93-485: Several films and episodes of the science fiction franchise Star Trek are set in distinct astrographical regions of space . Some of these fictional locations exhibit anomalous physical properties; others are defined as sensitive buffer zones under various fictional political accords. This list describes some of the more significant settings for Star Trek films or story arcs over multiple television episodes. The Badlands comprise an area of space that appears (or
186-765: A computer -like screen , computer viruses , video chat , tanning beds , home treadmills , and more. In 1963, the time travel-themed Doctor Who premiered on BBC Television. The original series ran until 1989 and was revived in 2005. It has been extremely popular worldwide and has greatly influenced later TV science fiction. Other programs in the 1960s included The Outer Limits (1963–1965), Lost in Space (1965–1968), and The Prisoner (1967). Star Trek (the original series), created by Gene Roddenberry , premiered in 1966 on NBC Television and ran for three seasons. It combined elements of space opera and Space Western . Only mildly successful at first,
279-645: A galactic coordinate system . Galactic quadrants within Star Trek are based around a meridian that runs from the center of the galaxy through Earth's Solar System , which is not unlike the system of quadrants used by non-fictional astronomers. However, rather than have the perpendicular axis run through the Sun, as is done in astronomy, the Star Trek version runs the axis through the Galactic Center . Also, rather than ordinals, quadrants are designated by
372-428: A space opera , went on to become a worldwide popular culture phenomenon , and the second-highest-grossing film series of all time. Since the 1980s, science fiction films , along with fantasy , horror , and superhero films, have dominated Hollywood's big-budget productions. Science fiction films often " cross-over " with other genres, including film noir ( Blade Runner - 1982), family film ( E.T.
465-495: A "God"-being is encountered from within what is called the " Great Barrier ". Science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to SF or sci-fi ) is a genre of speculative fiction , which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology , space exploration , time travel , parallel universes , and extraterrestrial life . It often explores human responses to changes in science and technology. Science fiction
558-771: A Man ", where Captain Jean-Luc Picard successfully defends Data's right to resign from Starfleet in a trial of his sentience, which extends the right not to work to robots alongside all other sentient beings following the in-universe year 42523.7 (2365 AD.). In 2020, Screen Rant noted the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode " First Contact " for exploring the United Federation of Planets and how it sometimes struggles with contact with aliens. Like many things in Star Trek , episodes and films may reference entities or laws within
651-535: A great and influential film. In 1954, Godzilla , directed by Ishirō Honda , began the kaiju subgenre of science fiction film, which feature large creatures of any form, usually attacking a major city or engaging other monsters in battle . 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey , directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the work of Arthur C. Clarke , rose above the mostly B-movie offerings up to that time both in scope and quality, and influenced later science fiction films. That same year, Planet of
744-677: A journey to the Moon and how the Earth 's motion is seen from there. Kepler has been called the "father of science fiction". Following the 17th-century development of the novel as a literary form , Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein (1818) and The Last Man (1826) helped define the form of the science fiction novel. Brian Aldiss has argued that Frankenstein was the first work of science fiction. Edgar Allan Poe wrote several stories considered to be science fiction, including " The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall " (1835), which featured
837-463: A network, with several providing command functions. Because the spheres are cloaked, their exact number is unknown. Triannons believe that there are thousands of spheres. Xindi scientists, including Degra , determined that there were at least 78 spheres. The Triannons call the Expanse the " Chosen Realm ", and formed a religion around the spheres and the mythology of their creation. In 2037,
930-565: A number of cloaked spheres the size of small moons were constructed throughout the Expanse by trans-dimensional beings as a prelude to invasion; their purpose was to alter the fabric of space in the region, to make it habitable for the Sphere Builders . One area of the Expanse, 700 million kilometers wide and centrally located within a group of spheres, has already been distorted into a bubbling particle soup with an organic appearance. The spheres use artificial intelligence and operate as
1023-418: A society (on Earth or another planet) that has developed in wholly different ways from our own." There is a tendency among science fiction enthusiasts as their own arbiter in deciding what exactly constitutes science fiction. David Seed says it may be more useful to talk about science fiction as the intersection of other more concrete subgenres. Damon Knight summed up the difficulty, saying "Science fiction
