We know the oceans are quickly changing; we are at a point in time where very different future oceans could be laid out in front of us.

Nereus Program Alumnus Andrew Merrie, Stockholm Resilience Centre, is curious about how those futures might differ. Using an innovative method called science fiction prototyping, he’s devised a set of four radical futures for global oceans and fisheries. Two of the scenarios represent more utopian futures, the other two are more dystopian. They are written as speculative fiction in different, engaging narrative styles: a travel magazine article, an obituary, the transcript of a “TED”-like talk, and a series of recovered journal entries.

Merrie commissioned concept artist Simon Stålenhag, through a science communications grant from The Swedish Research Council Formas, to really bring these narrative scenarios to life with these four stunning images. The images were published this morning on Wired.

“The images almost look like watercolour paintings,” says Merrie. “They have a very real, lived-in look to them, they are in some way very relatable and engaging despite being set in the future”