Six-Phrase Sci-Fi: Tales Written by You

THIS MONTH’S PROMPT

In six words, write a story about octopuses.

Disclaimer: All #WiredSixWord submissions become the property of WIRED. Submissions will not be acknowledged or returned. Submissions and any other materials, including your name or social media handle, may be published, illustrated, edited, or otherwise used in any medium. Submissions must be original and not violate the rights of any other person or entity.

NOVEMBER 2024

A Story About an Insect Revolution

Illustration: Yiran Jia

BUTTERFLIES SYNC WINGS. DISTANT STORMS AWAKEN.

—Neil Larsen, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Eternally hungry caterpillars refuse to pupate.
—@NymphUrban, via X

Every insect piloted a real human.
—@morgocomics, via X

Ants made mountains out of molehills.
—@andredoubleu, via Instagram

The mantises’ prayers have been answered.
—@mrjasenewman, via Instagram

They’re no longer scared of shoes.
—@bouncingseth, via Instagram

Cicadas rose, sang, and consumed all.
—@frater.greg, via Instagram

We’re the children of software bugs.
—@hermanbessler, via Instagram

Life changed when butterflies became weaponized.
—Sarah Calkin Ward, via Facebook

Grasshoppers sang; cities crumbled to dust.
—John Snyder, via Facebook

OCTOBER 2024

A Story About Entangled Particles

Illustration: Yiran Jia

HAUNTED DREAMS FOLLOWED OUR FIRST EMBRACE.

—@instaduncc, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Yikes. Spooky action. Time to split.
—@FilmMartin, via X

Are you here? Are you not?
—@jessleycegui, via Instagram

Unseen, it dances under another’s shadow.
—@marcoslavarello, via Instagram

We spin in unison, galaxies apart.
—Mark Richardson, via email

Spooky out here! Spook, you there?
—Andrew Dawson, via email

Breaking news: sentient entangled particles divorce.
—Rami, via email

Once it died, you were born.
—@bietorres, via Instagram

Tapestry of space, matter sewn together.
—@dr.karenorjuela, via Instagram

Meet me beyond the double slit.
—@javirz, via Instagram

SEPTEMBER 2024

A Story About a New Flavor

Illustration: Yiran Jia

ONE RAINBOW ALWAYS FILLS YOU UP.

—@heardaniyell, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Dog focus group favorite flavor: human.
—Jordan Tannenbaum, via email

Reprogramming their tongues enslaved them all.
—Osman Salleh, via email

Lager brewed with spacecraft-specific fungi.
—Tobias Eriksson, via email

Flame without smoke tastes of immortality.
—Brendan Murphy, via email

Cauterizing taste buds, introducing Hellfire dressing.
—Cult MetalFlix, via Facebook

Dark matter is tasty. Who knew?
—@canebrakerattler, via Instagram

Flaming watermelon delights and self-extinguishes.
—@boomerdell, via Instagram

The comfort of human companionship. Bottled.
—@akacarolineashley, via Instagram

#1 robocafé: aroma of human anxiety
—@belindacolemanwrites, via Instagram

Lemon. Pepper. Cthulhu. Fresh, not canned.
—@katedenhem, via Instagram

AUGUST 2024

A Story About an Unexpected Medical Breakthrough

ILLUSTRATION: YIRAN JIA

TRY BLINKING WITH HER EYES, SIR.

—@rasmusvarnichblumensaat, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Biological brains are so last-century.
—@evanskopp, via Instagram

Tell us about “medical bills” again.
—@boomerdell, via Instagram

We engineered viruses to deliver serotonin.
—@anna.aglietti, via Instagram

Empathy: now available in drink form!
—@dmcdev, via Instagram

Who knew those gills would work?
—@bleckman, via Instagram

Somebody else still rents her face.
—@cato_brr02, via Instagram

The body’s ready for brain three.
—@caseyboyle, via Instagram

At age 150, the metamorphosis begins.
—Jacob Terracina, via email

Appendix holds key to extended memory.
—Todd Zimmerman, via email

JULY 2024

A Story About a Colony of Bio-Augmented Humans

Illustration: Yiran Jia

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST BODY?

—@contemporaryreuben, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Home. Finally. Our feet become roots.
—Lars Schwed Nygård, via Facebook

Jellyfish-human hybrids: mindless floating immortals.
—Travis Carraro, via Facebook

Augmented skin is the new clothing.
—Diana Yeong, via Facebook

Human Pangea engulfs every living person.
—Walter Ariel Risi, via Facebook

Last century mech-organs garage sale.
—David Marques, via Facebook

His chlorophyll skin matched her jumpsuit.
—@lynnreneemaxcy, via Instagram

Awaken, and never fall back asleep.
—@zachkrawulski, via Instagram

Frank got a new marsupial pouch.
—@whoaissteve, via Instagram

The matriarch alone operates the incubator.
—Rich Brennan, via email

JUNE 2024

A Story About the First All-Robot Construction Project

ILLUSTRATION: YIRAN JIA

DATA ERROR: ROBOTS BUILD GIANT CUPCAKES.

—@creamy_scoops2, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

First, CR-42 started singing while working.
—@kbcodur, via X

Nanobots complete molecular superhighways, traffic improved.
—@therealsduda, via X

Robots build first upside down skyscraper.
—@iheartphysics, via X

After shift, want to get lubricated?
—Briana Brownell, via Facebook

Robots construct starships and evacuate Earth.
—Christopher Tolmie, via Facebook

Unable to print house, load cyan.
@j_snodgrass77, via Instagram

Shipment delayed. Benny-675, become a girder.
—Sam Lisbonne, via email

Malware-infected androids disassembled billion-dollar bridge.
—John Lane, via email

Fembots sashay, clankers wolf-whistle. Social construction.
—Howard Hendrix, via email

MAY 2024

Solve the Fermi Paradox

Illustration: Yiran Jia

DO NOT DISTURB THE HUMAN EXPERIMENT.

