be like. People have also wondered how
different kinds of technology might
affect life on Earth. Made-up stories that
address such questions are called science
fiction.
These stories may discuss ideas about
scientific facts or real technology. But
they also involve a lot of imagination.
For example, a story might describe
people meeting with space aliens for the
first time. Another story might imagine
what would happen if robots or
computers could think and feel like
humans. Many science fiction stories
present different possible futures for
human society.
Science fiction seeks largely to entertain.
However, many science fiction stories
also imagine different ways people might
act and relate to one another. In this way
A student explains his science fair project to
a judge. Students who participate in science
fairs use the scientific method to solve a
problem or answer a question.
The science fiction movie Star Trek III: The
Search for Spock shows what future spacecraft
might look like.
50 Science Fiction BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
science fiction may help reveal important
things about human nature and
society.
A few authors, such as Jules Verne and
H.G.Wells, wrote science fiction in the
1800s or even earlier. But science fiction
did not become a major type of writing
until the 1900s. The first rockets sent
into space and rapid advances in technology
helped create an interest in this
writing. Authors such as Isaac Asimov,
Arthur C. Clarke, and Robert Heinlein
helped establish the style as a form of
serious literature.
Science fiction stories have also been the
subject of television shows and movies
in the 20th and 21st centuries. Popular
examples include the Star Trek television
shows and movies and the StarWars
series of movies.
#More to explore
Fiction • Literature
Scorpion
Scorpions are small animals with a
curved tail that can deliver a poisonous
sting. Of the 1,400 species, or kinds, of
scorpion, about 25 can kill people with
their poison. Most scorpions will not
sting unless bothered. Scorpions are
members of the group of animals called
arachnids. They are relatives of spiders.
Scorpions are found throughout the
world except in Antarctica. Many live in
the desert, but they also can be found in
grasslands, in caves, and in forests. They
range in length from 0.5 inch to 8.3
inches (1.3 to 21 centimeters). The
longest scorpion is the rock scorpion of
South Africa. Most desert species are
yellowish or light brown. Other species
tend to be dark brown or black.
Like spiders, scorpions have four pairs of
legs. They also have claws, which help
the scorpion grasp prey. A scorpion carries
its tail arched over its back. The tip
of the tail has a sharp, hollow stinger.
Poison is squeezed through the stinger to
paralyze larger prey. For humans, medicine
may be able to stop the effects of
the poison if given shortly after the
sting.
Scorpions hide for much of the day and
come out at night to eat. They feed on
insects and spiders, but larger species
may eat lizards, snakes, mice, and other
scorpions. Scorpions spend most of their
time alone.
#More to explore
Spider
A scorpion carries its stinger arched above
its head.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Scorpion 51
Scotland
Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom,
a country of western Europe. The
other parts of the United Kingdom are
England,Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Scotland covers the northern third of the
island of Great Britain. It borders
England to the south. The capital of
Scotland is Edinburgh.
Geography
Scotland has three land regions. The
Highlands, in the north, have rocky
mountains and many lakes. The Central
Lowlands are hilly and have Scotland’s
best farmland. The Southern Uplands
have narrow, flat valleys between low
mountains. Many small islands also
belong to Scotland. These include the
Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands,
and the Hebrides. Scotland’s climate is
mild and cool.
Heather, grasses, and shrubs cover much
of Scotland. Peat bogs are common, too.
These are swampy areas with wet,
spongy soil.
People
The people of Scotland mostly belong to
two groups. The Scots are descendants
of the ancient people called Celts. They
live in the Highlands. The rest of the
people mainly have Anglo-Saxon roots,
like the people of northern England.
Scotland also has people with Irish,
Lithuanian, Italian, Polish, Jewish, and
South Asian roots. Almost all of the
people speak English. A few people
speak old languages called Scottish
Gaelic and Scots. The main religion is
Christianity.
Economy
Scotland’s economy depends mainly on
service industries such as tourism,
finance, government, and real estate.
Manufacturing businesses make computers,
metals and metal products,
clothing, chemicals, and foods. The oil
and natural gas industries are also
strong. Farmers raise cattle, sheep, pigs,
and chickens. They grow wheat, barley,
and potatoes. Fishing and forestry are
important industries, too.
Urquhart Castle overlooks Loch Ness in
Scotland. “Loch” means “lake” in the Scottish
Gaelic language.
52 Scotland BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
History
By the 1st century AD several different
