Grant Robertson, Author at Edgeworks Entertainment

October 22, 2020October 21, 2020

Mars Tourism Article: Elysium

An introduction to the biggest available island on Mars

For the ambitious amongst you, Elysium has the potential to be the biggest island on Mars after terraforming. Its broad plains and gigantic craters give building and exploration options that will keep you busy. Read on to discover what you can do on your visit here.

Right on the equator

Centered directly in the heart of Mars, Elysium is the second largest volcanic region on the planet. 1060 by 1490 miles in size and containing 4 volcanoes, this vast area is far from boring. With eruptions a daily occurrence you’ll need to stay on your toes here! They are a sight to behold and are no doubt one of the most popular tourist attractions on the planet. There are also several large trenches in the area, so be careful to remember where you placed your belongings as they could easily get lost!

Ash-covered ice

There is a large volume of ice in the Elysium Planitia similar to the size of the North Sea back here on planet Earth. Unfortunately, the ice is covered by a layer of ash, meaning that you’d be better off leaving your ice skates at home. The ice is thought to have formed at least 2 million years ago, and with terraforming technologies available we’re ensuring it melts as carefully and cleanly as possible. Perhaps in the future this place would be perfect for a relaxing swim, but you’ll have to keep that idea ‘on ice’ for now.

Rootless cones

If this is your first visit to the heaven on Mars that is Elysium, you’ve probably never heard of these before. When the buried ice is heated by nearby lava, it vaporizes and expands under the ground. This creates a mini explosion, forming a cone in the land. These grooves are well-suited for use as a natural skatepark, and you may find people landing tricks all around you here. If you want to join in just make sure you bring a helmet, as some of them are incredibly steep!

The biggest island on Mars after terraforming

Size matters, and ambitious explorers will also find a large volume of flat terrain here. Once terraforming is complete, this will be the biggest island on Mars, supporting large quantities of life. The vast nature of the area means this could easily become the economic capital of Mars, dependent on the objectives of those who take control here. All this is enough to keep you extremely busy, as conditions may pose problems to terraforming that you may not have anticipated.

Elysium is an essential visit

If you’re coming to Mars, you simply must visit the Elysium area. With its broad landscape, nearby volcanoes, and interesting surface, the island is begging for exploration and development. We suggest you see this place in all its beauty, as it’s a land in transition from a red wasteland to a glorious Garden of Eden on Mars!

October 6, 2020October 21, 2020

The Sons of Hephaestus

A closer look at the no-nonsense, anti-terraforming clan: the Sons of Hephaestus.

The Sons of Hephaestus are here to get things done. These guys would be able to thrive on a desert island with their practical skills and natural instinct for survival. What sets the faction apart from the rest is their focus on planetary purity — the belief that every planet has inherent rights. This philosophy has made the group engineers by necessity, making The Sons of Hephaestus and their revolutionary characteristics a tough and resourceful team well-equipped for intergalactic survival.

No-frills craftsmanship

The Sons of Hephaestus are practical people. They survey their surroundings and make use of the resources available to them. Predominately coming from working class backgrounds, they have the trades and problem-solving skills that enable them to adapt to the new and interesting planets they inhabit. Although part of this engineering background stems from their tradition of being hired by corporations to build and maintain systems across the solar system, another is due to their belief that humanity has no business majorly altering another world. This means living in spacefaring metal mobile homes, and their lives depend on the facilities working properly.

Practicality trumps aesthetics

With expertise in construction and fabrication, the Sons of Hephaestus are industrious folk. They are focused on practicality and use-value rather than aesthetic appeal. One might consider them to be totally in contrast to The Daughters of Gaia in this regard, as the Sons prefer function over form while the Gaians are quite the opposite. While their developments have a no-frills design, they are made for ease of use – which is again necessary, since children must learn engineering as soon as they are old enough to hold a wrench. They are planet-loving people and respect each world for its individual and unique characteristics that can be used to support homonization. They do not feel that every planet should have the characteristics of planet Earth.

