Strange New Words: Did you survive the killer robots?

Our First Month of “Strange New Words” Comes to a Close Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version   October 29, 2025 FOLLOW US FOLLOW US   Space.com's Sci-Fi Reader's Club SIGN UP ⋅   WEBSITE Letter from the Editor Hello sci-fi fans! Our first month of 'Strange New Words' took us deep into Ray Bradbury’s eerie classic “Usher II”, where censorship meets haunted houses on Mars. Let us know what your favorite Poe-themed trap was on our social media! If you’re just joining our new readers club, you can still read “Usher II” below and see the discussion questions we have for you. It’s the perfect story for the spooky season! In our newsletter you'll also find:   A short video roundtable with some of our staff where we talk about the hopes Bradbury had for us in 2005, and how we’re just “a decade away” from living on Mars. Anthony let us know that Dead Space 3 should be banned if any censorship committee comes into existence.   A poll to help choose next month’s story (be sure to get your vote in before November 1)  A few bonus sci-fi book recommendations  Plus: quizzes and our latest sci-fi coverage   Be sure to let us know your thoughts on this story on our website and social media channels: @spacedotcom!    As a reminder, ‘Strange New Words’ will land in your inbox on the first and last Wednesdays of each month. Add spacestrangenewwords@smartbrief.com to your contacts so our transmission doesn’t get zapped by your laser guns (aka spam folder).   Thanks for making our first month such a blast — we can’t wait to see where our next story takes us! — Ian Stokes (Entertainment Editor) and Kenna Hughes-Castleberry (Content Manager)   This Month's Short Story, "Usher II" by Ray Bradbury We'll step into the chilling imagination of Ray Bradbury, one of the most influential sci-fi writers in the 20th-century. Read More Discussion Questions Questions to think on while reading about robots Because half the fun of reading isn't just turning the pages, it's what happens when we start talking about them. So below are a few questions to think about while you're reading the story. These are great to share with friends or answer on socials. We'll also be walking through a few of these in our wrap up newsletter on this story.  If you were one of the guests lured into Usher II, what horror-themed trap do you think would "get" you? Do you think Stendahl is a hero defending art and fighting censorship, or is he a villain delighting in being cruel to make a point? Do you think Bradbury makes a haunted house on Mars seem believable? Why or why not? If all "fantasy" and "horror" was banned today, what books, films or games would you miss the most? If Poe and Bradbury sat down together, what do you think they'd say about "Usher II?" Would Poe be flattered, horrified, or both? Vote For Next Month's Story The story options for November Be sure to vote on which story you want us to read for November! "The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" by Ted Chiang "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson "They're Made of Meat" by Terry Bisson If You Like That Story, Try This Book! H. P. Lovecraft Tales of Horror (Leather-bound Classics) H. P. Lovecraft's Tales of Horror is a masterful collection of his most chilling and imaginative stories. Each tale delves into the cosmic and the uncanny, making this anthology a cornerstone of horror literature. Get your copy Other Sci-Fi Reads Q&A with 'First Contact' author Becky Ferreira The new science book "First Contact" is a vivid, humorous and deeply informed exploration of the many ways humanity has imagined, and actively searched for, life beyond Earth. Read More Space.com Staff Speak Sci-Fi Watch our staff roundtable discussion on "Usher II" Watch as Space staff members Brett, Anthony, Ian and Kenna dive into our October short story "Usher II" Watch now More Sci-Fi Content Upcoming Sci-fi TV shows for 2025/2026: Get ready Here's everything we know about the sci-fi TV shows coming out in 2025 and beyond into 2026. Read More Stay up-to-date on all things space science, news, and entertainment by subscribing to our newsletters. Sign Up Follow SPACE Contact Us: Feedback | Advertise Sign Up | Update Profile | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms and Conditions Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036

JAXA's cargo spacecraft docks with ISS today | Glowing spooky face seen on the sun | AI can help track Martian sand dunes

12-year-old finds 2 potentially new asteroids | Sun erupts a solar flare on its far side Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version   October 29, 2025 FOLLOW US FOLLOW US   Something amazing every day SIGN UP ⋅   WEBSITE   The Launchpad Happy Wednesday space fans! We have lots of stories for your Wednesday, starting with Japan's 1st HTV-X cargo craft arriving at the International Space Station. We have the livestream on our website so you can watch the docking happening in real time there.  Other stories for today include a 12-year-old finding two possible new asteroids, the historic first flight of NASA's supersonic X-59 plane and a glowing spooky face seen on the sun, perfect for Halloween. We have all that and more for your daily read.  Keep looking up,  Kenna  Content Manager, Space.com Watch Japan's 1st HTV-X cargo craft arrive at the ISS HTV-X is expected to berth to the station around 11:50 a.m. ET today (Oct. 29). Read More NASA's X-59 supersonic jet makes historic 1st flight The X-59 finally got airborne. Read More Space quiz! How much weight can JAXA's HTV-X cargo spacecraft carry? Click here for the answer! 5,000 pounds 8,000 pounds 13,200 pounds 15,000 pounds Skywatching NASA spots a spooky face glowing on sun for Halloween A haunting grin appeared on the sun as bright active regions and dark coronal holes combined to create a jack-o'-lantern face just in time for Halloween. Read More Spaceflight Russian cosmonauts install ISS experiments Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky logged another 6 hours and 54 minutes outside the International Space Station today (Oct. 28). Read More Science & Astronomy 12-year-old discovers 2 possible new asteroids "It really ignites my sense of wonder." Read More Newborn black holes 'cry' in spacetime ripples "GW241011 and GW241110 are among the most novel events among the several hundred that the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA network has observed." Read More SpaceX SpaceX launching Griffin moon lander now in mid-2026 The mission had previously targeted a launch at the end of 2025. Read More Technology How AI and sand dunes on Mars can reveal its history A new technique estimates forces on individual sand grains, offering scientists a novel way to study how Martian winds shaped the Red Planet. Read More Search for Life 1st lunar far-side samples may unveil Earth's history On Earth, CI chondrites make up only 1% of all meteorites that have been collected, but they may be far more common on the moon. Read More Today in Space On this day: Oct. 29, 1991: Galileo flies by Gaspra On Oct. 29, 1991, the Galileo spacecraft flew by the asteroid Gaspra on its way to Jupiter. Read More Photo of day: Sun's far side erupts in satellite image NOAA's CCOR-1 coronagraph captured the blast that showed the sun's raw power in action. Full Story: Space (10/28) Stay up-to-date on all things space science, news, and entertainment by subscribing to our newsletters. Sign Up   Follow SPACE Contact Us: Feedback | Advertise Sign Up | Update Profile | Unsubscribe Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms and Conditions Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036