- Which works of science fiction the team at ESO enjoy
- Why you should read them
While working at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), sometimes the strange realities of studying the cosmos can feel like scenes straight out of an episode of Star Trek: like shooting lasers into the sky, probing strange new worlds, or watching black holes eat stars…
It’s then no surprise that some of the staff working on ESO’s fantastic projects are also huge sci-fi fans, so we asked them about their favourite books, shows, and movies. Here, we’ve highlighted the most frequently mentioned titles, why our colleagues enjoyed them, and why you might, too.
For Science Geeks
The Expanse
Based on a series of 9 books by James S. A. Corey — a joint pen name for dual authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck — the TV series The Expanse takes a mystery-thriller approach to the classic space adventure sci-fi, following the story of an interstellar detective stumbling across a galactic conspiracy, set against the backdrop of humanity’s colonisation of the Milky Way.
“What I like about The Expanse is that it genuinely embraces what a realistic space exploration would look like,” says Daniel Jadlovsky, a PhD student at ESO. “You can tell that the showrunner of the TV series has a PhD in physics. Together, all of this makes the depiction of space travel more immersive, and even a simple flight of a ship becomes a very dramatic moment for a viewer.”
The Expanse is particularly well known for its rich world building and astute commentary on modern day politics and technology. “Even though The Expanse features a lot of new technology, the main focus is on humanity and how we are affected by all these changes,” says Daniel. “The Expanse is based on real physics, and believable technologies. And it works well, because in result, this adds higher stakes to the story as it feels much more grounded. I think everyone who enjoys a good story can watch The Expanse. Likely, they would also learn some new cool facts about space!”
Who should read and watch The Expanse?
These books and TV series are the perfect blend for fans of crime/thriller and space technology.
The Martian and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Our survey responses were united in two things: a love for astronomy, and a hatred for physics-bending in sci-fi. As Vittorio Nurzia, Systems Engineer at ESO, puts it: “After all these years of sci-fi, how is it possible that in films and series we still hear sound in space?”
The Martian is Andy Weir’s debut novel, posted online, chapter by chapter, after being rejected by publishers. It follows the journey of Mark Watney, a botanist and astronaut who gets left on Mars after a space mission gone wrong, showing both his own drive to survive and the chaotic efforts of NASA, back on Earth, to get him home. However, this book is also known for a ruthless dedication to accurately portraying science and technology, which may be why it resonated with ESO staff.
While less well-known, Weir’s more recent novel, Project Hail Mary, was also a popular response, with one ESO astronomer using adjectives like “imaginative” and “emotionally stirring” to describe it. Set even further away from Earth, it imagines a future in which tiny amoeba aliens are sucking the energy from our Sun before it reaches Earth, plunging the world into an unexpected ice age. The story follows Ryland Grace, an elementary school teacher who wakes up on the Hail Mary spacecraft: humanity's last hope of survival.
Fourth-wall break: these books are two of my own absolute favourites as well. I love The Martian’s portrayal of how hard people will fight to save a stranger, and how hope keeps us alive — it makes me emotional. Project Hail Mary is the opposite in many ways, but still so witty, fun, and warm. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone reading!
Fans of The Martian may be surprised to know just how similar ESO’s Paranal Observatory is to the Martian landscape. Located in the hot, dry environment of the Atacama Desert, the European Space Agency (ESA) has been known to train their Mars rovers there!
Who should read the works of Andy Weir?
Any good-humoured science fan who wants to know what a realistic stay on Mars would look like, or see a brutally honest depiction of life aboard a spaceship.
To Think and Cry
The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
While Ray Bradbury’s other famous works, Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles are beloved classics, our colleagues at ESO favoured one of Bradbury’s slightly less well-known works: The Illustrated Man.
The titular Illustrated Man, in this story, tells 18 short stories, each through a living tattoo on his body. Each story explores the advancement of technology and its impacts on humans — from astronauts clawing their way back to Earth without a spaceship, to missionaries travelling to Mars. While the stories themselves are deeply creative and masterfully written, they are also tinged by an awareness of the brewing cold war, government chaos, and rocketing scales of nuclear technologies that seeped into the spirit of 1950s America.
