This is a non-comprehensive list of short stories with significant
science fiction elements[?]. Due to the large number of short stories this list is limited to stories that have done one of the following,
- Defined a sub-genre of science fiction.
- Founded an important science fiction series.
- Been the first to introduce a science fiction concept.
- Won major science fiction or general fiction awards.
- Topped a major bestseller list.
- Been important to the field of science fiction in another way.
- Weyr Search[?] (1968) by Anne McCaffrey
- Founding story of the Pern series. Won a Hugo in 1968.
- Genius of the Species (1956) by R. Brentor
- First use of technology to induce intelligence in cats
- see also Big Dumb Object
- Orbitsville[?] (1975) by Bob Shaw
- Huge artificial sphere enclosing a star (known as a Dyson Sphere)
- Flatland (1884) by Edwin A. Abbott[?]
- A classic tale of a two-dimensional being meeting 'A Sphere'
- ...And He Built a Crooked House[?] (1941) by Robert Heinlein
- Story of a house that extends into the fourth dimension, much to the puzzlement of its occupants
- Robbie[?] (1939) by Isaac Asimov
- First Robot story by Isaac Asmiov, published in the September 1940 issue of Super Science Stories[?].
- Run Around[?] (1942) by Isaac Asimov
- First story to list the Three Laws of Robotics, published in the March 1942 issue of Astounding[?].
- The Chronic Argonauts[?] (1895) by H.G. Wells
- Probably the very first significant time travel story ever
- All You Zombies... (1959) by Robert Heinlein
- A story featuring a neatly tangled set of time travel paradoxes
- Ripples in the Dirac Sea[?] (1988) by Geoffrey A. Landis
- The affecting story of a scientist seesawing inescapably through time, this brilliant work effectively deconstructs most time-travel stories that came before. Winner of the 1989 Nebula Award for best short story.
(Note: This list may be more appropriate as a list of Significant Science Fiction Themes)