Refers to the form of fiction established in the 20th century, though notable precursors were established in the 19th century, in reaction to the growing controversy over the impact of science on society and individuals. Generally, the term encompasses fiction that deals with fantasy with dominant elements of plausibility and deals with future conceptions of society that include the informed extrapolation of scientific principles as a legitimizing and directional component. Prominent examples in this genre from the 19th century include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) and Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886); examples from the 20th century include works by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Hugo Gernsback, and Isaac Asimov. Later in the 20th century, the elements of science fiction appear in works by Kurt Vonnegut, C.S. Lewis, and Ray Bradbury, featuring future scenarios of human society and the possible consequences of space travel and extraterrestrial life.

Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus

http://vocab.getty.edu/page/aat/300055919