Books Science Fiction Solving Population Decline Through Science Fiction Real-world solutions might be expensive or politically unpopular, so why not take a page from SF? By James Davis Nicoll | Published on July 27, 2026 Inherit the Earth cover art by Donato Giancola Comment 0 Share New Share Inherit the Earth cover art by Donato Giancola In 2025, Canada’s population shrank for the first time since Confederation. The reason for this is very subtle: if babies born + immigrants is a smaller number than deaths + emigrants, then the population will shrink. Canada has a low birth rate and we recently turned down the dial on immigration. As a consequence, there are fewer people in Canada in 2026 than there were in 2024. Only mathematicians of the very highest order can easily wrap their minds around equations so arcane, thus we cannot blame the government if they are surprised by the logical outcome of their actions. After all, it isn’t like there’s any precedent for low birth-rate, low immigration nations featuring declining populations. Generally speaking, governments want their populations to grow because the economy and tax base tend to scale with population. Whether or not population growth is always a good idea is a matter for another essay. Let’s just assume for the moment Canada wants more Canadians1. Currently there are three obvious options: Increase the birth rate There are a number of ways this could be done (subsidizing children, for example, or punishing those who try to avoid having children). Decree 770 provides an example of how well the second one works in practice. Subsidizing babies doesn’t seem to be much more successful, aside from having fewer immediate negative externalities like dead mothers or legions of abandoned babies. Increase immigration This is easy to implement and works well enough, although you will want to expand housing accordingly. However, it does encounter the minor issue2 that every nation appears to have a healthy supply of xenophobic racists—often people whose ancestors were themselves targets of xenophobic racism—which means immigration can be a political hot potato. Decrease emigration Either convince people not to leave or make it difficult for them to leave. I’m all in favour of the first option, but it might involve wild-eyed socialism such as ensuring sufficient housing, economic opportunities, not having a deranged and heavily armed nation right next door, and so on and so forth—all courses to which federal and provincial governments seem cool. The second requires an impenetrable border. Borders are notoriously penetrable and Canada has so very much border. Plus, the voters are unlikely to react well to being told they cannot leave. What is a government to do when solutions are difficult to implement and/or come with a lofty political price tag? Turn to speculative fiction for solutions! Territorial expansion Canada is no stranger to expansion. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, is a relatively recent addition. One cannot help but notice that immediately south of the border there are millions of proto-Canadians who would no doubt welcome us as liberators. Nibbling a Detroit here and a New York City there would shore up our population for a very long time. There is a Canada-specific SF work that comes to mind; Dean Ing’s Systemic Shock, in which Canada annexes the upper third of the US, thus allowing a post-World War IV streamlined America to better focus on its core strengths. I don’t know how many new Canadians we got out of that, given that the territory in question was nuked, irradiated, and sown with bioweapons, but probably not zero…and the irradiated, sickly former Americans seem likely to appreciate single-payer health care more than the Canadians for whom it is not a novelty. Life extension Remember babies born + immigrants and deaths + emigrants? Reducing the number of deaths can also result in population growth. Additionally, whereas encouraging (or requiring) more babies and immigrants or fewer emigrants could prove very unpopular, almost nobody objects to the idea of living longer. The extreme case is if everyone is immortal. With no deaths and no emigration, global population can only grow. This logic played a prominent role in the backstory to Brian Stableford’s Inherit the Earth. Hellier and his allies reasoned that: If the population had continued to increase, so that nanotech emortality spread through a world that was still vomiting out babies from billions of wombs, nothing could have restrained the negative Malthusian checks. Thus the engineered wave of apocalyptic pandemics to greatly reduce the human population, especially the poor people3, plus an extra pandemic that sterilized everyone to ensure that the elite who survived were dependent on artificial, easily regulated, reproduction. This seems an appropriate juncture to acknowledge that many people, especially science fiction authors (as discussed in an earlier article), are somewhat cool on high populations. Still, if not for Hellier and his pals, this setting might have been an unqualified example. Mass production Currently, the supply of new locally-produced Canadians is entirely composed of artisanal, handcrafted4 babies, each one of whom requires nine months of hard work by a single labourer5 and then almost two decades of communal effort to turn into an adult. What is this, the Paleolithic? We’ve mechanized, industrialized, and automated so much of modern life. Why not people-making? SF offers a wide range of options here. For example, Bujold’s uterine replicators (seen in her Vorkosigan books), lend themselves to factory production of babies, although as the author notes, they don’t solve the problem of raising or educating the little tykes. A more effective approach would produce functional adults, created able to fill their role in the economy, or failing that, would duplicate already existing adults. The Pohl and Williamson-scribed Farthest Star’s misleadingly named tachyon transporter (it was actually a duplicator) would almost qualify, if not for the fact the purposes to which duplicates are put greatly limits their lifespan. A better example would be the fax from Wil McCarthy’s Queendom of Sol series, which could produce as many duplicates as there was matter available from which to construct them. No doubt there are other possibilities I’ve overlooked. Feel free to mention them in comments below—and for further reading on SFF’s treatment of the issue of population decline, you may want to check out this previous essay.[end-mark] How many would be ideal? Well, there has to be at least one Canadian for Canadians to exist and even very optimistic estimates of how many humans the Earth can support tend to cap out at about one trillion. The answer is unlikely to be at either extreme. The median is five hundred billion Canadians, which is a nice round number. ︎Well, two minor issues. Birthrates are falling almost everywhere. How willing will governments be to allow people to leave when everyone is running short of citizens? ︎Judging by the surnames of the characters in the book, the sufficiently elite seem to have been white Anglophones like their author. What an extraordinary coincidence. ︎“Handcrafted” isn’t quite accurate, but it is a term Reactor will likely allow to appear in print. ︎With design input from another person early in the process. ︎ The post Solving Population Decline Through Science Fiction appeared first on Reactor.

