Alderson disk An Alderson disk (named after Dan Alderson, its originator) is an artificial astronomical megastructure, like Niven's Ringworld or a Dyson sphere. The disk is a giant platter, like a CD or phonograph record. The sun rests in the hole at the center of the disk. The radius of an Alderson disk would be roughly equivalent to the orbit of Mars or Jupiter, with a thickness of several thousand miles. According to the proposal, a sufficiently massive disk would have greater gravity than its sun. Close to its surface, the gravity of the disk would closely approximate that of an infinite flat plate, for which gravity is perpendicular to the surface. (Of course, near the inner and outer edges of the plate, edge effects would become significant.) The mechanical stress within the disc would be far beyond what any known material can stand, thus relegating such a structure to the realm of exploratory engineering until materials and construction science have become sufficiently advanced. Life could exist on either side of the disk, though close to the sun the heat would make life impossible without protection. Conversely, further away from the sun living beings would freeze. Therefore, for such a structure to be made entirely habitable, it would have to include a vast number of life support systems. One drawback to a disk is that the sun remains stationary. There is no day/night cycle, only a perpetual twilight. This could be solved by forcing the sun to bob up and down within the disk, lighting first one side then the other. An Alderson disk (the Godwheel) was a prominent feature of Malibu Comics' Ultraverse. The Godwheel was split between two societies, one which used technology and one which used magic (each occupied separate sides of the disk). Author Larry Niven designed the Godwheel and wrote stories surrounding certain events on it. A disk-shaped planet similar to an Alderson disk (though far smaller) served as the home world of the fantasy "Aysle" setting (or "cosm") of West End Games' Torg roleplaying game.
Arcology The Try2004 Hyperstructure or Megacity as featured on the Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering programs. Arcology is a set of architectural design principles as described by the architect Paolo Soleri.[1] The word is a portmanteau of architecture and ecology. The principles are aimed toward the design of enormous habitats (hyperstructures) of extremely high human population density. While some relatively small experimental constructs have been created at Arcosanti in central Arizona, United States, the term is generally limited to Soleri's writings and various works of fiction that have picked up the idea. These works generally use "arcology" as a count noun, referring to what Soleri called a "hyperstructure": a self-contained structure containing a variety of residential and commercial facilities, possibly economically self-sufficient. In science fiction, arcologies or hyperstructures are generally advocated as solutions to the problems of overpopulation and environmental degradation, as they reduce the ecological footprint of cities, though with a higher population density and massive modification on a specific piece of land. Soleri's book The City in the Image of Man actually posited the use of arcologies in all accessible environments: in space, under the sea, etc.
Areography Definition the study or mapping of the planet Mars. OED requirements antedating 1868. Earliest cite R.A. Proctor, Lands and Seas of Another World. Comment Bill Mullins submitted an 1868 cite from an article "Lands and Seas of Another World" by R.A. Proctor in the magazine "Littell's Living Age", October 3, 1868, apparently reprinted from an earlier publication in Frazer's Magazine. Earliest cite in the OED database: 1870
Astrogate Definition to navigate in space. OED requirements antedating 1941. Earliest cite R.A. Heinlein, 'Common Sense'. Comment Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from a reprint of Robert Heinlein's "Common Sense"; Mike Christie verified it in the original 1941 magazine version. Earliest cite in the OED: 1942.
Avatar Definition a VR representation of a person. OED requirements antedating 1986. Comment Simon Lyall located a use of 'avatar' in "Cyberspace", 1991, edited by Michael Benedikt, in an online version. Anton Sherwood verified this cite in a first edition. Imran Ghory submitted a 2002 cite from an article by Edward Hamilton in "Top Technical Graduate". Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 2002 reprint of Ken MacLeod's 2000 "Cosmonaut Keep". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1993 reprint of Neil Stephenson's 1992 "Snow Crash". Douglas Winston submitted a 1999 cite from William Shatner's "Step Into Chaos". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 2001 cite from Mark Pesche's "True Magic". John Bunnell submitted a 1990 cite from Wm. Mark Simmons' "In The Net Of Dreams". Raph Koster pointed us to Randy Farmer's blog about the online online multi-user game "Habitat", in particular to scans of "Run" magazine for August 1986 describing the use of avatars in the game.
Bernal sphere The inside of the sphere as viewed from the sunlight "portal".A Bernal sphere is a type of space habitat intended as a long-term home for permanent residents, first proposed in 1929 by Dr. John Desmond Bernal. Dr. Bernal's original proposal described a hollow spherical shell 16 km in diameter, with a target population of 20,000 to 30,000 people. The Bernal sphere would be filled with air. In a series of studies held at Stanford University in 1975 and 1976 with the purpose of speculating on designs for future space colonies, Dr. Gerard Kitchen O'Neill proposed a modified Bernal sphere with a diameter of only 500 m rotating at 1.9 RPM to produce a full Earth artificial gravity at the sphere's equator. The result would be an interior landscape that would resemble a large valley running all the way around the equator of the sphere. Sunlight was to be provided to the interior of the sphere using external mirrors to direct it in through large windows near the poles. The form of a sphere was chosen for its optimum ability to contain air pressure and its optimum mass-efficiency at providing radiation shielding. This version of the Bernal sphere was dubbed the "Island One" design, and was sized for a population of 10,000. For comparison, Island Two (the Stanford torus) would house 140,000, and Island Three (the O'Neill cylinder) can support a population of millions.
Chrononaut. Definition a time-traveller. OED requirements antedating 1963. Earliest cite Gardner Fox, 'The Highwayman and the Mighty Mite.' Comment Ted Anderson submitted a cite from a 1997 reprint of Philip Dick's "A Little Something for Us Tempunauts". Mike Christie verified the cite in a 1975 reprint, and Ben Ostrowsky subsequently verified the cite in the 1974 first edition. Katrina Campbell submitted a cite for the form "chronalnaut" from a 1985 reprint of Richard Meredith's 1976 "Run, Come See Jerusalem!" Mike Christie submitted a 2003 cite from the introduction to John Varley's "A Christmas Story" in F&SF. Ralf Brown located and Richard Horton submitted a 1985 cite from George Alec Effinger's "The Nick of Time". Ralf Brown located and Lawrence Watt-Evans submitted a 1982 cite from Michael Bishop's "No Enemy But Time". Douglas Winston submitted a 2001 cite from Allen Steele's "Chronospace". Gary Westfahl submitted a 1963 cite from a story by Gardner Fox, "The Highwayman and the Mighty Mite", in the comic book "The Atom", No. 6.
