A new exhibition dedicated to science fiction has opened at the British Library in London.

Out Of This World aims to challenge visitors' perceptions of the genre and explore its relationship with science.

Books on show at the exhibition, which is open to the public from May 20 until September 25, include a first edition of Thomas More's Utopia and Luigi Serafini's encyclopaedia of an imaginary world Codex Seraphinius.

Sci-fi author China Mieville took BBC News on a tour of the exhibition to explain the genre's importance and lasting appeal.

Images from Codex Seraphinianus copyright Luigi Serafini, illustration from War of the Worlds copyright British Library