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 pioneering speculative fiction and the magazine era that shaped modern science fiction. Released several times a week, the podcast explores timeless ideas—alien encounters, artificial intelligence, time travel, dystopian futures, and the human cost of progress—through stories by legendary authors including Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, H. G. Wells, Harlan Ellison, and many others. Now in its fourth year with more than 600 epis...

Episodes(40 episodes)

When You Giffle… by Joseph Wesley

Captain Hannah has found people who can reshape a spaceship with their minds, but their astonishing powers come with the judgment of ordinary kids. When a helpful teenager starts “giffling” with the Delta Crucis, Hannah realizes that getting home may be easier than surviving the repairs. When You Giffle… by Joseph Wesley. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. When You Giffle… appeared under author Joseph Wesley’s pseudonym, L. J. Stecher Jr. Wesley used that name for stories in Galaxy Science Fiction and Worlds of Tomorrow, while A Matter of Taste appeared in If under his real nam...

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

The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton

A brilliant scientist creates a mechanical mind capable of reasoning beyond its maker, then discovers it has begun building for itself. When towering machines march against entire cities, one man must find a way to destroy an intelligence that can outthink every human opponent. The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. I’ve been searching through old issues of Weird Tales, looking for great stories for our new podcast, Weird Tales Reborn, when I came across this story by Edmond Hamilton. And with all the talk lately about artificial intelligence, robo...

Published: Sep 23, 2026Duration: 1h 17m 37s

Kreativity for Kats by Fritz Leiber

Gummitch knows he was meant for more than the ordinary life of a house cat, but finding an outlet for his restless imagination isn’t easy. When his baffled humans finally discover what he has been doing in the kitchen, they realize their cat may be creating something they never thought an animal could make. Kreativity For Kats by Fritz Leiber. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Fritz Leiber wrote some wonderfully zany science fiction. Nice Girl With 5 Husbands, Later Than You Think, The Last Letter, and my personal favorite among his humorously strange tales, What...

Published: Sep 20, 2026Duration: 26m 39s

The Dead Man’s Tale by Willard E. Hawkins from Weird Tales Reborn

A dead man discovers that hatred can survive the grave—and that the living may be far more vulnerable than they realize. Richard Devaney refuses to surrender the woman he loves, even if reaching her means stealing control of another man’s body. The Dead Man’s Tale by Willard E. Hawkins. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Subscribe to Weird Tales Reborn Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weird-tales-reborn-classic-horror-weird-fiction/id6812494670 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2KgAyqHo9HPkU9gu6yrgQB Welcome to the very first epi...

Published: Sep 20, 2026Duration: 1h 1m 20s

Righteous Plague by Robert Abernathy

A government believes it has created the perfect biological weapon: a virus that kills only the people it considers dangerous. But Dr. Joseph Euge knows the plague is making a very different judgment, and soon an entire world may learn what truly makes someone vulnerable. Righteous Plague by Robert Abernathy. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. More new 5 star reviews on Apple Podcasts US! Snowcrash2020 says, “Thanks. Great stories with good narration. Keep it simple, keep it coming!” That’s the plan Snowcrash2020! And thank you for your comment and the 5 stars. If The...

Published: Sep 18, 2026Duration: 57m 52s

Crossroads of Destiny by H. Beam Piper

A historian joins a late-night conversation about worlds where one altered event sends nations down roads no one remembers. Then a stranger leaves behind something impossible to explain, suggesting one of those other histories may be much closer than anyone imagined. Crossroads of Destiny by H. Beam Piper. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Our new podcast, Weird Tales Reborn, will be available within the next 48 hours—possibly even sooner—and we think you’re going to love it. We’ve featured stories from Weird Tales magazine on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast before, but Weird...

Published: Sep 18, 2026Duration: 33m 47s

Security Plan by Joseph Farrell

A brilliant inventor finally discovers that the future may be worth far more than anyone imagined. But turning tomorrow into financial security requires finding someone willing to make a very bad investment today. Security Plan by Joseph Farrell. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. While we were out of town with Mom, Tony Ciak bought us 10 coffees with the simple message, “In Your Time of Need.” Tony, your kindness came at a time when it meant more than you could possibly know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m excite...

Published: Sep 16, 2026Duration: 26m 23s

Public Enemy by Kendell Foster Crossen

A young police officer finally gets the dangerous assignment he has been craving, only to discover that catching a killer may not solve the crime. In the 32nd century, the law can hold someone responsible who never pulled a trigger. Public Enemy by Kendell Foster Crossen. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Kendell Foster Crossen was born in 1910, in Albany, Ohio, the only child of farmers Sam and Clo Crossen. He attended Rio Grande College in Ohio on a football scholarship, was an amateur boxer, and before becoming a professional writer held a variety of jo...

Published: Sep 15, 2026Duration: 23m 45s

Crack of Doom by Stephen Marlowe

A familiar world becomes terrifying when everyone around Sam Weber accepts a new order that he cannot understand. As children take command and adults surrender without protest, Sam must discover why he alone still believes something is terribly wrong. Crack of Doom by Stephen Marlowe. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. A very special thank you to Ryan and Kait for buying us 10 coffees and for sending this incredibly kind message: “Thank you for The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. My wife and I listen every night. This podcast is a big part of our live...

