“Enrico Fermi created the world’s first nuclear reactor, and years later, became famous for asking why we hadn’t detected life out among the stars. Little did he know his greatest scientific feat was the answer.” ~The novel Motus, by P. A. Kramer
Science
Stasis: The Future of Suspended Animation
Humanity has a contentious relationship with time. Often it passes at a snail’s pace and separates us from where and when we want to be. At other moments, it is gone before we can appreciate it, leaving us longing for the irrecoverable past. Eventually, time runs out, and even the luckiest of us succumb to age. But it is not in human nature to give up without a fight, even if it means standing our ground against time itself.
Exploring Alien Worlds on Netflix (Ep2)
Part review, part scientific dialogue, Biologist Philip Kramer, PhD and SETI Institute employee Margaret Reeb discuss the Netflix series Alien Worlds which Aired December 2nd, 2020. In this article, the authors combine their scientific expertise with their love of science fiction to address the triumphs and failures of the series in its depiction of alien life on other planets. Join them as they explore Alien Worlds and the imaginative field of astrobiology.
The Science of Exobiology
So you want to introduce a new lifeform in your fiction. There are many reasons to do so. A sentient humanoid can provoke your reader’s sympathy and relatability, while a vile, brainless, and flesh-eating slug can put your readers on edge. If done sloppily, however, skeptical readers will find the flaws in such a creature, and that disbelief will undermine any of your attempts to draw them into the story. You can blame biologists for always taking the fun out of your unique imagination, or you can choose to awe them with the many ways you manipulate biology into something terrifying or beautiful. After all, there are millions of weird and wonderful species on our own planet, some far more alien looking than what sci-fi authors have conjured up over the years.
The science of enclosed ecosystems
A Closed Ecological System (CES) is a broad term that encompass any self-sustaining and closed system in which matter does not leave or enter. These artificial habitats can be built in space, underground, or underwater, but no matter where they are, chances are they are closed for a reason. Whether it is an underground bunker in a post-apocalyptic setting, a distant planet in the early stages of colonization, or a spacecraft carrying the last remnants of humanity, the environment outside is not hospitable. To ensure long-term survival, the occupants must maintain a well-balanced air and water system, a continuous food supply, and a reliable source of energy.
The science of magic
I enjoy fantasy for the same reason as everyone else, to be taken out of our world and go on a narrated tour of the fantastical. But magic should still have logical consistency, otherwise it’s impossible for me to get fully immersed in the story.
