#they think that the earth was created 5000 years ago......5000 years ago.... | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kaczoartreviews · 1 month

Text

Consequently Human: I Think, Therefore I Am, Not Merely a Substitute

reading time: 9 min.

“ From the perspective of others, I am part of the world, but when I observe the world from my perspective I am nowhere to be found. To observe is to create perspective. I can never cease to be the point of origin from my perspective. I observe that which is not myself. This is the first principle to find.” - Ergo Proxy

The dimly lit room bathed in the glow of my laptop screen. Clicking through YouTube videos, I stumbled upon a thumbnail showcasing enigmatic anime characters. Intrigued, I clicked, and English-dubbed voices filled the space. While watching, my initial confusion transformed into fascination. The animation and enigmatic characters held my attention, even though my young age left me with an incomplete understanding. Years later, I found myself in the same room, armed with a notebook. As I hit play on "Ergo Proxy" once more, a familiar excitement surged within me, igniting a newfound intensity for the series. Yet, despite its undeniable strengths in plot, character development, and thematic depth, I couldn't shake the feeling of its under-appreciated status in the world of mainstream anime. As the episodes unfolded before me, I found myself ensnared in its narrative intricacies and rich philosophical symbolism. Each scene seemed to beckon me deeper into its labyrinthine depths, compelling me to pause and jot down notes. The complexity of the characters and their growth, along with the nuanced storytelling, left me in awe, yet hungry for more. Delving into each scene with a critical eye, I uncovered layers of depth that left me marveling at the series' narrative complexity. It was as if every frame held a hidden treasure, waiting to be discovered by those willing to look beyond the surface. While "Ergo Proxy" may not boast the same wide audience as other anime series, its impact on those who appreciate its genre-defying qualities is profound. In a world saturated with formulaic narratives, it offers a refreshing and thought-provoking viewing experience, one that challenges viewers to delve into its cyberpunk post-apocalyptic psychological thriller story and emerge with a newfound appreciation for the art of animated storytelling.

I'm eager to discuss "Ergo Proxy" and convey why it holds such significance for me in the realm of storytelling, while also being mindful not to reveal too much. The series stands out as one of the most intricate shows I've encountered, making it a challenge to summarize its essence. Given the nature of this show, it lends itself to in-depth analysis where a single character or element could be explored at length, potentially spanning several pages.

In the year 7207, Earth lies in ruins, devastated by an ecological catastrophe that wiped out 85% of its human population 5000 years ago. In the aftermath, survivors took refuge in fortified city-states like Romdeau, protected by colossal domes. Within these cities, humanoid robots known as AutoReivs aid in daily life, governed by the Collective Will system. However, a mysterious virus, Cogito, grants some AutoReivs self-awareness, leading to unrest and a string of murders. Agent Re-l Mayer investigates alongside her partner Iggy, uncovering a government conspiracy and the existence of enigmatic beings called Proxies. Meanwhile, Vincent Law, an immigrant striving for acceptance, becomes entangled in the intrigue, drawn to Re-l and haunted by surreal visions. Pursued by authorities and plagued by uncertainty, Re-l, Vincent, and a young infected AutoReiv named Pino form an unlikely alliance to unravel the secrets of Romdeau, confront the truth of their shattered world, and grapple with the essence of humanity.

As someone who's grown to deeply appreciate "Ergo Proxy," one aspect of its narrative that I absolutely adore is how it plunges the viewer headfirst into the unknown alongside its characters. Instead of spoon-feeding us explanations, the story delights in keeping us in the dark, just like the characters themselves. It's like a rollercoaster ride of deception, lies, and secrets, where I am constantly left guessing what's really going on behind the scenes. Right from the get-go, I can't help but question the seemingly perfect society we're presented with. Is it all just a facade? Is there a darker truth lurking beneath the surface? These questions only intensify as the story unfolds, keeping me hooked and hungry for answers.

And boy, does the journey to uncover the truth pack a punch! I am right there alongside the characters, piecing together the puzzle of this mysterious world. From a skeptical detective on the hunt for truth, to a guy trying to figure out his own identity, to moments that whisk me back to carefree childhood days, every twist and turn keeps me on my toes. What's truly fascinating is how the story unfolds not just through the characters' actions, but through the intricate web of symbolism woven into every scene. It's like a cryptic riddle waiting to be unraveled, with each revelation bringing me closer to the heart of the mystery. And let's not forget the genius genre switches that keeps me guessing at every turn. One moment I am knee-deep in cyberpunk crime fiction, and the next, I am swept away in a whimsical, Disney-like tale. It's a wild ride from start to finish, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

As I explore the rich tapestry of "Ergo Proxy," two foundational aspects of its world-building demand attention. Firstly, there's the captivating narrative surrounding the Cogito Virus. The term "Cogito" isn't arbitrary; it's a nod to the profound philosophical concept articulated by René Descartes: "Cogito, ergo sum" - "I think, therefore I am." Descartes' musings on the nature of consciousness provide a compelling backdrop for Ergo Proxy's exploration of what it truly means to be human. But how does this philosophical pondering translate into the world of Ergo Proxy? Enter the AutoReivs. Infected by the Cogito Virus, these once-mundane robots transcend their programming to attain self-awareness. Suddenly, they find themselves grappling with questions of identity and existence, blurring the lines between artificial intelligence and human consciousness. Birth, growth, emotionality, inner turmoils, mortality - the AutoReivs now experience the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences. It's a truly mesmerizing journey to witness, as each infected AutoReiv emerges as a unique and complex individual, mirroring the diversity of human personalities. As I observe their evolution throughout the series, I'm left pondering a profound question: Can machines truly evolve to embody the essence of humanity? It's a thought-provoking inquiry that resonates deeply and lingers in my mind, inviting further exploration and contemplation.

The second topic that goes beyond just pondering about our existence - it's all about why we're here in the first place. Hence, there is "raison d'être," a fancy French term that basically means "reason to live" or "reason for being." In “Ergo Proxy”, this concept takes center stage, adding a delightful twist to our philosophical musings. Picture this: in Romdeau, humans and AutoReivs live side by side, each with their own designated purpose. Whether it's tackling mundane tasks or diving into high-stakes government gigs, everyone's got a role to play. The AutoReivs, bless their mechanical hearts, serve as companions or handy work buddies, fulfilling whatever needs their human masters throw their way. It's a neat little system that keeps the city running like clockwork, with nobody daring to peek beyond the dome into the wild unknown. But here's the kicker: what happens when someone - human or AutoReiv - loses their reason to exist? “Ergo Proxy” gleefully invites the viewer to ponder this question, exploring how folks cope when their raison d'être goes MIA. From Vincent, Re-l, and Pino embarking on their soul-searching journey to the infected AutoReivs yearning for a purpose like a bunch of lost souls, the show serves up a smorgasbord of existential crises. And let's not forget about the AutoReivs themselves. Poor things are thrown for a loop when they suddenly gain self-awareness, with some of them going off the deep end faster than you can say "existential crisis." It's a wild ride of paranoia, delusion, and maybe even a sprinkle of aggression thrown in for good measure.

At some point, I couldn't help but immerse myself in the profound meanings and existential questions that this show evokes. I'm grateful for this introspective journey, as it prompts deep contemplation. Looking back, I can't help but wonder how I would have navigated such existential depths when I encountered this show the first time. While my admiration for Ergo Proxy remains steadfast, I must express some disappointment regarding its narrative direction. In particular, I feel the series missed an opportunity to delve deeper into psychological exploration and to create a more chilling reflection of our society. Despite its potential to address relevant topics, the story falls short in fully realizing this ambition. Released in 2006, Ergo Proxy remains remarkably relevant today, resonating with our modern world of technological advancements and geopolitical tensions. Despite its relevance, the series has yet to garner the widespread recognition it deserves. Its creators, Dai Sato and Shuko Murase, are known for their involvement in more mainstream projects such as Samurai Champloo or Cowboy Bebop, both of which hold high esteem in my anime collection. However, it appears that Ergo Proxy tends to cater more to niche audiences rather than reaching a global viewership. As someone who wasn't aware of its underground status at the age of eleven, I consider Ergo Proxy to be a true hidden gem in the anime industry. It saddens me that it hasn't achieved the popularity it merits. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that those who appreciate intellectually stimulating narratives will discover and cherish this show.

I believe that “Ergo Proxy" possesses a universal allure that transcends the confines of traditional anime fandom. While its multifaceted plot and philosophical underpinnings may initially seem daunting, the series welcomes viewers of all backgrounds to explore its narrative depths. If you consider yourself as someone with a keen interest in philosophy, you too may find the show's exploration of existential themes particularly engaging, offering a profound reflection on the human condition. Through the characters' poignant struggles and moments of resilience, Ergo Proxy invites viewers to ponder their own existence and aspirations for the future, resonating on a deeply personal level. Beyond its surface appeal, the series is enriched by its intricate symbolism, As much as the series are able to mirror the outmost scary and paranoid ideas society have for the future on earth. These aspects adds layers of meaning and invites deeper contemplation. Despite its niche appeal, I was captivated by the complexity woven throughout its 22 episodes and the development of its central characters. I hope you will also find yourself entranced by Pino's transformation from a mechanical puppet to a sentient being capable of human emotions. Pino’s life in “ergo proxy” serves as a powerful allegory, echoing the timeless tale of Pinocchio's journey towards self-discovery. “Ergo Proxy” prompts introspection on individuality, morality, and the essence of humanity itself, leaving a lasting impression that extends far beyond the screen. In a media landscape saturated with formulaic narratives, Ergo Proxy stands as a testament to the transformative power of animated storytelling, challenging viewers to embrace its genre-defying qualities and emerge with a renewed appreciation for the medium.

"Even if I was someone, people couldn't comprehend me. And even if they could, they wouldn't be able to communicate it to those around them. I do not belong to the world. That is the world's limit, the boundary between the world and the self.” - Ergo Proxy

category: Film, Society, Dystopia, Cyberpunk, Philosophy, Psychology

rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

youtube

written by Michaela Kaczorová

#art blog #movie review #student review #ergo proxy #anime #2006 anime #tv series #dystopia #post apocalyptic #cyberpunk #philosophy #psychology #Youtube

1 note · View note

harmonyveda-us · 8 months

Text

What is Ayurveda?

WHAT IS AYURVEDA?

Ayurveda (pronounced ai-yr-vei-duh) is an ancient Indian holistic science that encompasses herbal supplements, nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle practices to create complete balance in one’s body, mind, spirit.

Ayurveda, the knowledge of life (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge,) embraces the school of thought that disease can begin with an imbalance or stress in your consciousness. It is also based on the principle that the mind and the body are intrinsically connected, therefore, ayurveda involves expanding consciousness in order to regain balance of the mind and body. This rapidly growing alternative medicine is much more than a way of diagnosing illness, rather it is a way of life to become more radiant and joyful.

What are my doshas?

Ayurveda was established 5000 years ago with the foundation that every person has three driving life forces, called doshas, that determine unique mixtures of mental, physical, and emotional characteristics. These are the Vata (air), Pitta (fire), and Kapha (earth) doshas that each contain a myriad of the five elements of space, fire, water, earth, and air. Identifying your doshas will allow you to achieve a more harmonic life as you learn to balance them.

Each dosha controls different body functions. One typically presents stronger than the other two in each person. It is believed in Ayurveda that any health issues you may encounter are linked to your own balance of doshas.

VATA

Elements: Air and space

Primary Functions: Movement, communication

Vata dominant individuals tend to be quick thinking, slim, and fast-paced. They are vivacious individuals who are constantly moving, spiritually minded, overly tactile, and love nature. Vatas are susceptible to anxiety, dry skin, and feeling cold. These types learn quickly, but may have a poor memory, gain weight toward the middle of their bodies, and have an irregular appetite.

The vata qualities are clear, dry, light, mobile, cold, rough, and subtle. In the body, Vata commands breathing, cell division, and circulation, as well as the large intestine, bones, skin, ears, and thighs.

IN BALANCE: Vatas in balance are energetic, learn easily, focused, fall asleep easily at bedtime, balanced in digestion, and have good circulation with an even body temperature.

OUT OF BALANCE: The most likely to lose equilibrium, vatas out of balance are likely to experience fatigue, anxiety, forgetfulness, lack of focus, constipation, poor circulation with cold hands and feet, and difficulty falling asleep.

PITTA

Elements: Fire and water

Primary Functions: Digestion, transformation

Pitta dominant individuals are ambitious, competitive personalities with medium to strong builds. Pittas are perfectionists, focus well, and gain weight evenly or toward the bottom half of the body.

They are susceptible to anger, oily skin, inflammation, and heartburn. These types have a steady digestion and appetite, overheat easily, sleep well, and have great memory.

The pitta qualities are hot, mobile, liquid, oily, sharp, and light. In the body, pitta oversees hormones and the digestive system, as well as the small intestine, stomach, sweat glands, skin, blood, and eyes.