According to Sofía Otero, ESO Outreach Officer in Chile, audiences can enjoy “the variety of stories, and how it depicts possible futures,” alongside a thoughtful perspective on our increasing reliance on technology. “It makes me reflect about how much we focus on tech development, how obsessed we are about gadgets, and how our human values remain kind of the same as we scientifically evolve,” she says.
Who should read The Illustrated Man?
Anyone who enjoyed Bradbury’s other works will find the same masterful writing here, alongside a thorough and eerie examination on man’s relationship to tech.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
A worthy departure from the action-based entries on this list, Flowers for Algernon is the poignant and emotional story of a man born with low intelligence, who receives an operation to become a genius.
The ways that technology can help and hurt us are consistent themes throughout the book, but serve as a backdrop to the focus of intelligence, love, and human nature. “I like the psychological and philosophical aspect of it. It's a very human book, despite being sci-fi,” explains Ivanna Langan, a PhD student at ESO.
Keyes uses science as a tool to examine ourselves, making it ideal for those interested in the life behind science. As written in the book: “There is nothing really original in science. What each man contributes to the sum of knowledge is what counts.”
Who should read Flowers for Algernon?
Anyone with an interest in humanity and psychology — or who needs a good cry.
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin was a master of classic sci-fi, well known for weaving sharp social commentary into engaging stories set in futuristic scenery. The Dispossessed is no exception, following two twin worlds: one, Urras, being much like our own Earth, but viewed with distrust by civilians of the other, Anarres, who have few resources but a strong sense of community.
In following the journey of the main character, Shevek, who travels from Anarres to the glamorous Urras to spread a new, faster-than-light communication system, Le Guin confronts both the political structure of modern society, and the alternative. “What I like about this book is that it presents a very nuanced take on utopias.” says Juan Carlos Muñoz-Mateos, ESO Media Officer. “While the book strongly criticises our wasteful and unjust society — represented by Urras — it doesn’t portray the alternative as a perfect utopia devoid of problems.”
Despite being 50 years old this year, The Dispossessed remains an ideal book for anyone interested in the politics that dominate our everyday life, and science fiction. “It is probably the most quotable book I’ve ever read,” says Juan Carlos. “Like Shevek says: ‘Those who build walls are their own prisoners. I'm going to go fulfill my proper function in the social organism. I'm going to go and unbuild walls.’”
Who should read The Dispossessed?
This book is suitable for anyone who wants to read about thought-provoking alien worlds, or probe the politics that govern modern society.
The books in this section will make you think, like this bird pondering about the mysteries of the Universe at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).
Credit: S. Otarola/ESO
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Empires and Federations
Star Trek
Star Trek is a sci-fi paragon. First aired back in 1966, Star Trek: The Original Series imagined a future where humanity lived alongside aliens under the United Federation of Planets — perfectly timed for a global, star-struck audience, a few years shy of witnessing the first moon landing. Exploring new worlds and meeting new alien races, the show follows the adventures of Captain Jim Kirk and his crew aboard the Starship Enterprise, with the iconic mission: “To boldly go where no man has gone before!”
By portraying an idyllic future, Star Trek confronts audiences with a light-hearted reflection of our current day world. “I like how that is an exploration of what our future could be, and all the amazing things we can achieve with science,” says Amanda Rubio, a PhD student at ESO, “while also being a exploration of humanity — it’s not just ‘Haha, lasers go bzzzzz!’ stories.”
In the half century since, Star Trek has maintained its esteemed status by growing new branches of the Star Trek Universe. Especially popular in our survey was the 1987 series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, which takes place 100 years after the original series. For many of our ESO colleagues, these stories are remembered fondly as a Golden Age for sci-fi. “The older series and books present a more idealistic view of a future far away, one that may never happen, but always allows one to dream,” says Evanthia Hatziminaoglou, Department Head with the ALMA Regional Centre at ESO. “Today's sci-fi scene has yet to match the visionaries behind the older creations.”
Who should watch Star Trek?
Anyone who enjoys classic sci-fi, 60s TV charm, and a look at what an idyllic future may look like for humanity and beyond.
