Questions tagged [apocalypse]
An apocalypse is a catastrophic event that ends or changes the world as we know it. Post-apocalyptic scenarios are a staple of science fiction and fantasy.
62
questions
49
votes
9
answers
14k
views
First appearance of the "wake up from a coma, discover the world has ended" trope?
In The Walking Dead, Rick is shot, goes into a coma, and wakes up to find that the world has ended:
In 28 Days Later, Jim is in an accident, goes into a coma, and ...
- 69.8k
44
votes
9
answers
43k
views
In the original Mad Max movie, is there actually any reference to an apocalypse?
While the Wikipedia article on Mad Max says:
The film opens "a few years from now"
in Australia, in a dystopian future
where law & order has begun to break
down at the end of the 'Oil Age'...
- 23k
24
votes
2
answers
5k
views
1980s movie/series on PBS about a man & his psychiatrist in a post-apocalyptic world
First, a word about the format - I don't know whether this was a movie or a TV series, b/c I saw it aired in pieces on PBS back in the 1980s. I don't even recall if it was originally voiced in english,...
- 2,467
22
votes
1
answer
657
views
Unpleasant Uses of Replicator/3D Printer
A bank manager gets up, uses his house replicator to make breakfast, then drives to work. he notices that things are wrong, such as damage to the statues on the facade of the bank building. Turns out, ...
- 2,230
22
votes
1
answer
834
views
Short story in which a man gets a phone call about the end of the world by accident
I read this short story within the last year or two, almost certainly in a short story collection. It was relatively old, possibly from the '60s or '70s, but it could have been from the '50s or '80s ...
- 371
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
A girl who transcends time
I remember quite a bit, but can't seem to find the title or (female) author.
A girl accompanies her father as he captains a mission to travel at near-light speed in order to experience the effects of ...
- 307
19
votes
2
answers
2k
views
ID Sci Fi short story: Earth soon to burn in Sun, apartment setting, juice cans, she sleeps, wakes to reality of Earth freezing
I could have sworn this was Bradbury. Definitely published pre-1980. I feel like I should know this.
The female (?) protagonist is in an apartment suffering in the heat.
Earth is moving toward the ...
- 201
19
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Trying to identify a short story about Disney characters in a post-apocalyptic world
Back around 1985 I remember reading a short story, I think it was in Omni Magazine, of a post-apocalyptic world where something unexpected happens. The story begins during a storm over an ancient ...
- 191
18
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What film/TV program was set on a spaceship and...? (I can only remember the ending so have kept the title uninformative!) [duplicate]
Like the title says, I only remember the end of this. I think it was a film, but may have been an episode of something like The Outer Limits. I saw it on TV around 1999 (ish), and I think it was quite ...
- 423
17
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Trilogy: End of civilization by hydrocarbon-eating bacteria
I have searched here and googled with no result. I can't remember the name of the author. I think it begins with a B. I can't remember the name of any of the books, nor the name of the series. It's ...
- 821
16
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Asian movie where the final scene shows a family having dinner immediately before the nuclear apocalypse
I'm looking for a movie that I saw on the German TV station Kabel Eins probably in the early 2000s. The movie itself should be much older - from what I remember about the look, I'd guess that it's ...
- 385
16
votes
1
answer
522
views
Bright centre of the Universe
I'm looking for another short SF story where Google has no clue as the premise is kind of dated: the Big Bang and expanding universe have grabbed the reigns from the Steady State Theory...
The story ...
- 531
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Catholic Apocalypse Short Story - can't remember the title
I'm trying to remember the title of a short story about the Apocalypse written by a Catholic priest. Can you please help me? It's NOT Lord of the World by Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson. It's a much ...
- 199
15
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Early short story about light from huge star burning Earth [duplicate]
I'm trying to find a short story that I read in some collection of early science fiction. The premise is that scientists detect that the light from a huge star is going to arrive. Everyone is ...
- 161
15
votes
1
answer
407
views
Countdown to Earth's destruction, woman rescued by aliens
I'm looking for a short story I read in either Analog, or Asimov's or Fantasy and Science Fiction within the past few years.
In this story, a woman is awakened in the night by aliens communicating ...
- 151
14
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Short story, first spaceship's burn starts chain reaction and destroys all life, astronaut returns and seeks out the ocean [duplicate]
I think (but I'm not sure) this story is quite old, possibly from before the first launch of anything into space. In the story the burn from the shuttle/spacecraft leaving Earth sets off a chain ...