IN BALANCE: Pittas in balance have a glowing complexion, good vision, steady digestion, stable body weight, sharp intellect, and are content.

OUT OF BALANCE: Pittas out of balance can experience a lot of anger, irritability, hot flashes, eye troubles, rashes, and acne. They may also experience heart disease, stomach ulcers, and arthritis.

KAPHA

Elements: Earth and water

Primary Functions: Cohesiveness, structure

Kapha dominant individuals are tranquil, grounded people with solid body frames. They are patient, hard-working people who love the arts, food, warmth, and material possessions. Kaphas are susceptible to laziness, disliking cold weather, and sleeping a lot. These earthy types have well developed bodies, steady appetites, and soft, supple skin

The kapha qualities are soft, stable, smooth, slow, cold, heavy, dense, and sticky. In the body, kapha governs strength, immunity, and growth, as well as the chest, lungs, and spinal fluid.

IN BALANCE: Kaphas in balance are affectionate, courageous, generous, stable in temperament, and strong. They experience steady digestion and body weight, deep sleep and good long-term memory.

OUT OF BALANCE: The least likely to lose stability, kaphas out of balance may experience greediness, procrastination, inflammation, slow digestion, obesity, diabetes, depression, and respiratory issues.

Where do I start?

If you’re wondering where to start your ayurvedic journey, here are three simple steps to begin.

Take the quiz to learn your dosha

Understanding your principal natures will allow you to make discoveries about your body and behavior. Learn if you are in or out of balance with this quizand identify herbal remedies, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications to find or maintain equilibrium.

Start a morning and nighttime routine.

Establishing a routine in the morning and evening will allow your body and consciousness to find consistency. This stability creates radical change through regulation of the body’s biological clock, digestion, and food absorption, as well as self-esteem, peace, and longevity. By gifting yourself balanced discipline, you will create freedom for your mind, body, and spirit.

Schedule an Ayurvedic consultation

Sit down for a consultation with an ayurvedic practitioner to receive a comprehensive uncovering of your root ailments. A holistic view of your lifestyle, health history, and behavior are taken into consideration. Your practitioner will curate a personal treatment plan that may include herbal supplements, lifestyle changes to tackle emotional stressors, and other remedies.

Ayurveda can feel overwhelming at first. Take it one step at a time. If you’re ready to learn more about ayurveda and are interested in treatment, visit harmonyok.com to schedule a consultation today.

Source URL By: https://bit.ly/3qvnB1X

0 notes

christisrighteous · 10 months

Text

Listen, God wasn’t super clear on whether earth was created 5000 years ago or twenty billion years ago, so I guess it didn’t really matter to Him if we knew that fact or not. But He was super duper clear that we should love all people and be kind, so I think He may have thought that was important

#christianity #I mean that about any theology arguement #not just earths age #god said be kind #to all people #and some of y’all said but what about that guy #jesus #bible #faith #jesus christ

1 note · View note

thevaisnava · 1 year

Text

Sanatan-Dharma, the eternal religion has far more scriptures than the scriptures of all the other world religions put together. Here is a list of some Vedic scriptures: Four Vedas – Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva (Over 20,176 verses) 108 Upanishads (over 4000 verses) Ramayan (over 25,000 verses) Mahabharat (over 100,000 verses) 18 Puranas (400,000 verses) Caitanya-caritamrta (11,555 verses) Other Vedic scriptures (Over 250,000 verses) Total: Over 810,000 verses The 810,000 verses are what remains, as there were actually millions of verses in the Vedic scriptures and most of the knowledge has been lost due to destruction by invaders and failure to pass on the knowledge (lack of preaching). The Bhagavad-Gita has 700 verses and is contained within the Mahabharat. It’s the essence of all Vedic knowledge. The Srimad-Bhagavatam has 18,000 verses and is the other most important scripture, this is one of the 18 Puranas. All the Vedic knowledge is eternal and is repeatedly reestablished by Lord Krishna. The word veda means ‘knowledge’ and the aim of the Vedic knowledge is to understand God. Acting in accordance with the Vedic injunctions is called following Vedic principles. The highest Vedic principle is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. “Give up all other religious beliefs and just surrender unto Me [Krishna]. I will release you from all your sins. Do not worry.” Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 18.66 The Vedic knowledge is vast, superior, and comes from God. This can be realized by knowing the number of verses in the Vedic scriptures (as above) and the non-Vedic scriptures. There are 6236 verses in the Islamic Koran, which was written less than 1400 years ago and this is a one off scripture, thus only created once and will never be recreated. There are 35,527 verses in the Christian Bible, which was written less than 2000 years ago and this is also a one off scripture, to be never recreated. It’s impossible for the Koran and Bible to exist beyond this planet. Only the Vedic scriptures exist beyond this planet in millions of universes and 120.533 million years ago, Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-Gita to Vivasvan on the sun planet. Vivasvan is placed in charge of maintaining the sun planet. The foolish will find it hard to believe that there are living beings on the sun planet because they think that they cannot live there and thus nobody can. Just because you cannot live in the water, does it mean nobody can? There are millions of living beings living in the water. Just because you cannot live in the earth, does it mean nobody can? There are millions of living beings living in the earth. In a similar way, there are millions of living beings living in heat. Here is another proof of this: we cannot live in a room with a temperature of 36 degrees Celsius for a long time, but within our body the temperature is 36 degrees Celsius, and there are millions of living beings living within our body, like worms and bacteria. Even on this planet, the scientists have found organisms living and multiplying at temperatures of over 300 degrees Celsius (microorganisms from the mysterious red rain of Kerala, India). The vast Vedic knowledge comes from God, otherwise how could anyone makeup over 810,000 unique verses of information, over 5000 years ago? Also the Vedic knowledge is eternal, this is yet another proof that this knowledge comes from God, Lord Krishna.

0 notes

authordreamylu · 2 years

Text

Prologue

".... And so, the flower bloomed again.

No elf could believe it, but it was true, after 5000 years of hiding. The Moonpond lit up and its flower rose with a new life. A life that would have to take responsibility for the fate of all.

The first living being rose out of the pond millions of years ago. She wandered over the cold, empty and dry world. She cried. All these tears she shed let life begin. Sadness and frustration are now seen as today's beauty of nature: Trees, animals and everything you see is more than just what you can think of. An elf created life in all its aspects out of the tears her body gave. How depressing the thought is that we all are just tears... just a drop of... frustration. The pain she must have felt. No one knows if her holy drops gave her happiness and hope. Yet, the children of hers were delighted by her creations. They played in the protected land of the Pond, the Dark Forest, the Highlands and the Freezing Halls.

... Not for long...

The humans quickly started to think they were the only humanoids that deserved life and killed more elves and dwarves than anyone could count. However, the Highlands became now a dangerous land for outsiders. Such as the humans that live there themselves. King Oisín Linehan of the Highlands banned all under his power and named Tazia his own. Vilgram people had no right to speak, so he banned them into the desert with the hope they'd never harass him again with their intelligence which he counted as dumbness and uncultivated behaviour. While the Highlanders still eat their meat by hand the Vilgrams developed new technology: more than just their breath-taking buildings will blow one's mind if they place a foot into their land. To be honest, one could never share their view, they'd be dead in seconds. How? No one knows. As mentioned before the Highlanders themselves feared him too and still are, now thousands of years later over his relative King Kieran Caleb Linehan of the Highlands. Not only illness and poverty strike over the valleys but the Witch Hunters too. It started to be enough getting born as a magical 'creature' like elves, dwarves, goblins or even with a protesting mind to stand on the top of the fire. In the end you have ninety-nine percent chance to get taken in by the Witch Hunters, even as a human though you worship your emperor like the sun - He is your sun. Due to such drastic change in the world the Moonpond lit up a second time. A fully grown boy, already a man, stood up and forged himself a sword. A sword not made to shatter blood but to lead the people of his own into the safety of the Lunartale. Protection was the reason for that the Flower gave birth again. He followed his path for over ten thousand years and won...as far you can say that. The magical borders of his are still hiding the elves from the humans but also from vampires and other brutal creatures that just love to see them die and drink their blood for a young skin. The Ponds magic keeps the wall alive since the protector left from this earth. Since the elves are hiding, Vampires brought illness to the human world, and no one is there to help against the current plaque. Except for one: Dimitry, no one knows his name, but he is the only doctor that can heal the people of the Highlands. Some say they saw fangs on him, other that he had lilac eyes. Whatever is true or false, no one quite knows, and they don't want to know. It's easier to trust someone who just looks kind and handsome than looking kind and handsome and being a magical creature, right? Right."

"But when were you born, mommy?" Tami asked with her sweet voice and wiggled her teeny, tiny pointy ears.

"After even our kind separated into new clans and left the Nordic federation. Then it still took hundreds of years for me to appear." Kamari explained to her daughter and puts the last bottle of her own blood into the shelf.

#bookstagram #bookblr #fantasy #fantasy books #journal #notebooks #elf #elven aesthetic #vampire #tiktok #instagram #wattpad #twitter #aesthetic #romance #high fantasy #Spotify

1 note · View note

change-life-change-world · 2 years

Text

Get A Supreme Level of Judgement By Knowing Yin-Yang Theory

What is the standard when we judge things?

We have our own judgment criteria built up from our past experiences such as whether we are evaluated or not. Just forget about these and obtain a whole new standard based on yin and yang theory.

Hello, I'm Hiroyuki Naka, a macrobiotic mentor.

What is the standard when we judge things?

We have our own judgment criteria built up from our past experiences such as;

whether it is good or bad,

whether we like it or not,

whether we have a loss or a gain,

whether we are confident or not,

whether it is good for our health or not,

whether it is right or wrong,

whether it is difficult or easy,

whether it is convenient or not,

and whether we are evaluated or not.

Such experiences are endless.

But if you think about it well, these are all other people’s values.

Those experiences somebody told or taught you when you were a child, and those you happened to see or read are to know the values of other people, and your memories are a stock of them.

As you can see, each person’s own judgement criteria depend on his or her experience and are shaped by his or her beliefs.

The judgement criteria that match many people are called common sense.

Also, people have different criteria for judgments depending on where they live, their religion, or their historical background, and morals and ethics are basically the same.

In other words, something like “so many countries, so many customs”.

Then what are the universal criteria of judgement that are not influenced by region, religion, or historical background?

It’s the single best judgement criterion for humans.

It is said to be a law that was intuitively discovered in observing nature in ancient China more than 5000 years ago. It is called the "yin-yang theory," or the Order of the Universe.

The Order of the Universe is that eternal and infinite life, all matter, our thoughts, feelings, etc., all things in this world, whether they have a form or not, are divided into two complementary and antagonistic forces, characteristics, tendencies, or patterns.

These two forces, characteristics, tendencies and patterns create and change everything in this world.

In other words, these two antagonistic and complementary forces, characteristics, tendencies, and patterns combine to produce energy and all things in nature.

One of the two is a centripetal force which generates energy from all directions of the infinite universe toward the center of the earth.

It appears as descent, contraction, fusion, assimilation, gathering, and organization and is called yang.

Men are strongly affected by this yang celestial force.

The other is a centrifugal force that generates energy that radiates from the center of the rotating earth toward the universe.

It appears as ascent, diffusion, expansion, dispersion, separation, and decomposition and is called yin.

Women are strongly affected by this yin earth force.

If you know the forces, characteristics, tendencies, and patterns of yin and yang, and if you understand the law of yin and yang, you will be able to properly grasp and deal with the truth about everything, regardless of time, space, circumstance, or object.

In other words, to know yin and yang means to get the highest judgement power in the world.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

Originally distributed by Hiroyuki Naka, a mentor of macrobiotics, as an e-mail newsletter in Japanese on MAY 20TH 2021.

Translated by Meerabai

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

“What happens when you die?”

I'm going to tell you a story about the truth of afterlife that nobody knows.

A YouTube video by Hiroyuki Naka, a macrobiotic mentor.

youtube

English subtitle coming soon!

#Seven Levels Of Judgment #George Ohsawa #yin and yang #Hiroyuki Naka #Michio Kushi #Macrobiotics

1 note · View note

permafusion-stevonnie · 3 years

Photo

So this idea isn’t leaving my head. While I’m not going to get it started for now, since I want to concentrate on my current Stevonnie comic, ideas are still ticking away and I just really wanted to draw this cover for the idea.

Maybe I’ll get its own page started in time. I’ll let you know if I do. But even if I did, I wouldn’t expect regular updates to it, not while I’m working on Together Forever.

I want to quickly say something that I think some people may have gotten confused about when I was talking about the Fallout Universe before:

Crystal Gems are still called Crystal Gems, but their role is similar, but not the same as the Brotherhood of Steel. In that they are isolationists, who will try to protect humanity from dangerous gem technology, and corrupted gems. they aren’t bothered with human mutants, human problems, or human technology. But I feel that, ove time, Steven will help their character growth away from this and help them, at least, start opening up to the local comminuty and helping where they can.