SECTION 10
#17327723069511116-533: A temporally divergent starship Enterprise from 2154 becomes stranded in the Expanse; it becomes a generational ship , dedicated to countering the Xindi threat destined to arise in the 2150s. In about 2133, a group of Klingons enter the Expanse, but return anatomically inverted (and still alive). Unsuccessful attempts to explore the region are also made by the Vulcan ships Seleya and Vaankara . The Seleya
1209-495: A total estimated readership of at least 1 million), making it the world's most popular science fiction periodical . In 1984, William Gibson 's first novel, Neuromancer , helped popularize cyberpunk and the word " cyberspace ", a term he originally coined in his 1982 short story Burning Chrome . In 1986, Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold began her Vorkosigan Saga . 1992's Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson predicted immense social upheaval due to
1302-532: A trip to the Moon . Jules Verne was noted for his attention to detail and scientific accuracy, especially in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870). In 1887, the novel El anacronópete by Spanish author Enrique Gaspar y Rimbau introduced the first time machine . An early French/Belgian science fiction writer was J.-H. Rosny aîné (1856–1940). Rosny's masterpiece
1395-534: A vast interstellar alliance founded on the enlightened principles of liberty, equality, justice, progress, and peaceful co-existence, as an idealistic version of the United Nations . The optimistic view of the future present in the Federation has been highlighted as unique among most science fiction , showing how "evolved" and "civilized" the future could conceivably be. Much debate has centered on how
1488-582: A very palatable form... New adventures pictured for us in the scientifiction of today are not at all impossible of realization tomorrow... Many great science stories destined to be of historical interest are still to be written... Posterity will point to them as having blazed a new trail, not only in literature and fiction, but progress as well. In 1928, E. E. "Doc" Smith 's first published work, The Skylark of Space , written in collaboration with Lee Hawkins Garby , appeared in Amazing Stories . It
1581-629: A world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state . It influenced the emergence of dystopia as a literary genre . In 1926, Hugo Gernsback published the first American science fiction magazine , Amazing Stories . In its first issue he wrote: By 'scientifiction' I mean the Jules Verne, H. G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe type of story—a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision... Not only do these amazing tales make tremendously interesting reading—they are always instructive. They supply knowledge... in
1674-476: Is Les Navigateurs de l'Infini ( The Navigators of Infinity ) (1925) in which the word astronaut, "astronautique", was used for the first time. Many critics consider H. G. Wells one of science fiction's most important authors, or even "the Shakespeare of science fiction". His works include The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of
1767-589: Is about 2000 light years across, surrounded by thick thermobaric clouds . Its edge is located about 50 light-years from Earth . It is the home of the previously unknown hostile races collectively known as the Xindi , but the crew of the Enterprise (NX-01) discovers that the Xindi are being manipulated into their enmity by other forces with vested interests in the region. Intense gravitational distortions, similar to quantum singularities , make travel through
1860-451: Is also capable of considerable military might. Section 31 is a paramilitary espionage agency, described by writer Ira Steven Behr as "...doing the nasty stuff that no one wants to think about.". The Federation is depicted as a democratic republic, led by a President based in Paris on Earth. Presidential powers include issuing pardons and declaring states of emergency. This president
1953-707: Is discovered in the first episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . It is found to connect the Bajor-B'Hava'el system in the Alpha Quadrant to the Idran system in the Gamma Quadrant , which are seventy thousand light-years apart. Due to the strategic importance of such a phenomenon, the Deep Space Nine space station is moved out of Bajor 's orbit and repositioned 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from
SECTION 20
#17327723069512046-590: Is encountered again in the episode " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", where the Enterprise becomes lost within the barrier and is saved by the astounding navigational skills of an alien passenger. The barrier had also damaged an alien ship from outside the galaxy, as explained in the episode " By Any Other Name ", stranding the aliens until they try to steal the Enterprise and return to their home galaxy, Andromeda . In Star Trek: Discovery season 4 ,