Clarke ring . Definition a ring-shaped hypothetical structure surrounding a planet, every part of which is in a Clarke orbit so that it appears, from the planet, to be stationary in the sky. OED requirements antedating 1984. Last modified 13 February, 2005
Clarke's First Law . Definition "When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong." OED requirements antedating 1962. Earliest cite Arthur C. Clarke, Profiles of the Future. Comment Fred Bacon submitted a cite from a 1977 reprint of "Profiles of the Future"; it was subsequently verified in the 1962 first edition by Scott Neugroschl. This cite is for the form "Clarke's Law", and for the text of the law itself. Talin sent in a cite from Clarke's 1972 "Report on Planet Three" in a chapter "Technology and the Future", in which Clarke explicitly names and numbers the laws. (this article is described as edited from a transcription of tapes of a lecture given to the American Institute of Architects in May 1967.) Bill Mullins sent a cite from a review (in the London Times, Dec 6 1962) of Profiles of the Future, which described two of the Laws, but did not number them.
Clarke's Second Law . Definition "The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible." OED requirements antedating 1962. Earliest cite Arthur C. Clarke, Profiles of the Future. Comment Fred Bacon submitted a cite of this statement from a 1977 reprint of Clarke's "Profiles of the Future"; it was verified in the first edition by Mike Christie. The first edition doesn't name it as the second law; the sentence is merely part of the text. Scott Neugroschl submitted a cite from 1972 from "The Lost Worlds of 2001" that refers to it indirectly as Second (in a list); it doesn't use the phrase "Clarke's Second Law" directly. Fred Bacon submitted a cite from a 1977 reprint of "Profiles of the Future" that refers directly to "Clarke's Second Law", and that makes it clear that the law was first so called in the French edition of "Profiles of the Future": Clarke subsequently used the phrase in reprints of "Profiles". We would like a cite of the relevant French text, and a cite of any earlier reprints of "Profiles of the Future" which contain the phrase.
Clarke's Third Law . Definition "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." OED requirements antedating 1972. Earliest cite Arthur C. Clarke, Report on Planet Three. Comment Scott Neugroschl submitted an explicit cite in the form "Clarke's Third Law" from a reprint of the 1972 book "The Lost Worlds of 2001"; Frederic Marchal verified this cite in the first edition. Fred Bacon submitted a cite in an indirect form ("I have also formulated a Third: . . .") from a 1977 reprint of "Profiles of the Future". We know that the cite does not appear in the first edition; we would like to verify earlier reprints of "Profiles" to determine when it does appear. Talin sent in a cite from Clarke's 1972 "Report on Planet Three" in a chapter "Technology and the Future", in which Clarke explicitly names and numbers the laws. (this article is described as edited from a transcription of tapes of a lecture given to the American Institute of Architects in May 1967.)
Computronium . In futurism, computronium refers to a hypothetical material engineered to maximize its use as a computing substrate. While futurists usually use it to refer to hypothetical materials engineered on the molecular, atomic, or subatomic level by some advanced form of nanotechnology, the term can also be applied both to contemporary computing materials, and to constructs of theoretical physics that are unlikely to ever be practical to build. Many futurists speculate about futures where demand for computing power grows to the point where very large amounts of computronium are desired. Examples of applications include Jupiter brains, planet-sized constructs made of computronium, and matrioshka brains, concentric Dyson spheres designed to extract all possible energy from the host star for use towards computation.
contraterrene adj. Definition opposite to terrestrial in character; used sometimes as a term for antimatter. OED requirements antedating 1941 Earliest cite R. S. Richardson in 'Astounding' Comment Roger Robinson has submitted a July 1942 Jack Williamson cite from Astounding. Brian Ameringen has submitted a cite from a 1965 reprint of John Campbell's novel "Islands of Space". Alistair Durie checked the story's first magazine publication in 1930, and found the word was not used there. Mike Christie submitted a March 1942 cite from a letter to ASF by J. Wellington Wells. Mike Christie submitted a February 1942 cite from an editorial by John Campbell in Astounding. Mike Christie submitted a 1941 cite from an article by R.S. Richardson in Astounding. Earliest cite in the OED: 1946.
Dyson sphere n. Definition an artificial structure, in the form of a hollow shell surrounding a star. OED requirements antedating 1970 Earliest cite Larry Niven, Ringworld Comment Mike Christie found a citation in a 1984 printing of Larry Niven's "Ringworld". Brian Ameringen subsequently verified the cite in the 1970 first edition. Sue Surova contributed various cites from 1996-2002. (Earliest cite in the OED: 1978) Michael Simons provided a link to the Dyson sphere FAQ, which mentions Freeman Dyson's article "Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation" in 1959 in Science as the original source. Jeff Prucher located a copy of this article and found that the term "Dyson sphere" does not appear there, nor does it appear in the correspondence that subsequently appeared in the letter column of the magazine.
elsewhen adv. Definition (in time-travel situations) at another point in time OED requirements antedating 1943 Comment Mike Christie submitted a cite from 1976. Brian Ameringen submitted a 1967 cite from Ted White's The Jewels of Elsewhen. Mike Christie submitted a 1956 cite from Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination". Mark Shawhan located and Mike Christie confirmed a cite from a 1971 reprint of Robert Heinlein's story "Elsewhen". The original magazine publication of this story in 1941 was under another title and does not appear to contain any cites for "elsewhen". Rick Hauptmann then checked the 1953 Fantasy Press edition of the collection "Assignment in Eternity", which contains this story, and confirmed that the story bears the title "Elsewhen". Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from a reprint of C.J. Cherryh's "Gate of Ivrel"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1976 first edition. Mike Christie submitted a cite from a reprint of Carl Sagan's 1985 "Contact". Enoch Forrester submitted a 1989 cite from an article by Patricia Hartley and Kirk Lesser in Dragon Magazine. Mike Christie submitted a 1943 cite from the title of Anthony Boucher's "Elsewhen".
esper n. Definition a peron with extrasensory powers OED requirements antedating 1950 Earliest cite Alfred Bester, "Oddy and Id" Comment Brian Ameringen suggested Bester's 1952 novel "The Demolished Man", and Mike Christie then found a citation. Jeff Wolfe submitted a cite from a reprint of Alfred Bester's "Oddy and Id", and Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1950 original appearance. Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1980 reprint of Andre Norton's 1970 "Dread Companion". Douglas Winston submitted a 1991 cite from Christopher Stasheff's "Warlock and Son". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a reprint of George O. Smith's "Highways in Hiding"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1955 first magazine appearance. Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1977 reprint of Andre Norton's 1968 "The Zero Stone". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1978 cite from a book review by Richard Lupoff.
