fact or fiction

Is it science fact or science fiction? Futurism presents both sides to determine the truth.

Photographic Equations
Rain pattering against the asphalt and his umbrella, Roger rounds the corner of the five-story brick apartment building and trudges into the alleyway . . . the green dumpster brimming with trash bags right where he said it would be. His shoes slapping at a few puddles along the way, Roger lifts the leftmost trash bag—aluminum cans and glass clinking around inside—and finds the little black notebook underneath, the front and back covers neatly sealed together with a button strap. A few raindrops splashing against the front, he picks the notebook up, wipes it against his flannel shirt, and—his pocket just large enough to accommodate it—places it into his jean pocket. The acrid stench of rotting food finally getting to him, Roger backs away from the dumpster and continues his route home.
By Bill Wood5 years ago in Futurism
Bits & Coins
Zekiah was forced to meet with Balinese investors too rich for boardrooms and conference halls before she could indulge in relaxation and exploration of the island. Investors too wealthy for appointments and meetings, instead owning private villas surrounded by crystal clear waters. Servants, cleaners and, Thai escorts traversing the expansive grounds.
By Romario Ashley5 years ago in Futurism
A Philosophy of Beauty
“The heart, like an empty canvas or a blank page, is a waiting to be filled with the desires that only dreams can inspire. A word of caution however, Dreamers, like the ever changing seas, may find their ship safely in port or dashed upon the rocks.”
By Sierra Goddard5 years ago in Futurism
High-Rise
She had been a pawn in their game. She got what she wanted, what she needed really, but at what cost? Angrily she threw the leather black notebook in her hand at the back of Jasper's head but his reflexes were spot on as he grabbed the book from the air right before it made contact with his fiery red hair.
By Lala Jack_ _05 years ago in Futurism
MYSTIC analysis tool
You know why you're all here, so I'll get right to it. MYSTIC was meant to make our lives easier, what with the ability to record and store all of the phone calls and messages around the entire world we would have expected to have made some progress on the war on terror. As part of the five eyes community (NZ,UK,CAN,AUS,USA) we developed this initiative to capture, store and analyse all of this data thinking we would be the masters of the world, supremely omniscient, that we could use all of this information to find the bad guys and connect all the dots. But it's such a mess! By the time we sift through the mountains of ones and zeroes the trail is already cold and we've lost another lead, another disastrous operation that we couldn't figure out. I'm not the only one whose noticed this, I was speaking to Oscar Mike at the NSA the other day and he says its like looking for a needle in a haystack, we just don't have the man hours to spend on this. There has to be a better way.
By Aster Warovsky5 years ago in Futurism
The Little Black Book
It was about 6 am and I could feel the sun beating down on my thin blanket. I wanted to stay in bed but, I could hear my mother calling, “Sage this is the last time I’m going to call you down for breakfast!” I mustered the strength to drag myself out of bed. I headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up. I looked in the mirror and I had this weird feeling. For some reason, I knew today would be different than any other Sunday.
By courtney A Hairston5 years ago in Futurism
20,000
He hadn’t expected the tall stranger. No one ever expected this tall stranger. Ray was an accountant. “Hey,” the tall stranger said. “Do you need $20,000?”
By Julie Armstrong5 years ago in Futurism
The Industry
Here's the thing about my industry. We can be having the crappiest day but as soon as you sit in that chair, everything else goes away and it's the client who is the main priority. Those rubbish feelings can be pushed to the back of the mind and we can create the best look after a couple of hours with a few special techniques.
By Gemma Louise Burton5 years ago in Futurism
little black book
I will never forget the day I found it. It was flagged as anomalous and sent down the conveyer to land in my bin. At first, I assumed it was another smartphone as it was encased in a protective sheath used for those old devices. I remember thinking that the AI must need an overhaul for flagging this. I broke the surprisingly still intact seal and shook out incalculable wealth.
By Sean Patrick Kensinger5 years ago in Futurism
The Family Dynasty
The Family Dynasty 1-9-2009 Imperial house Japan … Finally, I can breathe as I make my way out the side door of the palace. These passages to the outdoors have always been forbidden to me. Until now that is. Today I am 21 years of age. Today I am officially a woman and no longer must I walk the path of the old ways. I honor my ancestors; I understand the sacrifice and pain we have all experienced but now is the time to change history not, repeat it.
By Jamica Wallace5 years ago in Futurism
Hades’ Offer
Helios is the god of the sun, He has two sisters, Selene and Eos. With the coming of each new day belonging to Helios, but the night belongs to Selene. I understand now when you tell me, in a voice that muses, and sirens wish that they could have, “Helios, Selene Eos” I can feel the love permeate through every word, every molecule of air from you to me. I know that by just saying those three words that, even with how broken I am, you still somehow find the best in me. So when I told you the same thing I did not think that you would ever leave. Then you came back, how grateful I was for that moment, and again you told me “Helios, Selene, Eos” again and again I could feel what you were trying to tell me. Time and time again we went on like this, you the siren and me the dreaded sailor that always finds himself going towards the siren’s calls no matter what the rest of the crew is saying. I should learn that what you say is not true but your words trap me like a gorgon’s gaze. Unlike Perseus though I am unable to cut off your head so I don’t turn to cold stone, all I do is turn cold. No matter what I do to try and fend you off to keep you away, the gods seem to be more amused at what you do to me. I have prayed to every god for help and only one offered me help. Hades. I am tempted to take his offer for help as the other gods laugh at my requests to have all memory of you washed away from me. And now I take up Hades' offer. High atop one of the highest mountains save Mt. Olympus I take one more step and I forget that you were even in my life. I feel the wind rushing against my face as I take the final step and then I am face to face with Hades without a realization of what I have just done. For I had made the ultimate sacrifice, and that is why the other Gods all laughed at my requests to have your memory torn from my mind. Had I known the true reasoning I may have reconsidered my course of action. But I wanted all memories of you gone more than anything else in this world. So as I stood before Hades I felt every fiber in my being, swelling with rage inside that I did not know if I could control any longer. As I walked up to him to accept my fate I heard a voice in my head scream, “Now!”, and before I could make sense of what happened next I found myself holding someone’s head in my bare hands. I cannot recall what drove me to behead this being, but when I looked closer upon inspection, I saw Hades’s twisted smile. I had done it now, I thought to myself. I had beheaded the King of the Underworld and brother to the mighty Zues himself, what was my punishment to be, why had I not been struck down where I stood, what brought me to kill the King of the Underworld? These questions and many more came rushing in all at once and I had not the time nor the answers to any of them. So before I could even think, I ran. I ran far from the scene and left the beheaded corpse and dropped the bloodied head as my feet carried me until I could no longer stand. I still had the head of the King of the Dead, which by some twist of cruel fate was dead by my hand.
By Will Besaw5 years ago in Futurism
Cryptofuture
“Good morning Alicia! It’s time to get up and get around for work” my assistant blares through my bedroom while she turns all the lights on and opens the curtains allowing the sun to shine into my room. She then begins to tell me about my routine for the day and what the weather will be while I lay in bed and stare at my now brightly lit ceiling. “Hey Google, you can stop,” I say, instructing her to stop talking. I sit up in my bed and look out my 34th floor window and gaze upon the view that is New York city at seven in the morning. I get out of bed and walk to my calendar and see that today, after 11 days, I finally get a day off from work. There is a note on my calendar telling me to not volunteer for overtime today but I can’t figure out why. Looking around my room I finally remember from the leaflet sitting on my bedside table, there is a showing for the now holographic interface today and it starts at ten!
By One of Few5 years ago in Futurism