The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

Fiction & Audio Drama

About

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast restores and narrates forgotten and underrated vintage science fiction short stories spanning from the 1700s through the mid-1960s. Each episode features a professionally narrated classic drawn from early speculative fiction, pioneering 19th-century tales, and the pulp magazine era that shaped modern science fiction.Released several times a week, the podcast explores timeless speculative ideas—alien encounters, artificial intelligence, time travel, dystopian futures, and the human cost of progress—through the works of legendary authors such as Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, H. G. Wells, Harlan Ellison, and many others.Now in i...

Episodes

  • The Secret of Kralitz by Henry Kuttner

    Henry Kuttner's "Secret of Kralitz" tells the story of Franz Kralitz and his discovery of a family ritual beneath Castle Kralitz. This short story was published in Weird Tales magazine in 1936 and is featured on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

  • The Moon Devils by John Wyndham

    This episode features "The Moon Devils" by John Wyndham, where a crew faces a deadly, ancient discovery far from Earth. The podcast highlights Wyndham's engaging writing style and mentions future stories by the author. It was originally pu…

  • The Derelict of Space by William Thurmond and Ray Cummings

    This episode features "The Derelict of Space" by William Thurmond and Ray Cummings, first published in 1931. The story involves a ship drifting in space and the mystery of what went wrong on its journey. The podcast also mentions "The Moon…

  • The Hero by Elaine Wilber

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Hero" by Elaine Wilber. A stranded crew faces unraveling discipline as one man claims to have found a way around the impossible. The episode also notes that some stories may contain out…

  • Traitor’s Choice by Paul W. Fairman

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Traitor’s Choice" by Paul W. Fairman. The story involves a man facing a difficult decision that impacts a life and an entire world.

  • The Wellsprings of Space by Albert Teichner

    The episode features "The Wellsprings of Space" by Albert Teichner, a story about an expedition encountering consequences for a breakthrough in galactic travel. The podcast, The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, presents this vintage sci-fi short story.

  • The Smart Ones by Jack Sharkey

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Smart Ones" by Jack Sharkey. The story examines whether cleverness can sustain humanity during the collapse of civilization and what kind of intelligence might emerge afterward.

  • Joe Carson's Weapon by James R. Adams

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features 'Joe Carson's Weapon' by James R. Adams, where two strangers pursue a boy who may have a catastrophic weapon. Also included is 'The Smart Ones' by Jack Sharkey, exploring intelligence and su…

  • Ely's Automatic Housemaid by Elizabeth W. Bellamy

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features Elizabeth W. Bellamy's 1899 short story, "Ely's Automatic Housemaid." The story is about a machine designed for chores that begins to operate dangerously, causing chaos in the household.

  • The Chasm by Bryce Walton

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Chasm" by Bryce Walton. The story centers on an old soldier's struggle for survival and a critical decision he must make.

  • Run, Little Monster! by Chester S. Geier

    In a world scarred by atomic war, a frightened girl must decide whether to keep running from her pursuers or trust an unseen voice. This episode features the vintage sci-fi short story "Run, Little Monster!" by Chester S. Geier.

  • Mimsy’s Joke by Millard Grimes

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Mimsy’s Joke" by Millard Grimes. The story explores humanity's discovery on Mars and its unsettling implications for Earth's history. The podcast also provides background on author Millard…

  • The Red Brain by Donald Wandrei

    On the last surviving star, a civilization that has mastered time, matter, and life faces a slow extinction. A newly created mind claims victory over the unstoppable force consuming the universe. This episode features "The Red Brain" by Do…

  • I'll Kill You Tomorrow by Helen Huber

    In "I'll Kill You Tomorrow" by Helen Huber, a nurse and a young doctor uncover a dark secret about newborns. They must decide whether to act and risk becoming monsters or allow thirty killers to be released into the world. This story is fe…

  • Snowstorm on Mars by Sam Merwin Jr.

