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)

Castaways Of Space by Robert Silverberg

A washed-up Galaxy Patrol lieutenant hits a jungle world expecting a quick recovery—then learns the kidnapper has turned the crash into a crown. To get the Earthgirl home, he’ll need a move the natives won’t forgive and a choice he may not survive. Castaways Of Space by Robert Silverberg. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Robert Silverberg is one of our absolute favorites here on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. I’m not even sure how many of his stories we’ve featured so far, but it’s probably getting close to twenty. The really exc...

Published: Jul 26, 2026Duration: 42m 51s

Lorelei by Charles V. De Vet

Nine astronauts trapped on Europa find comfort in an alien who can become anyone they long to see. Their only chance of returning home may require deceiving a creature that can read every thought they try to hide. Lorelei by Charles V. De Vet. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Another day and another author new to the podcast. Charles Vincent De Vet was born in 1911 in Fayette Michigan, a town that had almost disappeared by then, but had once been a bustling iron smelting town. It would later become a ghost town and in 1959 th...

Published: Jul 25, 2026Duration: 24m 57s

The Angry Mammoth by Jack London

A boastful hunter claims he chased the last living mammoth through a hidden northern valley until only one of them could endure. His proof sounds impossible, but the boots on his feet make disbelief far less comfortable. The Angry Mammoth by Jack London. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. We are thankful for another 5 star rating and review. This from Captain Redeyer on Apple Podcasts in Ireland. “An absolute Gem! This is an amazing collection of sci-fi stories, excellently read, and delivered with gusto. Totally recommend for sci-fi fans. Thank you Captain!! We appre...

Published: Jul 24, 2026Duration: 29m 55s

Heroes Die Hard by Leroy Yerxa

A veteran Coast Guard captain witnesses an impossible rescue at sea, then finds himself chasing an explanation no naval report could ever record. As another convoy battles through the North Atlantic, he must decide whether to trust what every sailor knows cannot exist. Heroes Die Hard by Leroy Yerxa. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Today’s story has one of the most unusual publishing histories we’ve ever featured. Heroes Die Hard first appeared in the December 1943 issue of Fantastic Adventures magazine—but if you looked at the byline, you wouldn’t have seen Leroy Yerx...

Published: Jul 23, 2026Duration: 25m 51s

The Cave Where I Am Hiding by Robert Moore Williams

Adam Jenkins walked away from the world’s most dangerous research project because he became convinced there was something far more important waiting to be built. When his closest friend arrives determined to change his mind, the conversation leads to an unexpected choice that could alter both of their futures. The Cave Where I Am Hiding by Robert Moore Williams. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. This is the fourth time author Robert Moore Williams has been on the podcast in the last ten months and there will me more. There was The Incredible Slingshot Bomb...

Published: Jul 22, 2026Duration: 23m 33s

The Red Hot Deal by Joseph Farrell

Two alien swindlers believe they have found the perfect disguise, the perfect victim, and an easy path to unimaginable wealth. Their carefully staged bargain soon becomes a contest to discover who is truly being fooled. The Red Hot Deal by Joseph Farrell. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. We love hearing from you, yesterday we received this message on Facebook from Stephanie Laugesen, “My brother recently got me hooked on your podcast and I am absolutely loving listening to the stories. I've started from the beginning of the series, and there have been a few that...

Published: Jul 20, 2026Duration: 24m 35s

Juke Box Asteroid by Joseph Farrell

Stranded on an iron asteroid by ruthless competitors, two Earthmen discover that their foolish-looking captors have one irresistible weakness. Steve Burgess has a daring escape plan, but activating it could send the entire asteroid hurtling toward disaster. Juke Box Asteroid by Joseph Farrell. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. One of our favorite things is introducing you to authors making their first appearance on the podcast, and today that author is Joseph Farrell. Like so many writers from the pulp magazine era, he left no personal history behind. We don’t know where he was born...

Published: Jul 18, 2026Duration: 35m 46s

From Beyond the Stars by Murray Leinster

A ten-year-old boy discovers that the fantastic dangers in his comic books may be closer to reality than any scientist suspects. When a friendly voice from another star offers him an astonishing invention, Tommy must decide whether he is speaking to an ally—or helping an enemy reach Earth. From Beyond the Stars by Murray Leinster. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. One of the questions we hear quite often is, Why did so many science fiction authors use pen names? There were actually several reasons. Magazine editors usually didn’t want a single issue to loo...

Published: Jul 17, 2026Duration: 36m 6s

The Dwindling Years by Lester del Rey

Arthur Giles helped build a civilization that believed death had been defeated, but one terrible diagnosis forces him to measure the future in years instead of centuries. When a dangerous experimental starship suddenly becomes his only chance to reclaim what time has taken away, the risk no longer seems impossible. The Dwindling Years by Lester del Rey. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Thank you to our Spotify listeners! We have 508 ratings on Spotify with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. That’s awesome! Thank you. And if you listen on Spotify and you haven’t give...

Published: Jul 16, 2026Duration: 40m 3s

Battle of the Solar System by Ray Cummings

A well-meaning astronomy enthusiast joins an absent-minded professor on a mission that soon carries them beyond every known galaxy. Their only hope is to stop a furious scientist who would rather smash the Solar System than admit Ptolemy was wrong. Battle of the Solar System by Ray Cummings. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Born in New York City in 1887 Raymond King Cummings, was an influential and very prolific author from 1920 until his passing in 1957. As a pioneer of pulp science fiction, he published over 600 stories under his own name and various pen names, with ro...