Homeworld Authority is still called Homeworld, or The Authority, but take on a similar role to the Enclave. They view themselves as the rightful masters of earth and they’re automatically more superior to any other lifeform by birthright.

I have been thinking over what could have occurred to create this world, how’s this for a (work in progress) backstory: (ended up a lot longer than I thought it would, so I’m space saving by putting in this break)

The Gem colonisation of earth happened later than it did in canon. A couple of thousand years, maybe. Unlike the 6000 years ago in canon, it was perhaps 5000, or maybe 4000 years ago. Enough for a bigger human civilisation to take part in the gem war for earth.

Pink still gets her colony started, still changes her mind about it, and finally chooses to become Rose Quartz to lead the rebellion. I think the human zoo will still be made, because I like the idea of that being around to give a mash-up of the human zoo and the mother ship zeta dlc from Fallout 3.

What really diverges from the timeline is when the rebellion starts fighting back with larger groups of human allies. 4000 (or 5000) years ago we are talking some good military strategies, chariots, bows and arrows, cavalries and tactics, etc. Some research will be needed to really flesh out the lore.

Homeworld, facing a bigger threat than a hundred or so rebels, puts a little more effort into research and development of newer technologies to counteract the human strategies. Nothing develops technologies quite like war.

Rose and the others start capturing some technologies from Homeworld and start studying them to not only understand them, but even attempting to reverse engineer them. They obviously won’t be able to replicate the weapons in form, but hope to do so in function.

This is where Scribes would come in for the Crystal Gems are the replacement for the Brotherhood of Steel that I’ve talked about before. Some Gems and some clever humans, would dedicate themselves to trying to understand the newer Gem technology they’re starting to see.

With inventive people like Bismuth to build their own version of it.

The actual Gem Technology will be locked away in the temple- or whatever name I may give it- but the remake versions that the Crystal Gems turn out will be spread far and wide.

I’m just thinking off the top of my head, but it’d be like- if they tried to make their own version of the gem destabiliser, it would be like a giant tuning fork hooked up to something similar to a large Baghdad Battery (google it, it’s kinda cool) that they would carry in a backpack.

The war would carry on like that, with Homeworld making new tech to combat the threat, sooner or later the rebellion captures some, they make their own version of it, and Homeworld makes new tech to combat the threat.

This drain on resources does take its toll on Homeworld though, and their war against earth is perhaps much shorter, between 300 and 800 years, I haven’t decided yet.

Things do play out similar to canon though. Homeworld decides to abandon earth as a lost cause, implant the Cluster so they’ll get something out of the deal and the three Diamonds blast the earth with their powers as a final middle finger to the rebels.

Gems are destroyed, except for the original Crystal Gems, and Bismuth! Canon Bismuth made a lot of regular weapons and armour and the rebellion was still losing. She was driven to making the Breaking Point because she didn’t think they had a chance of winning any other way. In this new canon, however, because Bismuth was working on newer and newer weapons all the time, each one she was confident would help turn the tide of the war, she never had chance to work on the ultimate weapon of the Breaking Point. She may have designed it, or may have the idea kicking around the back of her mind, but never got around to building it.

Rose does her thing of finding somewhere isolated to live in both peace and regret for the war. This is where the Crystal Gems become isolationists

With the Gems gone, humans are left to their own devices with all this more advanced technology than they should have in this point in history. Tech continues to develop with this head start.

Fast forward to the year 1929 and people are living lives as you’d see in the Fallout universe in the 2070′s. Nuclear fulled cars, robot assistants, laser rifles and power armour and all that other stuff.

The reason I chose 1929 is two-fold. The first Fallout game was set 84 years after the nuclear war, and 84 years after 1929 is the year 2013; the year Steven Universe first aired.

The failing of the world is the same reason the Fallout universe failed. Resources started to become scarce, wars started over what remained and the whole thing was escalated by a race that may have been too young to fully understand the forces they were really dealing with, having come a long way, but still too fast, thanks to the ancient interference.

Nuclear hellfire rained down and some people took their shelter in the vaults, while everyone else had to find ways to survive outside.

Rose and the Gems stick to their isolation as humanity all but wipes itself out. Rose is heartbroken to see the beautiful world that she fought so hard for, so easily destroyed. There can be a lot to explore there. Maybe Rose will leave the group, maybe she’ll just wander off and be alone a lot but still return to the temple eventually. I haven’t decided yet.

Perhaps all the gems will have some additional guilt, knowing that their old tech is what pushed humanity so far so fast.

Fast forward 70 years and Rose meets a travelling wastelander named Greg. They fall in love. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail here mostly because I haven’t really thought too much about it, but partly because I know I want it to be explored within the story itself to show how different from canon it would be. Not just the flashback elements from “Story for Steven,” and "We Need to Talk," with a Fallout flair. I want to work out some other nice adventures to bring them together.

Rose and Greg come back to Beach City with Rose expecting their baby.

Steven is born and the Gems immediately take custody, with the logic that their secure base is a better place for Steven to grow up than the harsh wasteland. Greg is allowed to visit as often as he likes, but not stay there. Nor is Steven allowed off the base. They want to protect the legacy of their leader, Rose.

I’m going to say that Steven starts showing hints of Gem powers around 10 years old. Nothing he can control. Perhaps his Gem glows when he’s really happy, if he falls down some steps his bubble forms but immediately pops so it’s just enough to save him from injury. Little things like that.

But this serves as a point where The Gems start “encouraging” Greg to visit less and leave the raising of Steven to them, as his upbringing has now become “Gem Business”

Steven may have snuck off the base once or twice to see the world beyond the base, but after this he’ll do it a lot more often to see his dad and the Beach City settlement.

I think Bismuth suspects he sneaks off but both can’t prove it, and doesn’t want to try and prove it, Garnet knows but says nothing, both of them are letting Steven have his fun, and Pearl has no idea he does it.

Amethyst is not part of the group in the beginning, she’s out as part of a raider gang somewhere. Thank you to theyarheeguy for giving me that idea, and many others, to work with.

A total of 84 years after the bombs dropped, Steven is now 12 years old, sneaking off the base for another visit to town, when he spots a pretty young girl dressed in a strange blue jumpsuit, emerging from a hidden trapdoor that was underneath the old Beach City water-tower.

Steven is 12 because I believe that’s how old he was when the show started. Based on the timeline, the passing of the seasons and so on, he has to have a 13th birthday that we don’t see on screen, before we do see his 14th birthday.

#art #my art #cover #fallout #Fallout AU #Steven Universe AU #long post #lore dump #work in progress #wip

62 notes · View notes

planned-planethood · 3 years

Text

A list of things to be excited about in space exploration

In space science and exploration, things tend to move slowly. That is, until they don't. It is easy to lose perspective on exactly what is possible when the right people are providing the right support for exploration initiatives.

With significant advances in rocket technology, ambitious programs from one administration being continued by the next (THANK YOU, finally!) and funding for NASA at an all time high there are some exciting things coming up not just in our lifetimes, but possibly in the next few years for some of these. Here is a list of things that could actually happen which will make your imagination go wild:

- The Artemis program: the Artemis program was started in 2017. For years there has been intense debate about whether or not we should be returning to the Moon or sending astronauts to Mars. This debate, it seems, has finally ended. When President Biden determined to continue to support the previous administration's goals to return Americans to the Moon, all remaining opposition evaporated as the space-science community wants to simply conduct human exploration missions again regardless of the destination. Now, with essentially unified support and bipartisan political capital, the Artemis program looks extremely likely to survive.

It's more than just a return to the Moon though. We will be building a new space station called the Lunar Gateway. Gateway will orbit around the Moon and provide NASA with a way station from which SpaceX rocket ships will ferry astronauts to the Lunar surface. At this point, what happens next becomes a little more nebulous. NASA is currently researching the feasibility of founding a permanent colony on the Moon on the South Pole (I also have some things to say about this landing site in the future that I can't talk about right now, but resources could be slightly more plentiful than is known currently).

The target year for human feet to stand on the Moon again is no farther than the year 2024. This timeline can and probably will slip, but it's currently unlikely to slip significantly. Before the year 2030, we're highly likely to be inhabiting the Moon again, this time, with no intention of leaving. The Artemis program will aim to develop a lunar economy as a way of incentivizing both more public and private investing in lunar exploration.

One thing that I'm personally happy about is that with with rockets finally becoming cheaper to use, and spacecraft working autonomously now most of the time, it is predicted that the number of astronauts required to be experimental aircraft pilots from the military will probably go down. Let's send some more geologists to the Moon!

Oh and by the way, since I mentioned way stations earlier...

- Astronauts on Mars: This has been the holy grail-goal of space exploration since humanity has realized Mars was another planet. NASA's Artemis program is designed to not simply be a lunar program. The goal isn't just to create a lunar economy: the goal of the Artemis program is to create a sustainable lunar presence so that the Moon can be used as a way station for much deeper space exploration. The idea is that with easier access to the lunar surface, NASA will be able to rapidly run tests and develop technologies that we would need to embark on what could be the most treacherous and epic human exploration adventure in history. It would also be fantastic logistical support to a potential permanent or semi-permanent colony on Mars.

... and NASA may not even get there first.

SpaceX, eager to showcase their own Starship, is currently planning a human mission to Mars in 2026. Humans have never trod on another planet before. This event, whether done by SpaceX, NASA, or any other entity, would be one of the greatest accomplishments in human history. It would hopefully mark the dawning of a new era in human civilization, for the betterment of us all.

- Venus: It's been decades since NASA has sent a mission to Venus. The number of Venus experts has gradually dwindled, and now we are in danger of all of them retiring out of planetary science before their knowledge can actually be passed on. Thankfully, NASA just announced two separate missions to Venus to investigate basically everything you can possibly imagine. DAVINCI+ will send a lander to the surface and VERITAS will orbit the planet and map the surface in high resolution for the first time. We don't really know what sort of surprises this incredible world holds in store for us. It may be that we find a planet full of active volcanism, and evidence that long ago it was habitable for life as we know it.

Astrobiologists have recently begun paying even closer attention to this planet as there have been some interesting signs that, and I say this cautiously, Venus may have biosignatures. Ultimately, it's an entire planet, our neighbor, and we are going to see incredible images, and learn so much about planets, how they form, evolve, and improve our understanding of how easily a terrestrial world can become habitable. Both missions launch this decade.

- The Search for Life: There's been a veritable revolution in exoplanet hunting over the last decade. Missions like Kepler have provided us with mind-boggling amounts of data to go through, much of which has led to the discovery of so-called exoplanets, planets in other star systems. Right now we are closing in on approximately 5000 confirmed exoplanets.

It's almost impossible to mention exoplanets without immediately breaking into the subject of habitable zones. The fact of the matter is that we're well into the numbers game that one day, will turn up something stunning that will change humanity forever. In my opinion, it's a matter of time. With the rate of exoplanet detections growing rapidly, it seems like a matter of rapidly shrinking time before we come across a truth that, if it is out there, will reveal itself.

Scientists are currently studying a relativistic telescope concept which would make use of the light-bending properties of relativity, combined with the mass of the Sun, to warp light in such a way that it magnifies the image of whatever is in the warped light. Such a telescope could reveal surface details of an exoplanet: if there are oceans, we would be able to resolve them. Same to mountain ranges. City lights.

Whatever the truth is, it may be difficult to hide from the astronomers of Earth for much longer as our sight has officially pierced the interstellar veil and active searches for signs of life outside the Solar System have absolutely begun.

Breakthrough Starshot is a mission concept that would actually send a small spacecraft to our nearest stellar neighbor, Proxima Centauri. Around this star is an exoplanet: Proxima Centauri b. What would a flyby mission see on this mystery planet? Right now, we have no idea. Proxima Centauri b orbits in its star's habitable zone. Unfortunately, if this mission ultimately makes it off the ground, it would take in the range of 30 years to reach its destination and send its photographs back. Fortunately, that's within most of our naturally remaining lifetimes. I think it's worth the wait.

We won't be waiting idly however. Right here in our very Solar System, we are closing in on a number of ways in which the idea of a habitable zone can be played around with. Icy moons around places like Jupiter and Saturn have seriously reopened questions of where life-as-we-know-it could live. Queue the discovery of the ecosystems living around hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the lightless oceans of Earth. Diverse communities of never-before-seen creatures were living entirely without sunlight being involved at any point in their ecosystem.

Scientists now believe hydrothermal vents exist on moons like Europa and Enceladus, inside liquid water oceans, hidden under the ice. In a few years, NASA is launching a mission to fly around Europa. Perhaps it well get a chance to fly through one of the erupting geysers and take a look around. A mission to land on the surface is being designed as we speak to be proposed to NASA.