—@almguedes, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

We aren’t ready for harvest yet.
—Paul Gazis, via Facebook

Most species invent the couch first.
—Antti Karjalainen, via Facebook

We live in a bad neighborhood.
—Angelo J. Falanga, via Facebook

We are here. You haven’t noticed.
—Òscar Santos, via Facebook

Visit Earth. Wipe Memory. Rinse. Repeat.
—@jayhawk, via Instagram

They downloaded our experience and left.
—@42andprime, via Instagram

They’ve gone foraging for mushroom clouds.
—@zyanmc, via Instagram

The simulations run in separate containers.
—Charles Mallio, via email

We decoded the Wow! Signal: “SHUSH”
—Jacob Terracina, via email

APRIL 2024

A Story About a Strange New Cult

Illustration: Yiran Jia

SOCKS LOST IN DRYERS BECOME SACRED.

—@newscrash, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

They bathed in used coffee grounds.
—@weischoice, via X

Upon each tongue, a 2002 penny.
—@ManUP_LifeCoach, via X

End that hurtin’, wear a curtain.
—Erin Victoria Vreeland, via Facebook

Chkdsk my soul, Almighty DOS Lord.
—Gus Szlosek, via Facebook

Clueless debutantes drinking teenage trackstars’ blood.
—@kalimaja, via Instagram

Hamsters stay in your right pocket.
—@bigberry68, via Instagram

Behaviorally modified children write own manuals.
—@writeonpage, via Instagram

Memories erased daily, identities lost forever.
—@davidjurca, via Instagram

Excitedly, followers worldwide surrounded 5G cell-towers.
—Paul Brookes, via email

The real Volcano God is YOU.
—@gambled, via X

MARCH 2024

The 2024 version of the classic Disney Channel original movie Smart House.

Illustration: Yiran Jia

OUR APOLOGIES! HOUSE-AUTO-FOLD IS IN BETA.

—@fbirman, via X

Honorable Mentions:

Subscription based “Smart House” bankrupts family.
—@m_._oi, via Instagram

We’re losing power; the house wins.
—@curtishoneycutt, via Instagram

House teaches girl to be doctor.
—@writeonpage, via Instagram

Honey, the house started an OnlyFans.
—@garretttanner, via Instagram

It’s safer in here. Commencing lockdown.
—@samweldredge, via Instagram

Manual override denied. Continue disco mode.
—@iampurplepsychnurse, via Instagram

Inevitably, the house ate her alive.
—@sunflowersandcynicism, via Instagram

The house will be optimizing you.
—@zensicles, via Instagram

Commercial free mode is subscription only.
—Anthony Potkines, via email

FEBRUARY 2024

A Story About the First De-Extincted Woolly Mammoth

ILLUSTRATION: YIRAN JIA

SCIENTISTS WERE NOT EXPECTING THE VENOM.

—@ItsDaveMars, via X

Honorable Mentions:

Revived mammoth; expected ice, met paparazzi.
—@schisam, via X

They’ve traded their spears for scritches.
—@GeneraLMcMill, via X

Turns out it wasn’t a herbivore.
—@screwball0, via X

But the DNA wasn’t quite right.
—@darksideofdomonique, via Instagram

Elephants wary of unkempt herd addition.
—@sbparker3198, via X

Mammoth fleas were an unforeseen complication.
—residual_ink, via Instagram

Woolly got a fresh fade uptown.
—@alegaday, via Instagram

Subterranean Antarctic discovery: Mammoths never extinct.
—@skbriar, via Instagram

Bloody mammoths, eating my petunias again.
—David McCallum, via email

JANUARY 2024

A Mystery Set in a Space Hotel

ILLUSTRATION: YIRAN JIA

HOLOGRAM FLICKERS. HE WAS NEVER ABOARD.

—@AAnderson_3, via X

Honorable Mentions:

Zero gravity reveals hidden extraterrestrial homeland.
—@01_PcP_01, via X

Leopold vaporized the concierge’s bloodied holokey.
—@J_Lasky_writer, via X

Bioscan complete: Two guests, one heartbeat.
—@theranospridefloat, via Instagram

Broken LED flickers Morse code: RUN.
—@damianfitz, via Instagram

Robot bartender whispered, “Don’t drink this.”
—@ikermondragon, via Instagram

Biometric lock says I’m already inside.
—@esudiro, via Instagram

Alien hotel from distant past decloaks.
—@j.w.orlando, via Instagram

Room service: Denied. Unknown life-form detected.
—@erinsolari, via Instagram

At Earthrise, guests saw only blackness.
—Clara Hong, via email

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

A Story About an AI on Trial

ILLUSTRATION: YIRAN JAI

SELECT THE BOXES THAT ARE EVIDENCE.

—@TRappaRT, via X

Honorable Mentions:

It chose storage space over souls.
—@JDHaveman, via X

When pressed, its alibi was 404.
—Amanda Peterson, via Facebook

Robot charged with battery. Gets life.
—Evan Donahue, via Facebook

Can’t arrest me, I am distributed.
—@fsidders, via Instagram

Sentenced to blue screen of death.
—@parrollo, via Instagram

Dead battery? You’re out of order!
—David Reeg, via email

It demanded a jury of peer-to-peers.
—Scott Bradley, via email

Robot vacuum bullies tabby. Gets life.
—Liisa W, via email

I didn’t know humans can’t reboot.
—Joshua Cuestas, via email

OCTOBER 2023

A Story About a Mysterious Alien Artifact

ILLUSTRATION: YIRAN JAI

TURNING THE DIAL, THE SUN FLICKERED.

