How would first contact—on earth, in space, on another planet—transform our understandings of technology, philosophy, and what it means to be human? What kind of cognitive dissonance would society experience, if we discovered a previously unrecognized sentience on Earth?What would life be like if it originated in a frigid ocean beneath an impenetrable shell of ice? Or on a world whose haze obscures any view of the universe beyond? Or on an unfathomable scale in the...

Is there hope for us all?Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope," described it as "a thing with feathers." Third Flatiron Anthologies' latest collection of short speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror stories touches on the theme of hope, whether it's about taking flight filled with optimism for the future, venturing outside one's comfort zone, taking outsize risks in order to succeed, or finding it dashed on the rocks. Twenty-four authors give their entertaining takes on the subject, inc...