Published: Jul 14, 2026Duration: 44m 7s

The Talkative Tree by H. B. Fyfe

Peter Kolin has spent years hiding every disloyal thought from the rulers of Haurtoz. On an uncharted planet, a strangely friendly tree offers him an escape—but Kolin may have found something far more powerful than freedom. The Talkative Tree by H. B. Fyfe. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Every so often someone asks why we featured a particular story. For The Talkative Tree, the answer is wonderfully obvious: it’s a talking tree! And as it turns out, it’s got quite a bit to say. From the January 1962 issue of If World...

Published: Jul 13, 2026Duration: 23m 39s

Survivor by Irving Cox Jr.

A desperate refugee believes safety waits beyond the mountains, but each mile strips away another piece of the civilized man he once knew. When fear turns into a hunger for power, he may become indistinguishable from the enemy pursuing him. Survivor by Irving Cox Jr. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Irving Cox Jr. wrote numerous short stories between 1951 and 1965, including The Guardians, Impact, and two stories we’ve already featured on the podcast, The Pioneer and Export Commodity. He also ventured beyond science fiction, publishing the mystery novel Murder Among Friends in 1956. Surv...

Published: Jul 12, 2026Duration: 35m 18s

Passage to Anywhere by Sam Merwin Jr.

A breakthrough meant to open the stars threatens to shatter the world before anyone understands what it can really do. One exhausted inventor must decide whether to bury his work—or prove it in front of the very people who want to control it. Passage to Anywhere by Sam Merwin Jr. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Sam Merwin Jr. made his debut on the podcast just five months ago and you like his stories so much you keep asking for more so here we are, his fifth story in those five months. The...

Published: Jul 11, 2026Duration: 1h 6m 53s

I, Gardener by Allen K. Lang

A brilliant mind builds more than one legacy, but the most obedient creation can still reach a breaking point. In a quiet house above Boston, one witness must decide whether he is facing a mad servant, a failed machine, or something far worse. I, Gardener by Allen K. Lang. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. I could’ve sworn Allen K. Lang had been on the podcast before but I can’t seem to find him anywhere in our 585 episodes. So let’s call this his debut, even if it isn’t! Allen Kim Lang w...

Published: Jul 10, 2026Duration: 20m 43s

The Cosmic Jackpot by George O. Smith

A strange malfunction in a revolutionary vending machine leaves two worlds trading useless objects while baffled scientists race to understand the impossible connection. As the exchanges grow more deliberate, one risky decision could turn a commercial gimmick into the first bridge between planets. The Cosmic Jackpot by George O. Smith. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Most sci-fi fans don’t remember George O. Smith, but maybe they should. He wrote 70 short stories and 9 science fiction novels from 1942 to 1976. This is the 5th time Mr. Smith has been on the podcast, and with most of his...

Published: Jul 7, 2026Duration: 38m 32s

The Lost Race by Robert E. Howard

A lone Briton fleeing murderous outlaws stumbles into a hidden world beneath the forests of ancient Britain, where an older people still remember every stolen homeland and every dead king. One act of mercy may be the only thing standing between Cororuc and a vengeance that has burned in darkness for centuries. The Lost Race by Robert E. Howard. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Let’s peel back the pages of time 99 and a half years as we travel back to ancient Britain with a story written years before Conan the Barbarian first appeared in p...

Published: Jul 6, 2026Duration: 39m 32s

The Good Life by John R. Pierce

Sylvia finally finds a way to escape the life she believes is holding her back, but freedom proves far stranger than she imagined. As she drifts farther from the people who love her, she faces a frightening question: what if the life she abandoned no longer wants her back? The Good Life by John R. Pierce. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. What is the guy who invented the term transistor doing on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast? Well it turns out that John Robinson Pierce who was born in 1910 in Des Moines Iowa wasn’t just...

Published: Jul 4, 2026Duration: 32m 33s

The Agent by Stephen Marlowe

A desperate performer signs with a miracle agent who promises work, food, and a paying audience beyond anything Broadway can offer. But once the contract is signed, Mike Hennesy learns that show business has just opened on a much larger stage. The Agent by Stephen Marlowe. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Stephen Marlowe returns to the podcast, and if the name doesn’t sound familiar, you’ve already heard his work here under several others. He previously appeared as Milton Lesser, Darius John Granger, and C. H. Thames. Our story first appeared on pag...

Published: Jul 3, 2026Duration: 25m 11s

Alternatives Inc. by Mack Reynolds

A company offers a service so extraordinary that every satisfied customer forgets ever hiring them, leaving behind only impossible evidence and an unpaid question that refuses to disappear. When Steve Stevens demands an explanation, he uncovers a business built on a scientific breakthrough that could rewrite every relationship he has ever known. Alternatives Inc. by Mack Reynolds. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Mack Reynolds is back on the podcast for what will be his sixth story. One of my favorites by Reynolds is The Martians and the Coys which was episode 9. Published in...

Published: Jul 2, 2026Duration: 23m 49s

Day’s Work by Noel Loomis

A young god wagers billions of years on a daring experiment that every elder around him expects to fail. If he can prove that intelligence and compassion can grow together, an entirely new species may change the future of the galaxy—or confirm its darkest doubts. Day’s Work by Noel Loomis. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. There are a number of ways you can support The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. You can leave a 5 star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify or wherever you listen to us. You can be...

Published: Jul 1, 2026Duration: 25m 17s