Never in human history, written and unwritten, have we realistically had to contend with the idea of knowing the Truth (as Mulder puts it). Well, contend away folks. We might not be wondering for a whole lot longer. Things might move slowly, until they don't.

Space exploration has never been boring, but we are without a doubt entering a golden age for space science and exploration.

(Image credit: Steve Jurvetson~NASA~NASA/JPL-Caltech~ESO/M. Kornmesser respectively)

#nasa #space #planetary science #artemis #astronaut #mars #moon #alien #extraterrestrial #science

74 notes · View notes

dualitysdownfall · 2 years

Note

Ralsei forthe four headcanons asks

ask game here

i'm going to try to keep my vehicle squarely parked outside of the theory zone (i'm just not good at theorizing, haha) which is already proving hard but like i said, i'll try my best haha

Headcanon A: very physically affectionate to his friends, likes to hold hands and gives the best hugs. fun fact this sentence can also describe me :)

Headcanon B: he doesnt really know that much about how to cook/bake the cauldron is like cooking in breath of the wild you toss the ingredients in and a fully formed meal pops out

Headcanon C: without getting into the possibilities surrounding the specifics of his origin and creation, i think he did have, like, a whole life up to the point when he meets kris and susie. like, whether he was or wasn't just created a couple days ago or whatever from the outside perspective. i think of him to be about mid-teens like the lightners, and i think at least from his perspective he has lived for all somethingteen of those years. like, you know how--or maybe not you specifically but general "you"--you know how in homestuck at the very end when they finally get to the new universe and earth c already has like 5000 years of history even though they just made it? its like that. why is this sad? well i'm so glad you asked. do you remember that part where ralsei says kris and susie are the literal first time he's ever had friends?

Headcanon D: hes autistic. maybe in the darkworld they dont have a word for that but i do and he is (i know im not meeting the "unrealistic" aspect of these. unfortunately i am just very right and speak the truth always)

#harper answers #harper babbles #deltarune #ralsei deltarune

8 notes · View notes

9worldstales · 3 years

Text

MCU: Loki and Midgardian clothes

So, I’ve seen some fans wondering how could Loki fix Mobius’ tie since Asgardians clearly do not wear ties…

…and it made me wonder ‘is this a mistake or Loki was actually familiar with Midgardians clothes?’

So let’s start with the sources at our disposition to answer this question.

SOURCES MENTIONED:

Movies: “Thor” (2011), “The Avengers” (2012), “Thor – Ragnark” (2017)

Series: “Loki” [More exactly a scene from: “Marvel Studios' Loki | Official Trailer | Disney+”] (2021)

Comics: None mentioned

Direct-to-video animated film: None mentioned

Motion comics: None mentioned

Books: “The Art of Thor” (2011), “The art of The Avengers” (2012), “The Art of Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), “Marvel Studios: All your questions answered” (2018)

Novels: “Thor: Ragnarok - The Junior novel” by Jim McCann (2017)

Webs: None mentioned

Others: “Thor” old movie script

Okay, now we can start.

So, as weird as it might seem at first, the second answer, which is that Loki is familiar with Midgardian modern attires, might be the intended one, right from “Thor”.

Let’s go back to that movie.

Thor is clearly unfamiliar with present day Midgard as a whole, and so are his friends.

We’ve various moments in which Thor shows he’s unaware of present day Midgardians customs, like when he can’t realize he’s in doctors’ care and thinks they’re attacking him (in a deleted bit, when they tell him they’re trying to help him, he demands they bring him healing stones, showing he has no idea how Earth’s healing system work), or when he breaks a glass asking another believing he’s showing appreciation for the drink, or when he enters in a pet shop, demands a horse and when they tell him they’ve only dogs, cats, birds, demands one of them big enough to ride.

It doesn’t mean he never went to Midgard, in the movie there’s the implication he had been on Midgard before...

Thor: We're going to Jotunheim. Fandral: What? This isn't like a journey to Earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim.

...and there was a cut scene in which he recognized being on Midgard and even calling it ‘Earth’.

Thor: Blue sky... one sun... This is Earth, isn't it?

And there’s another cut scene that says that yes, Sif and the Warriors Three had been on Earth… but a thousand years ago.

Volstagg: Is it just me, or does Earth look a little different to you? Sif: It has been a thousand years... Volstagg: Things change so fast here. You leave for a millennium, and it's like the whole neighborhood's gone.

Now, Loki was a babe in 965 AD and “Thor” takes place in 2011. Sif likely doesn’t mean exactly 1000 years but, what’s more, we don’t know how exactly Asgardians age in the MCU.

Does their childhood last as much as ours and then their aging process slow down so as to allow them to live 5000 years? Or their aging process is proportionately all slowed down and they remains babes for years?

I tend to think their childhood is fast and then they have a slower aging process once they reach a certain age, but anyway this is irrelevant. Even if Loki visited Midgard 1000 years before and was familiar with its customs back then, well, things, as Volstagg points out, are changed a lot.

So… where do we can get an idea if Loki is familiar with Midgard or not?

When Loki goes to see Thor, he shows up dressed up in 21st century Midgardian attire.

In “The Art of Thor” is said:

Said Craig Kyle, “Loki wants to look good, he’s a man of style… Loki actually has three looks, Thor has one.” In addition to the three costumes he wears in the otherworldy realm of Asgard, Loki also makes a brief appearance in a suit and tie. Said Tom Hiddleston, “When he turns up on Earth in the movie, [he’s] very GQ.”

(For who, like me, is not familiar with the term GQ, it is used to describe a guy who is dressed nicely, very sleek, or very sexy to the ladies, The term comes from the men's fashion magazine named GQ (=Gentlemen's Quarterly).)

They don’t really explains why Loki decided to dress up like that, but the fact he chose to is meaningful.

Loki was going to see Thor, and he only let Thor see him.

He appears in the room Thor was, presumably after waiting for a while inside it but invisible since he complains about how he thought Coulson would never leave. When Coulson is back, Loki has magically disappeared again.

People doesn’t see Loki, not even when he tries to lift up Mjolnir.

Long story short, Loki’s attire is not to disguise himself as a human among humans and walk among them unnoticed, as he just doesn’t let them see him at all, and if he were, his very fashionable outfit would likely draw more gazes than anything else (compare it with Coulson’s plain suit), especially when he tries to lift Mjolnir while all around it there are scientists dresses in scientist garbs and guards dressed in guard uniforms.

So we can see Loki didn’t need to dress as a human to see Thor, he could have very well gone there in his normal Asgardians clothes, like he does when he goes to visit Laufey...

...though he could have forsaken the armour when visiting Thor, and just show up in his normal attire.

Instead Loki picked up a stylish Midgardian outfit to go meet his brother. Be it an illusion (more likely) or real clothes, Loki knew how a fashionable 21st century Midgardian would dress and decided to dress as such even though there was no need for it. This implies a familiarity with Midgard, or at least with its dressing style, which I genuinely doubt could have been a topic of study for Asgardians... even though Odin too was familiar with Midgardians attires as, when he bans Thor to Earth, he changes his clothes into modern, ordinary, definitely not fashionable Midgardian ones.

Loki knows the secret paths between words, it can be he travelled to Midgard and, once there, grew to like the elegant style we have.

But yes, this doesn’t necessarily mean he could learn how to fix a tie, as his clothes might be an illusion.

The final bit of “Thor” is a bit of a confusing thing as it shows Loki (dressed in Asgardian clothes) invisible to other people’s eyes controlling Selvig...

...which is confirmed by “Marvel Studios: All your questions answered” which describes that scene as:

Loki controls Selvig as he examines the Tesseract.

If Loki had controlled Selvig for an extensive period he might have learnt to tie ties as Selvig wears one.

However, although this scene was created and directed by Joss Whedon, this scene is kind of forgotten when “The Avengers” rolls around.

In it Selvig is free from Loki’s control until Loki uses the sceptre with the mind stone to turn him into his servant.

Now… “The Avengers”.

The story starts by night, with Loki arriving in the S.H.I.E.L.D. research center in which Selvig is studying the Tesseract.

Natasha Romanov, Bruce Banner, Steve Roger and Tony Stark are all warned during night. It’s possible it’s the same night, maybe it’s the night after.

It’s full day when Steve Roger travels with Coulson. The following scene shows Loki remembering his talk with the Other and then we’ve Steve reaching the Helicarrier and meeting up with Natasha and Bruce.

Then Loki shows up at Stuttgart Museum again dressed up in 21st Century attire with his sceptre disguised as a cane. This time Loki is sort of disguising himself, as he’s actually planning to draw attention on himself but, at first, in a subtle manner so it makes sense he dressed up as a Midgardian to move among Midgardians so as not to alert common people but end up being tracked by SHIELD because they can see him on monitors and recognize him… something they wouldn’t be able to do had he been invisible.

Loki drops his disguise only later, after he has sent a holographic image of Dr. Heinrich Schafer’s eye to Barton. He confront with Steve and Tony and vanish his armour… remaining in Asgardian clothes. He’s short after taken by Thor, who then argues with Steve and Tony until Thor decides to get along with them and Loki is carried on the Helicarrier all in the same night.

Natasha takes care to inform us Loki killed 80 people in 2 days. This should mean Loki is on Midgard by two days.

Why all this is relevant?

Again Loki dressed up as a stylish Midgardian,

...his clothes similar to the ones he had in “Thor” yet vaguely different (in “Thor” the coat is green, in “The Avengers” black and the scarf motive is slightly different) and even knew that, in order to disguise the sceptre, he can’t mask it as, let’s say, a pitchfork but a cane. It’s true, since he’s been on Earth by 2 days, this time he could have gotten that knowledge by Barton or Selvig.

“The art of The Avengers” again doesn’t tell us much apart that:

“Joss and Kevin both wanted a different look for Loki in The Avengers, in part for the fans and in part to serve the story,” Visual Development Supervisor Charlie Wen said.” For Loki, his costumes evolved from the super-clean look of the Asgard from Thor to a much grittier and more lived-in look to show the changes he’s gone through since then.” “For Thor and Loki, much of our inspiration came from Jack Kirby’s original character designs,” Wen said. “Loki represent mischief. He is a cultured traveller.”

But, if we put clothes aside, Loki is also aware of how:

Loki: The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly threat. I mean to rule them. And why should I not?

It’s something Thor didn’t seem to know/realize.

This seems to imply Loki knows about Earth’s history or, at least, of its present situation. Yes, he might have had a crash course in history of Earth courtesy by Clint or Selvig, but he might have also learnt it by himself in trips on Earth since Odin didn’t seem interested in Earth beyond protecting it from some attacks from creatures from other realms (he helps against the Frost Giants, however he doesn’t seem aware of the Skrulls and Krees walking on its surface nor he cares to check what humans do with the Tesseract doing nothing when Red Skull uses it to produce weapons) so he might not have bothered having his son learning about Midgard’s history and situation.

The last time we see Loki dressed as a human is in “Thor: Ragnarok”.

In it his clothes are much more simple than usual as he only wears a black suit, no scarf, no coat.

In “The Art of Thor: Ragnarok” there’s actually not one but 2 arts for more elaborate suits with coat but they were clearly discharged as Loki never wears them in the movie.

“Thor: Ragnarok The Junior novel” which is based on an earlier script says:

They were dressed in regular Earth street wear – shirt and slacks – and Thor carried an umbrella. His hair was swept back into a ponytail. Loki’s magic was projecting an illusion onto the duo.

...which seems to imply the scriptwriter originally didn’t even think dressing Loki stylish… and anyway mostly focused on Thor... so it’s possible Loki’s attire in the movie is a compromise between the scriptwriter, who though to dress Loki in shirt and slacks, and "Thor: Ragnarok” Visual Development Supervisor Andy Park who wanted to put him in an elegant and stylish suit as the other Visual Development Supervisors had done.

Still, the scriptwriter too thinks Loki is aware of how, if Thor wants to keep an object in his hands, it has to look like something ordinary and how an umbrella can fit the bill. As it didn’t rain during Loki’s short permanence on Earth, the fact he knows umbrellas exist and is acceptable to carry them around seems to imply Loki has an idea of how Earth works.

So all this to say… yes, Loki might be more familiar with Earth than it looked like and he might have learnt how to make a tie or, at least, how to fix it since this is more what he seems to do in that scene in “Marvel Studios' Loki | Official Trailer | Disney+”

We can only wait and see if “Loki” will give us more explanations about this scene or it will just toss it in and not bother to explain it at all.

Meanwhile I’ll have fun thinking before things went wrong Loki used to come on Earth and look up on fashion magazines and love the idea of how good he would look in such clothes that he began to dress up according to Midgard fashion style each time he got to set a feet on it.

#loki #loki odinson #thor #thor odinson #volstagg #fandral #lady sif #mcu loki #mcu thor #mcu the avengers #mcu thor ragnarok #9 worlds study

36 notes · View notes

plokoonsdisapprovingeyebrows · 3 years

Note

Do you think there are any LIPs on Cybertron?

