Funny topic to think about on May Day, but then again it is kinda chilly outside in the shade today, and I’ve posted my generation (this post’s featured image) of an arctic city noir under the northern lights, evocative of some alternate Norilsk. Which provoked … Continue readingPolar Dreaming
“What?” you might ask, “Worldbuilding with Dunbar’s number?” Dunbar’s number, simply put, is the reality that as human beings we can only conceive of a limited number of people in our minds as fully-formed, concrete, flesh-and-blood human beings instead of abstractions. Dunbar’s Number Although the … Continue readingWorldbuilding with Dunbar’s Number
From masking to “social distancing” to what could best be described as “hygiene theater”, we have been told our lives must be up-ended, our pursuit of fulfillment stymied at every turn, to make us well, to ward off sickness, to keep us healthy. Yet aside … Continue readingFresh Air, Green Space, and Unsung Paths to Healthy Living
After the completion of my first two novels, I’m in the mood for a third, and I’ve already chosen a title: “Letters from the Airy Deep”. I for one thinks it’s a nice title. What is the story the title denotes? Why, none other than … Continue readingLetters from the Airy Deep: New Novel Coming Soon
What would be the happiest day we could design? It’s an interesting question with large potential implications for how well we live our lives. More precisely, how should we split our time between various activities to maximize happiness and well-being? A fascinating 2013 study (summarized … Continue readingThe Surprising Path to a Happy Everyday Life
In the science fiction setting I am worldbuilding, Proxima Centauri b as in real life is a roughly Earth-sized planet with an orbital period of 11 days, and is the closest known exoplanet. In real life we don’t know much about Proxima Centauri b aside … Continue readingThalassa, or Proxima Centauri b: The Pale Green Dot
Much ink, digital and otherwise, is spilled among both real-life historians and fictional worldbuilders on the rise and fall of civilizations, but somewhat less ink is spent on drilling down to the basics of civilization, namely the resource base. This includes things such as building … Continue readingAn Alternate History of Cascadia
Although humans are Earth’s only sapient species, the range of intelligence among animals is quite diverse. For a long time many assumed primates, the clade closest to humans, outclassed all others in intelligence. Now, however, it is much more widely known that several other species … Continue readingWorldbuilding Avian Intelligence
Science fiction worldbuilding often features space colonization, but only seldomly is it considered through a demographic lens. This is likely because most science fiction writers and artists find other aspects of their worlds much more interesting to build, and basing the demographics of various places … Continue readingBig Families on the High Frontier: Worldbuilding Space Colony Demography