News Neuromancer First Trailer For Apple TV’s Neuromancer Looks Really, Really Promising He steals data. In cyberspace By Molly Templeton | Published on July 27, 2026 Screenshot: Apple TV Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Apple TV If your first reaction to the trailer for Apple TV’s Neuromancer is, essentially, Is this really happening?!?!—well, I’m right there with you. Attempts to adapt William Gibson’s seminal cyberpunk novel have been made since the 1980s. After The Matrix, it seemed like Neuromancer would never come to life on the big screen. Or the small screen, for that matter, which is where it’ll be in early 2027 when Apple TV releases their series version. Neuromancer is the story of a hacker named Case who is enlisted to take part in an elaborate heist. It was Gibson’s debut novel, though one of its most iconic characters, the razor-fingered Molly Millions, had already appeared in his story “Johnny Mnemonic,” and other elements had appeared in the story “Burning Chrome.” The novel has one of the most quotable opening lines in SF; its vision of the Sprawl, the mega-city running from Boston to Atlanta, feels as if it grows nearer day by day; and, of course, there’s the fact that we’re all essentially living and working in cyberspace, all day every day. At least we have smartphones instead of jacks in our skulls? The series stars Callum Turner (Rose of Nevada) as Case and Briana Middleton (The History of Sound) as Molly Millions; they’re joined by Max Irons, Dane DeHaan, Junia Rees, Jordan Kouamé, Emma Laird, Marc Menchaca, André De Shields, and Isabella Pappas. All Apple wants to tell us about Neuromancer so far is that it’s about “a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case (Turner) who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high-stakes crime with his partner Molly (Middleton), a razor-girl assassin, as they pull off a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.” I’m intrigued by the choice to say, in the description, that they pull off the heist; it makes me wonder if this adaptation goes beyond the first novel in the Sprawl trilogy. A previous teaser did refer to this as “the next chapter.” This teaser is brief, flashy, appealing, at once high-gloss and gutter-grim, which is as it should be. It’s very light on dialogue, leaning instead on quick shots of the world: neon night market vibes, dark rooms, glaringly bright bland construction. The hacking bits are only teased. Overall, it’s quite promising. The adaptation is created by Graham Roland and JD Dillard. Dillard’s background is largely as a TV director and screenwriter (Stray); Roland is the creator of Jack Ryan and Dark Winds, and was a writer on Fringe. They seem like a solid pair to tackle this material, and they have Gibson on board as an executive producer. Neuromancer‘s 10-episode first season premieres January 22, 2027, on Apple TV.[end-mark] The post First Trailer For Apple TV’s <i>Neuromancer</i> Looks Really, Really Promising appeared first on Reactor.

News Blade Runner 2049 Blade Runner 2099 Trailer Finally Reveals the Show’s Plot Hunter Schafer and Michelle Yeoh star in a bold new Blade Runner story By Matthew Byrd | Published on July 24, 2026 Photo Credit: Prime Video Comment 0 Share New Share Photo Credit: Prime Video The first teaser trailer for Blade Runner 2099 just dropped, and it goes a long way to making us feel pretty excited about a series that we’ve really known next to nothing about since it was announced nearly five years ago. Set 50 years after Blade Runner 2049 (I know, I know, work with us here), Blade Runner 2099 is set sometime during the aftermath of a successful replicant uprising. The replicants now have all the power and seemingly are not above treating humans the way they were treated for years. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Blade Runner 2099 showrunner Silka Luisa looked at the previous Blade Runner films and the Philip K. Dick novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? to find the show’s overarching theme. “The show is really imagining what comes after us, and what does it mean to be human in a world where humanity is no longer relevant?” Luisa explains. “There’s a tone to his novel. There is a zaniness to it, but at the same time, he has really dark themes and circumstances. And I think the juxtaposition of this kind of bubblegum tone with these dark ideas was something I really gravitated toward.” The show’s plot is quite fascinating. Michelle Yeoh stars as an aging replicant named Olwen who functions as a modern Blade Runner. Opposite Yeoh is Hunter Schafer: a human named Cora who must pretend to be a replicant Blade Runner in order to avoid capture. Set during the final days of Yeoh’s life (replicants know exactly when they will die), Blade Runner 2099 sees Olwen and Cora work together to hunt down a group of rogue replicants as the tension fuelled by their respective dilemmas and secrets threatens to boil over. Many of Blade Runner‘s core themes are certainly present in that story, as is the look established by the revolutionary Ridley Scott film. Simply put, Blade Runner 2099 visually looks pretty intriguing so far. There is definitely a murkiness to the look that may be a deliberate design decision meant to represent the fallen world that was or could simply be a sign of modern aesthetics. In any case, the stunning design of this universe is certainly present in many of the wider, grander shots. Standards are high for anything Blade Runner, to say the least, but between that cast (which also includes Tom Burke, Dimitri Abold, and Wil Coban), that premise, and what glimpses we get from this trailer, there is certainly renewed reason to hope for the best. Best of all, we finally have a release date for the show. Blade Runner 2099 will premiere on Prime Video on November 25.[end-mark] The post <i>Blade Runner 2099</i> Trailer Finally Reveals the Show’s Plot appeared first on Reactor.