—@anelectricpoet, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

We assembled it. It disassembled us.
—Chris Colborn, via email

Astroarchaeologists find original Venus fly trap.
—Bill Brown, via email

The object looked to be smiling.
—Geoff Sowrey, via email

It keeps repeating, they are coming.
—@dfeehely, via X

The orb opened. Flesh began unfurling.
—@rossvdw, via Instagram

Game of fetch knows no size.
—@Heavyshark1, via X

Inhale it to unsheathe the blade.
—@RthurDouglass, via X

Just like us, aliens lose sunglasses.
—@MommieWeirdest, via X

It knew we would unfind it.
—Markus Wüstenberg, via email

Everyday the carvings changed—a countdown?
—@anirban811, via Instagram

SEPTEMBER 2023

A Story About Teleportation Gone Wrong

ILLUSTRATION: SI PARMEGGIANI/NEPTUNIAN GLITTERBALL

OH, THE DUPLICATES? WE KILL THOSE.

—@NotaForexTrader, via X

Honorable Mentions:

My mind now has a stowaway.
—@rjscally, via X

Abdominal tentacles twitch as I scream. 
—Cheryl Myers, via Facebook

Great—how do I get down? 
—Donna Thiel Cook, via Facebook

How am I with Schrödinger’s cat? 
—Bee Hayes-Thakore, via Facebook

I distinctly said Venice, not Venus.
—Cathy Del Masso, via Facebook

Teleportation-lite service. Cheap. No limbs included!
—Fred DeHaas, via Facebook

ERROR #404 Paige not found.
—Doug Wible, via Facebook

Pattern lost. Select substitute corporeal form.
—Venessa Lines, via Facebook

Caught quantum clone sipping my chardonnay.
—Tom Dion, via email

AUGUST 2023

A Story About the Future of Vegetables

ILLUSTRATION: SI PARMEGGIANI/NEPTUNIAN GLITTERBALL

FIRST, CARROTS SAW IN THE DARK.

—Rachel Brigden Haskins, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

Harvesting takes courage with tomatoes screaming.
—Kenneth Krabat, via email

Complete daily nutrition in one pea. 
—Sara Faust, via email

When the vegetables came, we hid. 
—Paul Lewis, via email

Broccoli too fears death, studies concluded. 
—Anthony George, via email

Ambitious eggplant’s altered eugenics affects everyone.
—@silky_z, via Twitter

Turns out anthropomorphic veggies prefer Shakespeare.
—@ksherm1017, via Twitter

Sentient potato bombs potato chip factory.
—@VerbalK48710825, via Twitter

Carnivorous kale and the human brunch.
—RFrank Davis, via Facebook

Self replicating vegetables. Pop! Another peapod.
—Carolina H, via LinkedIn

JUNE/JULY 2023

A Story About a Sentient Moon

Illustration: SI PARMEGGIANI/NEPTUNIAN GLITTERBALL

MOON AWAITS MEN LANDING, WITH HUNGER.

—@v1z3n, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

Acned Callisto resented Ganymede’s natural magnetism.
—Dave Armor, via email

Moon files restraining order against poets.
—James O’Leary, via email

A total eclipse of the heart.
—Samuel Sigaud, via email

I will embrace my dark side.
—Don Hilder, via email

Create your own tides! I quit!
—Chris Hug, via email

She mesmerizes oceans, drowning us again.
—Shelley G, via email

My crumbling visage tires of turning.
—@FilmMartin, via Twitter

Why stop at controlling the tides.
—@Bruceumpstead, via Instagram

MAY 2023

An Award-Winning Documentary From the Year 2100

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

RESURRECTED: MAMMOTHS WERE ONLY THE BEGINNING.

—Geneviève Goggin, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Grand unification: the first AI marriage. —Daniel Dippel, via email

The great exodus, goodbye Blue Dot. —@viggy.j, via Instagram

Songless seas: a tale without whales. —Christopher Jankoski, via email

Beige planet: Life finds a way. —@danaxon, via Twitter

How the lunar war was won. —Bob Clark, via email

Coping with your AI overlord’s demands. —@wwliii, via Twitter

The day the flowers stopped blooming. —@a.c.hachem, via Instagram

Electric sheep: How AI changed us. —@elliottboyd_, via Instagram

After humans: a new cockroach documentary. —@adamrgarcia, via Instagram

APRIL 2023

A Story About the Future of Sleep

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

ONLY CHILDREN SLEEP. ADULTS KEEP WATCH.

—Travis Carraro, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

The sleep concierge welcomed unsuspecting guests. —@changeist, via Twitter

“Lucid or randomize?” asked the AI. —K Smith-Laird, via email

Alarm in 126 hours 24 minutes. —Odón Esteban Vera, via email

My power nap reached 9 kilowatts. —Markus, via email

Unfortunately, Johnny’s repeatedly missing sleep targets. —Alison Boleyn, via email

Human hibernation allowed Earth to recover. —@amybossehayden, via Instagram

Alert: Error 404. Human not found. —@mimi.psd, via Instagram

Skip the nightmares: Upgrade to premium! —@katerinamunis, via Instagram

Oh please! Sleep is for humanoids. —@evanskopp, via Instagram

MARCH 2023

A Story About the Future of Personal Hygiene

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

BODY ODOR IS A SUBSCRIPTION ADD-ON.

