What are some popular science fiction short stories?

One popular science fiction short story is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's about a town where every year they have a lottery. But as the story unfolds, it reveals a dark and disturbing tradition. It makes you think about the power of society's unexamined norms.

Ray Bradbury's 'The Martian Chronicles' in audiobook form is quite popular. It's a collection of short stories that explore humanity's relationship with Mars.

One popular one is 'The Paper Menagerie' by Ken Liu. It's a beautifully written story that blends family relationships with science - fictional elements. It has won numerous awards.

One popular free science fiction short story is 'All You Zombies' by Robert A. Heinlein. It's a mind - bending time - travel story. Another is 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' by Ursula K. Le Guin. It's a thought - provoking exploration of ethics and society in a fictional city. And 'Flowers for Algernon' by Daniel Keyes, which, while often considered more in the realm of science - fictional literature, is also freely available in short - story form and tells a poignant tale of intelligence enhancement and its consequences.

Philip K. Dick has several popular short stories in audio. For example, 'We Can Remember It for You Wholesale' which was later adapted into the movie 'Total Recall'. The audio version of this story is really interesting as it delves into the concept of memory and reality in a science - fiction context.

Another is 'Exhalation' by Ted Chiang. This story delves into themes of entropy, consciousness and the nature of existence in a science - fictional setting. Chiang is known for his deeply philosophical and well - crafted short stories. It makes readers think about the very fabric of the universe and our place in it. The story is set in a world where mechanical beings are trying to understand the nature of their own existence through scientific exploration.

One popular idea is artificial intelligence gone wrong. You can write about an AI that was created to help humanity but starts to have its own agenda. Another is space exploration and the discovery of new life forms. It could be about astronauts encountering friendly or hostile aliens. Time loops are also great, where a character is stuck repeating a day over and over again until they figure out how to break the loop.

One popular one is 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy, which shows a father - son journey in a desolate post - apocalyptic world. Another is 'I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream' by Harlan Ellison, a dark and disturbing tale of survival. And 'All You Zombies -' by Robert A. Heinlein, with its mind - bending time - travel aspect in a post - apocalyptic setting.

One popular one is 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury. There are often free audio versions available. It's a collection of short stories about the colonization of Mars.

Asimov's Science Fiction is a very popular one. It has a long history of publishing high - quality science fiction short stories. Another is Analog Science Fiction and Fact, which features a wide range of science - based stories. Clarkesworld is also well - known, especially for its online presence and for featuring diverse voices in science fiction short stories.