The irony of the group

Because of their direct, blunt, and no-nonsense approach, The Sons of Hephaestus are thought of by some as brutish and unintelligent who are ignorant to the views of those outside their circle. People also regard them to be extremist hicks due to their working-class roots. Ironically, the opposite is quite true! They are an incredibly well-educated group who depend on their deep engineering knowledge to survive in the desolate vastness of space. With a belief that intelligence allows them to be better prepared for survival, The Sons of Hephaestus possess both academic and practical knowledge in order to help them build and sustain habitats on other planets.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

The Sons of Hephaestus have a brash and rugged appearance, fitting of a typical blue-collar worker. With muscular physiques and rugged, utility-focused clothing they are able to build and retain habitability on new planets. They even have members in nearly every known off-world society. They are collectivist in nature, preferring the objectives of the group rather than those of an individual. This demonstrates their compassion when exploring beyond their tough exterior.

This anti-terraforming splinter group are concerned with preventing contamination in the quest for planet homonization. They have the practical and resourceful skills to achieve planetary purity and will fight hard to obtain independence — judge them at your own risk!

October 1, 2020October 21, 2020

How to make the most of your trip to Valles Marineris

All you need to know before visiting one of the largest canyons in our solar system: Valles Marineris.

First of all, let’s be clear: a day visit is not going to cut it for this ragged geological scar (pardon the pun). Valles Marineris covers nearly one fifth of the circumference of Mars, making it not only Mars’ largest canyons but one of the largest canyons in the solar system.

Spanning 4,000 kilometres, it would take any law-abiding person (who complies to the 96kmh regulation currently in place for all forms of surface space travel) around 41 hours just to drive from one end of the ravine to the other. Make the most of your trip to Mariner Valley and spread your drive over three or four days. Trust us, you’ll want some time for a few snaps of the terrifying Noctis Labyrinthus in the west of the valley.

How to subsist the Noctis Labyrinthus in Valles Marineris?

If you haven’t figured it out already, Noctis Labyrinthus simply translates to the Labyrinth of the Night. Sound appealing? Even the Greeks would never have envisioned that their god of war could be home to such a cataclysmic crack.

If you’re starting your trip at the west of Valles Marineris, near Mars’ equator, the Labyrinth of the Night will be your first mission. Ensure you are appropriately dressed, with the correct equipment to negotiate the copious boulders and debris of past avalanches and rockslides that have come to rest at the bottom of the maze of valleys and canyons.

On the plus side, the west side of the valley offers average temperatures of -100℉, a significant 50 °F warmer than other regions of the red planet.

Exploring the chasmata of Valles Marineris

If (not when) you manage to subsist Mars’ most treacherous path, staggering views await you. Perhaps not the dazzling views you might get from the peak of Olympus Mons, but certainly glimpses of a chasmic death that will send you staggering away.

The Melas chasma comprises the deepest point of the entire canyon system. At the east of Valles Marineris, the chasma measures a towering 11km deep. As well as offering incredible views, the extreme depths and steep cliffs also, somewhat surprisingly, may tempt you to stay longer at the bottom of the pit.

Due to the deep cliffs, the bottom of Melas chasma has the highest natural air pressure of Mars, making the location very almost habitable by colonisers. Oh, and don’t forget the entertainment!

You and your fellow settlers would be free to spend many filled-days scouring the ancient riverbeds in search of Martian fossils. What’s that, they don’t exist? Not according to the Mars Global Surveyor camera, which spotted some layering of material suggesting that Melas may be the site of an ancient subaqueous setting waiting to be rediscovered.

Understanding the formation of Valles Marineris

Scientists believe that billions of years ago, Mars may have been the optimal destination for terraforming, rich with water. As molten rock pushed through the volcanic Tharsis region, the strain on Mars’ crust would have caused large faults and fractures. The spreading cracks would have facilitated an upward rush of subsurface water, carving a series of channels and forming the Valles Marineris that we see today.

Many parts of Mariner Valley, however, remain mysteries to human understanding. Why did the flow of water carve the west of the valley into an ungovernable maze of the night and the east into a deep chasm of relief?

Maybe you can use your trip to Valles Marineris to answer some of these questions!

September 24, 2020October 21, 2020

Olympus Mons: Planning Your Visit

Everything you need to know before visiting the biggest volcano in our solar system.

