Welcome to this month's Science in Fiction feature! Science in Fiction is a meme I created to showcase the wonderful aspects of science in Young Adult fiction novels. For more information and previous feature, check out the "Science in Fiction" tag!
This month, I'm featuring The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron!
I love Cameron's books, and The Forgetting was no exception. I actually didn't know too much about the book before reading it - and I totally missed the fact that it's a sci-fi novel. When I read it, I was pleasantly surprised! I love sci-fi, and this heavily sci-fi story blew me away.
One of the aspects of science in this book is space colonization! Canaan, the setting of this story, is not on Earth.
So today, I'm going to talk about space colonization!
This is nothing new - we've seen the concept in fiction, movies, and TV often. Stars Wars, to name a big franchise, as well as Kaufman and Spooner's Starbound trilogy, are good examples. Space colonization is the permanent habitation of a planetary off Earth. For example, Mars, or the Moon.
Stephen Hawking says it'll be at least 100 years before space colonization becomes an actual successful thing. I believe it - we're nowhere near close to colonizing other entities (at least, that's what is made publicly known).
In recent times, NASA has proposed a self-contained space colony. While the goal is to colonize planetary bodies like Mars or the Moon, space stations might be the best step before space colonization. The Kalpana One program is the program proposed, and it would send a module into space to orbit the Earth. This module would hold 3,000 people indefinitely.
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, is urging the colonization of Mars. SpaceX has been building and testing reusable rockets for this purpose. However, the costs of the rockets alone are enormous.
Genetic engineering and synthetic biology are vital to the space colonization efforts. The gases on other planets are toxic, and there is little oxygen. Scientists need to provide organisms that can, for example, break down those gases and use them as an energy source. Certain bacteria and organisms here on Earth convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, and this is something that scientists will have implement on other planets. Resource utilization is very important!
A final thing to consider - what's the point of space colonization? We are rapidly running out of room on Earth, as well as resources. There is a housing problem across the globe, and a little issue of where to store waste (landfills, dumping in a tiny town in China, and deep-sea injections are not permanent solutions), and the fact that there just isn't enough food being produced to feed everyone, especially with project population growth rates being what they are.
So! What are your thoughts on space colonization? The current state of affairs on Earth? Would you live on another planet (or an orbiting module), given the opportunity?
This is actually an interesting concept!I never thought about it so deeply before and oddly enough it makes me want to read a Sci-Fi book!♡♡ thanks for sharing this girlie!
ReplyDeleteTry this one, it's a great sci-fi novel that isn't too overwhelming for a non-sci-fi person! =)
DeleteThis is a book I'm excited for. I guess I didn't know exactly what it would be about until your post brought up the space stuff. But that only makes me more interested! I often think I would like to live on another planet, but, I don't know if I could handle the space travel itself. I tend to get pretty motion sick even just in a car! Love all the facts you share here. When I was a kid I used to love all things space, and even wanted to be an astronaut. Then I started getting motion sick in the car and realized that would never be an option for me. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYAY! I hope you like it when you read it! The sci-fi/space aspect isn't publicized, so I didn't know about it until I read the book.
DeleteI'm not sure I could handle space flight as well! But you never know until you try, right?
Thank you! ^_^
This is my (secret) geeky fascination! SPACE! I kid you not, I love watching space documentaries... and I TOTALLY believe that we could eventually colonize other planets and maybe make interplanetary travel possible. I think they are currently looking for Earth 2 or another planet similar to Earth and it's pretty fascinating that we can possibly have that in the future.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, interesting book! Adding this to my TBR
Awesome! Glad to hear it! I'm sure we'll get there someday. It'd be cool if it were in our lifetime!
DeleteI highly recommend this book, Zeee! :D
I've read a number of books and watched plenty of movies that feature living on space stations or other planets...but I don't know that I'd be up for it. At least, not unless I were headed for a different planet with, at the very least, breathable atmosphere. Living somewhere where stepping outside could kill me? Not a big fan. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'd be up for it either! It'd have to be a do-or-die kind of situation. We'd have to where those giant protective space suits, which seem bulky and sweaty and annoying!
DeleteI love love love reading and watching tv about space colonization. I don't think if I'll be alive to see it happens, but God, I hope so. This book sounds even better now that I read your thoughts on this!
ReplyDeleteMe too! And agreed! And this book is totally worth the read, Lis. :D
DeleteI could see space colonization in the future, but definitely not anytime soon. This book sounds really good!
ReplyDeleteRight? Stephen Hawking is on to something. I hope you give this book a chance, Erin!
DeleteCan other book bloggers participate too?
ReplyDeleteAt this time, no, since it's unique to my blog and something that *I* came up with and own. But thanks for asking!
DeleteLovely post Alyssa :D I do think it would be fun to live in another planet. Maybe. If it has everything I need, haha :D Well. Okay. I order way too much online. I could never live in another planet, haha :) Anyway. I cannot wait to read this book too :D Ohh. I hadn't really known it didn't take place in earth either, haha :D So exciting.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be cool to explore! But you're right, the internet would definitely need to be on that new planet.
DeleteI really hope you love this book, Carina!