Flash Forward: An Illustrated Guide to Possible (and Not So Possible) Tomorrows

Science fiction and philosophy entangle as Flash Forward podcaster Eveleth and a rotating cast of artists explore the ways technology could change humanity for the better, worse, or somewhere in between. A dozen thought-experiment scenarios are presented doubly as short illustrated fiction and followed by Eveleth’s reflections on the ramifications of the imagined change. Some are recognizable what-if tropes, like “Never Lay Me Down to Sleep” by Matt Lubchansky, in which a drug allows people to function without rest. The Blade Runner–styled future-noir “Piraceuticals” by John Jennings imagines guerrilla biohackers stealing code from price-gouging Big Pharma in Robin Hood fashion. In Kate Sheridan’s “Ghostbot,” technology allows humans to (somewhat) live on after their death, which Eveleth frames generously: “The way we process death is both personal and cultural.” As science fiction, the pieces are overly familiar, and more effective when embracing their positioning as talking points, such as in Sophia Foster-Dimino’s “Animal Magnetism,” which spins an absurd dialogue between animal rights extremists into a thoughtful debate on the morality of pet ownership. Eveleth’s bright tone provides ample food for thought, and fellow futurists will appreciate this buffet of prognostications. [em]Agent: Gary Morris, David Black Agency. (Apr.) [/em]