List of science fiction short stories
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This is a non-comprehensive list of short stories with significant science fiction elements. Due to the large number of short stories this list is limited to stories that have done one of the following,
- Defined a sub-genre of science fiction.
- Founded an important science fiction series.
- Been the first to introduce a science fiction concept.
- Won major science fiction or general fiction awards.
- Topped a major bestseller list.
- Been important to the field of science fiction in another way.
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Humans colonizing other planets
- Weyr Search (1968) by Anne McCaffrey
- Founding story of the Pern series. Won a Hugo in 1968.
Intelligent animals
- Genius of the Species (1956) by R. Brentor
- First use of technology to induce intelligence in cats
- Sheena 5 (2003) by Stephen Baxter
- About a genetically modified squid
Large Artificial Worlds
- see also Big Dumb Object
- Orbitsville (1975) by Bob Shaw
- Huge artificial sphere enclosing a star (known as a Dyson Sphere)
Non 3-Dimensional Space
- Flatland (1884) by Edwin A. Abbott
- A classic tale of a two-dimensional being meeting 'A Sphere'
- ...And He Built a Crooked House (1941) by Robert Heinlein
- Story of a house that extends into the fourth dimension, much to the puzzlement of its occupants
Robot Stories
- Robbie (1939) by Isaac Asimov
- First Robot story by Isaac Asimov, published in the September 1940 issue of Super Science Stories.
- Run Around (1942) by Isaac Asimov
- First story to list the Three Laws of Robotics, published in the March 1942 issue of Astounding.
Time Travel
- The Chronic Argonauts (1895) by H.G. Wells
- Probably the very first significant time travel story ever.
- All You Zombies... (1959) by Robert Heinlein
- A story featuring a neatly tangled set of time travel paradoxes.
- Ripples in the Dirac Sea (1988) by Geoffrey A. Landis
- The affecting story of a scientist seesawing inescapably through time, this brilliant work effectively deconstructs most time-travel stories that came before. Winner of the 1989 Nebula Award for best short story.
Cyberpunk
- True Names (1981) by Vernor Vinge
- One of the first stories to flesh out the idea of cyberspace.
(Note: This list may be more appropriate as a list of Significant Science Fiction Themes)
Award winning short stories
The two main awards given in American science fiction are the Hugos and the Nebulas. Complete lists of the short stories that won these awards are at Hugo Award for Best Short Story and Nebula Award for Best Short Story.