The award-winning science-fiction author Brian Aldiss examines the social history of science fiction on the radio and asks: "Does science fiction hold a mirror up to progress?" This Archive Hour features radio drama, satire, commercials and music, and looks at the news and debate from which the sci-fi series sprang.

[Picture caption] The colourful world of space-hero Buck Rogers, from an illustration by the American artist Anton Brzezinski.

Weird Science 8.00pm R4 For some people, sci-fi, or "sky-fi" as they pronounce it, will only ever be turgid fiction, wobbly flying saucers and geeks at conventions. Which is a shame, as it's a remarkably versatile, entertaining and prescient genre, as Brian Aldiss sets out to prove. For decades radio science fiction has been used to mirror contemporary society and foresee its future. Clips from The War of the Worlds, The Martian Chronicles and many other stories show not only how astonishing the parallels and predictions have been, but also how well the genre translates to radio. For instance, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has been a book, a play and a computer game (it'll soon be a film), but its Radio 4 incarnation from 1978 remains the best by light years. A hugely enjoyable documentary, then, and not a flying saucer in earshot. Well, maybe a few. (Mark Braxton)