Faraday cage From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Entrance to a Faraday roomA Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material, or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static electrical fields. Faraday cages are named after physicist Michael Faraday, who built one in 1836. An external static electrical field will cause the electrical charges within the conducting material to redistribute themselves so as to cancel the field's effects in the cage's interior. This effect is used, for example, to protect electronic equipment from lightning strikes and other electrostatic discharges. To a large degree, Faraday cages also shield the interior from external electromagnetic radiation if the conductor is thick enough and any holes are significantly smaller than the radiation's wavelength. For example, certain test procedures of electronic components or systems that require an environment devoid of electromagnetic interference may be conducted within a so-called screen room. These screen rooms are essentially labs or work areas that are completely enclosed by one or more layers of fine metal mesh or perforated sheet metal. The metal layers are connected to earth ground to dissipate any electric currents generated from the external electromagnetic fields, and thus block a large amount of the electromagnetic interference. This application of Faraday cages is explained under electromagnetic shielding.
ftl adj. Definition abbreviation for faster than light OED requirements antedating 1950 Comment Mike Christie submitted a 1965 cite from Larry Niven's "Wrong-Way Street." David Greenebaum submitted a cite from a 1986 reprint of Frederik Pohl's "Father of the Stars", and Mike Christie verified the cite in the original 1964 magazine appearance. Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a reprint of Fritz Leiber's "The Enchanted Forest"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1950 original magazine appearance. (Earliest cite in the OED: 1970)
geas n. Definition sense is a spell, or a magical compulsion OED requirements antedating 1921 Earliest cite James Branch Cabell, 'Figures of Earth' Comment Suggested by Michael Dolbear. Mitchell J. Friedman submitted a cite from a 1979 reprint of Gary Gygax's "Advanced Dungeon and Dragons Players Handbook". Fred Galvin submitted a 1921 cite from James Branch Cabell's "Figures of Earth". Brian Denehy submitted a cite from a 1974 reprint of Christopher Stasheff's 1969 "The Warlock in Spite of Himself". Michael A. Pusateri submitted a cite from a reprint of Randall Garret's 1964 "A Case of Identity", whichMIke Christie verified in its first publication. Michael Dolbear submitted a 1983 cite from Stephen Donaldson's "The Wounded Land". Michael Dolbear submitted a 1988 cite from Melissa Scott's "Five-Twelfths of Heaven". "geas" is in the OED (under "geis"), but with a definition of "a solemn injunction, prohibition, or taboo; a moral obligation.", but the term has become common in fantasy in the magical sense. Martainn Domhnallach pointed out that the word is used in Scots and Irish Gaelic, and can be found in Gaelic/English dictionaries with several meanings, including that of a charm, sorcery or enchantment. This raises the possibility that occasional uses might be found in English writings much earlier than its adoption by 20th century fantasy writers.
Grey goo From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Part of the article series on Molecular Nanotechnology Molecular assembler Mechanosynthesis Nanorobotics Grey goo K. Eric Drexler Engines of Creation Productive nanosystems See also: Nanotechnology This box: view • talk • edit Grey goo is a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all living matter on Earth while building more of themselves (a scenario known as ecophagy). The term "grey goo" is usually used in a science fiction or popular-press context. In the worst postulated scenarios (requiring large, space-capable machines), matter beyond Earth would also be turned into goo (with "goo" meaning a large mass of replicating nanomachines lacking large-scale structure, which may or may not actually appear goo-like). The disaster is posited to result from a deliberate doomsday device, or from an accidental mutation in a self-replicating nanomachine used for other purposes, but designed to operate in a natural environment.
grok v. Definition to perceive or understand fully; to feel empathy with; to enjoy, appreciate OED requirements 1961 Earliest cite coined by Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land Comment Coined as a term in the "Martian" language by Robert A. Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land (1961).
Jovian adj. Definition of Jupiter OED requirements antedating 1794 Earliest cite G. Adams in Nat. & Exp. Philos.
kiloyear n. Definition one thousand years OED requirements antedating 1945 Comment Ralf Brown submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Vernor Vinge's "Marooned in Realtime". Mike Christie submitted a cite from an editorial by John W. Campbell in the Feb 1945 Astounding Science fiction. ]
Light cone From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search A worldline through a light cone in 2D space plus a time dimension.In special relativity, a light cone is the pattern describing the temporal evolution of a flash of light in Minkowski spacetime. This can be visualized in 3-space if the two horizontal axes are chosen to be spatial dimensions, while the vertical axis is time. The light cone is constructed as follows. Taking as event p a flash of light (light pulse) at time t0, all events that can be reached by this pulse from p form the future light cone of p, whilst those events that can send a light pulse to p form the past light cone of p. Given an event E, the light cone classifies all events in spacetime into 5 distinct categories: Events on the future light cone of E. Events on the past light cone of E. Events inside the future light cone of E are those which are affected by a material particle emitted at E. Events inside the past light cone of E are those which can emit a material particle and affect what is happening at E. All other events are in the (absolute) elsewhere of E and are those that will never affect and can never be affected by E. If space is measured in light-seconds and time is measured in seconds, the cone will have a slope of 45°, because light travels a distance of one light-second in vacuum during one second. Since special relativity requires the speed of light to be equal in every inertial frame, all observers must arrive at the same angle of 45° for their light cones. This is ensured by the Lorentz transformation. Elsewhere, an integral part of light cones, is the region of spacetime outside the light cone at a given event (a point in spacetime). Events that are elsewhere from each other are mutually unobservable, and cannot be causally connected.
light sail n. Definition A spacecraft propulsion system using a vast reflective sail to harness the radiation pressure of light. OED requirements antedating 1963 Earliest cite Cordwainer Smith: Think Blue, Count Two Comment Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1976 reprint of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's "The Mote in God's Eye", which was verified in the 1974 first edition by Edward Bornstein. Dan Tilque submitted a cite from a 1974 reprint of Larry Niven's "The Fourth Profession"; Carol Phillips verified the cite in the 1971 first appearance in Quark 4. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1999 reprint of Ian McDonald's 1998 "The Days of Solomon Gursky". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from Robert Forward's "Rocheworld", Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1982 first magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1990 cite from Eric Drexler's "The Canvas of Night". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1990 cite from Scott Green's "Lightsail". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1990 cite from Robert Staehle and Louis Friedman's "Solar Sails in an Interplanetary Economy". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 2002 cite from Alastair Reynolds' "Redemption Ark". Tom Becker submitted a cite from a reprint of Cordwainer Smith's (Paul R. Linebarger) "Think Blue, Count Two", which Mike Christie verified in the original publication in Galaxy, February 1963.
light-second n. Definition the distance light travels in one second OED requirements antedating 1923
Launch loop From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Lofstrom loop) Jump to: navigation, search An idealised notion of a launch loopA launch loop or Lofstrom loop would be a cable-like launch system that is arranged as a loop which is 2000 km long and maintained at an altitude of up to 80 km (50 mi). Vehicles weighing 5 metric tons would be electromagnetically accelerated on top of the cable and can be launched into low earth orbit or beyond. The published construction cost estimates for a working launch loop are lower than a space elevator, with a greater launch capacity, lower payload costs and similar or greater payload masses; and unlike the space elevator no new materials need to be developed.
mass-driver n. Definition an electromagnetically driven launching system, proposed as a method of propelling objects into space or over long distances OED requirements antedating 1975 Earliest cite G. K. O'Neill, Future Space Programs Comment Stuart Young submitted a 2001 citation from Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen's "Wheelers". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1978 reprint of Gerard O'Neill's "The High Frontier. Malcolm Farmer checked an earlier article by O'Neill, "The Colonization of Space", Physics Today, September 1974, which discusses the concept, but it does not contain the term. Earliest cite in the OED: 1975.