:D :D :D Thank u for asking!!!

A quick definition for the benefit of readers: LIP = Large Igneous Province. LIPs are basically a huge, often stupendously huge mass of igneous rock found on or within the Earth's crust. You find an LIP, you know there was an absolute shit ton of volcanism here at some point. Forget supervolcanoes, large igneous provinces are orders of magnitude larger.

You can divide LIPs into whether they are mafic (very hot, runny lava, think Iceland or Hawai'i) or silicic (less hot, tendency to explode), and also whether they are volcanic (erupted onto the surface of the earth) or plutonic (didn't erupt, solidified underground). Some are more complex than that, but let’s not get into that discussion lmao.

The 'classic' LIP is a continental flood basalt—a mafic volcanic outpouring of lava which quite literally floods across the landscape, burying it in layers upon layers of basalt. This is the Siberian Traps, the Deccan Traps, the Columbia River Basalt Group, and a bunch of other really cool landforms.

An LIP has to meet four basic criteria to be classified thus:

The volcanism must cover an area of 100,000 square kilometres or more, i.e., about the size of Iceland. Take the Columbia River basalts (CRBG) as an example - this is one of the smallest known LIPs, and it still covers over 200,000km2 of the Pacific Northwest.

The minimum volume of the volcanic product is 100,000 cubic km. (Compare this to the minimum volume of a supervolcanic eruption—1000km3.) The CRBG measures in at around 174,000km3.

All of this material must be erupted within 50 million years, with the majority of it in 'pulses' of 5 million years or less. The CRBG erupted between 17.6 and 6 million years ago, but more than 90% of the total volume was erupted in the first two million years.

Finally, it must be intraplate volcanism - by which we mostly mean it isn't part of mid-ocean ridge volcanism. It might precede a mid-ocean ridge; a fair few LIPs seem to be associated with initial continental rifting... but we have to draw that line in the sand, otherwise the entire ocean floor would count lmao.

Here's Nick Zentner talking about the Columbia River Basalts, because it's a great video with some good graphics and explanations. (All of his lectures are worth a watch tbh.)

We aren’t sure what causes LIPs to erupt - it’s probably a mantle plume, which is a similar sort of thing to a hot spot, but we just don’t know for sure. They might be a precursor to continental rifting, some might instead happen as a consequence of supercontinent assembly... someone else has even suggested massive asteroid impacts causing antipodal upwellings (ie., on the other side of the planet). We have a few options, lol.

So, LIPs on Cybertron...

My Cybertron doesn’t have proper plate tectonics, which means the division between mafic and silicic rock types is likely to be messier. It also has Primus messing around on autopilot down there, which introduces a powerful element of Eldritch Bullshit to the equation. I think good chunks of Cybertron’s crust, especially lower down, are Primus actively separating out metallic elements from the collected material that makes up Cybertron’s ‘mantle’ and using it to build sort of like a... cocoon. On the surface, this metallic layer is subjected to weathering and erosion. Depending on the type of erosion and the chemicals involved, you’d get a sort of non-lithified substrate that looks like soil, and probably eventually sedimentary rocks as well. Metamorphic rocks probably exist in, like, contact metamorphic aureoles and maybe some deep regional metamorphism far enough down. Regional metamorphism in the crumple zones, perhaps, but I don’t see it being of a super high grade.

Anyway, volcanism.

Primus provides a nice alternative to the mantle plume hypothesis, which gives us something that’s probably more or less mafic... maybe not as mafic as we get on earth, if it’s being raided for cocoon building. Secondary melting of the existing crust as the plume comes through provides a mechanism for even more silicic volcanism. (Silicic melts happen because silicic minerals have lower melting points. If your rock is only being heated to a certain point, the silicic stuff will melt and rise and the mafic stuff will stay where it is in comparison. Which is why Earth has two different types of crust.)

Logically, I think that means that Cybertron might hypothetically be more likely to end up with silicic LIPs. XD

SLIPs, unlike flood basalts, are mostly not formed of lava flows. They’re enormous amounts of tephra, ashfalls, ignimbrites... the products of explosive volcanism. Silicic magma has a tendency to contain dissolved gases, which, when you lower the pressure, will exsolve with passion and create violent eruptions. The largest-volume (confirmed) single eruption I could find yielded between 5000 and 6000 cubic km of tephra - get twenty of those and you have yourself an SLIP. Explosive eruptions on this scale are extremely rare, but just from the little research I’ve done they do tend to cluster. If you have the right conditions for one to occur, there were probably others.

Flood basalts might be rarer, but like... I want them on my Cybertron. XD Maybe they happen in fracture zones occasionally. Heck, maybe they were one of the disasters that happened to drive the Autobots and Decepticons offworld entirely. I would probably rather not fight a war somewhere where there was a real risk of the ground cracking open beneath my feet and spitting out fountains of lava kilometres high. Imagine being in the middle of a pitched battle and having to stop and evacuate both sides cause there’s a river of magma just cutting right through the middle of ur battlefield.

#cybertronian geology #book of hours worldbuilding #ignimbrites aren't nice either #and pyroclastic flows go much faster than lava flows #tfp headcanons

17 notes · View notes

redshift-13 · 3 years

Photo

https://www.megamaschine.org/en/

The End of the Megamachine brings to light the roots of the destructive forces threatening the future of humankind today. While the first part leads us to the very origins of economic, military and ideological power 5000 years ago, the second and key part retraces the formation and expansion of the modern world-system through the last 500 years. Dismantling Western progress mythologies, Scheidler shows how the logics of endless capital accumulation have devastated both human societies and ecosystems from the outset.

With the growing instability and looming collapse of the Megamachine in the 21st century new dangers as well as new possibilities for systemic change open up.

The End of the Megamachine shifts the point of view from a “history of the winners” to a “people’s history”. It highlights the key role of the “metallurgical complex” linking military and financial systems and fostering the evolution of technocratic visions of the world from antiquity to modernity. A particular focus is the history of “apocalyptic thinking” that has been formative for Western culture, both for capitalist projections of a “New World” and for anti-systemic movements.

“This book should become part of the curricula of all schools and universities.“

Ulrich Duchrow in the German biweekly “Publik Forum”

“A masterstroke!” Andrea Komlosy, Yale University, Vienna University

“The book has a greater value than everything I learned about history at school.” Christian Felber, founder of the “Economy for the Common Good“

“A highly original and fascinating book. It helps to understand and overcome the global Megamachine that is threatening our future.“ Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker, president of the Club of Rome (2012-2018)

“What a brilliant achievement—a wonderfully coherent, cogent and gripping story of the historical origins of the political, economic, social and ecological crises of our times. You can’t be a serious activist committed to creating a new world if you haven’t read this.” Firoze Manji, Carleton University; founder of Pambazuka News

“A magnificent book, that couldn’t be more topical. We owe gratitude, solidarity and a lot of admiration to the author.” Jean Ziegler, Advisory Committee to the UN Human Rights Council

“The topic could not be more important. A very valuable and surely timely contribution.” Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“A must read for everyone rising against the system that is destroying life on earth and our future.” Vandana Shiva, World Future Council, founder of Navdanya.org

“A fascinating new take on the parts of human history that got us where we are today. It’s a disturbing story, but it offers some clues on the way out of our box canyon.” Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org

#fabian scheidler #new books in translation #environment #global systems #sustainability #capitalist mythologies #social change #systems change #zero books

12 notes · View notes

wondrousworldbuilding · 3 years

Note

Semi-related to my previous ask, I'm not finding good Alternate Earth worldbuilding resources, do you have any? Specifically cultures, maybe dealing with speculation? I went looking through your master list and didn't see what I was looking for. If my possible extinction event happened 10,000 years ago, I'm thinking cultures evolved differently, since it created new/hybrid creatures that would have intermingled to some extent, but then again, maybe the real people would be considered legends anyway, (hiding in plain sight) and it wouldn't change local cultures.

I’m not sure about resources for the thing you are looking for. I do, however, suggest reading Seveneves by Neal Stephenson. (Refer HERE to my review of the book.) Over the course of the novel, a thing very similar to what you’re describing happens (5000 years have passed since the apocalypse in this world). It is not a fun read, but it is incredibly interesting and education. I recommend it for all worldbuilders who want to dig in and improve their craft and expand their mind!

I would also recommend a general study of anthropology. There are several well-reviewed introduction to anthropology books on Amazon and used on Thrift Books and Abe Books. I’ve not read any, but after writing this answer I genuinely might. The study of how cultures form and evolve is not only interesting--and would help you on your project--but would be beneficial to any secondary world speculative fiction writers!

Happy building!

#asks #europolarist #writing #writing questions #Book Recommendations #writing help #world building #worldbuilding #creative writing #do your research

13 notes · View notes

love-pyramus · 3 years

Note

Hi, you're on a rock floating in space. Pretty cool, huh? Some of it's water. Fuck it, actually, most of it's water. I can't even get from here to there without buying a boat. A plane is shown flying from South America to Africa. The plane fades off the screen, and a lone, sad stick figure is shown standing on Africa. NARRATOR: It's sad. I'm sad. I miss you. The camera pans left across the globe to show more sad stick figures also standing on South America, North America, and Europe. CHORUS: How did this happen? NARRATOR: A long time ago- Actually, never, and also now, nothing is nowhere. When? Never. Makes sense, right? Like I said, it didn't happen. Nothing was never anywhere. That's why it's been everywhere. It's been so everywhere, you don't need a where. You don't even need a when. That's how "every" it gets. A long pause happens. NARRATOR: Forget this. I wanna be something. Go somewhere. Do something. I want things to change. I want to invent time and space, and I know it's possible because everything is here, and it probably already happened. I just don't know when to start, and that's exactly where it started. The sound of VCR fast forwarding plays. NARRATOR: Ooh, I paused it. I think there's a universe now. What's it made of? CHORUS: Quarks and stuff! NARRATOR: Ah, that's a thing, in a place. Don't like it? Try a new place, at a different time. Try to stick together because the world is gonna get bigger and emptier, but it's not empty yet. It's still very full and about a kjghpillion degrees. About no seconds pass. NARRATOR: Great news! The quarks are now happily married and in groups of three, called a proton or a neutron, and there's something else flying around too that wants to join in but can't because it's still too- An explosion goes off while the screen says, "HOT." 10 minutes pass. NARRATOR: Great news! The protons and neutrons are now happily married to each other. Some of them even doubled up. About 380,000 years pass. NARRATOR: Great news! The electrons have now joined in. Congratulations! The world is now a bunch of gas in space, but it's getting closer together... 10 million years pass. NARRATOR: ...and it's getting closer together... 500 million years pass. NARRATOR: ...and it's getting closer toget- An explosion occurs. CHORUS: It's a star! NARRATOR: New shit just got made. Some stars burn out and die. Bigger stars burn out and die with passion, and make some brand new, way crazier shit... CHORUS: Space dust! NARRATOR: ...which allows newer, more interesting stars to be made, and then die, and explode into- CHORUS: Even crazier space dust! NARRATOR: ...so now stars have cool stuff around them, like rocks, ice, and funny clouds, which can make some very interesting things, like this ball of flaming rocks for example. NARRATOR: Holy shit! We just got hit with another ball of flaming rocks, and it kind of made a mess, which is- CHORUS: Now the Moon! The year is now -4,000,000,000. NARRATOR: Weather update, it's raining rocks from outer space. NARRATOR: Weather update, those rocks might have had water inside them, and now, there's hot steam in the sky. NARRATOR: Weather update, cooler temperatures today, and the floor is no longer lava. NARRATOR: Weather update, it's raining. NARRATOR: Severe flooding alert! The entire world is now an ocean. NARRATOR: Volcano alert! CHORUS: That's land! OCEAN: (Mumbles) There's life in the ocean. NARRATOR: What? CHORUS: Something's alive in the ocean. IMMATERIAL OBSERVER (IO): Oh, cool. Like, a plant or an animal? The camera zooms in on a single-cell organism. NARRATOR: No, a microscopic speck. It lives at the bottom of the ocean and eats chemical soup which is being served hot and fresh, made from gnarly space ingredients leftover from when it was raining rocks or whatever. The cell divides. NARRATOR: Oh, yeah, and it can do that. Those cells divide many more times. NARRATOR: It has secret instructions written inside itself telling it how to build another one of itself. So that's pretty nifty, I would say. NARRATOR:

Tired of living at the bottom of the ocean? CHORUS: Now you can eat sunlight! The year is now -3,000,000,000. NARRATOR: Using a revolutionary technique, you can convert sunlight into food. CHORUS: Taste the sun! The year is now -2,300,000,000. NARRATOR: Side effect, now there's oxygen everywhere and the sky is blue. Then the Earth might have been a snowball for a while. Maybe even a couple of times. The year is now -500,000,000. NARRATOR: It's a sponge. It's a plant. It's a worm, and some other types of weird, strange water bugs and strange fish. CHORUS: It's the Cambrian explosion! IO: Wow, that's animals and stuff. SEA LIFE: But we're still in the ocean. Hey, can we go on land? CHORUS, as LAND: No! SEA LIFE: Why? CHORUS, as LAND: The sun is a deadly lazer! SEA LIFE: Oh, okay. CHORUS: Not anymore, there's a blanket. NARRATOR: Now the animals can go on land. Come on animals, let's go on land. FISH: Nope, can't walk yet. And there's no food yet, so I don't care. 100 million years pass. LAND: Okay, will you learn to walk if there's plants up here? SOME BUGS AND FISH: Maybe NARRATOR: ...said some bugs... and fish. The year is now -380,000,000. FISH grunts because it is struggling to get on land, for it has no legs. 5 million years pass. The year is now -375,000,000. FISH now has legs, for it has evolved into an AMPHIBIAN. AMPHIBIAN: Okay, so I can go on land, but I have to go back in the water to- CHORUS: Have babies! The word "idea" flashes on to the screen. NARRATOR: Learn to use an egg. AMPHIBIAN: I was already doing that. NARRATOR: Use a stronger egg. Put water in it. Have a baby, on land, in an egg. Water is in the egg. Baby, in the egg, in the water, in the egg. The year is -312,000,000. AMPHIBIAN OFFSPRING: Works for me. CHORUS: Bye bye, ocean! 50 million years pass. NARRATOR: And now everything's huge. Including bugs. Wanna see a map of the land? IO: Sure. The year is now -252,000,000. A globe is presented. The camera starts to pan around it when a large explosion happens, destroying a land mass on the globe the size of a continent. Text pops onto the screen reading "PERMIAN EXTINCTION." The Permian Extinction has occurred. NARRATOR: Oh fuck, now everything's dead. Just kidding, here are the survivors. The thrinaxodon, lystrosaurus, and proterosuchus are shown. NARRATOR: Keep your eye on this one... The proterosuchus is circled. 75 million years pass. NARRATOR: ...'cause it's about to become the dinosaurs. Here's another map of the land. The globe is shown again. It does not yet look like the Earth we know today; many of the continents are in pieces or out of place. NARRATOR: Yeah, it broke apart. Don't worry about that. It does that all the time. The year is now -66,000,000. NARRATOR: Here comes a meteor. A meteor comes into frame and hits the globe near what is today called Central America. CHORUS: And the dinosaurs are gone! NARRATOR: It's mammal time! Here come the mammals; look at those breasts. The year is now -15,000,000. NARRATOR: Now, they're gonna dominate the world, and one of them just learned how to grab stuff, and walk. The year is now -4,000,000. A transition from one of human's older ancestors to one of human's younger ancestors is shown. NARRATOR: No, like, walk like that, and grab stuff at the same time. The year is now -3,000,000. NARRATOR: And bang rocks together to make pointed rocks. IO: Ouch. The year is now -1,500,000. NARRATOR: And set things on fire. IO: Yeouch. The year is now -200,000. NARRATOR: And make crazy sounds with their voice. CAVEMAN: Gneurshk. NARRATOR: Which can mean different things. Via the CAVEMAN's thought bubble, "Gnerushk," is shown to mean, "Hi," "Bye," and, "Can you hand me that rock over there?" CHORUS: That's a human person! NARRATOR: And now they're everywhere, almost. Text pops on to the screen, above the landmass that is today called North America. It reads "not here yet." Humans have not migrated there yet. The year is now -20,000. Text pops on to the screen, between what is today the American

state of Alaska and the Russian autonomous okrug (district) of Chukotka. The text reads "ice age." The ice age is occurring, creating a land bridge between the two landmasses. CHORUS: Ice age! HUMANS: What? You can walk over here? Cool! The year is now -10,000. CHORUS: Not anymore. HUMANS: Well, I guess we're stuck here now. NARRATOR: Let's review. There's people on the planet, and they're chasing their food. HUMAN: Fuck it, time to plant some grass. Look at this. I control the food now. Now, everyone will want to be my friend and live near me. Let's all build houses, except mine is bigger because I own the food. This is great. I wonder if anyone else is doing this. The year is now -5000. NARRATOR: Tired of using rocks for everything? Use metal! It's underground. NARRATOR: Better farming was just invented in a sweet dank valley right in between these two rivers, and the animals are helping. A sheep baas in the background. CHORUS: Guess what happens next! NARRATOR: More food, and more people who came to buy the food, and you need people to help make the food and keep track of the sales, and now, you need houses for people to live in and people to make the houses, and now, there's more people, and they invent things which makes things better, and more people come, and there's more farming and more people to make more things for more people, and now, there's business, money, writing, laws, power. CHORUS: Society! NARRATOR: Coming soon to a dank river valley near you. Meanwhile, out in the middle of nowhere, the horse is probably being tamed. DISTRAUGHT HUMAN: Why is all my metal so lame and lumpy? NARRATOR: Tired of using lame, sad metal? The year is now -3300. NARRATOR: Introducing- CHORUS: Bronze! NARRATOR: Made from special ingredient tin from the far lands of Tin Land... I don't know, my dealer won't tell me where he gets it. Also, guess what? CHORUS: Egypt! The year is now -2000. NARRATOR: Meanwhile, out in the middle of nowhere, they figured out how to put wheels on a horse. Now, we're getting somewhere. Also- CHORUS: China! NARRATOR: And did I mention- CHORUS: Indus River Valley Civilization! A "society count" comes on screen. It lists the four civilizations just named (including Mesopotamia, the "sweet dank valley right in between... two rivers"), as the counter counts up from one to four. It pauses for a moment before ticking up to five. A fifth civilization appears on the list. The camera pans right across the globe to what is modern day Peru. CHORUS: Norte Chico! NARRATOR: The Middle East is getting more complicated. Maybe because it's in the middle of the East. The year is now -1600. PEOPLE WITH HORSES: Knock, knock. Er... clop clop. NARRATOR: It's the people with the horses, and they made an empire, and then everyone else copied their horses. CHORUS: Greeks! NARRATOR: Ah, look, it must be the Greeks. Or, a beta version of the Greeks. Text pops up on screen, reading "mycenaean greeks." These "beta version... Greeks" are the Mycenaean Greeks. NARRATOR: Let's check in with the Indus River Valley Civilization - they're gone. Guess who's not gone? CHORUS: China! The year is now -1200. CHORUS: New arrivals in India! Maybe it's those horse people I was talking about, or their cousins, or something... And they wrote some hymns and mantras and stuff! NARRATOR: You could make a religion out of this. The year is now -1150. NARRATOR: There's the Bronze Age collapse. CHORUS: Now, the Phoenicians can get down to business! HUMANS: (Offscreen) Also, can we switch to a metal that's a little easier to find? Bronze switches to iron. HUMANS: (Offscreen) Thanks. NARRATOR: Look who came back to Israel - it's the twelve tribes of Israel! CHORUS: And they believe in God! NARRATOR: Just one though; he's got like a ten step program. NARRATOR: Here's some huge heads. Must be the Olmecs. The year is now -800. NARRATOR: The Phoenicians make some colonies. The Greeks copy their idea and make some colonies. The Phoenicians made a colony so big it makes colonies. The year is now

-671. NARRATOR: Here comes the Assyrian Empire. The year is now -600. NARRATOR: Nevermind, it's the Babyloni- The year is now -580. NARRATOR: Media- The year is now -500. CHORUS: It's the Persian Empire! IO: Wow, that's big. NARRATOR: Ah, the Buddha was just enlightened! IO: Who's the Buddha? NARRATOR: This guy, who sat under a tree for so long that he figured out how to ignore the fact that we're all dying. You could make a religion out of this. The year is now -475. NARRATOR: Oops, China just broke, but while it was breaking, Confucius was figuring out how to have good morals. The year is now -400. NARRATOR: Ah, the Greeks just had the idea of thinking about stuff... The year is now -330. NARRATOR: ...and right over here, Alexander just had the idea of conquering the entire Persian empire. It's a great idea. He was... Great, and now he's dead. Hopefully, the rest of the gang will be able to share the empire evenly between them. The year is now -305. CHANDRAGUPTA: Knock knock. NARRATOR: It's Chandragupta. He says- CHANDRAGUPTA: Get the hell out of here. Will you get the hell out of here if I give you five hundred elephants? Okay, thanks. Bye. CHORUS: Time to conquer all of India! NARRATOR: Er- CHORUS: Most of India! IO: But what about this part? NARRATOR: That's the Tamil kings. No one conquers the Tamil kings. IO: Who are the Tamil kings? CHORUS: Merchants, probably... And they've got spices! TAMIL KINGS: Who would like to buy the spices? ARABIANS: Me! NARRATOR: ...said the Arabians, swiftly buying it and selling it to the rest of the world. The year is now -221. NARRATOR: Hey, China put itself back together again, with good morals as their main philosophy! Actually, they have three main philosophies. Confucianism, Taoism, and legalism appear with the corresponding messages under: having good morals, go with the flow, and "fuck you obey the law". The land northwest of Qin China, which is roughly modern-day Mongolia, is circled. NARRATOR: Out here, the horse nomads run wild and free, and they would like to ransack your city. The horse nomads repeatedly bump into China with the coin sound effect from Super Mario playing each time they do so. The camera pans left on the globe back to the Ancient Greek Empire. NARRATOR: Let's check the Greekification levels of the Greekified kingdoms. Greekification overload! PARTHIANS: Bye. NARRATOR: ...said the Parthians. JEWS: Bye. NARRATOR: ...said the Jews. PARTHIANS: Hi! NARRATOR: ...said the Parthians, taking over the entire place. The year is now 1 CE. ROMANS: Heyyyyyyyy... NARRATOR: ...said the Romans, eating the entire Mediterranean for breakfast. JEWS: Thanks for invading our homeland. NARRATOR: ...said the Jews, who were starting to get tired of people invading their homeland. The year is now 30 CE. JESUS CHRIST: Hi, everything's great. NARRATOR: ...said some guy, who seems to be getting very popular, and is then arrested and killed for being too popular, which only makes him more popular. You could make a religion out of this. NARRATOR: Want silk? Now, you can buy it from China. They just made a- CHORUS: Brand new road to the world! China conquers Vietnam. CHORUS: Or you can get there on water! INDIA: Sick! New trade routes. NARRATOR: ...said India, accidentally spreading their religion to the entire southeast. Funan is highlighted. NARRATOR: Hm, that's a good place for an epic trading kingdom. The sound of a zooming car plays. NARRATOR: There goes Buddhism, traveling up the silk road. The year is now 220. NARRATOR: I wonder if it'll reach China before it collapses again. The year is now 225. NARRATOR: Remember the Persian Empire? PERSIANS: Yep. NARRATOR: ...said the Persians, making a new one. Axum is getting so powerful they would like to build a long stick. Has anyone populated Madagascar yet? BANTU and MALAY: Let's do it together! The year is now 280. CHORUS: China is whole again! The year is now 320. CHORUS: Then it broke again. NARRATOR: Still can't cross the Sahara Desert? Try camels! CHORUS, as