- 143
13
votes
1
answer
808
views
Short story collection about extinct alien civilizations
About a year ago, I remember finding a website featuring a large number of fictional accounts of extinct alien civilizations (it might have been around 300). In universe, these were only a sample of a ...
- 181
13
votes
1
answer
378
views
A rapture to the end of time story, kind of like "The Last Question" but not
I am trying to find a story I read a few years ago that involves
young girl on Earth who accepts an invitation to leave the planet shortly before its doom in a "rapture" style event where all ...
- 233
13
votes
0
answers
115
views
Fictionalized rendition of a wise-woman's prophecy of eco-terrorists bringing the civilisation to a bloody end in near future (2030+?)
I remember reading a book in my early teens (2000-2005) in Polish — though most probably a translation — of a fictionalized "prophecy" of an East-European/Slavic/Russian wise-woman/seer. The ...
- 793
12
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Which 90s "apocalypse" movie has a prostitute with a child?
In this movie (mid 90s), the main character is a woman who works in the streets, selling her body. The woman has a child who is her only reason to exist and continue living.
Unexpectedly for the ...
- 559
12
votes
1
answer
180
views
looking for this sf novel about an ex soldier who during a pandemic is charging rich parents space for their kids in a secure monastery to survive
I'm a librarian and sf lover who's been asked to help locate a book which sounds very familiar to me, but which I never read myself. I haven't had any luck searching our catalogue or various sf ...
- 171
11
votes
1
answer
408
views
Novella (and follow up short story) in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine about the stars going out. Published ~20 years ago
I am trying to find a novella (and its follow up short story) that were published in "Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine" on the order of 20 years ago (+/- 5 years).
Premise: for reasons unknown,...
- 231
11
votes
1
answer
328
views
ID a story in which a plant-like species attempts to develop space travel to evade a recurring catastrophe [duplicate]
It was a novel and the non-human nature of the protagonist and their species is revealed only gradually. They're some kind of animate and mobile plant species that reproduces by budding. They're '...
- 660
11
votes
1
answer
315
views
Satirical short story with "keeping up with the joneses" theme
The short story was printed in an anthology, possibly between the 60s and 70s, and by a mainstream author in a wacky mood.
The protagonist is constantly upstaged by his neighbor. A nuclear war occurs ...
- 141
10
votes
2
answers
764
views
Book called “The Inheritors” from 70s or 80s
I’m convinced I read a book called “The Inheritors” about two kids living in a post apocalyptic society. I don’t know the author and all searches on this title find other books that aren’t it…
It's ...
- 103
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Science Fiction story about aliens and a dead earth
I'd like to ask if you'd be able to identify a story I read years in high school. I think it was around 1987 when I read an interesting science fiction story in a multistory novel. The novel was ...
- 211
10
votes
0
answers
125
views
“End of the world” anthology book, including a story about the onset of a new ice age, and another about a meteor destroying a large city
I’ve been trying to find a book I had checked out from my local library in the early 1980s. It was an anthology of short stories about end of the world.
Title had the word “catastrophe” or “...
- 101
9
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Post-apocalypse novel about biker gangs, the main character "Long Range" can "see" the future
The main character in the novel is called "Long Range" or something similar. It's about biker gangs roaming post-apocalypse USA and the Long Range character can sometimes "see" the future. His future ...
- 161
9
votes
1
answer
120
views
Play: set in an apocalyptic setting
I am trying to find the name of a play I remember having to read in one of my Literature classes. It is an older play and set in an apocalyptic setting (I think inside a lighthouse), there's an older ...
- 488
9
votes
0
answers
136
views
Trying to identify a Eco-disaster/apocalyptic novel I read in the 80’s
Trying to find a eco-disaster novel I read in the mid-80’s. Believe it was a new release at the time.
World was being consumed in a wave of disaster and mutated creatures due to pollution/waste
...
- 91
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
A story about activating lumps of clay with parchments
I don't remember when or where I read this. Not as far back as the 70's-80's, I think, but in the 90's or more recently I don't remember. Probably novella length, or very long novelette, but not a ...
- 13.8k
8
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Second prophecy of Mandos
Does anybody know anything about the mysterious "Second Prophecy of Mandos"? It seems to be about the end of the world.
- 5,519
8
votes
1
answer
465
views
Apocalyptic novel set in California, the female main character uses a bow and arrow
The main character lives in a town in California. She gathered medical supplies at beginning of a disaster and uses them for trade. She is a whiz with bow and arrow.
A biker gang comes to town. ...