The Hyperion Cantos Series by Dan Simmons
Hyperion Cantos is the name of a series of books by Dan Simmons, beginning with Hyperion (1989). As ESO astronomer Florian Rodler describes, it is “an unconventional space opera combining artificial intelligence, religion, and politics in the far future of mankind.” Often compared in structure to the mediaeval classic The Canterbury Tales, Simmons tells the story of seven pilgrims travelling to the mysterious Time Tombs to discover if the god-like entity, the Shrike, will grant them a wish.
While Simmons builds the unique history of the Hyperion Universe through the intricate backstories of each of the seven pilgrims, the multi-planetary politics were of strong interest to our colleagues at ESO. “I was enjoying science fiction long before I studied astronomy,” said Florian. “And sci-fi keeps inspiring me as an astronomer when I’m looking for worlds outside our solar system.”
Who should read The Hyperion Cantos series?
Enjoyers of Lovecraftian horror, deep and varied character-explorations, and world-twisting concepts unique in the sci-fi genre will love this book!
Star Wars
Of course, the juggernaut of the sci-fi genre had to be one of the most popular mentions on this list. Star Wars began as a trilogy of movies, starting with the namesake Star Wars released in 1977, followed quickly by The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), following the story of Luke Skywalker who discovers he is a Force-wielding Jedi and joins the Rebel Alliance to take down the newest weapon of the evil Galactic Empire: the Death Star.
Star Wars has since exploded into a cinematic Universe with 12 movies, 17 TV series, over 300 books, and countless comics, short stories, and other media. “I like the complete universe and lore built around it,” says Vicente Lizana, Software Engineer at ESO.
Uniquely, Star Wars also has many successful game titles. “I enjoyed Knights of the Old Republic 2 the most,” says Linus Karl, a real-time control engineer at ESO. “It was a role-playing game for PC, where you would become a Jedi knight. It had a very compelling story, where you were left with a mystery of what happened to you as you lost your memory and slowly are able to piece everything together again.”
Most recently, Andor (2022) — a show focusing on life in the oppressive Galactic Empire — has been critically acclaimed for bringing a nuanced look into the everyday politics of the Star Wars Universe. And yet, the ground-breaking originals are among the most treasured by our colleagues at ESO.
Who should watch Star Wars?
There’s something for everyone in the Star Wars Universe! Lovers of laser fights and classic cinema should check out the original trilogy; those looking for a mature, emotional, and impactful story will enjoy Andor; and for a balance between the two, the animated Rebels series combines an epic overarching story about the formation of the Rebel Alliance with fun (and often emotional) character-driven adventures.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Tied in popularity to Star Wars in our survey, the Foundation series by legendary author Isaac Asimov, coincidentally, features a Galactic Empire — but one about to crumble, leaving the entire Milky Way in a dark age spanning 30,000 years.
The story follows Hari Seldon, who has invented a new discipline, Psychohistory, that uses the statistical behaviour of massive groups to predict the upcoming collapse of society, and establishes the titular Foundation to reduce the dark age as much as possible. “It is unique in this genre,” says Benoît Serra, Detector Engineer at ESO, “It shows that knowledge is one of, or the most important thing to cultivate for humanity’s chance of survival in the long term.”
For many at ESO, Foundation’s themes resonated with the reality of working with a global team of collaborators for the advancement of science. “I think this is why I loved Foundation: it partly reminds me of the work I am doing and why I am doing it,” says Serra. “I am involved in providing camera systems for instruments. You know what the instrument will do, but you learn new things, you test your skills and knowledge against problems and solve them sometimes by yourself, most of the time as a team. And even though everything is ‘planned’ you need to rely on individuals that have to deal with unpredicted issues.”
“All of what I said before would end with the quotation from a character in the books: ‘To succeed, planning alone is insufficient. One must improvise as well.’ – Salvor Hardin, Foundation.”
Who should read Foundation?
Lovers of classic sci-fi and the larger-scale impacts of science.
Biography Louisa Spillman
Louisa is originally from a small countryside town in England. She has completed an MSci in Physics with a Master’s project on gravitational waves, but more recently has taken time to travel to pretty places, take up photography, and read old fantasy novels. Louisa is passionate about making science communication as enjoyable as possible for both the public and herself, and has adored astrophysics ever since she realised that staring into space could be a career.