GHANA EMPIRE: Hell yeah! Now we've got business! NARRATOR: ...said the Ghana Empire, selling lots of gold and slaves. ROMAN CHRISTIAN: Hi, I live in the Roman Empire, and I was wondering- CHORUS, as ROMAN CHRISTIAN: Is loving Jesus legal yet? ROME: No. The year is now 330. CONSTANTINE: Actually, okay, sure. NARRATOR: ...said Constantine, moving the capital way over here to be closer to his- CHORUS: Main rival! CONSTANTINE: Don't worry about Rome; it won't fall. The year is now 400. CHORUS: It's the golden age of India! NARRATOR: There's the Gupta Empire, not Chandragupta, just Gupta... First name Chandra... The First. Guess who's in Rome. CHORUS: Barbarians! NARRATOR: What's a barbarian? ROMANS: Non-Romans. NARRATOR: ...said the Romans, being invaded by non-Romans. The year is now 476. NARRATOR: R.I.P. Roman Empire. Er, actually just half of it; the other half is just fine, but it's not in Rome anymore, so let's give it a new name. CHORUS: The Mayans have figured out the stars! NARRATOR: Oh, and here's a huge city, population: everyone. The year is now 576. NARRATOR: The Göktürks have taken over the entire Eurasian steppe. Great job, Göktürks. How's India? Broken. How's China? CHORUS: Back together. NARRATOR: How's those trading kingdoms? CHORUS: Bigger, and there's more of them. NARRATOR: Korea has three kingdoms. Japan has a kingdom; it's the sunrise kingdom. An intermission occurs. The year is now 610. NARRATOR: Deep in the Arabian desert, on the top of a mountain, the real god whispers in Muhammad's ear, so he goes down to the cube where everyone worships gods, and he tells them their gods are all fake... The year is now 622. NARRATOR: ...and everyone got so mad at him that he had to leave town and go to a different town. You can make a religion out of this... The year is now 650. NARRATOR: ...and maybe conquer the world as well. The Roman Empire is long gone, but somehow, the Pope is still the Pope! Plus, there's- CHORUS: New kingdoms all over Europe! NARRATOR: I wonder if there's room for Moors. The year is now 786. NARRATOR: Here's all the wisdom, in a house: it's the Baghdad House of Wisdom, just in time for the- CHORUS: Islamic Golden Age! SWAHILI: Let's bring stuff to the coast, and sell it, and become the Swahili on the Swahili Coast. NARRATOR: ...said the Swahili on the Swahili Coast. NARRATOR: Remember this tiny space you have to go through to get from here to there? Someone owns that now. NARRATOR: Wanna get enlightened in the middle of nowhere? NARRATOR: The Franks have the biggest kingdom in Europe, and the Pope is so proud that he invites the king over for Christmas. The year is now 800. POPE: Surprise! You're the new Roman Emperor! NARRATOR: ...said the Pope, pretending to still be part of the Roman Empire. Then, the Franks broke their kingdom into what will later be called France and Not France. The Northerners (or just Norse, if you don't have much time) are exploring. They go north, from the north, to the northern north, and they find some land, two types of land, and they name them accordingly. Large text comes on screen reading, "prankd." NARRATOR: They also invade some other places and get called many names, such as Vikings. The year is now 882. NARRATOR: There's the Rus, the Kievan Rus. IO: Are they Vikings? KIEVAN RUS: I don't think so. NARRATOR: ...said the Kievan Rus. IO: Okay, fair enough. NARRATOR: The Pope is ready to make some more emperors of the Roman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire. It's actually Germany, but don't worry about it! New kingdoms! DISTORTED VOICE: CHRISTIANIZE ALL THE KINGDOMS! NARRATOR: Which brand would you like? ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: Mine's better. EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH: Mine's better. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: Mine's better. The year is now 1066. WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR: Time to conquer England. NARRATOR: ...said William. The year is now 1071. NARRATOR: It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Seljuk Turks! BYZANTINE EMPIRE: Aah! NARRATOR: ...said the Byzantine Empire, who's getting so small it almost doesn't

exist anymore. BYZANTINE EMPIRE: We need help! NARRATOR: They need help, so they call the Pope. BYZANTINE EMPIRE: Hey, Pope, can you help us get rid of the Seljuks? Maybe take back the Holy Land on the way? Come on, I know you want to take back the Holy Land. POPE: Yes, I do actually want to do that. Let's do a Crusade. The year is now 1099. CHORUS: Crusade! NARRATOR: They did many crusades, some of which almost didn't fail, but at the least the Italians got some sweet trade deals. The year is now 1100. NARRATOR: Goodbye, Mayans. CHORUS: Hello, Toltecs! NARRATOR: Goodbye, Toltecs. CHORUS: Hello, Mississippi! NARRATOR: Look at those mounds! There's the Pueblo. I've always wondered how to build a town on a cliff. The year is now 1150. NARRATOR: Guess who's here? Khmer! IO: Where? NARRATOR: Here, and Pegan is there! Vietnam unconquered itself, Korea just became itself... The year is now 1192. NARRATOR: ...and Japan is so addicted to art that the military might have to take over the government. China just invented bombs and typing... The year is now 1230. It rapidly starts to count upward as the Mongols spin and fly all over north Asia. The year ends on 1259. NARRATOR: ...and the Mongols just invaded most of the universe. (sarcastically) Nice going, Genghis! I bet that will last a long time. The Mongol Empire that was just formed shatters. NARRATOR: Some of the Islamic Turks were unaffected by the Mongol invasions because they were busy invading India. Bright, happy text comes on the screen reading, "tonga time." NARRATOR: Is it Tonga time? TONGAN: I think it's Tonga time! Text comes on screen reading, "colonizing the pacific ocean..." The Tu'i Tonga Empire forms. NARRATOR: I just found out where the Swahili gets all their gold! It is shown that the gold comes from the Great Zimbabwe, as the Great Zimbabwe is highlighted. NARRATOR: Look at this "chad" (it means lake). There's an empire there, right in the middle of- CHORUS: Africa! The year is now 1324. NARRATOR: The King of Mali is so rich, he's going on tour to let everyone know. NORTH AFRICA and THE MIDDLE EAST: Wow, that guy's rich. NARRATOR: ...everyone said. The Christians are doing a great job reconquering Iberia, which will soon be called Spain and Not-Spain. IBERIAN PENINSULA: Please remain Christian. We will check in later to see if you're still Christian when you least expect. The year is now 1350. NARRATOR: Whoops! Half of Europe just died! CHORUS: Ming! NARRATOR: China's back, yay! The year is now 1400. Hey Khmer, time to share! New kingdoms here and there. Oh, look who controls all the islands. It's the Mahajapit- The buzz of an "incorrect" buzzer buzzes. NARRATOR: Majahapit- Buzzes. NARRATOR: Mapajahit- Buzzes. NARRATOR: Mahapajit- Buzzes. NARRATOR: Mapajahit- Buzzes. NARRATOR: Ma-ja-pa-hit? The ring of a "correct" bell rings. The year is now 1450. NARRATOR: Oh, Italy's really rich. Time for them to care a lot about art and the ancient classics. It's kinda like a re-birth. The text on the screen reads "renaissance". NARRATOR: Here's a printer, let's make books! BYZANTINE EMPIRE: So you think you can conquer the Byzantine Empire? OTTOMAN TURKS: Yep. NARRATOR: ...said the Ottoman Turks. Nice job, Ottoman Turks! The year is now 1453. NARRATOR: Oops, you missed a spot. Don't forget to ban Europe from the Indian spice trade. PORTUGAL: What? That's bullshit! NARRATOR: ...said Portugal, spiceless. CHORUS, as PORTUGAL: Well, I guess we'll have to find another way to India! CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: Wait! NARRATOR: ...said Christopher Columbus, probably smoking crack. COLUMBUS: If the world is round, let's go this way to India! PORTUGAL: Nah, don't worry, we already got this NARRATOR: ...said Portugal. So Chris goes to Spain. COLUMBUS: Hey, Spain, wanna hire me to find India by going around the back of the world? SPAIN: No. COLUMBUS: Please? SPAIN: No. COLUMBUS: Please? SPAIN: No. COLUMBUS: Please? SPAIN: Okay. The year is now 1492. NARRATOR: So he sails into the ocean and discovers... More

ocean... And then discovers the Indies and Japan. The year is now 1494. SPAIN and PORTUGAL: Let's draw a line to decide who gets which half of the world. NARRATOR: The Aztec and Inca Empires are off to a great start. I wonder if they know that Europe just discovered their continent? NARRATOR: The Hapsburgs are marrying into so many royal families that they might have to start marrying each other. The year is now 1500. NARRATOR: Move over, Lithuania! Here comes Moscow. Ivan wants to make Russia great again. Move over, Timurids; maybe go invade India or something. The year is now 1501. NARRATOR: Persia just made Persia Persian again. Let's make it the other kind of Islam, the one where we thought the first guy should have been the other guy. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: Hey, Christians! Do you sin? Now you can buy your way out of Hell. MARTIN LUTHER: That's bullshit, this whole thing is bullshit, that's a scam, fuck the church. Here's 95 reasons why. NARRATOR: ...said Martin Luther, in his new book which might have accidentally started the Protestant Reformation. SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT: You know what would be magnificent? NARRATOR: ...said Suleiman, wearing an onion hat. The year is now 1530. SULEIMAN: What if the Ottoman Empire was really big, which it is now? The year is now 1556. IVAN THE TERRIBLE: What if Russia was big? NARRATOR: ...said Ivan, trying not to be terrible. NARRATOR: Portugal had a dream that they controlled the entire Indian Ocean, including the Spice Trade... and then that dream was real. And Spain realized that this is not India, but they pillaged it anyway! ENGLAND and FRANCE: Damn. NARRATOR: ...said England and France. ENGLAND and FRANCE: We gotta start pillaging some stuff. NARRATOR: Then, the Dutch revolt, and all the hipsters move to Amsterdam. The year is now 1600. AMSTERDAM: Damn. NARRATOR: ...said Amsterdam. AMSTERDAM: We gotta start pillaging some stuff. ENGLAND, FRANCE, and THE DUTCH: Question 1: Can you get to India through North America? No, but at least there's beaver. Question 2: Steal the Spice Trade. NARRATOR: That's not a question, but the Dutch did it anyway. CHORUS: Sugar! The year is now 1640. NARRATOR: Guess where all the sugar is made. In Brazil- THE DUTCH: Stolen! NARRATOR: -In the Caribbean, and it's so goddamn profitable that you might forget to not do slavery. The next thing on Russia's to-do-list is to get bigger. The year is now 1754. NARRATOR: Britain and France are having a friendly discussion about who should control the entire world, more specifically Ohio. Then it escalates into a seven year discussion, giving Prussia a chance to show Austria who's boss. IO: But what about Britain and France? Did they figure out who's boss? NARRATOR: Yes, they did! It's Britain. Guess who's broke. Also Britain, so they start taxing the Hell out of America. The year is now 1776. AMERICA: Fuck you. NARRATOR: ...says America, declaring their independence and fighting for it, and France helps them win. Now, France is broke... The year is now 1788. NARRATOR: ...and Britain will have to send their prisoners to a different continent. IO: Wait, if France is broke, why do the king and queen still wear such fancy dresses? The year is now 1794. ROBESPIERRE: Let's overthrow the palace and cut all their heads off! NARRATOR: ...says Robespierre, cutting everybody's head off until someone eventually got mad and cut his head off. IO: You could make a religi- NARRATOR: No, don't. Haiti is starting to like the idea of a revolution... The year is now 1791. NARRATOR: ...especially the slaves, who free themselves by killing their masters. TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE: Why didn't we think of this before? IO: Wait, who's in charge of France now? The year is now 1804. CHORUS, as NAPOLEON: Me! NARRATOR: ...said Napoleon, trying to take over Europe. Luckily, they banished him to an island- CHORUS: But he came back! NARRATOR: Luckily, they banished him to another island. A burst of horns play. NARRATOR: There goes Latin America, becoming independent in the Latin

American Wars of Independence. They last from the year 1812 to about 1830. NARRATOR: Britain just figured out how to turn steam into power, so now, they can make- CHORUS: Many different types of machines, and factories with machines in them, so they can make a lot of products real fast. NARRATOR: Then, they invent some trains and conquer India and maybe put some trains there. BRITAIN: Hey, China! NARRATOR: ...said Britain. BRITAIN: Buy stuff from us! CHINA: Nah, dude, we already got everything. NARRATOR: ...says China, so Britain tried to get them addicted to opium, which worked, actually, but then, China made it illegal... The year is now 1839. NARRATOR: ...and dumped it all into the sea, so Britain threw a hissy fit and made them open up five cities and give them an island. Britain and Russia are playing a game where they try and stop each other from conquering Afghanistan. Also, the- CHORUS: Sultan of Oman lives in Zanzibar now. NARRATOR: That's just where he lives. The year is now 1857. NARRATOR: India just had a revolution, and they would like to govern themselves now. BRITAIN: Nope. NARRATOR: ...said Britain, governing them even harder than before. The screen reads, "HI I JUST SENT YOU A MESSAGE THRU A WIRE," while the Morse Code for "SEXLOL" plays in the background. CHORUS: Technology is about to go crazy! The year is now 1863. NARRATOR: The United States finally figured out whether slavery is good or bad. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: It's bad. NARRATOR: ...they decided, and then, they continued manifesting their destiny, which is to kill the rest of the natives and take their land and maybe kick out the Mexicans too. The year is now 1884. EUROPE: I know! Let's rape Africa. NARRATOR: ...said Europe, scrambling to see who could rape it the fastest. (They never got Ethiopia.) Britain and France are still hungry! (They never got Thailand.) The United States ran out of destiny to manifest, so they're looking for more. CHORUS: Hawaii and Cuba! IO: Wait! Spain controls Cuba! UNITED STATES: Well, blame something on them, and go to war. AMERICANS: What should we blame on Spain? The U.S.S. Maine explodes in the Gulf of Mexico. UNITED STATES: Let's blame the Maine on Spain NARRATOR: ...so they blame the Maine on Spain. The year is now 1898. AMERICANS: Now, we're in business! NARRATOR: To celebrate, they kick Panama out of Panama and make a canal, connecting the two oceans. The year is now 1908. NARRATOR: Britain just found oil in the Middle East. (It makes cars go.) The year is now 1911. NARRATOR: China is so tired of being bossed around that they delete their old government and make a new, stronger government, which is accidentally weaker and controlled by a guy from the previous government. Europe hasn't had a war since the last war... The year is now 1914. NARRATOR: ...so they start World War I. Look at those guns! It's gonna be a "Great War" - so great we won't need a second one. After it's over, they blame Germany. The year is now 1917. NARRATOR: Russia went on strike, and the workers overthrew the government. Now, everyone's paycheck is the same. The year is now 1922. CHORUS: Communism, in the Soviet Union! NARRATOR: The Arabs revolt... The year is now 1917. NARRATOR: ...and Britain helps. BRITAIN: (Offscreen) Now, the Ottoman Empire is gone, The year is now 1922. BRITAIN: (Offscreen) So we can give the- CHORUS: Jewish people a place to live! NARRATOR: Hopefully, the Arabs won't mind. SYKES and PICOT: Let's cut the cake! NARRATOR: ...said Sykes and Picot, cutting up the remains of the Not-So-Ottoman-Anymore Empire. The year is now 1923. CHORUS: Except Turkey! Turkey makes a brand new Turkey! NARRATOR: ...and then, the Saudis conquer Arabia. It just seemed like the right thing to do. A phone rings. IO: Hello? THE 1920s: Yes, it's the 1920s calling. Let's get in a car and drive to a party and listen to jazz on the radio and go to the movies. The economy is great, and it will probably be great forever- just kidding! A slide whistle with decreasing pitch briefly plays.

