Science Fiction (SF) is a central component of Future Studies. It aims to speculate about possible futures. It is evidenced that through speculation science makes discoveries (Graham et al., 2013). SF represents another way of approaching and imagining possible futures. It is an intellectual exercise open to other scenarios, an intellectual preparation, and a laboratory of experimentation without risk (Rumpala, 2014).
Science fiction is interested in questions such as "If such thing happen, then what else would/could happen?" or "Is this good or bad?" It is an exercise in imagination, critical thinking, scenario building, ethical evaluation, and long-term planning (Lombardo, 2015).
Accordingly, SF allows us to see closely what the future of humanity would be like after experiencing a catastrophic event (nuclear accident, climate change, extreme violence, natural disaster, pandemic...).
What options would humanity have in the face of a possible collapse of civilization? SF presents the various forms that 'doom' could take so that we can analyze each of them and make the decisions that prevent their future appearance.
SF allows us to establish alternatives so that humanity can continue to exist and recast its civilization from scratch: Terraforming, geoengineering, creation of posthumans and elimination of the human, ecocide, and nature rebuild through biopunk.
This presentation showcases each of these options through the analysis of different novels and SF films, where post-apocalyptic worlds are described. They follow a multiple case study design and are the results of a doctorate degree research.