Published: Sep 14, 2026Duration: 29m 24s

Coffin For Two by Winston Marks

Three years away has left Bill unprepared for an Earth where people can send perfect artificial bodies out to live for them. When an old rival threatens the woman he still loves, Bill discovers that becoming almost impossible to kill may be easier than accepting what life has become. Coffin For Two by Winston Marks. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Winston Marks was a Wisconsin-born science fiction writer who became remarkably prolific in the 1950s, publishing nearly 60 stories in just a few years. Before making his living as a writer, Marks claimed an extraordinary as...

Published: Sep 12, 2026Duration: 29m 54s

Blood Lands by Alfred Coppel

The people of Kana refuse to abandon their forgotten world, and Kenyon is determined to discover what could make them choose isolation over the stars. Deep beneath the strange islands, something ancient has already decided who belongs on Kana—and who will never leave. Blood Lands by Alfred Coppel. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. There are lots of ways to support The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, and no matter how you choose to support us, we truly appreciate it. One of those ways is by buying us a coffee. A huge thank you to T...

Published: Sep 11, 2026Duration: 28m 38s

The Vidiot by Ib Melchior

Don Hartley has stumbled upon an invention that could make him fabulously wealthy—and give anyone who controls it the power to watch anyone, anywhere. Before he cashes in, he must decide whether some discoveries are simply too dangerous to share. The Vidiot by Ib Melchior. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Another day, another author making his debut on the podcast. Ib Melchior was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1917. His father was a celebrated opera singer who performed throughout Europe and the Americas from the 1920s through the 1940s, including appearances with the Chicago Oper...

Published: Sep 10, 2026Duration: 26m 18s

The Watchers by George H. Smith

A lone Watcher abandons the safety of his hidden post when a human survivor falls into enemy hands. Outnumbered and almost unarmed, he must turn a frozen alien moon into a weapon before the Rumi escape with their prisoner. The Watchers by George H. Smith. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. We are thankful for another 5-star review on Apple Podcasts in the US. This one comes from DanDanknick: “A new experience I enjoyed. Other than the Psalms I’ve never listened to anyone reading anything on a podcast. A new daily work commut...

Published: Sep 8, 2026Duration: 27m 33s

Killer by James E. Gunn

A fugitive believes he has found a world willing to give him everything he has lost, including someone who seems made for him. But the closer paradise comes to matching his deepest desires, the harder it becomes for him to trust what stands before him. Killer by James E. Gunn. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Author James Edwin Gunn makes his debut on the podcast today. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1923, Gunn was a science fiction writer, editor, scholar, and anthologist whose remarkable career spanned decades. Gunn wrote about 20 novels and mo...

Published: Sep 7, 2026Duration: 36m 8s

Replace the Horse by Laurence M. Janifer

Arthur Holly thinks he has found the surest bet in horse racing when a brilliant scientist discovers how to make an aging nag run like a champion. The scheme works beautifully, but every race leaves their fortune riding on one very fragile piece of technology. Replace the Horse by Laurence M. Janifer. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. I want to take a moment to make a promise to everyone who listens to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Platforms come and go. Things change, sometimes for reasons beyond our control. The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast ma...

Published: Sep 7, 2026Duration: 21m 10s

Doomsday Deferred by Murray Leinster

Deep in the Brazilian jungle, a terrified family has found a way to bargain with something no human being was meant to bargain with. When an American naturalist realizes who—or what—is demanding payment, he begins to understand how easily an army of tiny creatures could become something far more dangerous. Doomsday Deferred by Murray Leinster. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Murray Leinster is one of my favorite authors and this is the 12th story written by Leinster that we have featured on the podcast. First published in The Saturday Evening Post...

Published: Sep 6, 2026Duration: 33m 56s

The Remarkable Case of Davidson’s Eyes by H. G. Wells

Sidney Davidson can hear his friends in England, feel the furniture beneath his hands, and yet his eyes insist he is somewhere impossibly far away. As the vision refuses to fade, one question becomes harder to dismiss: what if the impossible scene before him is not a dream at all? The Remarkable Case of Davidson’s Eyes by H. G. Wells. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Today’s story was first published in the Pall Mall Budget which was a weekly British magazine published in London and served as a weekly digest of articles and ne...

Published: Sep 4, 2026Duration: 28m 39s

Back Before The Moon by S. Omar Barker

This episode of the podcast is dedicated to my Mom who passed two days ago at the age of 86. Thank you Mom, for everything A desperate father races through flooded mountain wilderness toward a village chapel, convinced only a sacred symbol can save his fever-stricken daughter before nightfall. But every mile costs him time, and the strange stranger he keeps rescuing may be the very reason he returns home too late. Back Before The Moon by S. Omar Barker. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Today’s author lived an amazing life. Squire Omar...

Published: Aug 31, 2026Duration: 29m 20s

A Difficult Time

Some of you have reached out to ask why there haven’t been any new episodes of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast recently. My mother is nearing the end of her life, and I am traveling to be with her and spend whatever time we have left together. Right now, I don’t know when I’ll be able to return to producing new episodes of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. In the meantime, there are more than 600 episodes already available, and I hope you’ll continue to explore the many stories in the collection and find somethin...

Published: Aug 18, 2026Duration: 44s

Back Before The Moon by S. Omar Barker

This episode of the podcast is dedicated to my Mom who passed two days ago at the age of 86. Thank you Mom, for everything A desperate father races through flooded mountain wilderness toward a village chapel, convinced only a sacred symbol can save his fever-stricken daughter before nightfall. But every mile costs him time, and the strange stranger he keeps rescuing may be the very reason he returns home too late. Back Before The Moon by S. Omar Barker. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Today’s author lived an amazing life. Squire Omar...

Published: Aug 12, 2026Duration: 29m 20s