I just wanted to make certain everyone here is aware of the incredible "universe project" at the Orion's Arm website. It is a wonder of imagination and much collective work. I feel like I am reading the "history of the future" as I read over it...
John : )
http://www.orionsarm.com/
What is the Orion's Arm Universe Project you might ask? That is an excellent question, and in a nutshell here is your answer:
The Orion's Arm Universe Project (also known as OAUP, OA and Orion's Arm) is:
- The next step in the evolution of science-fiction
- A collective hard science fiction world building endeavor
- A space opera
- A communal background for science fiction stories
- A universe ready to be brought to life through illustration
- A forum for cutting edge science
- A roleplaying setting
- A transhumanist projection of what the future might look like
- A bunch of semi-sane sentients having fun together
Why are we here? The answer to that question can be found in our Statement of Purpose:
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
Our purpose is to promote and inspire writers, artists and thinkers. To create a vision of the future that is plausible at every level, internally consistent, and abides by the accepted facts and theories in the physical, biological, and social sciences. We embrace speculative ideas like Drexlerian assemblers, mind uploading, posthuman intelligence, magnetic monopoles, wormholes, warp bubbles and the technologies and developments that will make all this possible.
To quote Arthur C. Clarke's Second Law:
The only way to explore the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Our task is to create an ever evolving universe that is interesting, inspiring and provocative - to theorize on a future that may, or may not, come to be.
In order to meet this goal we have established certain ground rules:
· Matter cannot travel faster than light
· Matter and energy are conserved
· No evolved humanoid aliens have been discovered
· Technology will change the nature of social issues
· A logical explanation for even the most fantastic elements within the setting must be provided
· Space is vast; expect the same challenges to have many different solutions. Or, as we say, Diversity! Diversity! Diversity!
Orion's Arm is a work in progress, a space opera setting like no other. It spans the next ten thousand years of galactic history, from the near future of interplanetary colonization to the far future where the galaxy is ruled by vast ascended intelligences. It incorporates hard science, and the "soft" or social sciences, as well as mythological and archetypal themes, as the gods of the collective psyche incarnate in unforeseen new forms.
The OAUP is a big place with nearly a decade of history and hundreds of contributors. Most likely you will encounter new concepts and terminology throughout the site. We have provided links on this page to a number of helpful resources to get you acquainted with all of them. First and foremost we ask that you read the Terms, Copyright, and Submission Guidelines as these cover the legalities of your stay with us. Once you are familiar with our terms, please take the time to review the Illustrated Backstory and Orion's Arm Primer. These tools were specially designed to aid newcomers in understanding the Orion's Arm universe and the basics of the concepts within. We also highly suggest getting familiar with the OA Canon and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) pages. Once you have the basics down there is the Encyclopaedia Galactica, where you can find any of the worldbuilding material in the Orion's Arm universe. Enjoy the stories, art and ideas you find here at Orion's Arm, and should you find in your journey that something is missing, or you have something to contribute, please join us at one of our many discussion groups. When that time comes don't forget to review the How to Contribute and Netiquette pages.
Like all good art, this project is ever growing, and will therefore never be complete. We invite you to join us on this journey of imagination; after all it looks like we've barely gotten started.
Above all else... have fun!
