I know, I know...shape-shifting is for fantasy stories, not sci-fi......or is it?

One of my favorite portrayals of shape-shifters is the kid's book series Animorphs, in which the ability to "morph" as they call it, is a technology invented by an alien race. The way it works is that you have to touch a creature and acquire its DNA, which you can then access to morph anytime you want. You can only stay morphed for two earth hours or you'll become trapped in the morph forever. This actually happens in the first book to my favorite character in the series. Also, while in morph, you are subjected to all the instincts and drives of the animal you are in the form of, which can be pretty hard to fight for some animals. In theory you can acquire the DNA of someone of your species, but the heroes in Animorphs never master turning into other humans. The morphing itself feels weird but not painful as bones pop out of place and organs re-arrange themselves.

Another unique twist on shape-shifting I came across recently was in the tv show The Vampire Diaries, which I do not recommend any of you watch. In that show, the werewolves consider turning on the full moon a curse because it is very painful and requires breaking every bone in their bodies in order to take on the form of the wolf. I thought that a very interesting twist on the idea of shape-shifting.

What about yall? Any of yall have shape-shifters in your sci-fi?
How do they do it?

Would you ever consider using shape-shifting for a sci-fi story?
What tips would you offer on using shape-shifting in a story?

I know Star Wars has at least one shape-shifting species, but I don't think I'd use it.

I don't have any shapeshifters in my sci-fi so far. I've occasionally seen them used in sci-fi, such as in X-Men.

I had a semi-scifi story concept I played around with for a while that involved a shape-shifter...of sorts. He would wake up every night in the form of an animal. I think he alternated between like four animals on a monthly basis or something....I can't remember, it's been a while since I came up with it. He had no idea how it happened, since he was always asleep when it happened, he had no control over it, and he had no clue as to why it happened. He suffered from amnesia and the first time he woke up as a panther, the shock nearly gave him a heart-attack

I remember that idea.

Well, my stories have a Sci-Fi colony, but there are fantasy shape shifters.

I do have shapeshifters in my story.

They're women that have the ability to shift into wolves at a moment's notice. When they shift either way, a dark grey-sparkle mist covers them from view. The color of their wolf's fur carries over to their human's hair, as does the eye color-which is different for each individual.

The ability was genetic and only transferred to the daughters in a wolf family, while the sons are normal wolves. In a human match, the genes are latent in the children but can be temporarily reactivated to heal the carrier with the proper process.

I mostly rewrote Irish werewolf legend and made them more like the majesty of the wolves in the wild instead of vicious, mindless brutes.