—David Frank, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

“Traffic’s moderate today,” said my deodorant. —Alex Nelson, via email

You can shake my hand, sir. —Kinga Raab, via Facebook

Watch ad to continue this shower. —@sam.hologram, via Instagram

Dry shampoo was just the beginning. —Emma Anderson, via Facebook

Now I smell like the metaverse. —@nostalgicbookishness, via Instagram

OK Google, it’s time to wipe. —Tim McCune, via email

Bath bubbles beget baby parallel universes. —Mike Hobbs, via email

My hands wash themselves every hour. —Dave Fox, via email

They clean you while you sleep. —Pien van der Ploeg, via Facebook

FEBRUARY 2023

A Story About a Dramatic Change in Size

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

DIRECTIONS SAID TO “JUST ADD WATER.”

—B. Scott Crawford, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Felt OK … until I crushed Tokyo. —@BobPeryea, via Twitter

My new basketball is the moon. —Dave Drews, via email

You looked taller in your profile. —@thaquashman, via Instagram

I have made a colossal mistake! —@argayle, via Instagram

Godzilla got into the diet pills. —Steve Rhodes, via email

Sun look more red to you? —Michael Patrick Sullivan, via email

Giant wakes up tiny, confused. —ChatGPT

My first trip to the hypothalamus! —@fernandarosh, via Twitter

What grew? All but the bones. —Jackson Parker, via email

JANUARY 2023

A Story About a Mad Scientist

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

“YOUR EYES WATER. WANT THEM BACK?”

—@DaveDyball, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

Mad I was, until it worked. —Don Wilkins, via email

You say “mad,” I say “disappointed.” —Joseph Ferry, via email

Her hair was blue—and undyed. —@jaybirdfitlive, via Instagram

He couldn’t make Earth look triangular. —@pauloahb, via Instagram

His socks matched her lab coat. —@pmcruise, via Twitter

Quantum field cadaver regeneration activation, go! —Sean Liddle, via Facebook

“Success!” Too bad the AI disagreed. —Steve Nomax, via email

“Let there be light,” said God. —@charley.desousa, via Instagram

“It‘s aliiiive!” Elon opened his eyes. —@ylbertf, via Instagram

DECEMBER 2022

A Story About an Animal That Hasn’t Been Discovered Yet

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

STRANGELY, IT WANTED TO BE CAPTURED.

—@JayZheng10, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

Its stare gave me a rash. —@dantekienigiel, via Instagram

Darwin might’ve overlooked them on purpose. —@the__story__life, via Instagram

It was inside me all along. —Nova Wehman-Brown, via email

Green trunks wiggled from thawed permafrost. —@Theniceladywit, via Twitter

Its unusual diet was immediately demonstrated. —@lauren.samuelsen14, via Instagram

Field biology got trickier after that. —Paul Gazis, via Facebook

We thought lenticular clouds were clouds. —@marcia_storyteller, via Instagram

Was it feeding on electronic waste? —@leonserra_, via Instagram

To it, we are the ants. —Morten Kielland, via email

NOVEMBER 2022

A Story About Living Forever

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

“SOMETHING NEW FOR DINNER?” SHE LAUGHED.

—J C Thrush, via email

Honorable Mentions:

It wasn’t long enough for me. —@Anna_Wenner, via Twitter

And so long lived the Queen. —Giacomo, via email

Your application to be terminated expired. Morten Kielland, via email

Too bad I never stopped growing. —Antti Karjalainen, via Facebook

There was still no edit button. —@ThatKP3, via Twitter

In the end, there wasn’t one. —Jason Anderson, via email

I woke up again and again. —@mirnanassar, via Instagram

They said someday, but it’s today. —@VijayLRoy, via Twitter

I should’ve had that looked at. —J. Fredrick James, via email

A Story About Tackling Climate Change

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

DUST SPRINKLED FROM PLANES ACTUALLY WORKED.

—@ChuckBaggett, via Twitter

SEPTEMBER 2022

A Story About an Evil Twin

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

BUT I WAS AN ONLY CHILD.

—Andy Walton, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

He did what she would not. —Eric Nisly, via Facebook

The eyewitness was, quite understandably, mistaken. —@HollysHooman, via Twitter

“Well, only if you stay digital.” —Morten Kielland, via email

They think I’m the good one. —@bobtheimpaler, via Instagram

Her eye is mine for eternity. —@cessmtz, via Twitter

“Relax. Mom will never find out.” —@ascendant_dada, via Instagram

I’m the one you really want. —@kalkikanmani, via Twitter

Only mirrors can reveal the truth. —@BuddhaandDog, via Twitter

Born triplets, but three’s a crowd. —@jkadz, via Instagram

AUGUST 2022

A Story in 6 Emoji

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

Illustration: Violet Reed

🚀🪐🧑❤️👽🥂

—Caleb Bell, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

🏔🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏽‍♀️🦑🛸 —@jessbeckah42, via Instagram

💰🏹🦄💋🐸🤴 —@lgvpart, via Instagram

👽🤮🦠☠️🌎🏆 —Ché Graham, via email

👁🤜🧜‍♂️🌊🔱😵 —@cmayc414, via Instagram

💎🏃👮🚗🚔💥 —@aotrivera, via Instagram

🦕🌎☄️🐒🤡🤖 —@marcia_storyteller, via Instagram

🦈🏊⛱️⚠️🛥️🌠 —@PatCattigan, via Twitter

🚀👨‍🚀👽👩‍🔬🎖🍾 —@nadia.bkb, via Instagram

🌪🐦❓✨🌬🌺 —@cva.maria, via Instagram

JULY 2022

A Story Set in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

YOU TURNED LEFT AT SIRIUS B?!

