If Aliens Arrive, Science Fiction Will Change
We all like stories like Star Wars with its amazing reality full of crazy creatures. We also like earth biased science fiction such as Back to the Future. How amazing would it be to travel through time?
Science fiction is loosely based on the possibility of amazing technology such as warp drives, transporters, cloaking devices, time travel, holographic people, intelligent robots and phasor rifles. It is accepted that there are all kinds of crazy lifeforms could be possible like Chewbacca, green blooded Spock, the half-robot Borg or the all-powerful Q who can do anything. At the other spectrum are the characters like Superman who can fly, Iron man who has a nuclear reactor in his chest or Deadpool who cannot die. We also have the magic characters like Harry Potter with his magic wand.
However, there is a potential problem. Someday, an alien spaceship might land and a bunch of people from another world walks out. On that day, we are going to learn a bunch of facts about how the universe really works. That will be an amazing day full of fantastic discoveries.
However, it will be a bad day for science fiction writers. Scientists have already proven that many of the technologies we interweave into science fiction don’t exist. Transports, time travel? Probably not. Amazing aliens? Biologists have clearly shown that evolution prefers basic beings with practical features. Green blood, telepathy, X-ray vision? Never. Half robot cyborg? Impractical. Superheroes with super abilities? Nope. Magic spells? Definitely not.
The day after the aliens arrive, humans will be faced with a stark reality. The science fiction concepts we cherish will be proven incorrect. Readers and movie audiences will suddenly have to make a big change. Beloved story’s like Star Wars will instantly become an outdated awaked comedy. The powerful image of Superman will be relegated to an amusing children’s story of the past.
Does this mean that all science fiction writers be out of a job? Or will they have to make a huge adaptation to the new facts about the actual universe? The core strength of being human is the ability to adapt. The likely outcome of an alien landing will be a renaissance of “earth fiction” where science fiction writers have to radically adapt their “universe” to the correct reality.
For example, the “Star Trek Universe” would get a reboot and confirm the boring technology that’s actually possible and limit the scope the few actual alien worlds. The superhero universe would be limited to characters like Batman who is an actual person with no superhuman abilities. For those remaining fans who appreciated superheroes, magic and “nostalgic science fiction,” it would take a much further leap to enjoy works of this type. For example, Superman would only exist in a completely different universe where there is no earth and super abilities are possible.
To me, this possibility is scary because my first and second book series have science fiction aspects. This included including aliens and alien technology. Would my books become as obsolete as the typewriter? Would they be relegated to the new book section called “not recommended classics?” Yes, they would. Wow, is that a depressing thought. Maybe on the day after aliens land, all science fiction authors could attend a book/comic/DVD burning event. Bummer.
At the same time, I would love to know how the universe actually works. Meeting lifeforms from other worlds. What an epic learning opportunity. I guess in the end, I’m torn. Alright, truth. I worked hard on my books. Hey aliens. Stay away from earth!!!
You’re the best -Bill
December 26, 2018
Science fiction is loosely based on the possibility of amazing technology such as warp drives, transporters, cloaking devices, time travel, holographic people, intelligent robots and phasor rifles. It is accepted that there are all kinds of crazy lifeforms could be possible like Chewbacca, green blooded Spock, the half-robot Borg or the all-powerful Q who can do anything. At the other spectrum are the characters like Superman who can fly, Iron man who has a nuclear reactor in his chest or Deadpool who cannot die. We also have the magic characters like Harry Potter with his magic wand.
However, there is a potential problem. Someday, an alien spaceship might land and a bunch of people from another world walks out. On that day, we are going to learn a bunch of facts about how the universe really works. That will be an amazing day full of fantastic discoveries.
However, it will be a bad day for science fiction writers. Scientists have already proven that many of the technologies we interweave into science fiction don’t exist. Transports, time travel? Probably not. Amazing aliens? Biologists have clearly shown that evolution prefers basic beings with practical features. Green blood, telepathy, X-ray vision? Never. Half robot cyborg? Impractical. Superheroes with super abilities? Nope. Magic spells? Definitely not.
The day after the aliens arrive, humans will be faced with a stark reality. The science fiction concepts we cherish will be proven incorrect. Readers and movie audiences will suddenly have to make a big change. Beloved story’s like Star Wars will instantly become an outdated awaked comedy. The powerful image of Superman will be relegated to an amusing children’s story of the past.
Does this mean that all science fiction writers be out of a job? Or will they have to make a huge adaptation to the new facts about the actual universe? The core strength of being human is the ability to adapt. The likely outcome of an alien landing will be a renaissance of “earth fiction” where science fiction writers have to radically adapt their “universe” to the correct reality.
For example, the “Star Trek Universe” would get a reboot and confirm the boring technology that’s actually possible and limit the scope the few actual alien worlds. The superhero universe would be limited to characters like Batman who is an actual person with no superhuman abilities. For those remaining fans who appreciated superheroes, magic and “nostalgic science fiction,” it would take a much further leap to enjoy works of this type. For example, Superman would only exist in a completely different universe where there is no earth and super abilities are possible.
To me, this possibility is scary because my first and second book series have science fiction aspects. This included including aliens and alien technology. Would my books become as obsolete as the typewriter? Would they be relegated to the new book section called “not recommended classics?” Yes, they would. Wow, is that a depressing thought. Maybe on the day after aliens land, all science fiction authors could attend a book/comic/DVD burning event. Bummer.
At the same time, I would love to know how the universe actually works. Meeting lifeforms from other worlds. What an epic learning opportunity. I guess in the end, I’m torn. Alright, truth. I worked hard on my books. Hey aliens. Stay away from earth!!!
You’re the best -Bill
December 26, 2018
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