Science fiction is filled with explorations of alien life. What can aliens teach us about what it means to be human? Aliens from other worlds have been a staple of science fiction since H.G. Wells first popularized the idea of Martians in The War of the Worlds. Whether they truly exist is an open question, but there's no denying the fact that aliens have been objects of both fascination and fear ever since - from Close Encounters to Independence Day. Science fiction has used aliens as metaphors to explore powerful ideas about communication, colonization, politics, power - and our treatment of each other.

Will we ever travel to the stars, the way science fiction has imagined? For many, science fiction and rocket ships are two sides of the same coin. Ever since H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, traveling to the stars and beyond has been a central theme - and promise - of science fiction. Writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Ray Bradbury ran with these ideas and laid the groundwork for modern franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars. What's out there waiting for us - and how will the discoveries of outer space change who we are?

A discussion of what makes monsters such a compelling story line in the science fiction genre.

Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Robert Kirkman and others explore how we will survive when the world goes to hell.

Steven Spielberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Lucas and others attempt to answer the question: Will the smart machines that science fiction predicted save humankind or lead to our demise?

Christopher Nolan, Keanu Reeves, Christopher Lloyd and others take a look at how, in science fiction, time travel offers the chance to correct history's mistakes - while creating entirely new ones.