The Quantum Micro-Fiction competition received almost 100 submissions, each one a pocket universe of science fictional imagination. We were delighted by the creativity of the entries, and to partner with Science Gallery London as part of the Clarke Award’s 40th anniversary celebrations, honouring Sir Arthur’s memory as an alumnus of King’s.
Tom Hunter, Director of the Arthur C. Clarke Award science fiction book of the year.
18 February 2026
Winners of Stories of the Quantum Universe micro-fiction competition announced
Science Gallery London and the Arthur C. Clarke Award announce the winners of their first micro-fiction competition for bite-sized science fiction stories about quantum physics.
Science Gallery London and the Arthur C. Clarke Award announce the winners of their first micro-fiction competition for bite-sized science fiction stories about quantum physics.
The was overseen by judges nominated by Science Gallery London and the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Stories were limited to just 500 words in length, and entrants were encouraged to think creatively about how ideas in quantum physics might be interpreted.
The winning story, The Observer’s Daughter by Georgina Pierson, explores the observer effect, which holds that observing or measuring a quantum system inevitably changes its state. By applying this idea to the experience of a young woman, Pierson sought to: ‘bring a human, relational lens to ideas that are often presented abstractly; to explore the observer not as a detached point, but as something embodied, relational, and inseparable from the system it encounters.’
The runners up are author, editor and publisher Michael Bailey, whose story SUPERPOSITION asks whether the idea of a coherent, singular self is a fiction in the context of quantum superposition, and sculptor Kate Robinson, whose story The Happy Prince’s Quantum of Uncertainty transports the multiverse concept to a folkloric setting to reflect on the multitudes within the natural world.
The micro fiction competition in partnership with the Arthur C. Clarke Award has led to many brilliant contributions, which have been very enjoyable to read. The entries show the amazing power of language and metaphor, essential tools for demystifying the intangible quantum realms around us and making them feel more graspable, tangible, and real.
Jen Wong, Head of Programming
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Head of Programming, Science Gallery London