The Arrogance of Empire

A spark, a hiccup. That’s all that humanity ever was on the planet’s geological timescale. A brilliant colorful flicker, a burnt fuse, then time carries on. As they grow and expand, all civilizations are easily deceived by their own momentum.  After reaching a certain size, they become arrogant enough to call themselves “empires”.  A web … Continue reading The Arrogance of Empire

A New Earth – Petunia

He reached deep into one of the pockets in his jacket and took out the packet of Black Sky that one of the Revelers at the shelter had sneaked in as a goodbye present.  He held the tiny ziploc bag up to the faint light, looking at the transparent crystals inside.  Turning the bag sideways … Continue reading A New Earth – Petunia

A New Earth – Disaster Gene

continued from previous She closed the notebook shut with a single, slow but decisive hand movement.  She kept on staring at it for a few seconds, almost in a comatose state, as she tried to wake up from her daydream.  How could it be that the entire world was sitting inside a notebook, in a … Continue reading A New Earth – Disaster Gene

A New Earth – The Revelers

continued from previous The city had barely lifted itself out of the flood when the rain begun pummeling it down again.  Dangerous rivers were forming in the streets once more, teaming up with the grey sky to compose a picture of a post-apocalyptic urban waterworld.  But the downpour didn’t stop some of the last remaining … Continue reading A New Earth – The Revelers

A New Earth – Hurricane World

continued from previous “Are you sure?” – said Ben “It is one of our working hypotheses at the moment”, Olivia replied.  “It is possible that hurricanes, and other storms, combined with tropical temperatures, act almost like a shaking incubator environment:  they increase gas exchange at the sea surface, therefore providing more CO2 for the phytoplankton – … Continue reading A New Earth – Hurricane World