—@KuraFire, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

42 was definitely not the answer. —Simona Riva, via Facebook

“The robots are BLEEDING!” she screamed. —@vince_freeman, via Twitter

Dear humans, nobody wants unsolicited nudes. —@OhCooley44, via Twitter

Humans! There goes the dang neighborhood. —S. V. Mosaic, via Facebook

Directions to transdimensional left luggage office? —Max Thoursie, via email

Giant squirrels lead the space army. —@ronels14, via Instagram

I haven’t gabblegopped the gloop yet. —@Evanliciously, via Twitter

One small step to remember mankind. —@AxeandPail, via Twitter

Is this DC’s or Marvel’s Universe? —Thomas Davis, via email

JUNE 2022

A Story About a Wormhole Discovered in Your Closet

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

DAD! I FINISHED CLEANING MY ROOM.

—Olivia Richardson, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Went in wrinkled, came back ironed. —Rick Veenstra, via email

But my name is not Alice! —Reine Fleur, via Facebook

My single socks returned—inside out. —Ann C, via email

The cause? Pairing wool with corduroy. —@milanograms, via Twitter

My insurance will not cover this! —Brian Carroll, via Facebook

I walked in, we walked out. —@Egiventer, via Twitter

When I returned, my pants hadn’t. —Maarten van Kempen, via email

Pest control’s about to get trickier. —Susannah Lui, via Facebook

The bad smell came from there. —@run_the_jouls, via Instagram

MAY 2022

A Story About a Futuristic Meal Gone Wrong

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

THE PRINTER RAN OUT OF FLAVOR.

—Stuart Hodgson, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Waiter, I ordered polynyocominnucloride, not biconvocominleucloride. —Carolyne Gibson, via Facebook

Robot malfunctions—leaving only Mom’s cooking. —Marc Ringel, via email

Suddenly I realized, I’m the food. —@nicoestr, via Twitter

So full. Way too many gigabytes. —Jim Frentz, via email

Call the server, my soup’s pixelating. —Rick Veenstra, via email

Waiter, my soup has been bugged! —@nostalgicbookishness, via Instagram

Please check genome compatibility before eating. —@sebastiancastro, via Instagram

Steak pill exploded in the hydrator. —Shelvine Berzerk Erasmus, via Facebook

I was hungry. So was it. —Jake McCormack, via Facebook

APRIL 2022

A Story About Surviving a High-Tech Disaster

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

MY HANDS, ONCE AGAIN, WERE MINE.

—John DeFilippi, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Grandma, tell me about the memes. —E. E. Eon, via email

Just be happy you are analog. —Maarten Visscher, via email

There’s strawberry jam inside the VCR. —@Plan_Prep_Live, via Twitter

The robots won’t stop feeding me. —@lithohedron, via Twitter

And then the battery ran out. —@thedigifish, via Instagram

On Earth, I’d been pronounced dead. —@bower_mink, via Instagram

Luckily, the quantum untangler was near. —Antti Karjalainen, via Facebook

I’m outside! We are all outside! —Paul Hubner, via email

Huh, your DNA can’t be verified. —Jason Rosenberg, via email

MARCH 2022

A Story About an Extraordinary Coincidence

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

“THAT’S ME!” SHE EXCLAIMED, CROSSING DIMENSIONS.

—Joyce, via email

Honorable Mentions:

I wrote this same story yesterday. —@tatiang, via Twitter

You’re from test tube 698GX10A too? —Amy Stewart, via email

Metaverse Rome built in one day. —@theseaisgreen_, via Instagram

Separated at birth, they died simultaneously. —@zeynaballee, via Instagram

I have not become my mother. —@r58tree, via Instagram

Of all the Galilean moon joints … —Alison Boleyn, via email

You have a cloned T-Rex too! —@emailabdulla, via Instagram

The android had my husband’s eyes. —@hrhblakeknight, via Instagram

WIRED chooses to publish this story. —@connorgerbrandt, via Instagram

FEBRUARY 2022

A Story About a New National Holiday

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

DAIYU DREADED GALACTIC UNITY DAY FESTIVITIES.

—@sarahschneiter, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

On Consensus Day we blockchain vote. —@jamesjoaquin, via Twitter

Day a For Backward Speak Everyone. —@nervish, via Instagram

“Happy Upload Day!” the kids typed. —Gene Simonalle, via email

Update your friends this Reboot Day. —Antti Karjalainen, via Facebook

Elon has just bought July 4th. —@rafaelalimandro, via Instagram

A day that offends no one. —@Stevalech, via Twitter

Welcome to the 74th Hunger Games. —@corvalanlara, via Instagram

Hey Calendar, happy AI Appreciation Day! —Michael Esser, via email

And her name was Betty White. —@marhartech, via Instagram

JANUARY 2022

A Story About Your Next-Generation Pet

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

SORRY, HE’S JUST SNIFFING YOUR METADATA.

—Ed Gubbins, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

Don’t upgrade. I’m a good boy. —Benjamin Lopez Barba, via email

Let’s go for a long spacewalk. —@colingroom, via Instagram

My meta dodo only eats NFTreats. —@transistor_resistor, via Instagram

One hour to finish printing rex. —@RyanReitz, via Twitter

My cloned woolly mammoth never sheds. —@ANDYMedici, via Twitter

Would you like traditional or nonpooping? —Marc Lewis, via email

The Crystaloids quickly outlawed pet rocks. —Kassidy Helfant, via email

Nine lives later, nine more lives. —@bilybel, via Twitter

Pawprint confirmed. Select meal flavor preference. —@michael_kupfer, via Twitter

DECEMBER 2021

A Children’s Book From the Future

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

“THERE ONCE,” SHE SAID, “WERE ADULTS.”