2139-554: Is later discovered with its crew driven mad due to exposure to Trellium-D , and subsequently destroyed. In about June 2153, the Earth Starfleet ship Enterprise (NX-01) enters the Expanse to locate the Xindi. It is followed later in the year by the Andorian ship Kumari . On February 13, 2154, the Enterprise destroys the network of Spheres, reverting the distorted space to its natural form, and gradually dissipating
2232-681: Is not required for admission, but is desirable. Most Starfleet personnel are Federation citizens. Non-citizens can join Starfleet, but the process is more difficult, as with all non-Federation races. The Federation's counterpart in the Mirror Universe is the Terran Empire, a human-dominated authoritarian state which has formed an empire by conquest. In the Short Treks episode "Calypso", taking place at an unknown time in
2325-635: Is often called the first great space opera . The same year, Philip Francis Nowlan 's original Buck Rogers story, Armageddon 2419 , also appeared in Amazing Stories . This was followed by a Buck Rogers comic strip , the first serious science fiction comic . Last and First Men: A Story of the Near and Far Future is a " future history " science fiction novel written in 1930 by the British author Olaf Stapledon . A work of unprecedented scale in
2418-749: Is one of the most aggressive antagonists in the Deep Space Nine TV series, control a large portion of the Gamma Quadrant. The Alpha Quadrant comes in contact with the Dominion through the Bajoran wormhole , which is the setting and primary source of conflict in the series. In Star Trek: Prodigy , Federation bases in the Gamma Quadrant are mentioned. Most of the information about the Delta Quadrant and its inhabitants comes from
2511-512: Is one of the most influential examples of social science fiction , feminist science fiction , and anthropological science fiction . In 1979, Science Fiction World began publication in the People's Republic of China . It dominates the Chinese science fiction magazine market , at one time claiming a circulation of 300,000 copies per issue and an estimated 3–5 readers per copy (giving it
2604-525: Is prophesied to be the Prophets' Emissary. Regions called the Briar Patch feature in more than one series. The Briar Patch is a nebula in sector 441 in the Star Trek universe. It was first introduced in the 1998 film Star Trek: Insurrection . While the nebula's visual characteristics are reminiscent of astronomical photographs, many of its more interesting properties were invented to support
2697-479: Is referenced) in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager . Located in Star Trek ' s Alpha Quadrant, the Badlands are characterized by constant plasma storms and funnel clouds . The Maquis use it in several episodes as a meeting or hiding place because of its treacherous navigation. It is also known to harbor some planets hidden within the clouds and nebulae. In " Caretaker ",
2790-560: Is related to fantasy , horror , and superhero fiction and contains many subgenres . Its exact definition has long been disputed among authors, critics, scholars, and readers. Subgenres include hard science fiction , which emphasizes scientific accuracy, and soft science fiction , focusing on social sciences. Other notable subgenres are cyberpunk , which explores the interface between technology and society, and climate fiction , addressing environmental issues. Precedents for science fiction are argued to exist as far back as antiquity, but
2883-604: Is supported by a cabinet . The Federation also has a supreme court and a legislature, the Federation Council, with delegates from its various member worlds. A constitution and a charter have both been referred to as founding documents of the Federation. Several planets are shown to desire Federation membership. Joining the Federation is a complicated process, and requires meeting various criteria. Disqualifying criteria include caste -based discrimination and violations of sentient rights. A single, unified government
List of Star Trek regions of space - Misplaced Pages Continue
2976-542: Is what we point to when we say it." Forrest J Ackerman has been credited with first using the term "sci-fi" (analogous to the then-trendy " hi-fi ") in about 1954. The first known use in print was a description of Donovan's Brain by movie critic Jesse Zunser in January 1954. As science fiction entered popular culture , writers and fans active in the field came to associate the term with low-budget, low-tech " B-movies " and with low-quality pulp science fiction . By
3069-749: The Enterprise is the only Federation ship in the quadrant. Maps produced by the art staff for the series show that the Alpha/Beta border runs through the Solar System. The Star Trek Star Charts claim that the Beta Quadrant contains the core worlds Vulcan ( 40 Eridani ), Andoria ( Procyon ), Risa , and the Rigel ( Beta Orionis ) systems; the Alpha Quadrant contains Tellar ( 61 Cygni ), Trill , and Betazed . The Dominion , which
3162-542: The Golden Age of Science Fiction . Science fiction has been called the "literature of ideas ", and continues to evolve, incorporating diverse voices and themes, influencing not just literature but film, TV, and culture at large. Besides providing entertainment it can also criticize present-day society and explore alternatives, and inspiration a " sense of wonder ". According to Isaac Asimov , "Science fiction can be defined as that branch of literature which deals with
