New Scientist has declared the present time the golden age of British science fiction and published, online, eight flash fiction SF pieces by noted writers. These were invited pieces and are in the range of about 300-500 words, shorter than those published by Flash Fiction Online. The authors were asked to set the story 100 years in the future. The authors include: Kevin MacLeon, Ian McDonald, Geoff Ryman, Nicola Griffith, Stephen Baxter, Paul McAuley, Ian Watson and Justina Robson.

New Scientist also is sponsoring a similar flash fiction SF competition. The stories must be 350 words or less and set about a century from now. The competition appears to be open to all. The stories are due by 5pm BST on Thursday, 15 October. The winners' stories will be published in New Scientist. The competition will be judged by a panel headed by Stephen Baxter. See the article and rules for more details.