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The First Shape Shifters?

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First Shape Shifters

Researchers discovered cave paintings depicting what may be part-animal, part-human figures — decked out with animal snouts — hunting wild pigs and dwarf buffaloes in Indonesia. These may be the oldest known examples of rock art, a new study finds. The 44,000-year-old artwork may also be the oldest evidence for the human ability to imagine the existence of supernatural beings, scientists added. The ancient painting was discovered in the limestone cave of Leang Bulu’ Sipong 4 in the Indonesian island of Sulawesi in 2017. During a survey for rock art, study co-author Pak Hamrullah noticed “what appeared to be the … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT: Lagoon of Dreams, by Tinnean

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Lagoon of Dreams

QSFer Tinnean has a new MM historical mpreg fantasy book out: “Lagoon of Dreams.” David Knight has been plagued by dreams his entire life, only to have all memory of them vanish when he awakens. Now the dreams are coming with more frequency, and they seem to be drawing him to the Amazon. A scientist with a PhD in ichthyology and a dedication to learning all he can about lungfish, whose existence dates back to the Devonian era, David is determined to see what the Amazon holds. His hopes seem about to be answered when Dr. Carlos Avila contacts him. … Read more

Where Does the Concept of Time Travel Come From?

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time travel

The dream of traveling through time is both ancient and universal. But where did humanity’s fascination with time travel begin, and why is the idea so appealing? The concept of time travel — moving through time the way we move through three-dimensional space — may in fact be hardwired into our perception of time. Linguists have recognized that we are essentially incapable of talking about temporal matters without referencing spatial ones. “In language — any language — no two domains are more intimately linked than space and time,” wrote Israeli linguist Guy Deutscher in his 2005 book “The Unfolding of … Read more

CLIMATE CHANGE: Has it Been Hotter Than This Before?

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drought - pixabay

Short Answer – yes. And almost everything died. Would you ever go on vacation to the North Pole? Unless you like subzero temperatures and Nordic-ski treks, probably not. But if you lived 56 million years ago, you might answer differently. Back then, you would have enjoyed balmy temperatures and a lush green landscape (although you would have had to watch out for crocodiles). That’s because the world was in the middle of an extreme period of global warming called the Paleo-Eocene Thermal Maximum, when the Earth was so hot that even the poles reached nearly tropical temperatures. But was the … Read more

Dragons: A Brief History

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dragon - pixabay

Dragons are among the most popular and enduring of the world’s mythological creatures. Dragon tales are known in many cultures, from the Americas to Europe, and from India to China. They have a long and rich history in many forms and continue to populate our books, films and television shows. It’s not clear when or where stories of dragons first emerged, but the huge, flying serpents were described at least as early as the age of the ancient Greeks and Sumerians. For much of history dragons were thought of as being like any other mythical animal: sometimes useful and protective, … Read more

Following Oscar Wilde – Boogieman In Lavender

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Oscar Wilde

       Following Oscar                                                 By Jeff Baker “In the old days, men had the rack. Now they have the Press.” —Oscar Wilde. It is possible, in the United States, to have crossed paths with the legendary Oscar Wilde without knowing it. Wilde did a lecture tour of the U.S. in 1882 that was supposed to last a few months. He wound up staying about a year, and crossed the States, touring the East and West coasts, traveling through the South and even visiting Canada. For years, however, the specifics of Wilde’s itinerary were a matter of debate, but now a … Read more

The Queer History of Star Trek

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Queer Star Trek

“When Star Trek Discovery first aired 2017, it also brought with it’s first ever explicitly gay main characters, says trans writer and YouTuber Jessie Gender (nee Earl), “It was a huge deal for the 50 year-old franchise, especially considering that the Trek has always been about celebrating diversity.” But, Gender continues, “Did you know that this wasn’t the first time Trek tried to tackle queer issues? And no, I’m not talking about the blink and you’ll miss it nod to Sulu being gay in Star Trek Beyond. Even though it was adorable. No, a lot of Trek’s history with queer issues began decades earlier, both … Read more

ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Peony Lanterns, by Patricia Correll

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QSFer Patricia Correll has a new MM romance/alt history book out: Peony Lanterns. And there’s a giveaway! Mitsu has been Shiro’s personal servant and best friend since they were both six years old, and he’s been in love with him for nearly that long. While Shiro takes lovers of both sexes, the gulf between their social classes is so vast that Mitsu has never spoken his feelings aloud.  When Shiro meets the beautiful Lady Keiko, he’s instantly infatuated. His affection soon turns to obsession, and Mitsu resigns himself to a life of unrequited love. But as Mitsu looks deeper into … Read more

Call for Submissions: 2019 Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast Fiction Series

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lesbian history

The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast will be open for submissions in January 2019 for short stories in the lesbian historic fiction genre, to be produced in audio format for the podcast, as well as published in text on the website. Technical Details We will accept short fiction of any length up to 5000 words, which is a hard limit. We will be buying a total of four stories. (If we get some really great flash fiction, there’s the possibility of more.) We will be paying professional rates: $0.06/word. The contract will be for first publication rights in audio and print (i.e., the … Read more

Ancient Aramaic Incantation Describes Fiery Devourer – Live Science

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devourer

A 2,800-year-old incantation, written in Aramaic, describes the capture of a creature called the “devourer” said to be able to produce “fire.” Discovered in August 2017 within a small building, possibly a shrine, at the site of Zincirli (called “Sam’al” in ancient times), in Turkey, the incantation is inscribed on a stone cosmetic container. Written by a man who practiced magic who is called “Rahim son of Shadadan,” the incantation” describes the seizure of a threatening creature [called] the ‘devourer,’” wrote Madadh Richey and Dennis Pardee in the abstract of a presentation they gave recently at the Society of Biblical Literature … Read more