- 91
8
votes
1
answer
452
views
Science fiction cartoon movie taking place in an apocalyptic kind of world
I watched this movie in early 90s with a Betamax. I still remember pieces from the movie and I want to find and watch it!
Here is what I remember:
The world was apocalyptic; lots of lava, lots of ice ...
8
votes
1
answer
487
views
Short story in which a girl at a dinner party describes the end of the world by flooding
The story is about a guy at a dinner party who goes into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and meets the daughter of the party hosts. He starts talking to her and she mentions she is working on a ...
- 131
8
votes
1
answer
584
views
Seeking story about time slowing, couple in stasis, end of the world
I remember reading this in an anthology over 15 years ago:
A married couple lives in an automated house/citadel that satisfies their every need. Somehow, it also preserves them; life is so stable and ...
8
votes
1
answer
304
views
Identify a novel about a viral epidemic
I read this at least 10 years ago and I do not remember it being very new. So it is possibly older than that.
The protagonist is a scientist working in a genetics related field. The book deals with ...
- 2,701
8
votes
1
answer
312
views
End-of-humanity SF
A recent story-id question introduced me to a Thomas M. Disch novel about the end of humanity while fighting, and losing, against overwhelmingly powerful alien invaders. This was in the early 1960s.
...
- 596
8
votes
1
answer
224
views
SF apocalyptic short story probably from the 50s
From time to time I recall a short story I read, probably from the late 50s, about the earth after atomic disaster. A few survivors are leaving the city seeking escape even though they know the ...
- 81
7
votes
1
answer
531
views
Book identification: Story about a vampire that awakens just as the Nukes hit
Vampire wakes up in a city where the bombs have dropped and the sun never rises. I think this book was written around 1980.
I just can't remember the title. I want to say it's something akin to "...
- 63.5k
7
votes
2
answers
704
views
TV series about an incoming end of the world. The characters think they can only save part of the world, possibly a hemisphere
I have some very vague memories about a TV series (I think) that I used to watch as a kid back in the late 90s/early 2000s (I'd say around 1995-2003). I don't really remember anything about it; the ...
- 173
7
votes
1
answer
359
views
Short story about mundane life at the end of the universe
I'm looking for a short story about the end of the world, perhaps even the end of the universe. The story follows the mundane nighttime routine of, if I recall correctly, a couple. They put the kids ...
7
votes
1
answer
260
views
Title of post apocalytic novel, sterility, clones, pennsylvania?
I read this novel that I believe was written around 1975. Something - I think it was ecological - has resulted in the almost universal sterility. A (rich) family has created an enclave somewhere in ...
- 173
7
votes
1
answer
418
views
Short web comic of robot carrying a dead woman who helped him
The web comic went something like: The world is ending, and this girl runs into a guy in the street who isn't aware and tells him to get to shelter with her. They stay together in the shelter during ...
7
votes
0
answers
396
views
Post-apocalyptic novel featuring black female protagonist
In the 1970s, I read a sci-fi novel in high school, where the main character was a black girl, a point purposely not made clear until late in the book. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic (is there ...
user60936
6
votes
2
answers
313
views
TV show episode or movie where world's existence depends on a man's life
I think it was an episode from The Outer Limits, or maybe The Twilight Zone.
I think I watched it in the 90s, very likely in color.
I had a look at the episode descriptions for The Outer Limits of the ...
- 161
6
votes
2
answers
716
views
Story about aliens saving dolphins when the Earth is about to be destroyed
The premise was that the earth was about to be destroyed, and some alien race could only save one species. Much to the chagrin of the humans, they saved the most intelligent species which turned out ...
- 61
6
votes
1
answer
336
views
Story of a woman and her mother facing apocalypse together
The world is going to end, maybe because of an alien invasion or meteor. Everybody knows that the world is going to end and accepts it because there isn't anything that can be done to avoid it. The ...
- 643
6
votes
1
answer
176
views
Epic novel chronicaling the collapse of Planet Earth through pollution and other environmental catastrophies
A novel written in the 1970's or early 80's. I read it in the late 80's.
It starts out in 1990 where the main character(s) were stationed in Antarctica. Some Woody Allen movie is mentioned in that ...
- 61
6
votes
0
answers
118
views
Pre-1985 polluted Earth novel - hopeful/mixed ending
In the early 1980s I glanced at a paperback novel at a library. In it Earth and its atmosphere were a polluted mess, with humanity and all life near extinction. But, somewhat miraculously, a massive ...
- 45.5k