beings and entities

Artificial intelligences
- Androids and Gynoid
- Artificial life
- Biological robot
- Cyborgs
- Robots and humanoid robots
- Replicants
- Simulated consciousness
Characters
- - - The Absent-minded professor The Golem
- The Mad Scientist
- Redshirt
- Space Pirate
- Super Soldier
Clones
Dinosaurs
Extraterrestrial life
- Hypothetical types of biochemistry
- Alien invasion
- Astrobiology
- God-like aliens
  - Principles of non-interference (e.g. Prime Directive)
  - Message from space
Living planets (both sentient and non-sentient)
Hive minds
Infomorphs—memories, characters, and consciences of persons being uploaded to a computer or storage media
Mutants
Shapeshifters
Superhumans
Superorganisms
Symbionts
UFOs
Uplifting—using technology to "raise" non-human animals to human evolutionary levels
- Ancient astronauts
- Progressor

Body and mind alterations

Biohacking/Amateur biotechnicians
Artificial organs
Additional or improved senses
- X-ray vision
Cloning
Exocortex
Genetic engineering
- Super race
Intelligence amplification
Invisibility
Life extension, Biological immortality, Universal immortalism and immortality
- Cryonics
- Digital immortality
- Mind uploading
- Organ transplantation
- Organlegging
Prosthetics
Memory
- Memory erasure/editing
- Memory sharing
  - Group mind
- Mind control
- Mind swap
- Mind uploading
- Neural implants to directly interface with machinery
Psi powers and psychic phenomena
Parasitism^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[5]
Psychedelia
Resizing (size-changing, miniaturization, magnification, shrinking, and enlargement)
Shapeshifting
Superhuman strength
Teleportation
Transhumanism and Posthumanism

Habitats

Artificial worlds
Alien Zoo—a zoo where humans are kept as exhibits
Arcologies—enormous habitats (hyperstructures) of extremely high human population density
Cyberspace—the new, virtual territory of societal interaction
Domed city
Floating city
Future of the Earth
- Climate change—science fiction dealing with effects of anthropogenic climate change and global warming at the end of the Holocene era
Megacity
Pastoral science fiction—science fiction set in rural, bucolic, or agrarian worlds, either on Earth or on Earth-like planets, in which advanced technologies are downplayed.
Seasteading and ocean colonization
- Pirate utopia
Reality Television
Space colonization
- Colonization of the Moon
- Ecumenopolis
- Pantropy
- Other planets
  - Desert planet
    - Mars
- Terraformed planets
Space stations and habitats
Underground city

Political themes

Adhocracy
Anarcho-capitalism
Capitalism
Cognitive liberty
Dystopias and utopias
- Environmental pollution
- Overpopulation
- Technological utopianism
- Totalitarianism
Galactic empires
Government by algorithm
Legal personality
Libertarianism
Mass surveillance
Mind reading and mind control
National security state
Post-scarcity economy
Socialism
- Nanosocialism
Technoethics
- Bioethics
Technophobia
Techno-progressivism
Terrorism
- Bio-terrorism
- Eco-terrorism
Totalitarianism vs. Libertarianism

Technologies

Artificial gravity
Artificial intelligence
Asteroid mining
Astronomical engineering
Brain–computer interface
Cloaking device
Emerging technologies
Robots
Self-replicating machines
Simulated reality
Star lifting and stellar engineering
Stasis device
Total conversion as energy source
Mecha
Megascale engineering and planetary engineering
- Megastructures
- Dyson sphere
Molecular manufacturing and Nanotechnology
- Molecular assembler
Alien technology
Virtual reality, mixed reality, augmented reality
- Infosphere
- Metaverse
Weapons in science fiction

Travel

Accidental travel
Colonization of other planets, moons, asteroids, etc.
- Embryo space colonization
- Generation ship
- Interstellar ark
- Uploaded astronaut
- Terraforming
Space exploration
- Interstellar travel/Starships
  - Faster-than-light travel and communications
    - Hyperspace
    - Slipstream
    - Warp drives
    - Wormholes
    - Ansibles
  - Close to light speed
    - Bussard ramjets
    - Ursula K. Le Guin's NAFAL ships, and the Twin paradox
  - Much slower than light
    - Generation ship
    - Sleeper ship
- Space stations
Teleportation
- Teletransporter
Time travel
- Alternate history

time travel can be used as a plot device to explore parallel universes. While alternate history has its own category (see above), it often occurs in time travel stories as well.

- Alternate future
- Time loop
Travel to the Earth's center
- Hollow Earth

Notes and References

Encyclopedia: Parasitism and Symbiosis . The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction . 10 January 2016.
News: Guarino . Ben . Disgusting 'Alien' movie monster not as horrible as real things in nature . . 19 May 2017.
Book: Glassy, Mark C. . The Biology of Science Fiction Cinema . 2005 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-0822-8 . 186 ff.
Book: Moisseeff . Marika . Aliens as an Invasive Reproductive Power in Science Fiction . HAL Archives-Ouvertes . 23 January 2014. 239–257 .
Web site: Williams . Robyn . Field . Scott . Behaviour, Evolutionary Games and .... Aliens . . 30 November 2017 . 27 September 1997.