3255-732: The Borg build up forces in that area close to the Federation . In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Bajoran wormhole is a spatial anomaly located within 160,000,000 kilometres (1.1 au ) ( DS9 S1Ep2: " Emissary (Part 2) ") of the planet Bajor . It appears as an aperture of swirling golden-white light surrounded by blue clouds, which appears whenever a vessel approaches or exits from it and disappears again afterwards. The wormhole can only be traversed by ships traveling at impulse (sub-light speed) velocities. The Bajoran wormhole
3348-804: The Encyclopedia , the Federation is largely on the Alpha Quadrant side, but with parts in the Beta Quadrant, whereas the Klingon and Romulan Empires are mainly in the Beta Quadrant but extend in part into the Alpha Quadrant. The Star Trek Star Charts have the Romulans and Klingons entirely within the Beta Quadrant, as well as the Gorn Hegemony , the Son'a Solidarity , and the Metron Consortium . The Star Trek Star Charts further locate in
3441-610: The Galactic Barrier (also referred to as the Great Barrier or Energy Barrier ) is an energy field that surrounds the Milky Way Galaxy. The field completely encompasses the galactic disk, preventing a conventional starship from traveling beyond the edge of the galaxy. It is not clear whether the energy barrier is a natural or artificially created phenomenon. Although numerous attempts to travel outside
3534-635: The Greek letters Alpha , Beta , Gamma , and Delta . According to StarTrek.com, "if the great plane of the galaxy is viewed as a clock face and the 6 o'clock position bisects the Sol system" (when viewed from the galactic north pole), then the four fictional quadrants are as follows: The Alpha Quadrant and the nearby areas of the Beta Quadrant comprise the primary setting of Star Trek: The Original Series , Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and Star Trek: Enterprise . According to
3627-685: The Ocampa , the Hirogen , and the Malon. Star Trek: Prodigy , which takes place several years after the end of Star Trek: Voyager , also explores the Delta Quadrant. The crew of young aliens who serve as the main characters start the series as slaves on the Tars Lamora prison colony in the Delta Quadrant where they find and steal the derelict USS Protostar . It is later revealed that the Protostar
3720-482: The Russian writer and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov presented a view of a future interstellar communist civilization and is considered one of the most important Soviet science fiction novels. In 1959, Robert A. Heinlein 's Starship Troopers marked a departure from his earlier juvenile stories and novels. It is one of the first and most influential examples of military science fiction , and introduced
3813-424: The Star Trek franchise 's central themes. The Federation is an organization of numerous planetary sovereignties, including Earth and Vulcan . The franchise focuses on Starfleet, the exploration and defense arm of the Federation, rather than the government. Viewers are rarely given details of the internal workings of the government; however, many episodes refer to the rules and laws that the Federation imposes on
List of Star Trek regions of space - Misplaced Pages Continue
3906-518: The fictional universe of Star Trek , the United Federation of Planets ( UFP ) is the interstellar government with which, as part of its space force Starfleet , most of the characters and starships of the franchise are affiliated. Commonly referred to as " the Federation ", it was introduced in the original Star Trek television series . The survival, success, and growth of the Federation and its principles of freedom have become some of
3999-451: The information revolution . In 2007, Liu Cixin 's novel, The Three-Body Problem , was published in China. It was translated into English by Ken Liu and published by Tor Books in 2014, and won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel , making Liu the first Asian writer to win the award. Emerging themes in late 20th and early 21st century science fiction include environmental issues ,
4092-634: The materialist application of a post-scarcity economy in the Federation is incompatible with its own idealist ethics. It has been described, along with the series as a whole, as a vehicle to explore what it means to be human, as well as exploring mankind's efforts to build a better society. Other writers have noted that Star Trek ' s Federation has the same logistical and philosophical difficulties of other utopian economic and political schemes that make it seem unrealistic. However, Star Trek has brought up this idea of slavery or coerced service labor being necessary for its utopian society in " The Measure of
4185-639: The "Celestial Temple". It is these "Prophets" who provided the Orb-like energy artifacts (or " Tears of the Prophets ") to the Bajorans, and these mystical artifacts are the basis of Bajoran religion. Via one of the Orbs, the wormhole is closed by one of the Pah Wraiths , malevolent non-corporeal beings who are enemies of the Prophets. The wormhole is later restored via an additional Orb discovered by Sisko, who