    On Mars, a colony's future is jeopardized by a mysterious threat affecting their cattle. Lynne Marcein must face this danger while pregnant, as her husband is millions of miles away. This story, "Snowstorm on Mars" by Sam Merwin Jr., was o…

  • Pink Grass Planet by Sam Merwin Jr.

    In "Pink Grass Planet" by Sam Merwin Jr., a man comes back to his home world after years, discovering it has changed. He faces a choice about where he truly belongs as the future unfolds.

  • The Passenger by Kenneth Harmon

    This episode from The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Passenger" by Kenneth Harmon. The story, originally published in 1954, involves a character who finds someone who understands them but must decide whether to trust the unseen.

  • The Towers of Titan by Ben Bova

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Towers of Titan" by Ben Bova, a story about an ancient machine on Titan. It also includes "The Passenger" by Kenneth Harmon.

  • This Means War! by A. Bertram Chandler

    This episode features "This Means War!" by A. Bertram Chandler. It tells the story of an expedition returning from the Third Planet, where a routine operation turned dangerous, and a familiar world became a battlefield without warning.

  • The Miserly Robot by R. J. Rice

    This episode features "The Miserly Robot" by R. J. Rice, a story about a man's decision regarding his finances and the unexpected discovery about his robotic guardian. It also includes "This Means War!" by A. Bertram Chandler.

  • The Last of the Deliverers by Poul Anderson

    This episode features "The Last of the Deliverers" by Poul Anderson, a story about two individuals from a past political era confronting a changed world. Their inability to accept the new reality leads to an unavoidable conflict.

  • The Mordant by Merab Eberle

    This episode features "The Mordant" by Merab Eberle, a story about a woman confronting a choice about her appearance. It will also present "The Last of the Deliverers" by Poul Anderson.

  • The Sweeper of Loray by Robert Sheckley

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast presents "The Sweeper of Loray" by Robert Sheckley. A medical discovery poses a threat to its discoverer, forcing a critical decision.

  • The Fastest Draw by Larry Eisenberg

    This episode features "The Fastest Draw" by Larry Eisenberg, a vintage sci-fi short story about a man who builds a perfect opponent. The story explores the meaning of victory when a contested outcome is guaranteed. The host also discusses…

  • Cat and Mouse by Ralph Williams

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Cat and Mouse" by Ralph Williams. The story, a Hugo Award finalist in 1960, is about a trapper who discovers a new land where he becomes the prey. Ralph Williams wrote eleven stories and "C…

  • One-Shot by James Blish

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "One-Shot" by James Blish. A critical decision needs to be made as time runs out, and conventional methods are failing, leaving unusual expertise as the only option.

  • The Long Question by David Mason

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Long Question" by David Mason. A quiet accountant participates in a game show where he must predict future headlines after being isolated from civilization.

  • The Gate to Xoran by Hal K. Wells

    The episode features "The Gate to Xoran" by Hal K. Wells, where an alien intelligence arrives on Earth. A man discovers the truth about the alien presence and must confront the challenge it poses.

  • Death of a Spaceman by Walter M. Miller Jr.

    An old spaceman lies dying while a rocket prepares for launch nearby. He fights for one last moment that proves his life in space meant something. This story by Walter M. Miller Jr. was published in Amazing Stories in March 1954.

  • The Body-Masters by Frank Belknap Long

    In a future society where emotions are regulated, a surgeon discovers a flaw in the system. This episode features the story "The Body-Masters" by Frank Belknap Long, originally published in Weird Tales Magazine in 1935.

  • The Crowded Colony by Jerome Bixby

    Human explorers believe they have conquered a Martian village, but a hidden group of Martians is studying the invaders and deciding their fate. This episode features "The Crowded Colony" by Jerome Bixby, an early work from the prolific sci…

  • When the Moon Turned Green by Hal K. Wells

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "When the Moon Turned Green" by Hal K. Wells. In this story, a scientist is the only one unaffected when the moon turns green, paralyzing all life on Earth as alien invaders prepare to take…

  • Failure on Titan by Robert Abernathy

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Failure on Titan" by Robert Abernathy. The story is about a powerful man on a Saturnian moon who believes he has found the key to ruling the Solar System.