Matrioshka brain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008)
Meatspace From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Meatspace is a word referring to real life or the physical world, and conceived as the opposite of cyberspace or virtual reality.[1] The term originated in science fiction literature, specifically the cyberpunk genre, but it has become increasingly common in general usage, as a reference to transactions or interactions which occur in the presence of physical bodies ("meat"), rather than online or electronically. One might also talk about doing something "in the meat" as a way of saying it isn't being done online. The term may be used as a conscious rejection of the derogatory connotations inherent in the term "real life" and the implication that interactions in cyberspace are less real or meaningful than physical interactions.
Megastructure From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Megastructure (disambiguation). A megastructure, in science fiction and speculative (or exploratory) engineering, is an enormous self-supporting artificial construct.[citation needed] The definition is often informal and varies from source to source, but generally requires at least one dimension to be in the hundreds of kilometers.[citation needed] Other criteria such as rigidity or contiguousness are sometimes also applied, so large clusters of associated smaller structures may or may not qualify.[citation needed] The products of megascale engineering or astroengineering are megastructures. Megastructures are also an architectural concept popularized in the 1960s where a city could be encased in a single building, or a relatively small number of buildings interconnected together.Megastructures often play a part in the plot or setting of science fiction movies and books.
megayear n. Definition a million years OED requirements any evidence 1935 Earliest cite John W. Campbell, Jr. 'Night' Comment Mike Christie submitted a 1966 cite from a reprint of Poul Anderson's 1963 "Territory". Ralf Brown submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Vernor Vinge's 1986 "Marooned in Realtime"
mindfood n. Definition a substance taken as food or drink containing chemicals which increase one's mental ability OED requirements antedating 1986 Earliest cite R. Pelton 'Mind Food and Smart Pills'
nanotech adj. Definition =nanotechnological OED requirements antedating 1987 Earliest cite in Washington Post Comment Added to OED June 2003, with earliest cite from 1987. Last modified 8 March, 2005
needler n. Definition a weapon that produces a very narrow beam of energy OED requirements antedating 1937 Comment Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1985 reprint of Richard Meredith's "Run, Come See Jerusalem!" We would like to check the 1976 first edition. Ethan Merritt submitted a cite from a 1968 reprint of Andre Norton's "Star Hunter"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1961 first edition. Bill Snyder submitted a 1965 cite from H. Beam Piper's "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen". Bill Snyder submitted a cite from a reprint of Keith Laumer's "Plague of Demons"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1964 first magazine appearance. Bill Snyder submitted a cite from a reprint of H. Beam Piper's "Police Operation"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1948 original magazine version. Mike Stone identified a cite in Eric Frank Russell's "Men, Martians and Machines"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1943 first magazine appearance. Stuart Gale submitted a cite from E.E. Smith's "Galactic Patrol"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1937 first magazine appearance. Enoch Forrester submitted a 1983 cite from David Brin's "Startide Rising". Last modified 7 March, 2005
neutronium n. Definition a material composed entirely of neutrons OED requirements antedating 1931 Earliest cite Jack Williamson, 'The Stone from the Green Star' Comment Brian Ameringen submitted a 1949 cite from Fredric Brown. Jonathan Stone posted a 1947 E.E. Smith cite to sci.physics that was verified and submitted by Mike Christie. Steinn Sigurdsson suggested Baade & Zwicky's PNAS paper in about 1938, or Gamow in his book "Atomic Nuclei"; however, earlier cites have now been submitted, so we no longer need to find these references. Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1978 reprint of Murray Leinster's 1935 story "Proxima Centauri"; Alistair Durie verified this in its first magazine appearance. Bill Seabrook located and Mike Christie confirmed a 1944 cite from Theodore Sturgeon's "Killdozer!" Imran Ghory submitted a cite from a 1973 reprint of Isaac Asimov's "Black Friar of the Flame", which Fred Galvin verified in the 1942 first publication. Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1931 cite from Jack Williamson's "The Stone from the Green Star". Earliest cite in the OED: 1967 Updated in September 2003 with a new earliest date of 1935. Last modified 28 July, 2005
Ringworld From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ringworld is a Hugo and Nebula award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe. The work is widely considered one of the classics of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and it ties into numerous other books set in Known Space. In the year 2855, four adventurers (two humans and two aliens) explore a mysterious "ringworld": an enormous, artificial, ring-shaped structure that surrounds a star. The story is set in an extremely technologically advanced universe, where instant teleportation and nigh-indestructible spacecraft hulls are commonplace. Nessus is a Pierson's Puppeteer, a species with the most advanced technology in Known Space. Being descended from herbivorous herd animals, their morality is more-or-less based on cowardice: the ruling class is known as they-who-lead-from-behind, and the supreme leader is called the Hindmost. Puppeteers who display any signs of bravery are considered insane by their peers, and in fact are insane; bravery is accompanied by other symptoms of mental illness, such as manic-depressive cycles and paranoia. Essentially xenophobic, only a very small minority of Puppeteers interact with "potentially dangerous" alien species, usually only in cases where they need to hire mercenaries to handle risky situations which they themselves cannot. Sane Puppeteers never leave their homeworld, being distrustful of faster-than-light space travel, so only insane puppeteers are ever employed to arrange such matters. Nessus, being a "mad" Puppeteer, is given the task of assembling a team to explore the Ringworld, to see if it poses a threat to his species. Cover sample of "Ringworld" Book 1 in the Series.The main protagonist is Louis Wu, a genius celebrating his 200th birthday. Despite his age, he is in perfect physical condition due to a combination of superior genetic makeup, advanced medical technology and boosterspice, a drug that extends human life. He prolongs his birthday by teleporting ahead of the terminator from party to party across Earth, but as periodically happens, he is bored and eager for new challenges, so Nessus has little difficulty recruiting him. Speaker-to-Animals is a Kzin, a ferocious felinoid predator species which has, in the recent past, fought a series of wars with humanity, losing every time because of a tendency to attack before being quite ready. He is recruited as the mission's security chief.
parking orbit n. Definition an orbit around the earth or some other planet from which a space vehicle can be launched farther into space; also, an orbit which is stable and from which visits to the planet surface can conveniently be made OED requirements antedating 1953 Earliest cite Robert A. Heinlein, 'Starman Jones' Comment Ralf Brown located and Mike Christie submitted a 1958 cite from Robert Silverberg's "Prime Commandment". Jeff Prucher veriefied a 1953 cite from the first publication of Robert A. Heinlein's "Starman Jones" Earliest cite in the OED: 1960. Last modified 3 October, 2005
precog n. Definition a person with precognitive abilities OED requirements antedating 1954 Earliest cite P. K. Dick 'A World of Talent' Comment Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1973 reprint of Philip K. Dick's "Ubik". Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a reprint of Anne McCaffrey's "A Womanly Talent"; Mike Christie verified the original 1969 magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a reprint of Philip K. Dick's "The Minority Report"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1956 original magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a reprint of Philip K. Dick's "A World of Talent"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1954 original magazine appearance. Earliest cite in the OED: 1973.