4278-400: The 1970s, critics within the field, such as Damon Knight and Terry Carr , were using "sci fi" to distinguish hack-work from serious science fiction. Peter Nicholls writes that "SF" (or "sf") is "the preferred abbreviation within the community of sf writers and readers." Robert Heinlein found even "science fiction" insufficient for certain types of works in this genre, and suggested
4371-568: The Alpha Quadrant the First Federation , Breen , Ferengi , Tzenkethi , Cardassians , Bajorans , Talarians , and Tholians . Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country implies that the Alpha/Beta border runs through, or is relatively close to, Federation space. The Star Trek Encyclopedia attributes this decision to rationalize a line in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , in which James T. Kirk claims that
4464-559: The Apes (the original), directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des Singes by Pierre Boulle , was released to popular and critical acclaim, its vivid depiction of a post-apocalyptic world in which intelligent apes dominate humans . In 1977, George Lucas began the Star Wars film series with the film now identified as " Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope . " The series, often called
4557-697: The Expanse extremely difficult, as it seems that space does not obey the known laws of physics in this region. Travelers risk injury, disfigurement, and death if their vessels are not lined with the protective metal Trellium-D . Species native to the Expanse include the Loque'eque , the Skagarans , the Triannon, and the Xindi. Featured locations of the Expanse include Azati Prime , the Calindra system, Oran'taku, Triannon, and Xindus . Thousands of years ago,
4650-583: The Extra-Terrestrial - 1983), war ( Enemy Mine - 1985), comedy ( Spaceballs - 1987, Galaxy Quest - 1999), animation ( WALL-E – 2008, Big Hero 6 – 2014), Western ( Serenity – 2005), action ( Edge of Tomorrow – 2014, The Matrix – 1999), adventure ( Jupiter Ascending – 2015, Interstellar – 2014), mystery ( Minority Report – 2002), thriller ( Ex Machina – 2014), drama ( Melancholia – 2011, Predestination – 2014), and romance ( Eternal Sunshine of
4743-579: The Federation (in 2373) as being made up of "over one hundred and fifty" planets, spread across 8,000 light-years. The Federation is a major galactic power, and at various times has been at war with other powers such as the Klingons , the Romulans and the Dominion . The Federation's space force is called Starfleet , and, although most of Star Trek depicts peaceful exploration of the galaxy, Starfleet
SECTION 50
#17327723069514836-493: The Federation had undergone a near-total collapse precipitated by "The Burn", a galaxy-wide disaster. This shrunk the Federation from a peak of 350 worlds to just 38, notably excluding both Earth and Ni'Var (formerly known as Vulcan). During the fourth season, the Federation is in the process of rebuilding itself; Starfleet Academy is reopened, new shipbuilding facilities are commissioned, and many former member worlds such as Trill, Ni'Var and Earth rejoin. In non- canon sources like
4929-409: The Federation, but viewers are never given a broad view of its inner workings. Many contemporary terms are assigned to the Federation, but parallels to current government bodies and their roles and responsibilities are pure speculation on the part of fans and critics. In the timeline of Star Trek , the Federation was founded in 2161, after the events of Star Trek: Enterprise but before those of
5022-464: The Spotless Mind – 2004, Her – 2013). Science fiction and television have consistently been in a close relationship. Television or television-like technologies frequently appeared in science fiction long before television itself became widely available in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The first known science fiction television program was a thirty-five-minute adapted excerpt of
5115-510: The States and Empires of the Moon (1657) and The States and Empires of the Sun (1662), Margaret Cavendish 's " The Blazing World " (1666), Jonathan Swift 's Gulliver's Travels (1726), Ludvig Holberg 's Nicolai Klimii Iter Subterraneum (1741) and Voltaire 's Micromégas (1752). Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan considered Somnium the first science fiction story; it depicts
5208-546: The USS Discovery must venture past the galactic barrier in the 32nd century to make contact with an alien race known as Species 10-C who are using a gravitational anomaly to mine boronite from the Milky Way galaxy, threatening the existence of anything that crosses its path. By this point in time, the energies of the galactic barrier had grown strong enough that shields were actually weakened by passing through, forcing
5301-405: The United Federation of Planets into the show. One of the first teleplays Coon was credited with was " A Taste of Armageddon ", where an ambassador on the Enterprise is referred to as a Federation official. Eventually, the series became an allegory for the current events of the 1960s counterculture , placing great emphasis on an anti-war message and depicting the United Federation of Planets,
