NERV 1 aka Col. Hapgood’s Travelin’ Man capsule landed on the Robinsons’ planet. Inspired by the Lost In Space episode “Welcome Stranger”.

So, in my sci-fi setting, I have a world called Didyma, which is Greek for "twins." It contains one singular supercontinent called Concordia. And, this world holds only two oceans, each at completely different sides of the planet. And each ocean has several outer rivers reaching into Concordia, supplying water to most of its population.
So, the thing I'm asking is, is it possible for a world to have just two oceans, each at completely opposite sides?

Saw a movie once, maybe 7-10 or so years ago. Plot included a manned mission to outer planets. Something went wrong, some of the crew died. Remaining lone crew member had to survive in the spaceship for many months (years?) on the return voyage. He ate recycled food (his own recycled feces and urine) and went a bit nuts. Spoiler alert: In the end, instead of choosing rescue back to earth he chose to stay in space.

Please help me find the name of this movie! Thank you.

For the life of me I can’t remember this one sci-fi movie I saw along time ago. From what I can remember the main character is a scientist picked for a small team to study this big crack that opened in the earth. When they get inside there’s alien plants and whatnot growing everywhere and eventually aliens hatch and start attacking. Does anyone remember this movie?

Just honestly wanna know your opinions on the matter.

Tbh... I think it's could he better.

The online site for the Grand Ideas Big Visions setting created by Anders Sandberg has gone offline for me, do you experience this problem to?

This is the link: https://www.aleph.se/Nada/Game/BigIdeas/index.html altough it doesn't work for me. Googling the setting also doesn't work.

If the site is actually offline, I have a download of both the setting site and GM site, which I am more than willing to share. :)

(sorry if my English is bad, it isn't my first language)

Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem introduces a thought-provoking concept: the sophon. The sophon is a microscopic particle engineered by an advanced alien civilization to interfere with Earth’s fundamental scientific research and hinder humanity’s ability to explore the laws of nature. Not only does it surveil human civilization, but it also destroys the foundation of scientific inquiry, plunging the entire civilization into technological stagnation. The sophon symbolizes external forces that suppress human progress. In the real world, AI, while not designed to hinder progress intentionally, has a similar effect on our ability to learn and innovate, raising concerns about its impact on human development.

AI has rapidly developed, bringing immense convenience to our lives. However, it has also gradually weakened our capacity for learning and critical thinking. As AI becomes increasingly ubiquitous in education, work, and daily life, more people have grown accustomed to relying on AI to solve problems rather than exploring solutions themselves. For instance, students now often use AI tools to complete assignments directly, improving efficiency but losing opportunities for independent thought and deeper learning. Over time, this dependence on technological tools could erode humanity’s ability to solve complex problems, much like how the sophon disrupts physical experiments, preventing humans from understanding natural laws.

Additionally, the application of AI could lead to the centralization of knowledge creation. AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data and generate insights may concentrate knowledge production in the hands of a few institutions or elites who control advanced technologies. Meanwhile, others become passive consumers of knowledge rather than active creators. This imbalance could exacerbate social inequality and stifle collective innovation. Such a scenario mirrors the sophon’s effect of halting humanity’s scientific progress: when humans lose control over the creation of knowledge, advancement becomes unattainable.

Finally, the potential loss of creativity is another pressing concern. As AI becomes more prevalent in creative fields such as art, music, and literature, humanity’s capacity for originality faces significant challenges. While AI can assist in creative endeavors, excessive reliance on it risks making creativity mechanical and monotonous. Just as the sophon prevents breakthroughs in science, AI, if misused, may diminish the diversity and depth of human creativity.

However, a crucial difference between AI and the sophon lies in their origins: the sophon is an uncontrollable external force designed to suppress humanity, whereas AI is a human creation. This distinction means we still have the power to decide how AI is utilized. To prevent AI from undermining human capabilities, we must address its impact through education, innovation, and ethical considerations. Education systems should focus on cultivating critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students, ensuring they learn to collaborate with AI while retaining their capacity for independent thought. In the realm of innovation, AI should be seen as a tool to augment human creativity rather than replace it. Furthermore, a clear ethical framework must be established to ensure AI development prioritizes human progress and avoids monopolization by a select few.