pocket universe n. Definition a universe or reality completely separate from ours which is much smaller, may have different natural laws, and may be artificially created OED requirements antedating 1946 Earliest cite 'M. Leinster' 'Pocket Universes' Comment Jeff Prucher submitted a 1990 cite from a book review by Thomas Dunn in Extrapolation. Enoch Forrester submitted a 1983 cite from an article by Gary Gygax in Dragon Magazine. Fred Galvin submitted a 1970 cite from Philip Jose Farmer's "Behind the Walls of Terra". Fred Galvin submitted a 1947 cite from a letter to Thrilling Wonder Stories that references "Pocket Universes" by Murray Leinster; Alistair Durie submitted cites from the Fall 1946 publication of this story. Fred Galvin also found a cite in a later reprint of Leinster's "The End", from Dec.1946 Thrilling Wonder Stories. We would like top see cites from this story's original publication. Douglas Winston submitted a cite from William Gibson's "Idoru", which Mike Christie verified in the 1996 first printing". Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1981 reprint of Spider Robinson's "Time Travelers Strictly Cash". Last modified 23 February, 2005
positronic adj. Definition related to or designed to use positrons OED requirements antedating 1941 Earliest cite I. Asimov 'Reason' Comment Mike Christie submitted a 1941 cite from Isaac Asimov's 'Reason'. Earliest cite in the OED: 1948.
posthuman n. Definition a descendant of humans who is sufficiently different from present-day humans in form or capabilities to be regarded as a new species or otherwise fundamentally different from present-day humans OED requirements antedating 1985 Earliest cite B. Sterling 'Schismatrix' Comment Rick Hauptmann submitted a 2002 cite from Charles Stross' "Tourist". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1986 reprint of Bruce Sterling's "Schismatrix"; Douglas Winston verified the cite in the 1985 first edition. Jeff Prucher submitted a 1991 cite from Lance Olson's "The Shadow of Spirit in William Gibson's Matrix Trilogy" in Extrapolation. Katrina Campbell submitted a 2002 cite from an article by Adam Nathan in the Sunday Times. Ralf Brown located and Fred Galvin verified a 1986 cite from Donald Moffitt's "Second Genesis". Jeff Prucher submitted a 2003 cite from Allen Steele's "The Madwoman of Shuttlefield". Last modified 23 February, 2005
psi n. Definition paranormal phenomena or faculties collectively; the psychic force supposed to be manifested by these OED requirements antedating 1942 Earliest cite R. H. Thouless in Proc. Soc. Psychical Res. Last modified 16 February, 2005
psychohistory n. Definition the theory that the history of large populations is statistically predictable, based on psychological theories of human and social behaviour; science based on this theory OED requirements antedating 1942 Earliest cite I. Asimov in Astounding Sci. Fiction June Comment There are prior non-sf usages, but this is almost certainly the first usage in the sf sense. Last modified 16 February, 2005 Citations for psychohistory n. click here for more information about the citation list 1951 I. Asimov Foundation Trilogy—Foundation i. i. 3 Undoubtedly his greatest contributions were in the field of psychohistory. [Home] [How to Cite] [Newest] [Date Graph] [About] [Science Fiction] [SF Criticism] [SF Fandom]
Quine (computing) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search In computing, a quine is a program, a form of metaprogram, that produces its complete source code as its only output. For amusement, programmers sometimes attempt to develop the shortest possible quine in any given programming language. Note that programs that take input are not considered quines. This would allow the source code to be fed to the program via keyboard input, opening the source file of the program, and similar mechanisms. Also, a quine that contains no code is ruled out as trivial; in many programming languages executing such a program will output the code (i.e. nothing). Such an empty program once won the "worst abuse of the rules" prize in the Obfuscated C contest. Quines are named after philosopher Willard Van Orman Quine (1908–2000), who made an extensive study of indirect self-reference. He coined, among others, the following paradox-producing expression, known as Quine's paradox: "'Yields falsehood when preceded by its quotation' yields falsehood when preceded by its quotation." .
ramscoop n. Definition a (theoretical) space propulsion method using electromagnetic fields to scoop up interstellar material as reaction mass and/or fuel OED requirements antedating 1965 Earliest cite Larry Niven 'World of Ptavvs' Comment Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a reprint of Larry Niven's "The Warriors"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1966 first magazine appearance. Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 2000 reprint of Alastair Reynolds 1999 "Galactic North". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1992 cite from Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1999 reprint of Stephen Baxter's 1998 "Saddlepoint: Roughneck". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1996 reprint of Gregory Benford's 1995 "Sailing Bright Eternity". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1990 reprint of Poul Anderson's "The Boat of a Million Years". Malcolm Farmer submitted a citation from a 1971 reprint of Larry Niven's "A Gift From Earth". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1988 reprint of Gregory Benford's "Relativistic Effects". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1993 reprint of Paul McAuley's 1991 "Eternal Light". Malcolm Farmer suggested Chris Boyce's 1975 "Catchworld", and Mike Christie located a cite in a 1977 edition. Mike Christie submitted a 1965 cite from Larry Niven's "World of Ptavvs". Last modified 23 February, 2005
replicant n. Definition artificial alien or genetically engineered replica of a human being OED requirements antedating 1981 Earliest cite in Blade Runner script Last modified 23 February, 2005 Citations for replicant n. click here for more information about the citation list 1987 W. Schneider in Atlantic Monthly July 67/1 Reagan's loss of popularity as a result of Iranscam removes the strongest justification for Laxalt's candidacy. If the public is dissatisfied with Reagan's performance, why should it vote for a Reagan replicant? 1991 Locus May 66/3 He got into this crazy stuff about?replicants. 2000 Interzone Nov. 42/1 Like replicants for androids, the deathkiss word ‘superhero’ is avoided altogether for the techy euphemism ‘mutant,’ even though the one thing that all the homines superiores seem to have in common is really dumb comiesy superpowers that could only have been invented by a Marvel bullpensman on a bad caffeine high: controlling weather, doing ice sculptures, projecting something called ‘optic blasts’ (which have given generations of writers migraines of their own trying to rationalize). [Home] [How to Cite] [Newest] [Date Graph] [About] [Science Fiction] [SF Criticism] [SF Fandom]
rimworld n. Definition a planet orbiting a star at the edge, or rim, of the galaxy OED requirements antedating 1959 Earliest cite A. Bertram Chandler Comment Treesong submitted a 1959 cite from Bertram Chandler. Douglas Winston submitted a 1977 cite from Colin Kapp's "The Chaos Weapon". Douglas Winston submitted a 1965 cite for the form "Rim world" from John Brunner's "The Altar on Asconel". Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1984 reprint of Jane Yolen's 1982 "Dragon's Blood". Dan Tilque suggested "Rimworld Legacy" by F.A Javor, and Douglas Winston submitted cites from the 1967 first printing. Irene Grumman submitted a 1962 cite from Michael Moorcock's "The Sundered Worlds". Fred Galvin submitted a cite for "Rim world" from a reprint of Robert A. Heinlein's "Citizen of the Galaxy": we would like to verify this in its original serialization in Astounding Science Fiction, September-December, 1957. Last modified 18 October, 2005