If you’re planning a trip to Mars, Olympus Mons is undoubtedly at the top of your list (get it?). Lying along the Tharsis Bulge, a volcanic plateau, Mars’ volcano rises over 18km higher than Mount Everest, at a towering height of 27km. Olympus Mons is not only imposing in height, but also in diameter, covering 600km from one side to the other.

Negotiating the size of Olympus Mons

Despite the staggering size of Olympus Mons in both height and width, do not be discouraged, the average slope increase is a meager 5%. This somewhat surprising fact for an area that at first seems uninhabitable, can be explained by Olympus Mons’ profile as a shield volcano.

Shield volcanoes are characterised by a broad dome shape with gently sloping sides which typically occurs from low viscosity lava flows. Over millions and millions of years, the fluid basaltic lava which erupts from vents or fissures on the surface of the volcano builds up to form the broad profile that we see with Olympus Mons.

So as long as your space boots can withstand the heat and slightly unstable grounding of a continuous lava flow, Olympus Mons can be considered a gentle stroll for the entire family.

Is Olympus Mons really worth the visit?

Okay, so Mars’ volcano is big, but would Hawaii’s Mauna Loa not be a sufficient substitute? Well, according to scientists, the differences can be linked back to fundamental disparities between the structure of the Earth compared to Mars.

The red planet has a significantly lower surface gravity as well as much higher eruption rates. This enables lava to continue building and building way beyond what Earth’s boringly pleasant atmosphere would allow.

The organisation and characteristics of tectonic plates on the two planets is also thought to play a critical role in the creation of a volcano so radically different from anything you could find on Earth.

On Earth, the tectonic plates have always moved at a very slow yet constant rate. This means that when the Pacific Plate moved over a hot spot 4.5 million years ago, multiple eruptions occurred at different geographical points, thus creating the Hawaiian Islands.

On Mars, however, tectonic plate movement is very limited. When lava flows from a hot spot onto the surface, it does so in a single spot, causing a slow, steady but relentless build-up of extrusive igneous rock.

Olympus Mons may just be a big pile of rock, but it is a pile of rock you can’t find anywhere else in the known universe.

Why not visit Valles Marineris while you’re there?

Located near the Martian equator, Olympus Mons offers the perfect base for visiting some of Mars’ other top attractions. From the highest peak to the deepest canyon, extend your trip by taking a peer down the nearby Valles Marineris before returning to the Mothership.

At a size greater than Earth’s North American continent and 7km deep, the ascent will prove considerably more difficult than that of Olympus Mons. So please, after the dazzling heights and dizzying views of the volcano, don’t let a 3.5 billion year old crack have the better of you!

Make the discovery and settle the red planet

In terraforming times, we may be well beyond the dreams of the Italian astronomer, Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli. Schiaparelli first noticed the sizeable mass on Mars’ surface in the second half of the nineteenth century. But Olympus Mons still waits to be settled.

Be careful though — Mars has not yet been pronounced volcanically dead, and our closest neighbour might be as easy to terraform as the frozen water poles would suggest.

September 1, 2020October 21, 2020

Rover Memorial Sites: Where to see the historical first tracks

Explore ancient history and visit the rover memorial sites.

When humanity first began to investigate the (then) red planet of Mars, they needed something on the ground. That’s where the much-loved Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity came into existence.

Curiosity: A History

The journey for this little car sized rover began on November 26, 2011, when it was thrust into the bounds of space from Cape Canaveral at exactly 15:02. After a lengthy 560 million kilometre journey, Curiosity managed to land on Aeolis Palus on August 6, 2012. No easy feat given that the landing site was a mere 2.4km away from the designated center of the landing field.

The site was originally picked because it seemed the most likely area to house conditions which could have or could still potentially house microbial life. Curiosity’s mission? Explore the length and possibility of water on Mars as well as begin to study the planet to determine its suitability for human habitation.

At first, the mission was expected to last for two years, but in December of 2012 the mission was extended indefinitely. As of 2532, Curiosity is obviously no longer roaming around the red planet — after all, we have a permanent presence on the surface now. Instead, some of the rover’s tracks have been preserved, and you can still see the little rover’s final resting place on the slopes of Mount Sharp today.