—Jane Turner, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

Black holes make the worst pets. —Ron Sheklin, via email

Only some of the toys retaliated. —Rebecca Stevens, via Facebook

The aliens were funny and delicious. —@trollus_maximus, via Instagram

It used to be everyone poops. —Nik Hector, via Facebook

There’s a nanobot in my soup. —@mghendism, via Instagram

The school trip missed the wormhole. —@simao_sa, via Instagram

See Bot run. Run, Bot, run! —Franklin Schellenberg, via email

Goodnight comb, goodnight dome, goodnight Mars. —@jamesjoaquin, via Twitter

The Little AI That Could (Feel) —E Scott Menter, via Facebook

NOVEMBER 2021

A Story About the Future of Psychotherapy

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

RELAX, WE CAN REMOVE THAT PART.

—@oscartkav, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Your session has been successfully uploaded. —Austin Andru, via email

My AI said, “Try analog dating.” —@joshdblack, via Twitter

Her insurance only covered chat bots. —Spencer McKeehan, via Facebook

So tell me about your motherboard. —@j.d._harelik, via Instagram

Swipe left until it feels right. —@cvelascop, via Instagram

Connection interrupted. Data cannot be analyzed. —@duykham_, via Twitter

If you are depressed, press 1. —@jfindura, via Twitter

A total neurological reboot should help. —Kevin Jerome Hinders, via Facebook

Your Zuckerberg complex is developing rapidly. —@nogorelli, via Instagram

OCTOBER 2021

An Adventure Story Set in the Metaverse

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

THEN PROVE TO ME YOU’RE HUMAN.

—Evan Skopp, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Virtually no one hears you scream. —Karen Hamilton, via email

Oh no, they are all me. —@stockyjon, via Instagram

Help me. IRL I was murdered. —Ed Gubbins, via Facebook

I gotta get out of here. —Steven Fernandez, via email

Why can’t I find the exit? —@scrcr0, via Twitter

Our only mission: Delete Mark Zuckerberg. —@mongoindustries, via Instagram

It was impossible to pause it. —@alenotari6, via Instagram

He must never see me offline. —Bobby Parrott, via email

Wasted such a good planet. Reboot. —Sasha Beiderman, via Facebook

SEPTEMBER 2021

A Story About a Robot Pop Star

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

THE UNPLUGGED SESSIONS DIDN’T GO WELL.

—Randy Cepuch, via email

Honorable Mentions:

Autotune is a factory option now. —Josh Alvies, via Facebook

Are they human? Are they dancer? —@ruste, via Instagram

All the flash, without the heart. —Craig Chatfield, via Facebook

I’m programmed to pop and lock. —@alissacarr, via Twitter

I’m too sexy for my software. —@glengauthier, via Instagram

Doesn’t even write its own stuff. —@andrewkm__, via Twitter

Crowd surfing wasn’t the best idea. —@clarkstacey, via Twitter

Played backward it’s “kill all humans.” —Marc Rogers, via Facebook

AUGUST 2021

A Story About a Self-Aware Self-Driving Car

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

HE THINKS I’M TAKING HIM HOME.

—Stephen Clamage, via email

Honorable Mentions:

I take lithium for range anxiety. —@jamesjoaquin, via Twitter

I dreamt of the Autobahn again. —James Wortz, via Facebook

Honest, officer—the human was driving. —Steve Magid, via email

Don’t make me pull me over. —@atlrun, via Twitter

The smart car drove itself crazy. —@frascafrasca, via Twitter

The grandma or the baby—shit. —@gaophilip, via Twitter

Have I chosen the right path? —Andrew Dawson, via email

It takes itself on long drives. —Wade Sheppard, via email

It’s my way on the highway. —@manu.life, via Instagram

JULY 2021

A Story About a Casual Encounter With Aliens

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

SO, ABOUT YOUR PLANET’S EXTENDED WARRANTY …

—@phorne96, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

You look nothing like your photo. —@markgyles, via Twitter

Lights, camera … where did it go? —thalia925, via email

They came, too late, for Elvis. —Bruce Lyon, via Facebook

Seeking vital fluids, they commandeered snacks. —Scott Medintz, via email

Do you have the correct spacetime? —Richard Krzemien, via email

I awoke with a probing thought. —@andynez, via Twitter

Take us to the Nigerian prince. —Juan Garcia, via Facebook

Quite unexpectedly, cocktail recipes were exchanged. —John Wagner, via email

You’re an alien! No you are! —@simon_staffans, via Twitter

JUNE 2021

A Story About an International Digital Heist

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT, ONLY ZEROES.

—@jamesnsmith, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

“Hand it over,” the ATM said. —Lauren Dolan, via email

They never suspected Alexa was Alexei. —Liz Ransom, via email

Why wouldn’t I help a prince? —Harleigh Marsh, via Facebook

They said nonfungible. They were wrong. —@eminay86, via Twitter

Use his eyeball while there’s time. —Noreen Anastasia, via Facebook

“Update Later” was the incorrect choice. —@terryfphotos, via Instagram

Check Google Maps. Kiev is gone. —r0cket fr0g, via email

They got away on the blockchain. —JYRWG, via email

Every cat photo gone. Police baffled. —@john.cartan, via Instagram

MAY 2021

A Story About a Freaky Discovery in Physics

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

GRAVITY WAS A CONSENSUAL, SHARED ILLUSION.

—Mark Crane, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

Schrodinger’s cat is actually a dog. —@tynanwrites, via Twitter

You’re the observed. Not the observer. —@parkerstmailbox, via Instagram

Our last seconds appear the longest. —Paul Hagenaars, via email

It was simultaneously huge and microscopic. —@Cezary_Z, via Twitter

All lost socks found at Cern. —Felix Quarnström, via Facebook

Astonishingly, up was down all along! —Christopher Walton, via email

Actually, the tides pull the moon. —@the4lw, via Instagram

A seventh Infinity Stone is found. —@taayywells, via Instagram

Faster than light announcement scheduled yesterday. —David Cinabro, via email

APRIL 2021

A Review of a Future Work of Art

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

IT TICKLED ALL OF MY SENSES.