5394-405: The Worlds (1898). His science fiction imagined alien invasion , biological engineering , invisibility , and time travel . In his non-fiction futurologist works he predicted the advent of airplanes , military tanks , nuclear weapons , satellite television , space travel , and something resembling the World Wide Web . Edgar Rice Burroughs 's A Princess of Mars , published in 1912,
5487-423: The barrier, a ship's engines shut down and navigational systems become erratic. The Galactic Barrier makes its first appearance in the original series episode " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", in which the crew of the USS Enterprise must deal with those affected by the psychic powers of the field—as did the crew of the ill-fated SS Valiant, which encountered the same barrier two centuries earlier. The barrier
5580-444: The characters and their adventures. Early in the first season of Star Trek , Captain Kirk had said the Enterprise ' s authority came from the United Earth Space Probe Agency. Bases visited in the series were labeled "Earth Outposts". In August 1966, Gene L. Coon was hired by Gene Roddenberry as a writer for Star Trek . Actor William Shatner credits Coon with injecting the concepts of Starfleet , Starfleet Command and
5673-518: The colonists discovered that "metaphasic radiation" from the Briar Patch has become concentrated in the planet's rings, continually rejuvenating their genetic structure; unbeknownst to the outside universe, the Ba'ku planet is effectively a fountain of youth. The Klingon system Klach D'Kel Brakt is also given the designation "Briar Patch" by Dr Arik Soong in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " The Augments ". At least two inhabitable planets exist there; Soong and his band of Augments attempt to reach
SECTION 60
#17327723069515766-413: The concept of powered armor exoskeletons . The German space opera series Perry Rhodan , written by various authors, started in 1961 with an account of the first Moon landing and has since expanded in space to multiple universes , and in time by billions of years. It has become the most popular science fiction book series of all time. In the 1960s and 1970s, New Wave science fiction
5859-506: The creation of microrobots and micromachinery , nanotechnology , smartdust , virtual reality , and artificial intelligence (including swarm intelligence ), as well as developing the ideas of "necroevolution" and the creation of artificial worlds. In 1965, Dune by Frank Herbert featured a much more complex and detailed imagined future society than had previously in most science fiction. In 1967 Anne McCaffrey began her Dragonriders of Pern science fantasy series. Two of
5952-419: The crew to find and hide in bubbles of stable space to enact repairs before continuing their travels. After Discovery convinced Species 10-C to stand down, the aliens used their wormhole to return Discovery to Earth, negating the need for travel back through the barrier. In the Star Trek: Discovery series finale "Life, Itself," Discovery used its spore drive to send a Breen dreadnaught and scout ship to
6045-472: The devoted aficionado or fan—has a hard time trying to explain what science fiction is," and the lack of a "full satisfactory definition" is because "there are no easily delineated limits to science fiction." Another definition comes from The Literature Book by DK and is, "scenarios that are at the time of writing technologically impossible, extrapolating from present-day science...[,]...or that deal with some form of speculative science-based conceit, such as
6138-443: The distant future, the character of Craft refers to the "V'draysh". Little is said about the V'draysh, except that it is at war with Alcor IV, and that the V'draysh people are searching for artifacts from ancient human history. The writer of this episode, Michael Chabon , stated that the name "V'draysh" is intended to be a syncope for the word "Federation". In the 32nd century setting of the third season of Star Trek: Discovery ,
6231-439: The episodes, ran from 1959 to 1964. It featured fantasy , suspense , and horror as well as science fiction, with each episode being a complete story. Critics have ranked it as one of the best TV programs of any genre . The animated series The Jetsons , while intended as comedy and only running for one season (1962–1963), predicted many inventions now in common use: flat-screen televisions , newspapers on
6324-407: The film's storyline. Located in Federation territory, the Briar Patch is a region of space that starships usually avoid; various radiation sources and energy fluctuations impair communications systems, making it difficult for vessels inside the nebula to make contact with those outside the nebula. Cloud pockets of "metreon gas", a highly volatile substance of unknown composition, make travel through
6417-579: The first science fiction novel . Some of the stories from The Arabian Nights , along with the 10th-century The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and Ibn al-Nafis 's 13th-century Theologus Autodidactus , are also argued to contain elements of science fiction. Written during the Scientific Revolution and later the Age of Enlightenment are considered true science-fantasy books. Francis Bacon 's New Atlantis (1627), Johannes Kepler 's Somnium (1634), Athanasius Kircher 's Itinerarium extaticum (1656), Cyrano de Bergerac 's Comical History of