News The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power The Rings of Power Season 3 Trailer Is All About Sauron Sauron-maxxing (sorry) By Matthew Byrd | Published on July 24, 2026 Photo Credit Prime Video Comment 0 Share New Share Photo Credit Prime Video The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power got a new trailer at SDCC 2026, and wouldn’t you know that it focuses on that kooky dark lord Sauron and the forging of the One Ring. The preview is actually quite generous in terms of new footage given how little we’ve seen of the show’s third season thus far. And though there are a few lovely shots of beloved characters wandering across scenic settings, the tone of the preview is, understandably, quite dark. After all, the previous season ended with King Durin III dying, Sauron obtaining the Nine Rings for Men after killing Celebrimbor, and the Free Peoples generally in disarray as Sauron gains more and more power. Things are looking grim, y’all. Set against what appears to be Sauron’s forging of the One Ring, this preview reveals an inevitable, but dramatic, conclusion: it’s time for everyone to unite or be conquered by the forces of Mordor. As an… on the nose line of dialogue puts it, “The Dark Lord… we have to stop him.” Visually, The Rings of Power remains a remarkable accomplishment. The seemingly militaristic nature of this season is certainly a fine way for the show’s costume designers to flaunt the incredible armor they have crafted, while the shots of Mordor capture the intensity and volatility of Sauron’s domain. So far as that goes, it’s easier than ever to see where the hundreds of millions of dollars the show reportedly cost to make went. Narratively, we of course have a slightly better idea of where things are heading as the series works its way towards some of the most notable events in Lord of the Rings lore. By many accounts, the series’ second season improved by utilizing a more driving plot that greatly increased the stakes of the series’ sometimes lackadaisical and meandering debut season. The drive demonstrated in this trailer certainly suggests the series will continue in that direction, though it remains to be seen if one of the more divisive series in recent memory finally finds its footing. We won’t have to wait too much longer to find out, though, as The Rings of Power Season 3 is set to debut on Prime Video on November 11.[end-mark] The post <i>The Rings of Power</i> Season 3 Trailer Is All About Sauron appeared first on Reactor.

News Dungeon Crawler Carl Peacock’s Dungeon Crawler Carl Series Has Found Its Princess Donut Princess Donut has been cast before Carl himself By Matthew Byrd | Published on July 24, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share At SDCC 2026, Matt Dinniman revealed that Jeff Hays has joined the planned Peacock adaptation of Dungeon Crawler Carl in the role of Princess Donut. Hays will undoubtedly be a familiar name to fans of the Dungeon Crawler Carl books. He not only narrates the series’ audiobooks but produces them as well. While this is the only confirmed bit of casting for the series so far, it at least suggests that the show is going to stick fairly close to its source material wherever possible. If so, that would hardly be a surprise given how much its fans contributed to this series going from an entry in the still somewhat obscure LitRPG genre to a full mainstream hit. And if you are not a Dungeon Crawler Carl fan, then just know that Princess Donut is a prized show cat (full name Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk) who accompanies Carl on his journey into the mysterious dungeon that appears following a transformative event. Much like Carl, Princess Donut undergoes quite a few changes in the Dungeon and emerges as one of the series’ best characters. The fact that Princess Donut was cast before Carl in the series kind of says something about the character’s fan-favorite status. On that note, we really still don’t know much about that series outside of what was initially revealed relative ages ago. It’s going to premiere on Peacock, Matt Dinniman is creatively involved, and the series is produced by Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door. It seems likely that the series will make it to production given how absurdly popular the books have become, but we’ve of course seen stranger things happen in the world of literary adaptations. So we’ll all be keeping an eye open for any updates on this one.[end-mark] The post Peacock’s <i>Dungeon Crawler Carl</i> Series Has Found Its Princess Donut appeared first on Reactor.