In conclusion, while AI shares some similarities with the sophon, its destiny remains in human hands. We must recognize the risks of over-reliance on AI and take proactive measures to ensure it serves as a tool for advancing human progress rather than a shackle limiting our potential. By finding balance between technology and humanity, we can achieve long-term development for our civilization.

While at work, my wandering brain always thought:

What would happen if a being from another planet were stuck here on earth? Wouldn't they use our most advanced manufacturing technologies to get home? Would we notice if one was building their own wafers?

That's what gave me the inspiration to write "Siege of Silicon". This is a completed book that I'm posting episodes of for Free.

The prologue is live right now
RSS Feed: https://anchor.fm/s/ff975e14/podcast/rss
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uJfTo4LGbI
Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/ebcarver

I'd love for you to listen and provide your comments and feedback.

Prologue Synopsis: For generations, the locals have lived and fished in tradition, honoring the spirit beneath. In the prologue of Siege of Silicon, the epic sci-fi tale of technology, mystery and adventure, we meet young Kai as he bucks these traditions to prove himself a fisherman. He risks it all to fish with an untested and unproven technology of his own making. Will he catch his haul and achieve acceptance, or will it lead to ultimate ruin? Find out in the premier chapter of Siege of Silicon right now.

I am on a bit of a budget, so I did use AI for the story art in the video, but all writing and narration is 100% human, i.e. me.

When they opened the wormhole and accidently entered the Hell or Chaos dimension, did the crew went mad straight away? Because the ship was in the dimension for 7 years before it returned to the solar system. Could the crew have went slowly mad in a period of 7 years?

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I was anticipating reading the follow up to The Sparrow with moderate excitement mixed with dread. TS will stick with me for a long time.

CoG is great for filing in gaps which had left me confused from book one especially regarding Fr Sandoz's injuries. Also does a deep deep dive on cultural miscommunication. I would say that's the theme of CoG.

But boy, at 2/3 in, it became a slog. Authors who are married to their characters can keep track of them much easier than a reader imo.

I'm at 85% on Kindle and I so want this book to be done.

Anyone else?

Look, I know this film has been discussed way too much lately and as the title says, what do you think? Can you discuss the religious aspects of the film for me ?

Okay I'm gonna put myself out here and be really vulnerable so here goes. I've lived in North East Lincolnshire, UK for a couple of years now and have a pretty good job. However, the guys at my workplace aren't the sort of people I would normally hang around outside of work (no offence if any of them are reading this!). Mainly because I don't drink and I don't follow any sports. Therefore my weekends are spent binge watching tv, playing computer games or doom scrolling on Reddit and youtube.

I'm looking for somewhere to hang out or a group to hang out with. I love sci-fi and I'm interested in Astronomy. I've also dabbled in a bit of D&D so wouldn't mind joining a group or general gaming groups if there are any that are local. I drive my own car so distance and transport isn't a problem for me. I just want something to do with myself, thats social, at the weekends.

I rewatched Interstellar last night and really enjoyed it . Question, the time dilation from the black hole caused 100ish years to go by and man is now living in space. Why did they not send someone back for Anne Hathaway character? Cooper leaves to go back in time to find her? It would be cool see how her colony/society develops.

You play as an escaped sleeper, a human whose consciousness was put in a robot's body for indentured servitude, but you wake up getting salvaged, your memory gone. You explore a station, make connections with people, and help each other survive, as you try to maintain your body's condition and energy. The interface is minimalistic, and the mechanics are a bit weird to grasp at first. You get up to six die to roll for various activities, with skill points adding modifiers. You can do anything from manual labor to exploration to hacking and building, and when your die are used up, you rest for the next day.

I finished the game after about four days of play. It's hitting me like a ton of bricks. Sure, the visuals are pretty stripped down, and the characters are all static images, but the writing and the characterization are absolutely top-notch. Just spending time in that setting with those characters feels rich in a way few games - or even books - feel. There's several different choices you can make that really matter for the outcome of the game, and several of them are not easy. The final choice of the game is heartbreaking but so good. I'm not sure if I've felt that moved by a game since Mass Effect, and maybe not even then. It's something I'm still processing. The game is available on Mac, Windows, XBox, XBox Game Pass, Switch, and Playstation. Please do yourself a favor and check it out.

Looking for a book about a Male MC kind of a enhanced soldier exploring space, discovering, action and battles, more of the modern era books would be preferred.