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

byScott Miller

FictionScience

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(40 episodes)

Castaway by A. Bertram Chandler

He escapes drowning only to discover that the island holding him is not as empty as it seems. When he finds a machine that might change more than his location, he must decide whether to risk everything on a button marked START. Castaway by A. Bertram Chandler. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.We do love narrating stories that were published in Weird Tales magazine. From the November 1947 issue of the the publication where strange beings stirred in the dark, and every page felt like something you maybe shouldn’t be reading alone at midn...

Published: Feb 27, 2026Duration: 35m 24s

The Man Who Knew Everything by Randall Garrett

A man once dismissed as harmless suddenly becomes the most dangerous intelligence asset on Earth. When every secret he speaks could ignite a war, he must choose whether to keep answering questions—or stop talking altogether. The Man Who Knew Everything by Randall Garrett. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Before we begin today’s story, I want to take a moment to say thank you.Steve bought us five coffees and he had this to say, “Thank you for this service. Has become an integral part of my week.”Than...

Published: Feb 26, 2026Duration: 34m 58s

Microcosmic God by Theodore Sturgeon

A single mind reshapes the future in silence—until power attracts the wrong kind of attention. When creation accelerates beyond control, the price of playing god may no longer be paid by the god alone. Microcosmic God by Theodore Sturgeon. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Today we celebrate something extraordinary.Four years ago, The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast launched with a simple mission — to bring forgotten and underrated vintage science fiction back to life. Today, with Episode 500, we mark our 4th anniversary.Five hundred episodes.Thousa...

Published: Feb 25, 2026Duration: 1h 22m 11s

The Hounds of Tindalos by Frank Belknap Long

He wanted to look beyond time and prove that history was still alive, waiting in hidden dimensions. What answered him from those angles was patient, hungry, and already on his scent. The Hounds of Tindalos by Frank Belknap Long. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Frank Belknap Long spent more than forty years shaping the landscape of science fiction. He wrote nearly 200 short stories, with about 60 now in the public domain. We’ve narrated fewer than ten so far, which means many more tales from this gifted storyteller are still to come on The Lost...

Published: Feb 23, 2026Duration: 41m 41s

The Ultimate Problem by Victor Rousseau

A brilliant physician risks his own life to force open the border between body and soul, determined to correct what he believes nature has failed to complete. When the experiment ends and only one flame returns, his assistant must decide whether to protect a dangerous legacy—or let it rise again in a new form. The Ultimate Problem by Victor Rousseau. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Victor Rousseau joins us on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast for the first time today.Born in Belgium in 1879, Rousseau was educated in Europe before emigra...

Published: Feb 22, 2026Duration: 30m 15s

The Ultimate World by Bryce Walton

A civilization that has solved every problem sends one man into the far future to decide whether life itself should continue. What he discovers forces a choice no perfect world can face without risking its own end. The Ultimate World by Bryce Walton. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.We want to give a huge thank you to Miriam, who just bought us five coffees ☕☕☕☕☕Miriam wrote: “I love your podcast. I’m a big sci-fi fan, and listen to your podcast first thing in the morning drinking my coffee & playing with my cats while wa...

Published: Feb 21, 2026Duration: 37m 8s

The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky

A retired physicist triggers an experiment he knows he cannot reverse, forcing him to choose between unchecked growth and deliberate disappearance. As the universe recedes and reality reshapes itself around him, one question remains unresolved: whether returning home means survival—or something far stranger. The Ultimate Paradox by Thorp McClusky. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Thorp McClusky makes his debut on the podcast today. He wrote twenty science fiction short stories across the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, with nearly all of them appearing between 1936 and 1945.Yesterday we featured The Ultimate Wish...

Published: Feb 20, 2026Duration: 46m 10s

The Ultimate Wish by E. M. Hull

A woman is offered one wish, but every choice comes with a price that can’t be escaped or softened. As the clock runs down, she must decide whether wanting everything means accepting something far worse. The Ultimate Wish by E. M. Hull. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.The heart of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast has always been simple: we go looking for the voices that history misplaced.Not just the household names you see in every anthology. Not the writers who built towering reputations while others stood quietly in thei...

Published: Feb 20, 2026Duration: 47m 6s

Death Wish by Robert Sheckley

Three men realize their ship will never slow down, and the silence between them grows more dangerous than empty space. When a final option appears, it forces them to decide what kind of survival they are actually asking for. Death Wish by Robert Sheckley. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Many of the Robert Shockley stories we’ve featured on the podcast have been humorous but this isn’t one of those. We will discover our story on page 38 in the June 1956 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, Death Wish by Robert Sheckle...

Published: Feb 18, 2026Duration: 25m 45s

Helen O'Loy by Lester Del Rey

They built a machine to handle chores, not to wait by the door or feel the sting of being left behind. When affection stops being programmable, someone has to decide whether turning it off is an act of mercy or something far worse. Helen O’Loy by Lester Del Rey. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.One week from today we celebrate the 4th Anniversary of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. This is episode 493 and our 500th episode arrives on our Anniversary. So that’s 7 stories in the next 7 days.Today’s story is...