Opportunity: Breaking Earth’s heart one message at a time

When those with a loving heart think of Mars rovers’, they tend to think of Opportunity.

After a particularly bad dust storm the rover was either damaged beyond repair or was covered in so much dust that its solar panels weren’t able to recharge the batteries. The rover won the hearts of the people with its final message back to Earth, “My battery is low and it’s getting dark”.

These simple but haunting words drew lots of attention, but it should be noted that Opportunity never actually said these words — a NASA official rephrased the rover’s final scientific readings on low power and high atmospheric opacity somewhat more poetically. Nevertheless, Opportunity remained in the hearts of humanity, with early Mars pioneers swearing to retrieve the lonely little rover and give it its due. It now rests in the Martian History Museum alongside Curiosity and the countless other bots Earth launched over the decades, alone no more.

Why not follow in the footsteps of the rovers?

The areas where these rovers finished their routes are now recognised international parklands. It was, in fact, in the Aeolis Palus region of the Gale where some of Mars’ first standing water was able to be stored after atmospheric conditions allowed. As for Mount Sharp, the hiking is simply incredible amongst the beautiful (now native) conifer trees and other fauna.

Why not revisit what Mars might have been like when the rovers were exploring by visiting a simulator located in one of the many Hab Dome centers? You’ll be transported back to a time when red dust was as far as the eye could see, where there was no atmosphere, and even where there were no settlers! Thanks to terraforming, that’s no longer the case, but it’s always worth remembering just how far we Martians have come!

August 27, 2020October 21, 2020

The Horizon Corporation

An introduction to the ambitious business leaders of TerraGenesis

The Horizon Corporation are here to talk money. They are motivated beyond the comprehension of those outside of their circle. Their core belief is that capitalism is the only way for us to reach our potential. One of the first powerhouses of private spaceflight, the Horizon Corporation dominates the interplanetary market. If you believe in the free market, you’ll get along well with them.

If this faction gets their way, we will soon witness the transformation of an entire planet into a new, corporate civilisation.

Ambitious and driven individuals

With an emphasis on individuality, the members of this factor are motivated by their own needs, fears, and desires. A capitalist society on Earth has been very kind to them, enabling them to achieve a high level of wealth and status. Their focus and ambition has been used to maximise opportunities and climb the corporate ladder.

These capitalists are profit motivated at the expense of anything else and will stop at nothing to improve their bottom line.

Expensive taste

Ever heard of living within your means? Not an issue for the Horizon Corporation. With seemingly unlimited funds comes an appetite for expensive clothing and products. Rocking designer brands at all times, living in luxurious houses with ornate decor throughout. The ultra rich will do outlandish things to one-up each other, such as purchasing entire fleets of starships or funding exploration missions to get their own personal exoplanet real estate. It’s rumored one member of the Matiba clan even brought back previously extinct species to keep as pets!

Being hyper consumers, members of the Horizon Corporation are addicted to buying new fancy products that they don’t really need. They do this in the belief that it will make them happy. Expect this faction to seek materialistic gains through the settlement of new planets in our universe.

Negative attention

As you might expect, The Horizon Corporation catch a lot of stick for their exploits. Those from lower social classes consider them to be greedy and heartless, putting profit over equality and fairness. They worry that the Horizon Corporation will damage any planets they inhabit due to their reckless pursuit of cash and that the quality of life for those who are not able to “hack it” will suffer under the illusion of this ability to climb any ladder (despite the lower rungs being removed for the masses). It should be considered however, that the faction is a genuinely idealistic one. That is, they truly believe that free market forces will lead to a utopia for everyone. Many of the members are self-made winners, meaning that their grit and determination must be respected.

There are also good things to come from the Horizon Corporation. The Horizon Corporation are exporters of wholesale consumer products, which in volume are cheaper for everyone. They own and run entertainment channels that are extremely popular worldwide. They may be at the top of the capitalist ladder, but through them there are benefits for everyone globally.

A powerful faction

As we have seen, the Horizon Corporation are a rich, determined, and successful faction in TerraGenesis. They will do all that they can to create a planetary corporation that satisfies their desire to generate untold profits. Choose this group if you are a capitalist and believe that the competitive nature of the free market is the conduit for reaching our true potential.

