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History of Science Fiction Timeline
(1818 - Present)The history of science fiction traces the evolution of a literary genre that explores imaginative and futuristic concepts such as space travel, time travel, artificial intelligence, and alien life. Beginning with early works like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the genre developed through the pulp magazine era, the Golden Age of science fiction, the New Wave movement, and into contemporary cyberpunk and speculative fiction, reflecting humanity's changing relationship with technology and the future. More Less
Early Precursors
Kepler's 'Somnium' written
1608
Johannes Kepler wrote 'Somnium' (The Dream), a story about a journey to the Moon that used real astronomical knowledge to imagine lunar conditions. Published posthumously in 1634, it is frequently regarded as the first work of serious scientific science fiction.
Image source: Somnium (novel)
Cyrano de Bergerac's 'Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon'
1657
French writer Cyrano de Bergerac's posthumously published novel imagined a trip to the Moon using inventive propulsion methods. It combined satire with speculative science and influenced later space-travel fiction for centuries.
Image source: Cyrano de Bergerac
Mary Shelley publishes 'Frankenstein'
Jan 1, 1818
Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus' was published anonymously in London. Often considered the first true science fiction novel, it explored the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition through Victor Frankenstein's creation of artificial life, raising enduring ethical questions about technology.
Image source: Frankenstein
Edgar Allan Poe publishes 'The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall'
Jun 1, 1835
Poe's short story about a balloon voyage to the Moon blended pseudo-scientific detail with humor and helped establish the American tradition of proto-science fiction, influencing writers like Jules Verne.
Image source: The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall
Jules Verne publishes 'Five Weeks in a Balloon'
Jan 31, 1863
Jules Verne's first major success launched his 'Voyages extraordinaires' series. His rigorously researched adventure novels, including 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas' (1870) and 'From the Earth to the Moon' (1865), established the 'scientific romance' tradition of hard, plausible speculation.
Image source: Five Weeks in a Balloon
H. G. Wells publishes 'The Time Machine'
May 7, 1895
Wells's novella popularized time travel as a literary concept and introduced the far-future species the Eloi and Morlocks. Wells went on to write 'The War of the Worlds' (1898) and other landmark works that shaped social science fiction.
Image source: The Time Machine
Pulp Era
Hugo Gernsback founds 'Amazing Stories'
Apr 1, 1926
Gernsback launched the first magazine devoted exclusively to what he called 'scientifiction'. The pulp era it inaugurated brought genre fiction to mass audiences and gave rise to fandom, letter columns, and eventually organized conventions.
Image source: Amazing Stories
Fritz Lang's film 'Metropolis' premieres
Jan 10, 1927
Lang's German expressionist masterpiece depicted a dystopian future city divided between wealthy elites and oppressed workers. Its imagery of robots and towering skyscrapers became iconic in science fiction cinema and influenced countless later films.
Image source: Metropolis (1927 film)
E. E. 'Doc' Smith publishes 'Skylark of Space'
Aug 1, 1928
Serialized in 'Amazing Stories', Smith's novel pioneered the space opera subgenre, featuring interstellar travel, superweapons, and galactic conflict on a grand scale.
First World Science Fiction Convention held in New York City
Jul 2, 1939 - Jul 3, 1939
NyCon I, held alongside the New York World's Fair, marked the birth of the annual Worldcon convention. It cemented a growing fan community and led to the establishment of the Hugo Awards in 1953.
Key Facts
- Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' (1818) is widely considered the first true science fiction novel, blending Gothic horror with scientific speculation.
- H.G. Wells and Jules Verne in the late 19th century established core genre conventions with works like 'The Time Machine' (1895) and 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' (1870).
- The Golden Age of Science Fiction (roughly 1938-1959) was driven by pulp magazines like Astounding Science Fiction and editors such as John W. Campbell, launching careers of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein.
- The New Wave movement of the 1960s and 1970s, led by writers like Ursula K. Le Guin and Philip K. Dick, emphasized literary experimentation, social commentary, and psychological depth over hard technology.
- The cyberpunk movement of the 1980s, exemplified by William Gibson's 'Neuromancer' (1984), explored dystopian futures shaped by computers, corporate power, and virtual reality, influencing film, games, and modern media.
Source
This History of Science Fiction timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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