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The desertification of Dune was caused by ancient settlers introducing the sandtrout. > "The sandtrout ... was introduced here from some other place. This was

The desertification of Dune was caused by ancient settlers introducing the sandtrout. > "The sandtrout ... was introduced here from some other place. This was a wet planet then. They proliferated beyond the capability of existing ecosystems to deal with them. Sandtrout encysted the available free water, made this a desert planet ... and they did it to survive. In a planet sufficiently dry, they could move to their sandworm phase." This is from Children of Dune.

bryanrasmussen 5y ago
So Dune itself was not prescient but Children of Dune was, however that was probably written at nearly the same time. That said, what purpose did the sandtrout serve in that other place it was introduced from, I guess the early settlers weren't looking at the planet and thinking "nice place, but too wet."
- Jtsummers 5y ago
  Hypothetical: The original planet had more natural barriers for the sandtrout and sandworms so that they wouldn't spread globally, or they had natural predators. A too wet world that could (for the settlers) benefit from aridification of a region isn't outrageous, think about constructing dams and levies to create more dry land. Or could just be someone being stupid, like how kudzu has spread throughout the US Southeast.
  - JetAlone 5y ago
    They say the vine is eating the south, but... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu_powder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu_powder ...Maybe Southeastern US chefs are creative enough to come up with a truly unique and delicious way to bite back?
  - cgriswald 5y ago
    The sandtrout were overrunning the place they came to Arrakis from as well, IIRC from Children of Dune. The real answer to the GP’s question is that if you squeeze a sandtrout you get basically a concentrated dose of the spice.
- vimacs2 5y ago
  We don't really know because the sandtrout have been all but outright confirmed to be alien in origin - probably the only known example of alien life in the Dune universe. Maybe this was expanded on post-Chapterhouse but I don't count those as canon.
EarlKing 5y ago
It's been some time since I've read Children of Dune, but the author was expressly referring to Dune, not Children of Dune.
- runevault 5y ago
  I haven't read the biography, but Herbert gives the impression of someone who had at least a LOT of things planned out well in advance. Or at least that is the impression I get as I'm making my first read through of Frank's Dune books (I'm on God Emperor now).

bryanrasmussen 5y ago

So Dune itself was not prescient but Children of Dune was, however that was probably written at nearly the same time. That said, what purpose did the sandtrout serve in that other place it was introduced from, I guess the early settlers weren't looking at the planet and thinking "nice place, but too wet."

Jtsummers 5y ago
Hypothetical: The original planet had more natural barriers for the sandtrout and sandworms so that they wouldn't spread globally, or they had natural predators. A too wet world that could (for the settlers) benefit from aridification of a region isn't outrageous, think about constructing dams and levies to create more dry land. Or could just be someone being stupid, like how kudzu has spread throughout the US Southeast.
- JetAlone 5y ago
  They say the vine is eating the south, but... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu_powder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu_powder ...Maybe Southeastern US chefs are creative enough to come up with a truly unique and delicious way to bite back?
- cgriswald 5y ago
  The sandtrout were overrunning the place they came to Arrakis from as well, IIRC from Children of Dune. The real answer to the GP’s question is that if you squeeze a sandtrout you get basically a concentrated dose of the spice.
vimacs2 5y ago
We don't really know because the sandtrout have been all but outright confirmed to be alien in origin - probably the only known example of alien life in the Dune universe. Maybe this was expanded on post-Chapterhouse but I don't count those as canon.

EarlKing 5y ago

It's been some time since I've read Children of Dune, but the author was expressly referring to Dune, not Children of Dune.

runevault 5y ago
I haven't read the biography, but Herbert gives the impression of someone who had at least a LOT of things planned out well in advance. Or at least that is the impression I get as I'm making my first read through of Frank's Dune books (I'm on God Emperor now).