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Could you imagine being that lifeform that cored through the kilometres of ice to finally find an empty space with starlight shining down on you? Alone in a voi

Could you imagine being that lifeform that cored through the kilometres of ice to finally find an empty space with starlight shining down on you? Alone in a void, the closest celestial being is 10 light years away. Fission could power you for a long time, but rather than looking at the planet as a place fixed, the species could begin to think about where to go. As a planet. They may question whether life on a planet orbiting a sun is even possible (wouldn't it be too hot to form an ice layer?!) but where else could they head? Fascinating.

adrianhoward 12y ago
Not quite that scenario (ice encased planet orbiting a sun) but close in this rather nice SF short "That Other Sea" http://escapepod.org/2014/01/31/ep433-sea/ http://escapepod.org/2014/01/31/ep433-sea/
gokhan 12y ago
Nightfall might have a somewhat similar plot, discovery of the universe by otherwise unsuspecting population of a planet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightfall_%28Asimov_short_story_and_novel%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightfall_%28Asimov_short_story...
madaxe_again 12y ago
In the same vein as the other sci-fi responses... Fritz Leiber's "A Pail of Air" stuck in my mind, hard, as a kid. Earth flung off into interstellar space, ensuing hijinks. http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/0743498747/0743498747___6.htm http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/0743498747/0743498747___6...
stevenh 12y ago
I bet the sky would look very different to them, too. If they did evolve eyes at all, it would probably only be in order to detect thermal radiation from other life forms on the planet; so infrared, microwave, and/or radio frequencies, but not visible light. They may even be able to plainly see the cosmic microwave background with the naked eye. It might even be blindingly bright to them.
anonymfus 12y ago
In the different vein as the other sci-fi responses... Stanisław Lem's "Prawda" ("Truth", but probably English translation doesn't exist, I read it as "Правда" in Russian) mirrors this question with talks about how humans don't expect life at higher temperatures.
elcct 12y ago
Why are you assuming they are going to head anywhere?

adrianhoward 12y ago

Not quite that scenario (ice encased planet orbiting a sun) but close in this rather nice SF short "That Other Sea" http://escapepod.org/2014/01/31/ep433-sea/ http://escapepod.org/2014/01/31/ep433-sea/

gokhan 12y ago

Nightfall might have a somewhat similar plot, discovery of the universe by otherwise unsuspecting population of a planet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightfall_%28Asimov_short_story_and_novel%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nightfall_%28Asimov_short_story...

madaxe_again 12y ago

In the same vein as the other sci-fi responses... Fritz Leiber's "A Pail of Air" stuck in my mind, hard, as a kid. Earth flung off into interstellar space, ensuing hijinks. http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/0743498747/0743498747___6.htm http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/0743498747/0743498747___6...

stevenh 12y ago

I bet the sky would look very different to them, too. If they did evolve eyes at all, it would probably only be in order to detect thermal radiation from other life forms on the planet; so infrared, microwave, and/or radio frequencies, but not visible light. They may even be able to plainly see the cosmic microwave background with the naked eye. It might even be blindingly bright to them.

anonymfus 12y ago

In the different vein as the other sci-fi responses... Stanisław Lem's "Prawda" ("Truth", but probably English translation doesn't exist, I read it as "Правда" in Russian) mirrors this question with talks about how humans don't expect life at higher temperatures.

elcct 12y ago

Why are you assuming they are going to head anywhere?