August 6, 2020October 21, 2020

Let’s Visit: Moons of Mars — Phobos and Deimos

All you need to know about the two Martian Moons, Phobos and Deimos.

Mars Moons Phobos and Deimos — Credit: NASA

Orbiting Mars are two moons, Phobos and Deimos, with very similar surface materials to the many asteroids that make up the outer asteroid belt. In other words, Phobos and Deimos are two very big lumps of space rock — space rock with a fascinating history.

Who discovered Phobos and Deimos?

Both moons of Mars were discovered in 1877 by American astronomer, Asaph Hall. However, what most space settlers don’t realise is that — like much of Earth’s history — there was a woman behind the discovery.

Frustrated and deflated after years of work, Asaph was about to give up on his search for a moon that orbited the red planet. It was his wife, Angelina that encouraged him not to throw away his dreams quite yet.

The next night, Asaph saw for the very first time (of the entire human species) the smaller of the two moons, Deimos, through the narrow viewfinder (although the best of the time) of the United States Naval Observatory (USNO) 66cm telescope. Just six nights later, he discovered Phobos.

Where do the names Phobos and Deimos come from?

phobos and deimos greek gods — Credit: Julia Van Hellen

After discovering the two Martian moons, Asaph Hall named them after twin characters from Greek mythology. Phobos and Deimos are the sons of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess associated with love, pleasure, beauty, passion and procreation, known to the Romans as Venus, and Ares — the Greek god which represents the untamed and violent aspect of war, whose Roman counterpart is Mars.

The twins would often be depicted as horses, accompanying their father to battle. Phobos personified feelings of fear, while Deimos personified feelings of dread felt by those heading to war.

What are the characteristics of the two moons of Mars?

Moons of Mars phobos and deimos — Credit: NASA

Mars’ two moons are oddly shaped and among the smallest moons in our solar system. They are lumpy, riddled with craters, and covered with dust and loose rocks. Not sounding like a great holiday destination? Think again!

If you’re an adrenaline seeker, Phobos might actually be the place for you. As the larger of the two moons, Phobos orbits only 6,000 kilometers from the surface of Mars, that’s closer than any other moon. Not only that, Phobos whizzes around Mars at a rapid rate of three orbits a day.

Don’t delay your visit too long, though, as the moon is gradually spiraling closer and closer to Mars; within 50 million years, Phobos will either crash or break apart and become part of the asteroid belt. Trust us, you don’t want to be taking you holiday on Phobos when that happens.

If you’re looking for a more sedate holiday, Deimos is the moon for you. With an axis of only 16 km, Deimos is the perfect desert moon. The smaller of the two moons soars around Mars at a gentle orbit of 30 hours, around 20,000 km from the surface of the red planet, giving you glorious vistas without the fear of, well, fear (just a little Phobos humor we have around here).

At least for now (before Phobos collides with Mars), the two moons might actually be the best place for observing the fiery red planet of Ares. From the Mars-facing side of the moons, Mars takes up nearly the entire sky, offering a perfect opportunity for surface assessment before terraforming. What’s more, you would be shielded from cosmic rays and solar radiation for nearly two-thirds of every orbit. It doesn’t get much better than that!

August 4, 2020August 3, 2020

The Daughters of Gaia – TerraGenesis Factions

A closer look at the nature loving, environmentalist faction of TerraGenesis

They may look like free-spirited and harmless nature lovers, but be warned: the Daughters of Gaia are known to break expectations. They are callous in the pursuit of their objectives, and this combination has made them a powerful force in interplanetary politics. The Daughters of Gaia are certainly an interesting faction to explore further.

Beliefs & Focus

The Daughters of Gaia have a simple focus: to transform each world into its own paradise. Viewing entropy as sin, this faction believes that life is the greatest gift in the universe, and that we should spread this gift to every planet. They are one of the earliest groups that staunchly advocated off-world terraforming and habitability, believing that the Earth’s beauty should be prioritised over all other objectives. This dictates the way that they live, build, and rule. Beauty and nature-based artistry is consistent throughout everything the Daughters of Gaia do.

