Foundation is a seminal science fiction series written by Isaac Asimov, originally published as a collection of short stories in the 1940s. The narrative explores the rise and fall of a galactic empire and the efforts of a group of scientists to preserve knowledge and culture through the establishment of the Foundation, a repository of human knowledge. The series delves into themes of psychohistory, a fictional science that combines history, sociology, and statistical mathematics to predict the future. Asimov's work has had a profound influence on the genre, inspiring countless authors and adaptations in various media, including film and television.