ringwall n. Definition a roughly circular ring of cliffs/mountains surrounding an impact crater OED requirements antedating 1944 Earliest cite C. Bonestell & W. Ley in Astounding Sci. Fiction Comment Fred Galvin submitted a 1949 cite from "The Conquest of Space"; Mike Christie checked the 1944 first magazine appearance and discovered that the term was used in that version too. Earliest cite in the OED: 1950. Last modified 23 February, 2005 Citations for ringwall n. click here for more information about the citation list 1944 W. Ley in Astounding Sci. Fiction Dec. 115/2 The second and in certain respects most puzzling type are the numerous ringwalls or craters which range all the way from gigantic ‘walled plains’—of which Clavius is a fine example—to ‘normal’ Moon craters like Copernicus, and small ‘craterlets’ to tiny ‘beads’. 1944 W. Ley in Astounding Sci. Fiction Dec. 121/2 But then the younger crater should be considerably higher than the old eroded ringwall and the floor, again, should be considerably above mean Moon level. And that a secondary crater should break through the old ringwall, just at the spot where a lot of additional weight is piled on, is a harder strain on the imagination that one could reasonably be expected to stand. 1993 P. Anderson Harvest of Stars (1994) 139 The train climbed Tycho's ringwall, swooped down again, whizzed across the crater floor, and plunged underground near Skyview Tower. 1994 B. Bova Craft of Writing Sci. Fict. that Sells iv. 22 He stepped down from the jumper?and planted his boots on the solid rock of the ringwall's crest. 1994 B. Bova Craft of Writing Sci. Fict. that Sells xiv. 142, I was somewhat surprised to see the barriers rising like concentric ringwalls, each of them centered on the golden glowing ship and the aliens within it. [edit] See also Assembler (nanotechnology) 3D printing Universal Constructor
sapient n. Definition an intelligent alien OED requirements antedating 1968 Earliest cite P. J. Farmer "The Day of Timestop" Comment The OED only has the sense "a wise man". Jeff Prucher submitted a 1989 cite from Norman Spinrad's book review column in Asimov's. Douglas Winston submitted a 2002 cite from Julie Czerneda's "To Trade the Stars". Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 1989 reprint of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Paul Edwin Zimmer's "The Survivors". Ralf Brown located and Mike Christie submitted a 1968 cite from Robert Silverberg's "The Man in the Maze". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1999 cite from Julian May's "Orion Arm". Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1968 reprint of Philip Jos?armer's "The Day of Timestop"; we would like to check the 1960 first edition (under the title of "A Woman A Day"). Mike Christie checked the 1953 short story version and the cite does not appear there. Douglas Winston submitted a 2000 cite from Brian Stableford's "The Fountain of Youth". Last modified 23 February, 2005
sentience n. Definition an intelligent being OED requirements antedating 1947 Earliest cite G. O. Smith 'The Kingdom of the Blind' Comment Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1992 citation from Vernor Vinge's "A Fire Upon the Deep". Malcolm Farmer suggested and Jeff Prucher located a cite in a 1993 reprint of Terry Bisson's 1991 "They're Made Out of Meat". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1975 reprint of Poul Anderson's "Lodestar". Jeff Prucher submitted a 2002 cite from Ursula LeGuin's "Social Dreaming of the Frin". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1999 reprint of Ian MacDonald's 1998 "The Days of Solomon Gursky". Fred Galvin submitted a 1947 cite from George O. Smith's "The Kingdom of the Blind". Last modified 23 February, 2005
Stellar engine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Diagram of a Class C Stellar Engine — to scale — built around a sun like star. It consists of a partial Dyson swarm composed of 5 Dyson Rings of solar collectors (the Class B component), and a large statite Shkadov thruster (the Class A component). Perspective is from below the system's ecliptic at a distance of ~2.8 AU. The system's direction of acceleration is on a vector which passes from the center of the star through the center of the Shkadov thruster, which is hovering over the star's north pole (with regards to the ecliptic), at a distance of 1 AU.Stellar engines are a class of hypothetical megastructures which use a star's radiation to create usable energy. Some variants use this energy to produce thrust, and thus accelerate a star, and anything orbiting it, in a given direction. The creation of such a system would make its builders a Type-II civilization on the Kardashev scale. There are three variant classes of this idea. A Dyson shell with an inner surface partly covered by a mirror would be one incarnation of such a system (although it still suffers from the stabilization problems as a non-propulsive shell does), as would be a Dyson swarm with a large statite mirror (see image above). A Dyson bubble variant is already a Shkadov thruster (provided that the arrangement of statite components is asymmetrical), adding energy extraction capability to the components seems an almost trivial extension
Singularity n. Definition the transition to posthumanity OED requirements antedating 1983 Earliest cite in an Omni article by Vernor Vinge Comment Treesong submitted a 2001 cite from a Locus interview with Vernor Vinge. Treesong submitted a 1983 cite from an Omni article also by Vinge. Mikael Johansson submitted a 1997 cite from Damien Broderick's "The Spike". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from an anonymous author in the Spring 1994 SF Eye. Malcolm Farmer suggested and Mike Christie located a cite from a 1997 reprint of Ken MacLeod's 1996 "The Stone Canal". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1989 cite from Mark Stiegler's "The Gentle Seduction". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 2000 reprint of Stuart Brand's 1999 "The Clock of the Long Now". Last modified 29 January, 2005
skyhook n. Definition an imaginary contrivance for attachment to the sky. OED requirements antedating 1915 Earliest cite in Aeroplane 10 Mar. Comment Fred Galvin submitted a 1956 cite from Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Death Between the Stars" in which the word is used to mean a "nested cradle on swinging pivots" that protects spaceship passengers during blastoff. This may be a separable meaning. We would like cites for this or any other meaning of skyhook that is not one of the ones listed here. Last modified 23 February, 2005
sophont n. Definition an intelligent being, including humans as well as intelligent aliens OED requirements antedating 1967 Earliest cite P. Anderson 'The Trouble Twisters' Comment Eric Raymond submitted a 1968 cite from Poul Anderson's "Satan's World". Malcom Farmer submitted a cite from a 1969 reprint of Poul Anderson's "The Trouble Twisters"; Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1967 reprint of "The Trouble Twisters"; we would like to check the 1966 first edition. William Howe submitted a 1992 cite from Eluki Bes Shahar's "Darktraders". Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1993 reprint of Vernor Vinge's 1992 novel "A Fire Upon the Deep". Cory Panshin submitted a 1973 cite from Joanna Russ' book reviews in F&SF. Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1996 cite from Wolf Read's "Epona". Edward Bornstein submitted a cite from a 1989 reprint of David Brin's 1980 "Sundiver". Enoch Forrester identified and Edward Bornstein confirmed a 1996 cite from S.M. Stirling's "Drakon". We found an article by Poul Anderson in which he credited Karen Anderson with coining the word: we also received email from Karen confirming this, so the first use in print of this word will be found somewhere amongst the works of Poul Anderson. We would like to verify the usage in the 1966 first edition of the Trouble Twisters, or in any earlier work by Anderson. Last modified 7 February, 2005
space elevator n. Definition =orbital tower OED requirements antedating 1975 Earliest cite A. C. Clarke 'Future Space Programs' Comment Michael Quinion submitted a 1975 cite from Arthur C. Clarke's "Future Space Programs". Last modified 7 February, 2005
Space fountain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The concept is a proposed form of space elevator that does not require the structure to be in geosynchronous orbit, and does not rely on tensile strength for support. In contrast to the original space elevator design (a tethered satellite), a space fountain is a tremendously tall tower extending up from the ground. Since such a tall tower could not support its own weight using traditional materials, massive pellets are projected upward from the bottom of the tower and redirected back down once they reach the top, so that the force of redirection holds the top of the tower aloft. Satellite payloads ascend or descend by coupling with this stream of pellets or by climbing up the side of the tower. The space fountain has several key advantages over a space elevator in that it doesn't require materials with extreme strength, can be located at any point on a planet's surface instead of just the equator, and can be raised to any height required. Its major disadvantage is that it is an active structure, and so requires constant power input to remain aloft.
