Best publishers for science fiction

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LIVING FOREVER , by Jaroslav Kalfar Jaroslav Kalfar’s first novel, “ Spaceman of Bohemia ” (2017), was about a vaguely bewildered Czech professor of astrophysics who blasts into space on an urgent mission. Once up there, his wife back on Earth leaves him and (worse?) a giant, hairy spider latches onto his spaceship. The spider, unlike his wife, can read his mind. The first half of “Spaceman of Bohemia,” which was a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke award for science fiction and is being made into a film with Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan, is inventive and charming: It makes you smile. The book reminded me of Victor Pelevin’s short, absurdist and moving Russian space novel, “ Omon Ra ” (1998). Pelevin’s book is about a soul sitting in a tin can, and it is ripe for rediscovery. In the second half of “Spaceman in Bohemia,” the spider probes into deeper matters, such as the professor’s history and the Czech Republic’s, and the novel slowly grows leaden. The … [Read more...] about Welcome to Immortality. Your Body Can’t Come With You.

NASHVILLE — About a year and a half ago, as the country superstar Blake Shelton was working on songs for his latest album, “Based on a True Story ,” he reached out to John Esposito, the president of his label, Warner Bros. Nashville. “I get a text from Blake saying, ‘Espo, we have just recorded the sound of money, lots and lots of money,’ ” Mr. Esposito recently recalled in his office here. Mr. Shelton is one of the genre’s leading lights — coach on “The Voice,” co-host of the Academy of Country Music Awards — and knows from money. So, intrigued, Mr. Esposito drove down Music Row to Ocean Way Studios, where he heard Mr. Shelton’s rainmaker “Boys ’Round Here.” Surprisingly, the noise money made was the sound of Mr. Shelton rapping. And he wasn’t wrong: Eventually, “Boys ’Round Here” would rise to No. 2 on the Billboard country chart, and achieve his highest position on the Billboard Hot 100. And so here is a sign of the Nashville times: One of the genre’s reigning … [Read more...] about Country Music Opens Its Ears

Miraculous advancements in the field of medicine have lifted robotic prosthetics out of the realm of science fiction and given them real-word, useful applications. Take, for example, Erik G. Soto. Back in 2003, a gunshot wound left Soto paralyzed from the neck down, and he underwent an experimental surgery that placed a series of electrodes arrays in his brain two years ago. While quadriplegic patients have used electrodes in the brain to control prosthetics in the past, Soto’s doctors placed sensors in the part of the brain that, “controls the intent to move rather than the details of executing movements. The scientists hoped that this approach would allow the patient to produce more natural, fluid motions,” and the improved dexterity allows Soto to shake hands, play “Rock, Paper, Scissors” and even drink a beer on his own. WATCH: Modelo Especial. Nice choice. An ecstatic Soto told Brain Decoder just how big of an impact this device could improve his life and the … [Read more...] about Quadriplegic Man Can Control Robotic Prosthetic With His Brain And Possibly A Little Witchcraft [VIDEO]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have discovered a new and renewable source of water on the moon for future explorers in lunar samples from a Chinese mission. Water was embedded in tiny glass beads in the lunar dirt where meteorite impacts occur. These shiny, multicolored glass beads were in samples returned from the moon by China in 2020. The beads range in size from the width of one hair to several hairs; the water content was just a miniscule fraction of that, said Hejiu Hui of Nanjing University, who took part in the study. Since there are billions if not trillions of these impact beads, that could amount to substantial amounts of water, but mining it would be tough, according to the team. “Yes, it will require lots and lots of glass beads,” Hui said in an email. “On the other hand, there are lots and lots of beads on the moon." These beads could continually yield water thanks to the constant bombardment by hydrogen in the solar wind. The findings, published … [Read more...] about New source of water found in moon samples from China mission

Now that working from home isn’t reserved for digital nomads, freelancers and independent contractors, home gym equipment has become increasingly popular in the past few years. Recent surveys indicate the pandemic-driven demand for home fitness equipment is here to stay . Plus, the pandemic has driven people to take charge of their health at an unprecedentedly high rate , which means that there has never been a better time to build out a home gym and start your fitness journey. However, fitness products can be expensive and confusing, which can make finding the right machines, weights and equipment a challenge, especially if you’re shopping for a family. How we evaluated and selected To find the best home gym products for your space, I researched highly rated products across a variety of brands and spoke with Sarah Briskin, who’s a Certified Personal Trainer and exercise class instructor with years of professional health and fitness experience who holds a Masters of … [Read more...] about How to create a home gym for under $500, according to an expert

See the article in its original context from September 2, 2001 Section Page Buy Reprints View on timesmachine TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Some days, Jonathan Franzen wrote in the dark. He did so in a spartan studio on 125th Street in East Harlem, behind soundproof walls and a window of double-paned glass. The blinds were drawn. The lights were off. And Franzen, hunched over his keyboard in a scavenged swivel chair held together with duct tape, wore earplugs, earmuffs and a blindfold. ''You can always find the 'home' keys on your computer,'' he says in an embarrassed whisper, explaining how he managed to type under such constraints. ''They have little raised bumps.'' For Franzen, this is the imagination's price, the arduous means by which he conjures a fictional world and reproduces it on the page. ''It's very, very hard to concentrate,'' he says. ''You have to hold your mind free of all the clichés.'' The days … [Read more...] about Jonathan Franzen’s Big Book