They are not all they seem

On the surface, they are a calm and peaceful people, with a graceful and well-mannered demeanor that represents their spirituality with the universe and their appreciation of nature. However, while seemingly harmless, the Daughters of Gaia can be surprisingly ruthless in the pursuit of their goals. Their Darwinian beliefs mean that they take a “survival of the fittest” approach, believing life as they know it is the strongest and most deserving of them all.

Nature inspired

The Daughters of Gaia have a fluid aesthetic design, made up of clean and sleek clothing with plenty of bright and colourful detail. Their organic sentiment is reflected in their architecture, which combines indoor comfort with the beauty of the outdoor elements. Naturally, their home is a scenic and tranquil place and must be seen to be believed. The Daughters of Gaia are elegant, dressed in ornate, ceremonial clothing pulling from Earth cultures.

Strength in numbers

This faction has a close family bond, meaning they will stand by each other and defend themselves in numbers. They have a matriarchal social structure with female leaders, which has led outsiders to consider them radical feminists who denounce men. Those same critics may also argue that the Daughters of Gaia are spoilt, tree loving hippies who are born into privileged conditions that allow them to pass judgement on lower classes. Of course, those critics are often silent when they see a Gaian spacecraft approaching – a terror among the stars, striking fear in the hearts of those who know what’s about to come.

Masters of their craft

The Daughters of Gaia are masters of biochemical engineering, pushing life’s limits to its boundaries and beyond. By modifying the ecological conditions of other planets in their pursuit of paradise habitability, they create veritable Gardens of Eden to suit their own needs. Their experiments don’t always stop at planetary changes, however, as prominent Gaian scientists have been known to engineer and alter other lifeforms – humans included. After all, it is survival of the fittest – who’s to say humankind couldn’t be even fitter?

A powerful force

If it wasn’t clear already, The Daughters of Gaia are the most nature-focused faction in TerraGenesis. While they are not as industrious as the Sons of Hesphaestus, as populous as the UNSA, or as wealthy as the Horizon Corporation, their skills, demanded conformity among its membership, and their intense beliefs make them a force to be reckoned with!

July 28, 2020July 27, 2020

Maximum Mars: The Records that Mars Holds

Against giants such as Jupiter, what records can Mars hold?

Our closest neighbour has remained a piece of intrigue to those of us on Earth for as long as it has been observed. Since its discovery by curious star-gazers belonging to ancient civilizations, Mars has fascinated our human population.

A relatively small, dusty, red rock, one could be forgiven for thinking that, apart from the striking red colour, this was a somewhat uninteresting and insignificant planet. Certainly not one that could hold record titles against other planets in the solar system. Well, this isn’t the case, there are in fact a number of record titles that Mars holds — titles which it looks to be holding onto for some time to come.

Record Number 1: The Largest Canyon in the Solar System – Valles Marineris

Named for the satellite that discovered this area of Mars, Mariner 9, back in 1972, Valles Marineris is a vast canyon system that creeps and crawls through a region known as the Tharsis area. The canyons run along the surface of the red planet for over 4000km. They are over 200km wide in some places and up to 7km deep. Valles Marineris is, by volume, the largest in the solar system and is only just beaten in length by Earth’s own rift valleys.

If you’re looking for a straight forward comparison, think about the Grand Canyon in the US. The Grand Canyon is a mere 800km long and up to 1.6km deep. Valles Marineris is over 5 times as long and almost 4 times as deep in places! Much like the large canyons of Earth, researchers believe that Valles Marineris was created through extended periods of tectonic activity under the Martian surface.

Record Number 2: The Largest Volcano in the Solar System – Olympus Mons

Olympus Mons. Even the name sounds grand and imposing. Named after the Latin for Mount Olympus, the mythical seat of the Ancient Greek gods and home to Zeus, god of thunder, king of gods. Once more, sounds grand and imposing. And frankly, that’s rightly so.

Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in our solar system — and not by a little, but by a whole lot. After measurements were taken by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), Olympus Mons was measured to be nearly 22km tall. That makes it around 2.5 times larger than Mount Everest when measured from sea level. The volcano takes the titles largest volcano and tallest planetary mountain but just misses out on the tallest mountain in the solar system by a bit of a loophole from Vesta.