6510-417: The galactic barrier. Commander Rayner noted that it would take a couple of decades for the ships to return, but the crews would survive. A second barrier at the core of the Milky Way is first revealed in the motion picture Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . Being the only encounter ever shown, the only known reference is the " Great Barrier ". This energy barrier at the core is thought to be impenetrable like
6603-447: The galaxy are made, with various degrees of success, the barrier usually damages or destroys ships that try to pass through it. It also has psychoactive effects; some personnel gain powerful telekinetic and telepathic abilities when traveling near the barrier (as seen in " Where No Man Has Gone Before "). The barrier appears as a pink band of light and, upon entering it, a ship is surrounded by dazzling clouds of colorful energy. Inside
6696-486: The genre, it describes the history of humanity from the present onwards across two billion years. In 1937, John W. Campbell became editor of Astounding Science Fiction , an event that is sometimes considered the beginning of the Golden Age of Science Fiction , which was characterized by stories celebrating scientific achievement and progress . The "Golden Age" is often said to have ended in 1946, but sometimes
6789-477: The implications of the Internet and the expanding information universe, questions about biotechnology , nanotechnology , and post-scarcity societies . Recent trends and subgenres include steampunk , biopunk , and mundane science fiction . The first, or at least one of the first, recorded science fiction film is 1902's A Trip to the Moon , directed by French filmmaker Georges Méliès . It
6882-415: The late 1940s and the 1950s are included. In 1942, Isaac Asimov started his Foundation series , which chronicles the rise and fall of galactic empires and introduced psychohistory . The series was later awarded a one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series". Theodore Sturgeon 's More Than Human (1953) explored possible future human evolution . In 1957, Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale by
6975-456: The modern genre primarily arose in the 19th and early 20th centuries when popular writers began looking to technological progress and speculation. Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein , written in 1818, is often credited as the first true science fiction novel . Jules Verne and H.G. Wells are pivotal figures in the genre's development. In the 20th century, expanded with the introduction of space operas , dystopian literature, pulp magazines , and
7068-514: The nebula difficult as well; warp drives cannot be used, and even impulse drives are undermined. The planet featured in Star Trek: Insurrection is a class-M world; it is unusual for its possession of an intricate planetary ring system. The Ba'ku have established a colony on the surface, where the colonists rejected most forms of advanced technology and attempted to create a utopian society. Some time after their arrival,
7161-478: The novellas included in the first novel, Dragonflight , made McCaffrey the first woman to win a Hugo or Nebula Award . In 1968, Philip K. Dick 's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was published. It is the literary source of the Blade Runner movie franchise . In 1969, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin was set on a planet in which the inhabitants have no fixed gender . It
7254-413: The one at the edge of the galaxy; however, it is revealed that only mankind's natural fear of the unknown is keeping mankind from entering it. Various books try to explain the existence of the galactic barrier, although none of these are canonical : In the original Star Trek , "quadrant" is used interchangeably with "sector". However, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation , the term refers to
7347-592: The original 1975 Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual , Johnson's Worlds of the Federation , and roleplaying games, the Federation's five founding members were Earth (or Terra), Vulcan, Tellar, Andor, and Alpha Centauri . Some non-canon works assert that founding member Alpha Centauri is home to a human race (transplanted by the Preservers from classical third-century BC Greece) known as, variously, Centaurans, Centaurians, or Centauri. The 1980-to-2188 historical guide Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology posits
7440-540: The other series in the franchise. Its founding members were Earth , Vulcan , Andoria , and Tellar . Over time it has expanded to include many more worlds through peaceful voluntary association. Some notable ones include Trill, Betazed, and Bolarus IX. References to the size of the Federation vary, with Captain Kirk stating in 2267 that humanity was on "a thousand planets and spreading out", while Captain Picard referred to
7533-509: The pilot episode of Star Trek: Voyager , the titular starship pursues a Maquis ship into the Badlands before being pushed by an energy wave to the Delta Quadrant . In "Erigah", the seventh episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 , the Badlands are determined to be the temporary location of a next clue to finding vital creation-of-life technology. The Badlands are also mentioned in the computer game Star Trek: Armada II , where
