10 Underused Concepts in Science Fiction


I already did underused creatures in fantasy, and it seemed to be pretty popular (you can go see it here), so now I'm doing another one! Since the only creature consistent to sci-fi is, um, aliens, I'm doing concepts instead. So, allons-y! Off we go on our list of ten underused concepts in science fiction.

Ever consider:

  • Aliens that are seriously NOT humanoid. Question: Does a fish have arms and legs? No? And yet they function anyway? News flash! Not all of God's creations are built the same way, so let's have some diversity! Make them something that can be more or less easily imagined, of course, like saying they were a cross between a squid and an albatross, but not all of them have to be humanoid.
  • Humans getting the short end of the stick on everything. A lot of people use the thing where we're underdeveloped as opposed to the other races, but we could even take it a step further. Maybe our lack of unity in our own race is frowned upon by the others. Maybe the way we insult each other left and right (you know, teasing) is considered bad. Or maybe we lack something they have. But wouldn't that be an interesting turn?
  • Racism. Rather than whitewashing, what do the aliens have? Who are the people that are all but worshipped? Who are shunned? What creatures are acceptable to use as pets (because think about it, if they aren't pets, they're slaves)?
  • The seriously dangerous habitats in which some species could live. There are planets out there that rain molten glass. What if someone lived there? If humans can survive at the north and south poles, think of the extreme conditions that aliens could live in!
  • The different generations of people. There are different generations here, think about the ones you might find in space! There would be people who were born before living in space was even an option, and there would be kids who were born in the years of transit from one planet to another and act weird because they're not used to life on the ground.
  • Planet vermin! This is a really weird thing, but I like it because it adds realism to the world. What little- or possibly big but stupid- creature are they always driving out of the house?
  • The 'humans are space orcs' conversation. If you have Tumblr, or even follow enough writing boards on Pinterest, you'll run across this eventually. Seriously, look it up on your Pinterest account. There are entire boards of this stuff. And the funny thing is, everyone loves to talk about it, but have I ever seen it in a book?? No!!! C'mon, pitch it at me! I'm ready! The basic concept of the 'Humans are Space orcs' thing is that humans might seem really weird with the stuff we put up with and the inconsistencies in our behavior. Example given:

  • Translation tech that doesn't work super well. I think I've only seen this in online posts, but think about some words that wouldn't have equivalents in the other language or the little notes after a bit of speech stating how accurate the translation of that last word was. Or the gaps between bits of speech while you're waiting for it to finish the translation to the other person. Translators are a pretty cool addition to any sci-fi novel, I think.
  • Some people being too poor to have the basic materials they need to make it on another planet. Not everyone might have what they need. They might be missing the basic stuff that all their friends have (like, you know, a translator, a spaceship/bus pass, the means to communicate with a ship to pick them up, boarding papers, idk, money in general???)
  • Weird rules. Sign posted: Please do not laugh at the trees. They will kill you. Why is this concept not used more? (the weird rules, not the deadly trees) If you can't come to Earth and verbally note that one human's skin tone is different from another, surely other planets can have weird taboos as well. The best is when the rule exists, and it's super important to keep to the rule, but the reason for it is never explained.

More from the Underused series:

Which was your favorite of the ten? Want any additions or part 2's in this series? Drop me an idea in the comments! I will make sure to reply!

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