You’d be forgiven for wondering what Vesta is. It’s one of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt and has claim to the largest mountain, pipping Olympus Mons by only hundreds of metres. This mountain, however, was formed following a massive impact and is part of the Rheasilvia crater. Does that count? Well… just.

Record Number 3: The Largest Impact Crater in the Solar System – North Polar Basin

This record isn’t going to get such a good write up as technically it might not even be correct. The North Polar Basin has been hypothesised as an impact crater, and if classified as such would have a ratio of between 125-155% of the planet’s surface with a crater diameter of 10,600 × 8,500 km. But, this has not been recognized as fact by the IAU (International Astronomical Union).

Should it not be deemed an impact crater then this record will be passed to the previously mentioned Rheasilvia crater with a diameter of 505 km but a ratio of 90%.

Mars: The Record Breaker

As humankind begins to explore Mars further who knows which records it might gain or take mantle of in the future. Could it hold the largest known water reserves? The most minuscule life forms? Time will tell!

July 23, 2020October 21, 2020

Origins of Science Fiction

How did science fiction begin?

As long as humans have been capable of abstract thought, we’ve envisaged the future. What’s coming for us? How will we be different? Where might we go? What might we explore? Through this, different people have begun to prophesise, dream, and write about what this future might look like. That includes the different places we, as the human race, will visit, the other lifeforms that we’ll interact with, and how we’ll get to those places. This is where science fiction comes into play.

There’s the realm of science that attempts to hypothesise using facts, data, and historical information. This belongs to actual science and forecasting models. That is not of our concern today. Instead, we’re going to explore those who let their imaginations run wild. Those who might have been inspired by things they’d seen on Earth and imagined what those might be like on other planets. Those who looked at the sky and wondered what might be… then made it up. This is the realm of science fiction.

In order to explore science fiction, we’ll look into those most prolific of writers from recent history including H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Ray Bradbury, Kim Stanley Robinson, and James S. A. Corey.

H. G. Wells

A personal favourite, H. G. Wells was the author of one of the original and greatest works of science fiction ever created, The War of the Worlds. Alongside Jules Verne, he is considered to be the father of science fiction as a genre. Whilst War of the Worlds (written in 1898) is, arguably, his most famous work, he also penned classics such as; The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), and The Invisible Man (1897).

Our favourite H. G. Wells fact? When a version of The War of the Worlds was dramatised for radio in 1938 mass public panic ensued when listeners didn’t realise they were listening to a work of fiction and genuinely thought Earth was being invaded by Martians!

Jules Verne

Jules Verne is another of the world’s great writers, responsible for works such as Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1873). Whilst the latter isn’t technically a work in science fiction, the other two greats were entirely science fiction even if they were Earthbound. Verne was a master of crafting fictional pieces of technology that inspired generations of science fiction readers.

Interesting Verne fact: he’s still the second-most translated author of all time.

Ray Bradbury

Most famous for his work Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury also penned many more pieces of work, including The Martian Chronicles. This science fiction short story fixup depicts the human race fleeing a dying Earth after war and atom bombs have devastated the planet and their colonisation efforts on the red planet. Bradbury goes into great detail regarding cultural clashes between the Martians who live there and the Earthlings who make their new home on already claimed land and takes on poignant topics such as colonisation, terraforming, racism, and sexism.

Kim Stanley Robinson

Having published no fewer than 19 novels that have been translated into at least 24 languages, Robinson is most famous for The Mars Trilogy. We’re particularly fond of Robinson for his works based around the possibility of terraforming other worlds (namely Mars). His trilogy offers viewpoints from that of colonists and gives great insight into what it might be like to live on a terraformed world. Thankfully, he tends to show this in a prosperous utopian light.

James S. A. Corey

Not one, but two authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. Using the pen name James S. A. Corey, the pair have written an extensive series called The Expanse. Their works are rapidly expanding, and they are regularly writing for great works of science fiction including the Star Wars universe and have collaborated with George R R Martin on other works. As far as modern day science fiction writers go, we strongly recommend checking out James S. A. Corey.

The Origins of Science Fiction

From humble beginnings in the late 1800s to modern day, science fiction will remain part of our lives forever. As long as there are places to discover, worlds to explore, and technology to create, the human mind will imagine and soar. Here’s to that!