Mind Webs

This episode presents a science fiction story about explorers venturing beyond Martian landmarks into a desert landscape.

This episode introduces Judith Merrill's 1948 science fiction story 'That Only a Mother,' which explores themes of motherhood and nuclear weaponry, set against the backdrop of the Enola Gay's mission in World War II.

This episode features the story 'Apartment Hunting' by Harvey and Audrey Bilker, edited by Roger Elwood and published in the collection 'Future City' by Pocketbooks.

This episode presents Edmund Hamilton's classic science fiction short story 'The Man Who Returned' from February 1934.

This episode presents a science fiction story by Theodore Sturgeon from 1947 about a mysterious death investigation involving ships in the sky and a coroner's jury in Arizona.

This episode introduces the science fiction story 'Rollerball Murder' by William Harrison, originally published in Esquire in 1973, describing a violent futuristic game with corporate themes.

A man in a bar becomes fascinated with his own reflection while another hints at something unseen nearby in this science fiction story.

This episode introduces and begins narrating Harlan Ellison's 1965 Nebula Award-winning short story 'Repent, Harlequin, Said the Tick Tock Man', exploring themes of conformity and rebellion in a dystopian society.

This episode features a story about Arthur hearing his mother's unusual activities, including taking Nuxvomica bitters on spirit guide advice to stimulate her pituitary gland.

A man named Dixon realizes he is being followed by mysterious figures in a remote wilderness setting while on a trek to a signal station.

A narrator searches for a potential suicide victim on a moonlit beach, describing the eerie, pale landscape and the strange impulses of those who take their own lives.

This episode presents a science fiction story about a notorious criminal known as The Eel, who is hunted across multiple planets in the galaxy for punishment.

This episode features a reading of Ray Bradbury's classic science fiction short story 'The Veldt', exploring themes of technology and family dynamics through a dystopian nursery.

This is a fiction story titled 'The Racer' about a character named Willie experiencing intense excitement and heightened senses.

A science fiction story about space explorers forced to land on a steamy jungle planet after rocket trouble during a museum expedition across the Milky Way.

A 40-year-old disillusioned mathematician encounters a group of students distributing flowers and handbills on a fall afternoon.

This episode presents William Spencer's science fiction story 'The Eternal Machine' from the anthology SF2, edited by John Carnell.

This episode introduces the science fiction story 'The Sentinel' from 1951, inviting listeners to observe the moon's features as part of the narrative setup.

This episode features Ursula Le Guin's short story 'The End' from the anthology Orbit 6, depicting a man contemplating his kingdom by the sea at dusk.

This episode presents a 1936 Stanley Weinbaum science fiction story about an assistant professor of mathematics whose seemingly dry life becomes unexpectedly adventurous.

This episode narrates Kurt Vonnegut's dystopian short story 'Harrison Bergeron,' set in 2081 where enforced equality through handicaps suppresses individuality.

This episode features a speculative fiction short story titled 'Gas Mask' from the book 'The Ruins of Earth', narrated by Michael Hansen, about a character named Charlie Bates and his experiences with freeways.

A young man prepares for a ritual test that everyone fails, reflecting on his father's wisdom about failure as a generational rite of passage.

A science fiction story from 1975 about a man awakening in a distant future who claims to be John Lennon, exploring themes of identity and time.

This episode presents the short story 'After The Myths Went Home' from Robert Silverberg's collection Moon Ferns and Star Songs, exploring a science fiction or fantasy narrative.

A poetic narrative describing vivid memories of a dreamlike sky, sun, clouds, and wind, evoking magical imagery and sensory experiences.

A man in dire financial straits inventories his meager food supplies and empty mailbox while reflecting on his desperation and lack of support from his brother.

This episode of Mind Webs explores the causes of the energy crisis with Paul Nahin, starting with a scene of new students at their first class meeting on campus.

A young man named Flegg finds himself trapped in a terrifying climb up a vertical ladder on a gasometer, regretting his impulsive decision as fear and isolation overwhelm him.

This episode of Mind Webs presents a short speculative fiction story titled 'A Walk In The Dark' from the podcast's collection of imaginative narratives.

This episode presents a story from Joseph Elder's book 'The Farthest Reaches' titled 'Pond Water' by John Brunner, exploring a metaphorical vision of hell or purgatory through the lens of a microscope examining pond water.

This episode presents Robert Silverberg's science fiction story 'To the Dark Star' about three mismatched explorers—a microcephalon alien, an adapted girl, and the narrator—arriving at a dark star and beginning their struggle.

This episode presents a reading of Roald Dahl's short story 'The Sound Machine,' following protagonist Klausner as he enters his garden shed containing mysterious equipment.

A narrator recounts a business negotiation over land in Evanston with an unexpectedly sophisticated and self-educated man who becomes the focus of this science fiction story adaptation.

This episode presents Marion Zimmer Bradley's science fiction short story 'The Day of the Butterflies' from the Daw Science Fiction Reader anthology, following a city woman named Diana as she navigates her urban environment.

This episode presents a science fiction story about Murdoch driving at extreme speeds across a plain with an autonomous vehicle named Jenny that navigates obstacles for him.

A science fiction story about a character returning home to a futuristic building while feeling uneasy about singularities.

A narrator reflects on achieving a capacity for sacrifice while walking in a park, noticing the trees and feeling the raw air.

This episode presents a science fiction short story about Albert, possibly the last unintelligent child born in a world where children are becoming increasingly smarter, exploring themes of individuality and unconventional learning.

Dandor relaxes in his palace while being pampered by two women, reflecting on intimate moments with one of them.

This episode explores the profound significance of dreams and the possibility of an uncorporeal mental existence beyond our physical life through a speculative fiction short story.

A science fiction story about space explorers forced to land on a steamy jungle planet for rocket repairs while on a mission for the Larkin Museum.

A science fiction story excerpt follows a character's fearful escape from an alien tower into a surreal landscape, culminating in a moment of self-identification.

This episode explores a mysterious and emotional personal narrative involving a night where someone cried, with a focus on intimate details like a blouse being pushed out tautly without a brassiere.

A narrator travels back to 1903 to kill his grandfather with a revolver, creating a time paradox while working on secret inventions in a laboratory.

A genius named Richard recounts his life as a government experiment subject, from childhood pressure by his parents to taking memory-enhancing pills that ultimately reveal he's just a test for societal limits.