News for February 2009

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) have announced that the nominees for this years Nebula Awards have been finalised. The Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles between the 24-26th April. The Awards have been given annually since 1965 for the best novel, novella, novelette and short story. The have also been two awards added,...

Doctor Who has scooped an special effects award (FX award) from the 7th annual VES (Visual Effects Society) Awards for "Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Broadcast Program or Commercial" in the episode "Silence in the Library".

The VES announced the winners in a black tie event at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles,...

The Companion for the Second Doctor Who Special has been announced as the tony award winning actress Lindsay Duncan. Lindsay is also a noted screen actress and won her award for her role in the Noel Coward play Private Lives.

Lindsay has also provided the voice for the protocol droid TC-14 in The Phantom Menace, and has been cast in Tim...

Alien life may exist all around us according to a physicist at Arizona State University. Talking at a major science conference in chicago, Professor Paul Davies explained that there could very well be "shadow lifeforms" existing all around us, just that no one has ever bothered to look.

He also advised that it is quite...

Philip K Dicks widow, Tessa Dick has re-worked the final novel the legendary science fiction writer was working on when he passed away in 1982.

The novel, titled "The Owl in Daylight" has been a labour of love for Tessa and she has described this self-publication as a tribute to Philip. She went on to say that her version of the...

New Viral Websites have appeared for the upcoming films 2012 and Terminator Salvation.

The Institute for Human Continuity (IHC) has been created to ensure the survival of the human race beyond 2012. It claims there is a 94% probability that cataclysmic forces will decimate the planet in 2012. The website includes news about latest...

Terry Pratchett has raised the issue of using mercury in tooth fillings by blaming the cause of his early onset Alzheimer's condition on this practice and has described the use of mercury as "Toxic Waste".

He has been quoted as saying:

"Having something like mercury in your mouth seemed to me to be a really...

With the release date of the Watchman film getting ever closer (9th March 2009), a fantastically nostalgic 8-bit arcade game has been created, completely free to play in your browser over at Minute Men Arcade.

Growing up in the 80's I must admit to feeling quite a bit of nostalgia playing this, reminding me of those Arcade classics...

As predicted at the end of January this year, Amazon has unveiled a new Kindle e-book reader featuring a slimmer less clunky design, more storage space and quicker operation. That's the good news, the bad news is not only is it the same price ($359) but there are still no confirmed plans to release the reader in the UK (or anywhere other than the USA...

JK Rowling, the best selling author of the Harry Potter series, has been Knighted in France. The title of Knight of the Legion of Honour was bestowed by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysée presidential palace. Sarkozy told Rowling:

You've helped give young people back the taste for reading and writing

He...

Heroes are outlawed!, as the fever of the upcoming film approaches critical mass, a new Watchman viral video has been released which shows the Keene act of 1977 which outlaws any costumed adventurers and vigilantes.

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According to Edinburgh scientist Duncan Forgan, current research suggests that there could be anything between 361 and 38 000 Intelligent Alien Civilisations in our galaxy.This has been partly based on the recent discoveries of more than 330 exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) which includes a clearly "earth mass" planet found orbiting a sun like star Gliese 876.

This has led to the belief that exoplanets are much more...

The Hunt for Gollum, the fan made film created especially for Lord Of The Rings fans has finally got a release date of the 3rd May 2009, premiered at the SCI FI London festival and also online simultaneously at the website Daily Motion.

The film is shaping up to become a milestone in fan made productions, not just with the simultaneous release but...