Okay—this might at first seem a bit rambling, but hang in
there.
In science fiction and fantasy there is an expectation of the
suspension of disbelief.
After all, believing a vast advanced culture resides beneath
the sands of Mars, or that dragons can be harnessed and flow about…well,
really. Everyone knows, you can’t saddle a dragon, please!
Even in “hard” scifi there are two (currently) impossible pieces
of “science” that are forgiven: Faster Than Light speeds (FTL), and Time
Travel.
In recent years another impossibility has been gaining in
acceptance, the “Star Gate.” Even faster than FTL travel, you just step through
the gate and…poof; you’re in another galaxy.
The concept is certainly not new, and even predates the 1994
movie staring Curt Russell and James Spader, and the follow-on TV series. These
two entertainments made the words “Star Gate” nearly a household term.
Those two words used together today, evoke the visual of a
vertical toilet flushing you away...to an off-world adventure.
What the Star Gate is supposed to be is a black hole brought
into being by intelligent design, alien intelligent design, of course. For as
we all know only aliens from an advanced civilization, eons older than our own,
possess such technology.
Two twentieth century scientists, Albert Einstein and Nathan
Rosen proposed a solution to the Einstein Field Equations. In short, and I mean very short, the solution
is what has come to be know as an Einstein-Rosen bridge, or…a black hole.
The
Einstein-Rosen Bridge is the geometrical property of a black hole; on the other
end of the black hole one would find another set of dimensions at a
location…well, somewhere else.
Einstein
himself said that the creation of such a tunnel was theoretically possible, but
it would require the energy of several suns.
Now I
ask you, who but aliens have control of that kind of power?
These
aliens would be at least a level III on the Kardashev Scale.
The
what…scale?
The scale was originally designed in 1964 by the Russian
astrophysicist Nikolai Kardashev. He was actually looking for signs of extraterrestrial
life within cosmic signals.
His scale for determining just how advanced a civilization is started
with 3 basic classes, each measured by the amount of energy a given
civilization can harness: Types I through III.
Since then other astronomers have extended the scale to include
Types IV and V.
A Type V civilization would be able to capture all the energy
available in not just our universe, but in all universes and in all time-lines.
At this point I think it an interesting fact to note, that Earth
does not even measure on this scale.
To surmise, a Type I civilization would have control over all
the energy existent on a planet, a type II would harness the power of a star,
which would resulted in them harboring enough “disposable” energy to essentially make that
civilization immune to extinction.
But the Type III would be a species that had become galactic traversers
with knowledge of everything having to do with energy, resulting in them
becoming a master race.
Dr. Steven Hawkins warned of making contact with a spacefaring
civilization, the renowned astrophysicist said it was, "perfectly
rational to assume intelligent life exists elsewhere.”
But he warned that aliens might simply raid Earth for its resources,
then move on.
"If aliens visit us,” he said. “The outcome would be much
as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native
Americans.”
After
considering the Kardashev Scale, perhaps one might think that Dr. Hawkins’
warning should be taken to heart.
But…after
reading my next novel, Beyond a Sea of Stars, you might worry that; it’s
already too late.
 |
 Visit my page, Michael Gonzales, fictionist:http://www.mikegonzalesauthor.com/home.html |
What an exciting post. I love science fiction and I love science--the real kind. It's difficult to write convincing science fiction unless you're a science enthusiast with a vision of what the universe could be like many years from now.
ReplyDeleteACROSS A SEA OF STARS looks like a fantastic book, Michael. I wish you every success with this addition to your Unborn Galaxy series.
Sarah, Thank you. Yeah, I've always been a science geek. I vividly recall the Moon landings, and long for the day when we return to space exploration.
DeleteAcross a Sea of Stars is a man's search for himself, a search for forgiveness, and he finds more than he expected.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteI was proud of myself that I followed what your wrote and didn't get lost. That is some heavy duty information. *grin* I enjoy reading your articles. I'm also with Sarah in that Across a Sea of Stars sounds like it will be a great story.
Kaye, I'm so pleased to hear that! I worried that the article might be the kind of thing people read to cure insomnia.
DeleteMy blog submission is just an attempt to explain how I get my character to the place where his adventure really begins.
Across a Sea of Stars blends science-fiction and fantasy into an adventure I hope everyone will enjoy.