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Imagine this sci-fi plot twist: Aliens make live habitable by hitting proto-Earth with a planet, so life can sprout there. They calibrated it such a way that

by stared 1y ago

Imagine this sci-fi plot twist: Aliens make live habitable by hitting proto-Earth with a planet, so life can sprout there. They calibrated it such a way that angular size of Moon is the same as of Sun.

WillAdams 1y ago
That is pretty much the premise of Hal Clement's short story "Halo", which I read in _Space Lash_ (originally published as _Small Changes_), but now available in: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/939760.Music_of_Many_Spheres https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/939760.Music_of_Many_Sph... I recommend folks read it in reverse chronological order, starting at the back, then working to the front and bailing when things get too quaint/old-school/golden-age.
aitchnyu 1y ago
What if they miscalculated and intelligence evolved when the moon drifted too far to cover the sun?
- layer8 1y ago
  They regularly smashed asteroids onto earth until intelligent life emerged.
  - rstillwell 1y ago
    Smashing will continue until morale improves…
shagie 1y ago
I would say "spoilers" ... but it's the title of the story. The Fermi Paradox Is Our Business Model https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fermi_Paradox_Is_Our_Business_Model https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fermi_Paradox_Is_Our_Busin... https://www.tor.com/2010/08/11/the-fermi-paradox-is-our-business-model/ https://www.tor.com/2010/08/11/the-fermi-paradox-is-our-busi...
vardump 1y ago
The Moon was much closer to the Earth when it was formed. It's slowly becoming more distant. So the angular size has matched the Sun only for 450 million years. In 50 million years it's angular size will be smaller and total solar eclipses will be impossible. Note: Due to the Moon's orbit, the whole story is more complicated.
- stared 1y ago
  I know that. But in this scenario, aliens know the timescale of appearance of life intelligent enough it can appreciate solar eclipse.
  - dotancohen 1y ago
    It seems we only developed in the last 90% of time during which solar eclipses are possible. Perhaps we're slow compared to our galactic sisters and brothers.
alganet 1y ago
Imagine the real twist being that complex intelligent life on a planet only goes past some critical development point if there's some sort of weird coincidence in the sky that pushes its inhabitants to understand the mystery. It's the weirdest filter: you need a giant sign that points you where to look for answers. Without it, you're less likely to find what the universe is all about.

by stared 1y ago

WillAdams 1y ago

That is pretty much the premise of Hal Clement's short story "Halo", which I read in _Space Lash_ (originally published as _Small Changes_), but now available in: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/939760.Music_of_Many_Spheres https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/939760.Music_of_Many_Sph... I recommend folks read it in reverse chronological order, starting at the back, then working to the front and bailing when things get too quaint/old-school/golden-age.

aitchnyu 1y ago

What if they miscalculated and intelligence evolved when the moon drifted too far to cover the sun?

layer8 1y ago
They regularly smashed asteroids onto earth until intelligent life emerged.
- rstillwell 1y ago
  Smashing will continue until morale improves…

shagie 1y ago

I would say "spoilers" ... but it's the title of the story. The Fermi Paradox Is Our Business Model https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fermi_Paradox_Is_Our_Business_Model https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fermi_Paradox_Is_Our_Busin... https://www.tor.com/2010/08/11/the-fermi-paradox-is-our-business-model/ https://www.tor.com/2010/08/11/the-fermi-paradox-is-our-busi...

vardump 1y ago

The Moon was much closer to the Earth when it was formed. It's slowly becoming more distant. So the angular size has matched the Sun only for 450 million years. In 50 million years it's angular size will be smaller and total solar eclipses will be impossible. Note: Due to the Moon's orbit, the whole story is more complicated.

stared 1y ago
I know that. But in this scenario, aliens know the timescale of appearance of life intelligent enough it can appreciate solar eclipse.
- dotancohen 1y ago
  It seems we only developed in the last 90% of time during which solar eclipses are possible. Perhaps we're slow compared to our galactic sisters and brothers.

alganet 1y ago

Imagine the real twist being that complex intelligent life on a planet only goes past some critical development point if there's some sort of weird coincidence in the sky that pushes its inhabitants to understand the mystery. It's the weirdest filter: you need a giant sign that points you where to look for answers. Without it, you're less likely to find what the universe is all about.