7626-614: The play RUR , written by the Czech playwright Karel Čapek , broadcast live from the BBC's Alexandra Palace studios on 11 February 1938. The first popular science fiction program on American television was the children's adventure serial Captain Video and His Video Rangers , which ran from June 1949 to April 1955. The Twilight Zone (the original series), produced and narrated by Rod Serling , who also wrote or co-wrote most of
7719-468: The reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology ." Robert A. Heinlein wrote that "A handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method ." American science fiction author and editor Lester del Rey wrote, "Even
7812-926: The series Star Trek: Voyager . This quadrant is largely unexplored by the United Federation of Planets , apart from the return voyage of the USS Voyager , the USS Equinox , the USS Raven , briefly the USS Enterprise -D , and the Federation citizens assimilated into or de-assimilated from the Borg. The Delta Quadrant is home to the Borg Collective , the Kazon , the Vidiians , the Talaxians,
7905-592: The series gained popularity through syndication and extraordinary fan interest . It became a very popular and influential franchise with many films , television shows , novels , and other works and products. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994) led to six additional live action Star Trek shows: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999), Voyager (1995–2001) , Enterprise (2001–2005), Discovery (2017–2024), Picard (2020–2023), and Strange New Worlds (2022–present), with more in some form of development. United Federation of Planets In
7998-518: The system and use it as a hideout. In 2272, it was also the site of a dramatic Romulan / Klingon confrontation, which was led on the Klingon side by the future Dahar Master Kor , who frequently re-enacts the battle with his fellow veterans and Dahar Masters, Koloth and Kang . The Delphic Expanse , commonly shortened to "the Expanse", is the setting for the entire third season of Star Trek: Enterprise, first aired in 2003 and 2004. The Expanse
8091-515: The term speculative fiction to be used instead for those that are more "serious" or "thoughtful". Some scholars assert that science fiction had its beginnings in ancient times , when the line between myth and fact was blurred. Written in the 2nd century CE by the satirist Lucian , A True Story contains many themes and tropes characteristic of modern science fiction, including travel to other worlds, extraterrestrial lifeforms , interplanetary warfare, and artificial life . Some consider it
8184-528: The thermobaric cloud barrier. The Expanse thus ceases to exist, becoming a normal, unthreatening region of space. Although the Enterprise 's Captain Jonathan Archer is shown a possible timeline in which the Expanse becomes a major threat to the future United Federation of Planets , this eventuality appears to be eliminated by the successful destruction of the Spheres. In the Star Trek universe,
8277-456: The wormhole, where it acts as a gateway. Starfleet Commander Benjamin Sisko and Lieutenant Jadzia Dax are the first people to make contact with the wormhole's mysterious creators, who dwell inside it. Though these incorporeal beings are simply referred to as "wormhole aliens" by the Federation , they are revered as Prophets in the Bajoran religion, and the wormhole itself is referred to as
8370-404: Was influential on later filmmakers , bringing a different kind of creativity and fantasy . Méliès's innovative editing and special effects techniques were widely imitated and became important elements of the cinematic medium . 1927's Metropolis , directed by Fritz Lang , is the first feature-length science fiction film. Though not well received in its time, it is now considered
8463-484: Was known for its embrace of a high degree of experimentation, both in form and in content, and a highbrow and self-consciously " literary " or " artistic " sensibility . In 1961, Solaris by Stanisław Lem was published in Poland . The novel dealt with the theme of human limitations as its characters attempted to study a seemingly intelligent ocean on a newly discovered planet . Lem's work anticipated
8556-665: Was sent to continue the mission of exploration began by Voyager . In the second season, now-Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway returns to the Delta Quadrant in the Voyager -A to stop the threat posed by the Vau N'Akat. On some Star Trek maps of the center of the galaxy, the galactic core is regarded as its own area, not part of any of the four Quadrants. The Cytherians, from the Next Generation episode " The Nth Degree ," are located near this area. In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ,
8649-408: Was the first of his three- decade -long planetary romance series of Barsoom novels , which were set on Mars and featured John Carter as the hero . These novels were predecessors to YA novels , and drew inspiration from European science fiction and American Western novels . In 1924, We by Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatin , one of the first dystopian novels, was published. It describes
#950049