Future Fantastic

Did You Know?

• The theme music to Future Fantastic was by HAL, who later collaborated with narrator Gillian Anderson on the track 'Extremis', released by Virgin Records in 1997.
• Future Fantastic was broadcast in the United States on the Learning Channel in 1997.
• The episode 'Alien' interviewed five astronomers or scientists (Seth Shostak, Frank Drake, Jill Tarter, Richard F. Haines, and Jack Cohen) plus astronaut Story Musgrave.
• The episode 'Immortal' featured interviews with 16 people, including two futurists (Max More and Natasha Vita-More) and a cryobiologist (Michael Taylor).
• The episode 'Underneath a purple sky' included an interview with Ray Bradbury, author of classic science fiction works.

Episodes

The episode 'Alien' discusses the possibility of encountering intelligent life on other planets. This episode first broadcast on 21 June 1996.

'I, Robot' discusses the evolving role of artificial intelligence, computers, and robots in everyday life. Interviewees include roboticists Joe Engelberger, Red Whittaker, Takeo Kanade, Kevin Warwick, and Rodney Brooks, cognitive scientist Marvin Minsky, and computer scientist Hans Moravec. It first broadcast on 28 June 1996.

'Starman' looks at how humans might eventually reach the stars. Interviews include historian Nick Argento, authors Arthur C. Clarke, Frederik Pohl, Yoji Kondo, Jack Williamson, and Robert L. Forward, rocket engineer Alan Bond, scientist Gerald A. Smith, physicist Michio Kaku, astronomer Patrick Moore, and artist Ron Miller. This episode first broadcast on 5 July 1996.

'Incredible Shrinking Planet' looks at the future of transport, including teleportation and time travel. It first broadcast on 12 July 1996.

'Brave New Body' looks into how body modification will shape future lives. Interviews include plastic surgeons Joseph M. Rosen and Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, biologist Charles Vacanti, roboticist Mark Pauline, writer Martin Caidin, surgeon Donald Humphrey, futurist Max More, author Natasha Vita-More, eye surgeon Dr. Eugene Dejuan, authors Bruce Sterling and Greg Bear, and biologist Walter Gehring. This episode first broadcast on 19 July 1996.

'Weird Science' shows how humans have come close to defying gravity, and achieving invisibility and perpetual energy.