Imagining Science: some stories

Science requires imagination. In March 2024, I took part in a day-long workshop at the Chicago Botanic Garden that brought together scientists, students, and university faculty to practice envisioning things far bigger than our everyday lives. At the end of the day, each participant wrote a brief science fiction piece developing an idea that was supported with accurate information.

Here are our short stories. Mine is about how intricate dust comes to life and self-awareness. Other stories explore astronomy, cosmology, biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, and planetary science. Could people age backwards? What if plants sent out space ships? What are we doing to find fossils and create them?