About The Anomalous Files: Stories from the World of Sci-Fi Ethics
You are entering the zone of Sci-Fi Ethics. The stories collected here are the work of students from the University of Virginia in a class called Sci-Fi Ethics. As the professor of this class, I must admit that the composition of these stories is something of a mystery to me. I send these out to the inter-webs in hope of preserving this record from attempts to silence these accounts!
Episode Notes
The Final Choice is a short story featuring five strangers from Planet 56 escaping a meteor stricken space station and finding themselves selecting one to sacrifice.
The strangers are aboard the Stardust with an EDS pilot leading them to the next safest planet inhabited by Colony 57. Doom strikes when the EDS pilot informs them that the ship does not have adequate fuel to safely carry everyone to Colony 57. One must be ejected. Twenty quick minutes tick by as they target, defend, and debate each other about who should be sacrificed for the lives of the others.
This episode brings about the topic of placing value on each individual. Is one life more valuable than another because of their past mistakes? Does one's current responsibilities make them more or less valuable? Is there another way?
Created by: Suri Thakore, Matthew Negron, Bevin Doyle, Amrith Annamreddy, Caroline Wolfe, and Ray Cai
13 Oct 2026
S3E5 - The Great Sadness: The Destruction of New Years Island
Episode Notes
Two interplanetary travel-agency environmentalists reach New Years Island and begin exploring its remnants. They encounter some native islanders and talk about the state the Great Joy Corporation left the ecosystem in. The natives also tell them about the “spirit of the island,” which was once a peaceful force that embodied all living ecosystems across the island. Now the islanders are left to suffer because of the Great Joy Corporation's wrongful actions.
To develop this podcast we worked alongside Sound on Grounds to record our audio. The voice actors in this podcast include, Lily Harrell, Ella Saidi, Carston Turvey, Drew Nottingham, and Matthew Nguyen.
Bibliography:
Echovoid sounds. (2026). Footsteps Sound Effect 👣 | Realistic Walking SFX (No Music) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thDIojPp4zw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thDIojPp4zw)
Free Sound Effects. (2024). Surprised Horror - Free Sound Effects For Youtube Videos [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatGnnYOHZ0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DatGnnYOHZ0)
Mars cloud. (2021). Sweet Bird Sound - Morning Sound Effect Garden Bird [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhz6AI45IQw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhz6AI45IQw)
Mike Downes. (2019). Rustling Leaves and Snapping Sticks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfCzUgEw3Aw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfCzUgEw3Aw)
Ryan Lloyd. (2012). Wind Sound FX [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqJ37MVf16Y (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqJ37MVf16Y)
Sound Effects. (2022). Sea Waves - Sound Effect [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3ZbsOhNTas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3ZbsOhNTas)
Star Raccoon. (2017). Spaceship landing with SFX [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUDmOSVj0QE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUDmOSVj0QE)
Xilith. (2018). Spaceship Takeoff Sound Effect - Royalty Free! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYrHB86Kg0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYrHB86Kg0)
13 Oct 2026
S3E4 - Project Argon
Episode Notes
A Prequel to Ted Chiang's "Exhalation," in which humanity is torn into living in two places: The Bunker, or the City of Argon as mechanical beings, effectively becoming immortal.
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