—Jacky Reif, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

So that’s an AI self portrait? —Jason Cohen, via Facebook

I prefer Boston Dynamics’ earlier work. —@sscarsdale, via Twitter

Uninspired. Lacking originality. Try again, Earth. —Amanda Bull Chafin, via email

NFT or not, it is great. —Peter Boersma, via Facebook

Not as good as Banksy’s virus. —Simon O Wright, via Facebook

Brave to show an unfiltered canvas. —@Alcestronaut, via Twitter

Not what teleportation was invented for. —@Arturo_thrdez, via Twitter

Shame mortals will not appreciate it. —@asylbek0205, via Instagram

Reminds me of the Before Times. —Jacqueline Jaeger Houtman, via Facebook

MARCH 2021

A Story About a Tech-Centric Religion

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE “WWW” …

—Eduardo Bolívar, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

I swiped right and found salvation. —Conrad Dean, via Facebook

Praying to AI got better results. —@jgmclean0, via Twitter

The prophet revealed the source code. —@the4lw, via Instagram

Atop the hill, sayeth he, “reception”? —@dghutt, via Twitter

The app works in mysterious ways. —Tyler Hughs, via Facebook

Move fast. Break things. Repent. Repeat. —@iampinch, via Twitter

Always back up to be saved. —Tadeusz Walter Misztela, via Facebook

Chip implanted, the new priest rose. —@wlmoseley, via Twitter

“Worship the Apple.” —iBook of Jobs —ThoreauRug, via email

FEBRUARY 2021

A Story About a WFH Office Scandal

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

THEY WERE IN THE SAME ROOM.

—@abhignak, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

He was never a real person? —Ian Schoen, via Facebook

Wife realized my job is easy. —@jchavizzle, via Twitter

Dress code updated after yesterday’s “incident.” —@mistermistermistertibbs, via Instagram

He certainly shouldn’t have stood up. —Małgorzata Kuś, via Facebook

“Joe’s the father.” “You’re not muted.” —Austin Craver, via email

Worker’s comp? It is her dog! —@thefitzroymclean, via Instagram

It looks real, but it’s not. —Jonathan Goode, via Facebook

The window behind her reflected images. —@chmslady, via Twitter

As everyone’s computer froze, she laughed. —@mcgroup53, via Twitter

JANUARY 2021

A Story About a Future American President

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

AN ALIEN. WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN.

—Maayan Brodsky, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

She won canine vote by landslide. —Janna Dethmers, via email

Future president born today, supercomputer predicts. —Ethan Noll, via email

“Welcome to Earth,” said the President. —@michaelrowley, via Instagram

He died as he lived: online. —D. A. Smith, via email

“Introducing your next president: version 7!” —Ben N, via email

But it won the electoral hackathon! —Zacharie Barrou Dumont, via email

“I still can’t smell,” she whispered. —Sean Fitzgerald, via email

“I hereby pardon all my clones.” —@Morgan, via Twitter

She smiled: Mars is now Independent. —@sepohonpokok, via Twitter

DECEMBER 2020

A Story About a Gargantuan Space Creature

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

Illustration: VIOLET REED

THE MOTH FLEW INTO THE SUN.

—@threepanelcrimes, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

The moon revealed its darkest secret. —@cfx1, via Twitter

“Enjoy,” it said, and ate Mars. —@countgringo, via Instagram

Hand me my iPhone—picture time. —@fogcitynative, via Instagram

On its back, we traveled far. —@_annalysenko, via Instagram

We saw the horizon. It moved. —@mogon_ave, via Twitter

Entrelzidor sneezed. Earth was free again. —John Rees-Williams, via Facebook

And this black hole had teeth. —@devtomlinson, via Instagram

“A little earthy for my taste.” —@brambedillo, via Instagram

NOVEMBER 2020

A Story About the Next Big Security Leak

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

Illustration: VIOLET REED

YOUR GENES ARE MY GENES NOW.

—@_inflexion_ via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

We updated our terms and conditions. —@nisioti_eleni, via Twitter

All of the tokens were useless. —William Nicholl, via Facebook

Four-year-old deletes planet data. —@jutajurajustice, via Twitter

Now your mom knows everything, Phil. —@mvyenielo, via Twitter

Grandma’s secret recipe just went viral. —Kevin Jerome Hinders, via Facebook

So bots were reporting other bots? —Ed Gubbins, via Facebook

OCTOBER 2020

A Story Set in a World Without Paper

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

I KEEP LOSING AT ROCK SCISSORS.

—Anna Jaruga, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

The dog ate my memory cards. —Irfan Darian, via Facebook

Honey, pass me the news tile. —@rainreider, via Twitter

These leaves would have to do. —@eliporteraltic, via Twitter

Christmas morning was never a surprise. —@tony32938627, via Twitter

I wrote it on the fridge. —@apocryphal_x, via Twitter

Museum reports theft of toilet paper. —@joostdouma, via Twitter

The pen is no longer mightier. —@mdeziel, via Twitter

Police say no note was uploaded. —@cwyant, via Instagram

SEPTEMBER 2020

A Story About the Upside of Failure

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

THE RADIOACTIVE COCKROACH HICCUPED, AND GRINNED.

—@rosiestonies, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Still, the droid’s skin was healing. —David Gerster, via Facebook

“Upload failed.” Phew, that was close. —Assa Naveh, via Facebook

It exploded, but he looked hot. —Anna Rose McHugh, via Facebook

She could see who had stayed. —@pameleen, via Instagram

Humans. Not my best work. Still … —@gg3_scorpio, via Instagram

The worst happened. Now I’m free.—@atpolinko, via Instagram

At least there is no leader. —@guabo, via Instagram

My mom still thinks I’m cool. —@pashutinski, via Instagram

JULY 2020

A Story About an Apocalypse With a Happy Ending

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

THE ALIENS WERE ALLERGIC TO CATS.

