 Everything today is so dark. The news is terrible, the TV shows are grim, even the superheroes are ridiculously dark. But many of the best creators and inventors were inspired by golden age sci-fi comics. Shows like Star Trek and writers like Isaac Asimov and Octavia Butler who imagined science improving the future. That's why The Verge is launching Better Worlds, a new series of short fiction and animation that explores how technology can shape our society and environment in better, more equitable ways. Diverse creators like Justina Ireland, John Scalzi and Lee Alexander are writing stories about new possibilities, from open source rockets to fantastical trash eating mushrooms, new planets and friends that never die. Science fiction should expand our horizons and make us dream. That's what we're trying to do with Better Worlds. So stay tuned to The Verge and The Verge on YouTube over the next few months to check it out. I'll see you next time.
 Everything today is so dark.
 The news is terrible, the TV shows are grim,
 even the superheroes are ridiculously dark.
 But many of the best creators and inventors
 were inspired by golden age sci-fi comics.
 Shows like Star Trek and writers like Isaac Asimov
 and Octavia Butler who imagined science
 improving the future.
 That's why The Verge is launching Better Worlds,
 a new series of short fiction and animation
 that explores how technology can shape our society
 and environment in better, more equitable ways.
 Diverse creators like Justina Ireland,
 John Scalzi and Lee Alexander are writing stories
 about new possibilities, from open source rockets
 to fantastical trash eating mushrooms,
 new planets and friends that never die.
 Science fiction should expand our horizons
 and make us dream.
 That's what we're trying to do with Better Worlds.
 So stay tuned to The Verge and The Verge on YouTube
 over the next few months to check it out.
 I'll see you next time.