evolution
The evolution of science, science fiction, and mankind throughout the years.
The Dead Zoo: Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus means “roofed lizard.” I never really understood why. The trundling herbivore bore an offset row of bony, triangular plates along the midline of its back, but this arrangement didn’t really look like a roof so much as a series of sails. Whether trying to keep off the rain or provide a barrier to serrated teeth, the plates didn't look like a very effective awning.
By Brian Switek7 years ago in Futurism
The Dead Zoo: Tyrannosaurus Rex
I wonder how many paleontologists AMNH 5027 has inspired. In case the museum catalog number doesn't ring a bell, that’s the formal name for the second Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton recognized by science, dug out of the Montana badlands in 1908 and on display on the fourth floor of New York’s American Museum of Natural History for over a century now.
By Brian Switek7 years ago in Futurism
Excerpt From "The Burning Years"
Peter, my maker, has recently told me, “Inanna, the burning years are about to kick into full throttle.” When I heard this from him, I knew none of the wars and fights and various ideologies and beliefs that keep humans apart will matter. We’ll all be forced to put them aside as we fight together for the survival of our planet and our species.
By Felicity Harley7 years ago in Futurism
On Borrowed Time
Ever since man has looked up at the heavens there have been many unanswered questions about the destiny of mankind. These unanswerable questions have always reoccurred through each millennium. We have often asked are we all just dust in the wind in relationship to the enormity of the cosmos? Are we endowed by our creator not only as Thomas Jefferson wrote with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness but with the ability to survive, and coexist with other life forms elsewhere? Today, though it is quite evident that man has not yet perfected the art of just coexisting with humanity and nature right here on planet Earth let alone if we managed to be able to go anywhere else.
By Dr. Williams7 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... The Avengers: Never, Never Say Die
"I've killed him again!" Friday 17 March 1967 Ah, one of my all time favourite episodes. A close up of a pair of smart shoes. They are soon muddy shoes and we see a tall man walking towards a main road. It's only Christopher blimmin' Lee! He steps in front of a car, is killed and in-hospital pronounced dead on arrival. Gosh, what an opening! But the prologue isn't over yet: as the medics walk away the man's feet start to twitch, and suddenly he gets up and marches out of the hospital. Zombies...on The Avengers??! That was a superb pre-title scene, and also one of my favourite episode titles.
By Nick Brown7 years ago in Futurism
From the 5th Book, "Hegira," The Prologue, "Decision on Vandeventer"
She remembered. It was a Saturday morning over 30 years ago. Must have been early Winter, steam billowed from car exhaust. Sitting alone, in a diner on Vandeventer Avenue, a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her, she made a decision.
By Teresa McLaughlin7 years ago in Futurism
Humanity 2.0
I’m going to take a moment to point out some observations on how humanity has developed, and what they may mean for our future. As a lover of all things science and science fiction, I have always been keenly interested in wondering how technology has affected us as a society. It has just sped communication up, as expected, but it changed the fundamentals of communication. It hasn’t just given us more information about the universe, it has changed the entire skyline of reality. In the 1960’s, everyone was certain that we would be settling and mining the solar system by now. Why aren’t we? Because we haven’t taken the next step in our evolution, yet. That evolution will probably lead to the end of life as we understand it, because there are far too many unpredictable hazards for biological organisms to explore space.
By Mickey Finn7 years ago in Futurism
Enceladus' Ice-Covered Ocean Closer to Surface Than Previously Thought
When it comes to places in the Solar System to search for possible alien life, Saturn's moon Enceladus is now right near the top of the list. Like Jupiter's moon Europa, it has a subsurface ocean of water, and even plumes/geysers of water vapor which erupt from fissures in the icy surface near the south pole. Those plumes contain organics as discovered by the Cassini probe and there is evidence for hydrothermal activity on the ocean floor, just like on Earth. The fissures are warmed by heat from below, and now there is evidence that some of them are even warmer than expected, meaning that water could be closer to the surface than previously thought.
By Paul Scott Anderson7 years ago in Futurism
From the 6th book, "Amagi, the Restoration," Excerpt from the Chapter Called "The Chosen People"
“The Gods of old were not remote, celestial icons. They were flesh and bone, sinew and blood,” she said, standing in front of the altar. She looked at the crowded nave. More people were entering. No one was surprised more than she at increasing numbers.
By Teresa McLaughlin7 years ago in Futurism