The year is now 1933. NARRATOR: Germany is back, featuring Hitler, the angry mustache model, and he's mad at the Jews for existing. Japan is finally conquering the East, and they're so excited... The year is now 1937. NARRATOR: ...they rape Nanking way too hard. They should probably just deny it. The year is now 1945. NARRATOR: Hitler's out of control, so the international community tackles him and tries to explain why killing all the Jews is a bad idea. But he kills himself before they could explain it to him. CHORUS: That's World War II! NARRATOR: Bonus Round! Air horns momentarily play in the background. NARRATOR: (Like Announcer from Mortal Kombat) Pacific Showdown: United States versus Japan! Fight! A drop-down menu that reads "weapon select" pops up, and the U.S. cursor moves down from "boat" to "plane" to "extinction ball." It is picked, dropped on Japan, and an explosion results. The year is now 1945. NARRATOR: (Like Announcer from Mortal Kombat) Finish him! Another one is dropped, and another explosion follows. NARRATOR: Let's unite all the nations and have some- CHORUS: World peace! NARRATOR: Seems legit. GANDHI: Hi, I'm Gandhi, and if Britain doesn't get the Hell out of India, I'm gonna starve myself in public. The year is now 1947. Britain leaves. GANDHI: Wow, that worked? NARRATOR: Bonus! Now, there's Pakistan. Actually, two Pakistans; one of them can be Bangladesh later. The Jews and the Arabs finally figured out which one of them should live in the Holy Land. JEWS and ARABS: Me! NARRATOR: ...they both said at the same time. The year is now 1947. UNITED NATIONS: Let's divide up the land so everyone's happy. CHORUS: Sike! They both get angrier. NARRATOR: Look out, China! The year is now 1949. NARRATOR: There's a new China in China! What's on the menu? PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC of CHINA: Communism! REPUBLIC of CHINA: No, thanks. NARRATOR: ...said the other China, escaping to an island. I wonder which one is the real China? The year is now 1950. NARRATOR: There's the Korean War: Korea versus Korea. Nobody wins and then it's on pause forever. Let's meet the sponsors! Oh, it's the two global superpowers. They're having a friendly debate over which economic system is good and which one is an evil virus of Satan. And they both have atom bombs. NARRATOR: (With an echo) FIGHT! NARRATOR: Wait, no, that would be the end of the world. Let's just keep it cool and spy on each other instead, and make sure we have enough atom bombs. The year is now 1957. SOVIET UNION: I'll race you to space. The year is now 1969. An American rocket ship is shown to land on the moon. SOVIET UNION and UNITED STATES: Now, let's make some more countries fight themselves. NARRATOR: Europe is tired of pillaging other continents, and the continents they were pillaging are tired of being pillaged. So here's a new map, with new countries! Now, you can't tell who they're being pillaged by. The year is now 1963. NARRATOR: The United States finally decided whether racism is good or bad. They decided it's bad, and the world agrees. South Africa might need another minute to think about it. Let's check the world population. A graph is shown, displaying a spike upward in population that jumped from "a billion" at the beginning of the 1800s to "way more" around the beginning of the 2000s. IO: Whoa... Okay. NARRATOR: Technology is better too; that might keep happening. The Soviet Union decides to relax a little... The year is now 1991. NARRATOR: ...and accidentally falls apart. Europe makes a union... The year is now 1999. NARRATOR: ...so now, they can all use the same money, except Britain 'cause they don't feel like it. Let's check the mail! Surprise! It's on the computer. The year is now 2001. NARRATOR: Whoops, someone just attacked America. I bet they'll remember that. Phone call! Surprise! It's in your pocket. Wanna learn everything? Surprise! It's on the computer. Now, your phone's a computer, which is in your pocket. A chart of the 2008 economic recession is shown. NARRATOR: Whoops, the economy just

crashed. Don't worry, the big banks won't fail because they're not supposed to. Surprise! Flying robots, with bombs. Wanna print a brain? Some people have no friends, some people have no food, the globe is warming- CHORUS: And the ocean is full of plastic! EVERYBODY: Let's save the planet! NARRATOR: ...said everybody, not knowing how. The year is now 2028. THING INVENTOR INVENTOR: Let's invent a thing inventor. NARRATOR: ...said the thing inventor inventor, after being invented by a thing inventor. That's pretty cool. By the way, where the Hell are we?

#Long post

4 notes · View notes

inurear786 · 3 years

Text

Introduction

This is a Viking image of the surface of Mars. The footpad of the Viking lander is visible in the corner of the image.

Image from: NASA

When we ask "Where might we find extraterrestrial life", the first place many scientists turn to, because of its similarity to the Earth, is Mars. Mars may have been like the Earth in its past. Although no signs of life on Mars have been found, scientists will continue to search because they are aware of the potential for life in extreme environments.

What is Life?

This tour wouldn't be complete without looking at...What is life? Does this sound like a strange question to you? Of course we all know what is meant by the word "life", but how would you define it?

Do all living things move? Do they all eat and breathe? Even though we all seem to know what is meant by saying something is "alive", it's not very easy to describe what "life" is. It's almost as hard as describing where life came from.

Even the biologists (people who study life) have a tough time describing what life is! But after many years of studying living things, from the mold on your old tuna sandwich to monkeys in the rainforest, biologists have determined that all living things (at least living things on Earth) do share some things in common:

Living things need to take in energy

Living things get rid of waste

Living things grow and develop

Living things respond to their environment

Living things reproduce and pass their traits onto their offspring

Over time, living things evolve (change slowly) in response to their environment

Therefore, in order for something to be considered to "have life" as we know it, it must possess these characteristics.

Life on Earth...Life Elsewhere?

Life as we know it on earth requires a certain environment to survive. Even so, there are creatures on earth which seem to be able to survive in harsh environments, where the temperatures are very cold, or where there is little water or oxygen. It is environments like these which are similar to those found on other planets.

Sophisticated life forms are relative newcomers on Earth compared to bacteria. Because the environment of other planets is more primitive, life on other planets (if it exists) may be primitive and unsophisticated. If not, life would have developed the ability to withstand otherworldly environments as well as finding material for nutriment. We might have to imagine what such creatures would be like.

In 1996, scientists mistakenly thought that they had discovered life on Mars. But, there has not been any concrete evidence as of yet of life anywhere in the solar system besides Earth.

Life on Mars?

This is a picture of the meteorite ALH84001.

Image from: NASA

In July, 1996, it was announced that Dr. David McKay, along with a team of scientists at Johnson Space Center (a division of NASA), had discovered possible fossils of bacteria in a meteorite named ALH84001 that came from Mars. It was found in the Allen Hills in Antarctica in 1984 after having landed there 12,000 years ago. While many scientists were excited at first, much of the proof offered fell apart. NASA said that after two years of study "a number of lines of evidence have gone away".

Several different chemicals and molecular structures were exciting because they looked similar to byproducts of life on Earth. However, these chemicals and structures can also be created without life. Some are even present in deep space on comets, and scientists do not think that they came from Martian life anymore.

Small spheres were observed in the meteorite which the scientists in 1996 claimed were the fossilized remains of bacteria. However, they are roughly 1000 times smaller than the smallest bacteria on Earth, so don't resemble any life thought to be possible. Organic (carbon containing) compounds were found with the spheres, but it turned out that the organic compounds became a part of the meteorite after it landed on Earth (possibly when water seeped in a couple times over the 12,000 years the rock laid in Antarctica). Carbon 14, an isotope found on Earth is present in the organic compounds, but not in the spheres.

The environment of Mars in the past was very different than it is today. Conditions then may have been favorable for the existence of life. Even though the Mars meteorite does not prove life once existed on Mars, it does not disprove the possibility.

The Search for Life on Mars

The Viking program of the 1970's was the first to return data that there is currently no evidence of life on Mars.

As part of a more thorough search, the Mars Surveyor Program was put in place. Five spacecraft in all were to be sent to Mars between 1996 and 2005. Those spacecraft were to include the Mars Global Surveyor, and the Mars Climate Orbiter and Polar Lander. Unfortunately, the Mars Climate Orbiter and Polar Lander have been lost. Scientists still hope that after all the information is gathered, they might know more about the evolution of Mars and its potential to harbor life.

Life that Survives in Harsh Environments

This is an image of smokers, which live at the bottom of the sea on earth.

So far we've taken a look at what life is and at some of the negative results in looking for life in a Martian meteroid and on the planet itself. It doesn't seem like there is life now on Mars. But maybe there is life that could live in an extreme environment like on Mars...or maybe Mars was different in the past. This is what we'll look at now.

On Earth, we know that there are many kinds of life which can live in difficult environments. An example of one such creature is shown in this picture. These are smokers, and they live on the bottom of the ocean floor. There it is very cold, it is completely dark, and there is a lot of pressure (think of how your ears feel when you dive to the bottom of the swimming pool).

Maybe lifeforms like these could live on Mars or other planets with extreme environments.

Mars in the Past

This is an image of ice at the north pole of Mars.

Image from: NASA

In the past, Mars was much different than it is today. Liquid water used to flow on the surface, as shown in this picture. Both the Earth and Mars should have been frozen in their early history because the sun was weak at first, but both planets show that water was flowing, which suggests that they both must have had thick atmospheres in place to keep the surface warm. In this environment life may have once existed.

The atmospheres on both planets came out of volcanoes. There were not many volcanoes on Mars, and those volcanoes were never very active. Compare this to the Earth where volcanism continues today.

The volcanic eruptions produce a lot of water. The water eventually falls to the ground or into the oceans. Mars is small, and so cooled off very rapidly. Mars was sufficiently cold for water to be absorbed into the ground and freeze like tundra in the Canadian northwest. Today scientists estimate that a large amount of water is frozen into the surface of Mars. They estimate this happened by 2.8 billion years ago.

So it is not likely that Mars will become a haven for life in the future...unless it is life unlike that which we know?

What Would Life Need?

What would life need to exist on Mars?

Warmth?

It seems that the temperature on Earth (room temperature, so to speak) is just right for life. More importantly, chemical reactions take place at just the right speed in temperature ranges found on Earth. The speed at which chemical reactions take place is relevant to the formation and existence of life. Really extreme temperatures such as -300 F or 5000 F won't work. Thus an habitable planet can't be too cold or life won't be able to get started. Billions of years might pass before the relevant chemicals are exchanged because the chemical reactions take too long. And a planet can't be too hot or molecules won't stay together long enough to form solid matter.

Oxygen?

seems to be essential for life

Water?

water is a source of oxygen

Protection from Ultra Violet rays

Ultra Violet light breaks molecules apart

Exploratour - Life in the Solar System

Conclusion

In spite of Mars' similarity to Earth in size and closeness to the sun, the environment of Mars seems unfriendly toward life as we know it on Earth. Mars is small, so there is not much gravity. For this reason, much of the atmosphere of Mars has drifted away. With little atmosphere, and no ozone layer, there is less protection from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, which is very harmful to life.

With little atmosphere, there is a only a small buffer between the surface and space itself. This means that the temperature above the surface is cold. With little atmosphere, there is also little pressure, which sophisticated life forms such as humans need to keep blood from boiling. (Remember what happened to the characters of the movie "Total Recall" when they encountered the surface of Mars)!

The Viking lander, which carried the first experiments designed to detect life on Mars, did not find evidence of even the simplest organic molecule. The Mars Pathfinder came up with negative results when looking for signs of life on Mars. We know, however, that there are life forms on Earth which can survive in very harsh environments. It's possible that if life ever existed on Mars or if it will ever exist on Mars, it will look very different from life as we know it!

Related Resource

1 note · View note