Stanford torus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Exterior view of a Stanford torus. Bottom center is the non-rotating primary solar mirror, which reflects sunlight onto the angled ring of secondary mirrors around the hub. Painting by Donald E. Davis. External view of a Stanford torus with some of the radiation-shielding "chevron" mirrors removed to show interior space. Interior of a Stanford torus, painted by Donald E. DavisThe Stanford torus is a proposed design for a space habitat capable of housing approximately 10,000 permanent residents. It consists of a torus or donut-shaped ring that is one statute mile (1.6 km) in diameter and rotates once per minute to provide between 0.9g and 1.0g of artificial gravity on the inside of the outer ring via centripetal acceleration. Sunlight is provided to the interior of the torus by a system of mirrors. The ring is connected to a hub via a number of "spokes", which serve as conduits for people and materials travelling to and from the hub. Since the hub is at the rotational axis of the station, it experiences the least artificial gravity and is the easiest location for spacecraft to dock. Zero-gravity industry is performed in a non-rotating module attached to the hub's axis. The interior space of the torus itself is used as living space, and is large enough that a "natural" environment can be simulated; the torus appears similar to a long, narrow, straight glacial valley whose ends curve upward and eventually meet overhead to form a complete circle. The population density is similar to a dense suburb, with part of the ring dedicated to agriculture and part to housing. The Stanford Torus was proposed during the 1975 NASA Summer Study, conducted at Stanford University, with the purpose of speculating on designs for future space colonies.[1] (Gerard O'Neill later proposed his Island One or Bernal sphere as an alternative to the torus.) "Stanford torus" refers only to this particular version of the design, as the concept of a ring-shaped rotating space station was previously proposed by Wernher von Braun in 1952.
Starwisp From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Starwisp is a hypothetical unmanned interstellar probe design proposed by Robert L. Forward. It is propelled by a microwave sail, similar to a solar sail in concept, but powered by microwaves from a man-made source.
Stellar engine From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Diagram of a Class C Stellar Engine — to scale — built around a sun like star. It consists of a partial Dyson swarm composed of 5 Dyson Rings of solar collectors (the Class B component), and a large statite Shkadov thruster (the Class A component). Perspective is from below the system's ecliptic at a distance of ~2.8 AU. The system's direction of acceleration is on a vector which passes from the center of the star through the center of the Shkadov thruster, which is hovering over the star's north pole (with regards to the ecliptic), at a distance of 1 AU.Stellar engines are a class of hypothetical megastructures which use a star's radiation to create usable energy. Some variants use this energy to produce thrust, and thus accelerate a star, and anything orbiting it, in a given direction. The creation of such a system would make its builders a Type-II civilization on the Kardashev scale. There are three variant classes of this idea. A Dyson shell with an inner surface partly covered by a mirror would be one incarnation of such a system (although it still suffers from the stabilization problems as a non-propulsive shell does), as would be a Dyson swarm with a large statite mirror (see image above). A Dyson bubble variant is already a Shkadov thruster (provided that the arrangement of statite components is asymmetrical), adding energy extraction capability to the components seems an almost trivial extension.
superluminal adj. Definition having or being a speed greater than that of light; OED requirements antedating 1959 Earliest cite K. R. Popper 'Logic Sci. Discovery'
tanstaafl n. Definition interjection asserting that there is a cost, hidden or otherwise to everything OED requirements antedating 1966 Earliest cite R. Heinlein 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' Comment Acronym for 'There ain't no such thing as a free lunch'. Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from a reprint of Robert Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"; Mike Christie verified this in the 1966 original magazine appearance. Elizabeth McCoy submitted a 1998 cite from McCoy's Lilim section in the "In Nomine Infernal Players Guide". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1975 cite from an article by F. Paul Wilson. Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 1995 reprint of Mercedes Lackey's "Burning Water". Rick Hauptmann located on this Yale website an article about quotations that includes this comment: 'Mr. Shapiro's research unearthed a 1952 mention in the journal Ethics, which referred to Professor Alvin Hansen's "famous TINSTAAFL formula ? `There is no such thing as a free lunch.'"' Jeff Prucher located this cite and submitted it. We would like to know if the phrase can be further antedated in Hansen's own writings. Jerry Pournelle has said that he and his father both used the phrase as early as the 1930's. His father was a radio personality and made up a number of slogans and jingles, but Pournelle does not know whether his father made up the phrase or not. We would like to antedate 1966 for the form "tanstaafl" and 1952 for the form "tinstaafl", and in addition we would like cites of any date from other authors.
