Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Great premises in science fiction...

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU
 
mix Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-24-09 09:28 PM
Original message
Great premises in science fiction...
What stands out for me is that of the novel Nightfall by Issac Asimov and Robert Silverberg. The fact of constant daylight underpins everything else in the story.

The fictional planet Lagash (Kalgash in the novel adaptation) is located in a stellar system containing six stars (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta are the only ones named in the short story; Onos, Dovim, Trey, Patru, Tano, and Sitha in the novel), which keep the whole planet continuously illuminated; total darkness is unknown, and as a result so are stars outside the solar system. A group of scientists from Saro University begin to make a series of related discoveries: Sheerin 501, a psychologist, researches the effects of prolonged exposure to darkness, Siferra 89, an archaeologist, finds evidence of multiple cyclical collapses of civilization, and Beenay 25 is an astronomer who discovered irregularities in the orbit of Lagash around its primary sun Onos. Beenay takes his findings to his superior at the university, Athor, who formulated the Theory of Universal Gravitation. This forces the astronomers at Saro University to attempt to find an answer to what is causing this anomaly. Eventually it is discovered that the only thing that could be causing the deviation is an astronomical body that orbits Lagash.

Beenay, through his friend Theremon 762 (a reporter), has learned some of the beliefs of the group known as the Cult ("Apostles of Flame" in the novel). They believe the world would be destroyed in a darkness with the appearance of Stars that unleash a torrent of fire. Beenay combines what he has learned about the repetitive collapses at the digsite, and the new theory with the potential of eclipses and concludes that once every 2049 years the one sun visible is eclipsed, resulting in a brief 'night'.

Since the population of Lagash has never experienced universal darkness, the scientists conclude that the darkness itself would traumatize the people and that the inhabitants of the planet would need to prepare accordingly. When nightfall occurs, however, the scientists—who have prepared themselves for darkness—and the rest of the planet are most surprised by the sight of previously-invisible stars outside the six-star system filling the sky. The short story did not cover what happens after that, but in the novel and X Minus 1 program, civil disorder breaks out; cities are destroyed in massive fires and civilization—as previously known—collapses, with the ashes of the fallen civilization and the competing groups trying to seize control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightfall_%28Asimov_short_story%29
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
phasma ex machina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-24-09 09:36 PM
Response to Original message
1. Classic Asimov
Makes me wonder to what extent, if any, Wells' "The Country of the Blind" influenced this work.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Odin2005 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Dec-24-09 09:43 PM
Response to Original message
2. I love Asimov.
My favorite author!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Orrex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-25-09 01:08 AM
Response to Original message
3. Feh. That's nothing.
You should hear the one about the ten-foot-tall smurfs.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
rcrush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-25-09 01:18 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Sounds awesome.
Are they hot to in a creepy kind of way?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Orrex Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-25-09 01:19 AM
Response to Reply #4
5. Yes, but they make up for it by having a great jump-shot and a killer slam-dunk.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
mix Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-25-09 11:59 AM
Response to Reply #3
6. smurfs? lame
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Dec 26th 2024, 07:27 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC