Astronomy » Cosmic Stories Blog (tag [Exoplanets])

Hearts of Stone

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Exploring the discussion of silicon and other mineral-based life in science fiction.

Peculiar Planets

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Exploring the peculiarly shaped planets that seem to be a constant fascination for science fiction authors and their readers.

Megastructures

Sun, 21 May 2023 05:00:00 GMT

Exploring megastructures - artificial structures on enormous scales - in SF.

Desert Worlds

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 06:00:00 GMT

One of the common uses of science fiction is to imagine the habitability of worlds very different from our own. Some famous science fiction narratives consider a desert as their setting, but how is human habitability envisaged in these worlds and how plausible are they?

World Ships

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

World ships - planets which move under the deliberate control of their inhabitants or others - are a staple of science fiction. But how plausible are representations of world ships in SF, and why are they so popular?

The Star

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 06:00:00 GMT

Published in 1955, Arthur C. Clarke’s The Star is an unusual take on the relationship between science, religion and science fiction. In this blog, we take a look at this story in detail.

Where is everybody?

Sun, 01 May 2022 05:00:00 GMT

Fermi’s Paradox - the lack of alien contact despite the a Universe that should be teeming with life - has excited the interest of scientists as well as philosophers, and some of the many possible solutions have been explored both by popular science writers and the writers of science fiction.

Rogue Planets

Sun, 20 Mar 2022 06:00:00 GMT

Given the essential role of the Sun in life on our world, perhaps its natural that a large body of solar system explores the concept of how life might survive on worlds without their own sun - rogue planets.

Aquatic Humanity

Sun, 06 Mar 2022 07:00:00 GMT

Tales of people under the sea are likely as old as humanity. In more recent times, fantasy has been succeeded by science fiction which explores what it would mean for humanity to live as natives in water, and how that might be achieved.

Scan for Life Signs, Mr Spock

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 06:00:00 GMT

The concept of a scanner - a remote sensing device that can identify evidence of life at a distance - is a common staple of science fiction. While some science fiction takes this to an extreme, it’s neither a new idea nor one that is entirely divorced from science fact.