Published: Feb 17, 2026Duration: 32m 46s

World's End by Henry Kuttner

When a glimpse of tomorrow reveals how the world is undone, a scientist is given a narrow window to act. The risk isn’t failure—but coming back unable to remember what he changed. World’s End by Henry Kuttner. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Your 5 star reviews are greatly appreciated. This comes from Benjermano 01 on Apple Podcasts Australia, “Cracking Podcast. Couldn’t ask for more in these episodes, variety, excitement, suspense. Awesome.” Thank you Benjermano 01!More of you listen to us on Apple Podcasts than any other place and we would love...

Published: Feb 16, 2026Duration: 34m 20s

Welcome to Paradise by Allyn Donnelson

A factory worker wakes up far from Earth after a routine job triggers something no one warned him about. What he learns there forces a choice between keeping quiet—and deciding who gets to live longer back home. Welcome to Paradise by Allyn Donnelson. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.If you consider yourself the biggest science-fiction fan on the planet and you’ve never heard of Allyn Donnelson, you’re forgiven. He appears to have published only a single story, and beyond that, nothing. We don’t know when or where he was born or an...

Published: Feb 14, 2026Duration: 28m 40s

Final Exam by Sam Merwin Jr.

Earth’s most powerful leader discovers that the counsel he trusted most may soon be gone—just as the stakes become irreversible. When guidance disappears, the final responsibility cannot be delegated, delayed, or avoided. Final Exam by Sam Merwin Jr. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.When you’re diving into the early days of sci-fi, one name you keep bumping into — even if you don’t always recognize it — is Sam Merwin Jr., who makes his debut on the podcast today. Born Samuel Kimball Merwin Jr. on April 28, 1910, in Plainfield, New Jersey, he came into the...

Published: Feb 12, 2026Duration: 22m 39s

Seller of the Sky by Dave Dryfoos

A wandering old man keeps selling something no one believes can still exist, and two children decide it’s time to demand proof. What follows forces a choice between safety and a single moment that can never be taken back. Seller of the Sky by Dave Dryfoos. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Dave Dryfoos made his debut on the podcast less than two weeks ago and I enjoyed Some Like it Cold so much I began searching for another one of his stories. This one was the last story ever publi...

Published: Feb 11, 2026Duration: 23m 46s

Wainer by Michael Shaara

In a future that prizes engineered clarity and measurable usefulness, one man lives with a body and mind that refuse to fit. When the reason for his difference finally becomes clear, a single choice determines whether his life was wasted—or perfectly timed. Wainer by Michael Shaara. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Special thanks to our listeners in Ireland. Your support has been nothing short of extraordinary. We’ve spent more time at #1 on the Apple Podcasts science fiction charts in Ireland than in any other country. Thank you.Today’s story...

Published: Feb 10, 2026Duration: 34m 25s

Citizen Jell by Michael Shaara

He has the power to fix what everyone else must endure, yet every use of that power risks ending the quiet life he has built. When the cost of doing nothing becomes personal, an old man must decide how much disobedience he can live with. Citizen Jell by Michael Shaara. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.As we approach the podcast’s fourth anniversary, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude and reflection. It’s impossible not to think about the countless ways you have shaped this journey—and my life along with it. There’s no way I...

Published: Feb 9, 2026Duration: 26m 13s

Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel

In a future where youth is enforced and aging is treated like a moral failure, one man faces a decision that could cost him everything he values. Love, law, and longevity collide when the price of renewal becomes dangerously personal. Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.One of our shortest episodes, Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel proves that a story doesn’t need many pages to leave an impression. It’s a smart, engaging look at aging, relationships, and the promises—and pressures—of a future built around sta...

Published: Feb 9, 2026Duration: 11m 54s

Zeritsky’s Law by Ann Griffith

What if time itself could be paused—bought, sold, and exploited by anyone with enough money and nerve? Zeritsky’s Law explores the terrifying social consequences when human lives become inventory and the future becomes a loophole. Zeritsky’s Law by Ann Griffith. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Ann Griffith was a well-known and widely published writer, though science fiction made up only a tiny fraction of her work. During World War II, she served as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, the pioneering WASP program, graduating from flight school in August 1...

Published: Feb 8, 2026Duration: 21m 59s

The Age Of Kindness by Arthur Sellings

In a future that has perfected compassion, one man discovers that kindness can be its own kind of cruelty. When humanity finally reaches for the stars again, the greatest test is not technology, but who is deemed worthy to dream. The Age of Kindness by Arthur Sellings. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.One of the questions we hear most is how we decide which stories make it onto the podcast. The answer isn’t a single rule, but a mix of considerations—one of the most important being uniqueness. Is the author someone we’ve...

Published: Feb 7, 2026Duration: 28m 12s

Peacemaker by Alan E. Nourse

A lone envoy risks everything to stop a quiet expansion that could ignite a catastrophic war. When fear replaces curiosity, survival depends on whether understanding can arrive before annihilation. Peacemaker by Alan E. Nourse. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.We’d like to thank a generous listener for buying us five coffees. They chose to remain anonymous, but the support means just as much, and we truly appreciate it. If you’d like to buy us a coffee as well, you’ll find the link in the description.Buy Me a Coffee...

Published: Feb 4, 2026Duration: 54m 46s