  • Murder Beneath the Polar Ice by Hayden Howard

    On "The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast," the episode features "Murder Beneath the Polar Ice" by Hayden Howard. A diver under the Arctic ice is forced to make a difficult choice when machines and men collide, leading to political consequences. The epi…

  • Old Friends are the Best by Jack Sharkey

    A plant brought from the Moon to Earth grows, causing gravitational disturbances and celestial objects to fall. The story explores the unforeseen impact of this extraterrestrial flora on humanity. This classic sci-fi story was written by J…

  • The Man From 2071 by Sewell Peaslee Wright

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Man From 2071" by Sewell Peaslee Wright. The story explores themes of knowledge, ambition, and the potential dangers of scientific advancement.

  • Salvage in Space by Jack Williamson

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Salvage in Space" by Jack Williamson. A lone meteor miner encounters an unseen terror on a drifting interplanetary liner. The story was originally published in the March 1933 issue of Astou…

  • The Last Letter by Fritz Leiber

    This episode features "The Last Letter" by Fritz Leiber, a story about a handwritten message causing chaos in a machine-dominated world. The podcast, The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, presents this unusual tale, originally published in 1958.

  • The Next Time We Die by Robert Moore Williams

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Next Time We Die" by Robert Moore Williams, where two humans struggle for survival on a desolate planet. The episode also mentions "The Last Letter" by Fritz Leiber.

  • Strange Exodus by Robert Abernathy

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Strange Exodus" by Robert Abernathy. The story explores a scientist's discovery that humanity's survival on a depleted Earth may require an unprecedented transformation. The episode also in…

  • Patch by William Shedenhelm

    In "Patch" by William Shedenhelm, an automated giant is crippled in space. Pop Gillette, who swore he would never touch a liner again, must save it and prove that instinct can still outrun machinery.

  • A Long Way Back by Ben Bova

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "A Long Way Back" by Ben Bova. The story follows an astronaut in orbit tasked with assembling a machine to save civilization, facing a dilemma that could prevent his return home. The episode…

  • Quixote And The Windmill by Poul Anderson

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "Quixote And The Windmill" by Poul Anderson. The story explores themes of purpose and confrontation when two men encounter an advanced machine.

  • Castaway by A. Bertram Chandler

    On "The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast," the episode "Castaway" by A. Bertram Chandler explores a man's struggle for survival after escaping drowning. He discovers an island with a machine and faces a decision that could change his fate.

  • The Man Who Knew Everything by Randall Garrett

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Man Who Knew Everything" by Randall Garrett. A man suddenly becomes a critical intelligence asset, facing a dilemma about sharing information that could lead to war.

  • Microcosmic God by Theodore Sturgeon

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features Theodore Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God," a story chosen by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one of the finest science fiction short stories published before the Nebula Awards. The pod…

  • The Hounds of Tindalos by Frank Belknap Long

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features Frank Belknap Long's classic short story, "The Hounds of Tindalos." The narrative delves into themes of hidden dimensions and ancient evils awakened by curiosity. The podcast also looks ahea…

  • The Ultimate Problem by Victor Rousseau

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Ultimate Problem" by Victor Rousseau. A physician risks his life to explore the border between body and soul, leaving his assistant with a difficult decision about his legacy. The episo…

  • The Ultimate World by Bryce Walton

    This episode of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast features "The Ultimate World" by Bryce Walton. The story is about a man from a civilization that has solved all its problems, who travels to the far future to determine if life should continue.

  • The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky

    In "The Ultimate Paradox" by Thorp McClusky, a retired physicist performs an irreversible experiment. This leads to a dilemma between unchecked growth and deliberate disappearance, set against a backdrop of a reshaping reality.