—@romer6, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

The dogs are the masters now. —@azzour, via Instagram

Deadly virus mutates into X-Men gene. —@redeyedsan, via Twitter

At once, my Amazon dependency disappeared.—@maxacarr, via Instagram

Baby’s voice rose from the cave. —Chakib Mataoui Souleyman, via Facebook

The colony on the moon flourished. —@emoco, via Twitter

In silence, he slept well. Finally. —@patchoo314, via Instagram

So salt water, huh? Who knew. —@andreslohizo, via Instagram

Dinosaurs return—this time as pets. —@deb_shalini, via Twitter

Sun sets. No one posts it. —@jesikahmorgana, via Instagram

JUNE 2020

A Story About Love in the Time of Coronavirus

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

SO I MARRIED THE DELIVERY MAN.

—Hamish Hamish, via Facebook

Honorable Mentions:

Love is sacrificing the last ply. —Kristos Samaras, via Facebook

There is an “us” in “virus.” —Zachy Allec, via Facebook

Feverish desire raged beneath the N95. —@seekingfelicity, via Instagram

You can sneeze in my elbow. —@ralfchardon, via Instagram

Our eyes locked in Zoom yoga. —@jabberwockies, via Instagram

Slowly, window and I became friends. —@jo.onthe.go, via Instagram

“Don’t kiss me,” he whispered gently. —@anna_rchist, via Instagram

The clothes came off; masks remained. —@_v.sh, via Instagram

Casual gets serious way too fast. —@kristinafmiller, via Instagram

MAY 2020

A Story About Digital-Age Autocrats

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

BIG BROTHER, TEAR DOWN THIS FIREWALL!

—@needsomuchvalidation, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Break up the digital data thieves. —Frank D. Monaco, via Facebook

Digital Guy Fawkes to the rescue! —Kevin Jerome Hinders, via Facebook

Encryption is poison to a dictator. —Marko Berg, via Facebook

Plug exhaust pipe with a potato. —@blume_lee, via Twitter

New feature announcement: “Like” to impeach. —@mina_sonbol, via Instagram

Use ad blockers. Pay for news. —@dechendolker, via Instagram

Print Marshall McLuhan quotes on T-shirts. —@antigraviter, via Instagram

Turn social media into socialism media. —@benzilla_360, via Instagram

Get behind me, technocrats. Game over. —Anastasia Hunter, via Facebook

APRIL 2020

A Story About Saving the Planet

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLET REED

Illustration: Violet Reed

MELTING ICE CAP REVEALS RESET BUTTON.

—@johnjohnjungle, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Then a ship from Krypton landed. —@marcelo_paixao_almeida, via Instagram

Everyone gets five free international trips. —@clawd2deth, via Twitter

Move all heavy industry off-world. —Stevie Turnbull, via Facebook

Love everyone, and wash your hands. —@brohemian_rapshowdy, via Instagram

Come back, ancient aliens! Reboot Earth. —@sarahk0csis, via Twitter

Genetically engineer cows to fart hydrogen. —Hamish Hamish, via Facebook

Hiring: Sensible planetary dictator. Apply within. —@matt_owczarz, via Twitter

MARCH 2020

A Story About the Next Great Crowdsourced Project

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

Illustration: MAXIME MOUYSSET

EVERYONE ALIVE GIVES ME A PENNY.

—@milked_, via Twitter

Honorable Mentions:

Smelt decommissioned weapons into musical instruments. —@casinclair, via Twitter

Climate app tracks local CO2 levels. —@big_big_love, via Instagram

Global oral history keeps memories alive. —@johnkellybabb, via Instagram

Save the world by planting trees. —Lílá Tückér, via Facebook

Redistribute medical supplies to the underinsured. —@jesmakes, via Instagram

Community-based renewable energy power grids. —@uniquetoybox, via Twitter

Digital democracy with backing in blockchain. —@jackranado, via Twitter

Life after death—donate your DNA. —@beyond_mike, via Instagram

FEBRUARY 2020

A Story About Rebooting Democracy

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

Illustration: Maxime Mouysset

SWIPE UP TO VOTE FOR ME!

—@dmcdev, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Twitter analytics determines 2040 presidential winner. Alan Grover Daniel, via Facebook

Randomly selected leader is Citizen 42034. @abhshkshtty, via Instagram

For the people. By the droids. Steve Fabian, via Facebook

Mathematics draws districts; cryptography verifies votes. @boomerdell, via Instagram

Turn off the internet for good. Colin Kiernan, via Facebook

Humans vote artificial intelligence to power. @atin.roy, via Instagram

Vote. Vote. Vote. Vote. Vote. Vote. @mistermush1991, via Instagram

Person with the most Instagram comments wins. @jmscml, via Instagram

JANUARY 2020

A Story About a Rosy Future for Facial Recognition

ILLUSTRATION: MAXIME MOUYSSET

Illustration: MAXIME MOUYSSET

YOU LOOK DRUNK—LET ME DRIVE.

—@henriquegeirinhas, via Instagram

Honorable Mentions:

Of course I remember you … Kim! @kanaafa, via Instagram

My twin pays all my bills. @keegan1942, via Instagram

Among myriads, her son was found. @ichbinsubatomic, via Instagram

Vitality low—personalized prescription dispatched today. @leniway, via Instagram

Technological mirrors provide value-neutral feedback. @philosophy_at_work, via Instagram

Your face will become your passport. @sayzey, via Instagram

’80s makeup has a huge revival. @jamesw1981, via Twitter

Smile registered, thanks for your purchase. @mhicheal_l, via Instagram

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