Tellurian n. Definition an inhabitant of Earth OED requirements antedating 1930 Earliest cite E.E. 'Doc' Smith, 'Skylark Three' Comment Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1931 cite from Miles Breuer and Jack Williamson's "The Birth of a New Republic". Cory Panshin submitted a cite from a 1968 reprint of E.E. Smith's 1930 "Skylark Three". Jeff Prucher submitted a 1930 cite from Gawain Edwards "A Rescue From Jupiter". Fred Galvin found a reference in the ISFDB to a 1967 Ace double "The Wandering Tellurian", by Alan Schwarts: we would like verification of, or cites from, a copy of this work. Fred Galvin submitted a 1965 cite from a science column by Isaac Asimov in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1974 reprint of Charles R. Tanner's 1932 "Tumithak of the Corridors". We would like cites of any date from other sources. The OED has cites back to 1847 for non-sf usages.
terraform v. Definition To transform (an environment or planet) by terraforming OED requirements antedating 1942 Earliest cite Jack Williamson, "Collision Orbit" Comment Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1942 cite from Jack Williamson's "Collision Orbit". (Earliest cite in the OED: 1949) Last modified 2 February, 2005
Topopolis From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Interior view of an O'Neill cylinder space habitat, similar to a short TopopolisA topopolis is a tube-like space habitat, rotating to produce gravity on the inner surface, which is extended into a loop around the local star. Topopoli can be looped several times around the local star, in a geometric figure known as a torus knot. The concept was invented by Pat Gunkel and mentioned by Larry Niven in "Bigger than Worlds". Topopoli are also called cosmic spaghetti. A topopolis has been compared to an O'Neill cylinder extended in length so that it encircles a star. A normal topopolis would be hundreds of millions of miles/kilometers long and at least several miles (kilometers) in diameter. [edit] External links
transhuman n. Definition a human who has through evolution or augmentation acquired capabilities beyond the normal human range sufficient to be regarded as no longer merely human OED requirements antedating 1978 Earliest cite R.C.W. Ettinger Comment Douglas Winston submitted a 1999 cite from Rudy Rucker's "Saucer Wisdom". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1994 cite from Charles Platt's "Taking the N Out of Entropy". Malcolm Farmer submitted a 2001 cite from Mark Peschke's "True Magic". Malcolm Farmer submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Ed Regis' "Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition"; we would like to check the 1990 first edition. Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1988 cite from Vernor Vinge's "The Blabber". Jeff Prucher submitted a 2003 cite from a review by Taylor Antrim in the New York Times Review of Books. Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1979 cite from a review by Gretchen Rix of the 1978 anthology "Immortal: Short Novels of the Transhuman Future (ed. by Jack Dann), and Irene Grumman submitted a 1978 cite from R.C.W. Ettingers's introduction to this anthology. Fred Galvin found a reference in the ISFDB to a 1953 story by Murray Leinster, "The Trans-Human". Derek Hepburn confirmed the reference, but noted that the word is only used in the story title; Fred also located a paper copy and commented that the subject of the story is a kidnapped child raised by aliens, who is not augmented in any way. Last modified 15 August, 2005
Von Neumann universal constructor From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The Nobili-Pesavento 29-state approximation of von Neumann's universal constructor, with a tape of instructions extending to the right.John von Neumann's Universal Constructor is a self-replicating machine in a cellular automata environment. It was designed in the 1940s, without the use of a computer. The fundamental details of the machine were published in a book completed nearly a decade after von Neumann's death. Von Neumann's specification defined the machine as using 29 states, these states constituting means of signal carriage and logical operation, and acting upon signals represented as bit streams. A 'tape' of cells encodes the sequence of actions to be performed by the machine. Using a writing head (termed a construction arm) the machine can print out (construct) a new pattern of cells, allowing it to make a complete copy of itself, and the tape. Arthur W. Burks and others extended the work of von Neumann, giving a much clearer and complete set of details regarding the design and operation of von Neumann's self-replicator. The work of J. W. Thatcher is particularly noteworthy, for he greatly simplified the design. Still, their work did not yield a complete design, cell by cell, of a configuration capable of demonstrating self-replication. Contents [hide] 1 Modeling open-ended evolution 2 Implementation 3 Feasibility 4 Demonstration 5 See also 6 References 7 External links
uplift n. Definition the act or process of uplifting a species OED requirements antedating 1980 Earliest cite David Brin 'Sundiver' Comment Steve Jackson submitted a 1990 cite from Stefan Jones' "GURPS Uplift". Ralf Brown submitted a cite from a 1985 reprint of David Brin's "Sundiver" which Rick Hauptmann verified in the 1980 first edition Douglas Winston submitted a 2001 cite from James Alan Gardner's "Ascending". Douglas Winston submitted a 2000 cite from Dave Freer and Eric Flint's "Rats, Bats & Vats" We would like cites of any date from other authors. [edit] Von Neumann probes The monoliths in Arthur C. Clarke's book and Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey are self-replicating probes, though the artifacts in "The Sentinel", Clarke's original short story upon which 2001 was based, were not. The film was to begin with a series of scientists explaining how probes like these would be the most efficient method of exploring outer space. Kubrick cut the opening segment from his film at the last minute, however, and these monoliths became almost mystical entities. In The Third Millennium: A History of the World AD 2000-3000 by Brian Stableford and David Langford (published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. 1985) humanity sends cycle-limited Von Neumann probes out to the nearest stars to do open-ended exploration and to announce humanity's existence to whomever might encounter them. In Von Neumann's War by John Ringo and Travis S. Taylor (published by Baen Books 2007) Von Neumann probes arrive in the solar system, moving in from the outer planets, converting all metals into gigantic structures. Eventually, they arrive on Earth, wiping out much of the population before they are fought to a standstill. Interestingly, the Von Neumann probes in this book are not inherently malevolent, they are utterly indifferent to human efforts to resist them, concentrating solely on the metal of our civilization. See also Alexander Kluge, The Devil's Blind Spot (New Directions; 2004.)
waldo n. Definition A device for handling or manipulating objects by remote control. OED requirements antedating 1942 Earliest cite Robert A. Heinlein, 'Waldo' Comment This entry added for the sake of completeness, as there is already an entry for it in the OED. The term was coined by Heinlein in his story about the inventor of such a device, which was named after the inventor: we do not expect to see any antedatings.
Wetware From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. For the Rudy Rucker novel, see Wetware (novel) The term wetware is used to describe the embodiment of the concepts of the physical construct known as the central nervous system (CNS) and the mental construct known as the human mind. It is a two-part abstraction drawn from the computer-related idea of hardware or software. The first abstraction solely concerns the bioelectric and biochemical properties of the CNS, specifically the brain. If the impulses traveling the various neurons are analogized as software, then the physical neurons would be the hardware. The amalgamated interaction of the software and hardware is manifest through continuously changing physical connections, and chemical and electrical influences spreading across wide spectrums of supposedly unrelated areas. This interaction requires a new term that exceeds the definition of those individual terms. The second abstraction is relegated to a higher conceptual level. If the human mind is analogized as software, then the first abstraction described above is the hardware. The process by which the mind and brain interact to produce the collection of experiences that we define as self-awareness is still seriously in question. Importantly, the intricate interaction between physical and mental realms is observable in many instances. The combination of these concepts are expressed in the term wetware.
Whuffie From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Whuffie is the ephemeral, reputation-based currency of Cory Doctorow's sci-fi novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. This future history book describes a post-scarcity economy: All the necessities (and most of the luxuries) of life are free for the taking. A person's current Whuffie is instantly viewable to anyone, as everybody has a brain-implant giving them an interface with the Net.
xenology n. Definition the scientific study of extraterrestrial phenomena, esp. xenobiology OED requirements antedating 1954 Earliest cite 1954 R. Heinlein 'The Star Lummox'