The Adjacent Possible, Volume 4, Issue 3
The Ethics of Robot Assistants, Black Holes Colliding, and SF in Colombia
“[T]he only reason you’re not selling out is because nobody is buying.”
Jay Springett, from his presentation, Solarpunk: Life in the Future Beyond the Rusted Chrome of Yestermorrow
Welcome to The Adjacent Possible.
Here’s what caught my eye since the last issue:
Culture + Society
The thorny ethical issues surrounding robot assistants
The Demise of a Brutalist Landmark
Upcoming Events of Interest
Science
Keeping Muscle Mass in Space
Inside the Craft
Brandon Sanderson Offers a Free Online Course
Science Fiction in Colombia
Writing a Backstory for A.I.
Space
Evidence of Ancient Star Explosions Revealed in the Deep Sea
Getting a Picture of Dark Matter
Black Holes Colliding
Military Tech
Soldiers and A.I. Showing Cooperation
It all sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Before you dive in, how about letting your friends know about all the cool stuff you find in every issue of The Adjacent Possible:
Culture + Society
You can get a robot to keep your lonely grandparents company. Should you? Companion robots have come a long way from Robbie the Robot. We’re starting to see the beginnings of mainstream adoption of this concept and now we have to deal with the ethical and economic fallout that will occur. This piece in Vox does a nice job of laying out the situation. We live in a world obsessed with black or white opinions on things, but this one is tricky. There are legitimate arguments and concerns on both sides. It’s too late to say “no robot caregivers,” so the question is, how can we do it in a way that presents the maximum benefits?
A piece of Science Fiction History and a Classic Example of Brutalist Architecture is Endangered
Earlier this summer on a bike ride I found myself somewhat lost. Too far along (and too stubborn) to turn back, I kept going, and when I emerged from a tree-lined path I came across this building…
As a fan of Brutalist architecture, I was stunned. How is this beauty within a bike ride of my house, and I didn’t even know? Later that day I shared it with Cory Doctorow on Twitter. That led to several comments, including several people who mentioned it was used in the 1983 science fiction film Brainstorm (most famous as being Natalie Wood’s last film. It’s also an interesting example of a sort of proto-cyberpunk film). This week I found out that the current owner of the building, United Therapeutics - playing the role of the evil corporation in this cyberpunk story - is going to demolish the building. That’s a real shame, and I hope efforts to find a way to keep it around are successful.
This article has some great shots of the interior, and if Brutalism and sci-fi architecture are things you are interested in, be sure to check out my essay, The Aesthetics of Science Fiction.
Upcoming Events of Interest
If you’re not familiar with Doc Martens SciFly newsletter, I highly recommend it. Each issue if filled with listings for all kinds of really interesting events, many of them are virtual and free. Here’s a couple that caught my eye:
Conversations with Tomorrow: Future-Tense Storytelling with Scott Sharplin
// 9/26, 10/3 // Free
No one knows what tomorrow may bring… so let’s make something up! This future-focused workshop is designed for writers and storytellers of all levels of experience. Learn skills including block-busting writing practice, narrative structure, and exposition during this free 3-hour workshop. Learn more.Writing into an Uncertain Future // 10/2 // 7pm - 8:30pm EDT // Free
Okay, yes, the future is always uncertain. And for sure, it seems even more uncertain now than it did last year when we dreamed up this panel. And maybe you’re sick of contemplating the uncertain future—so let this panel of speculative fiction writers do it for you! Join Cory Doctorow, Thea Lim, and Catherine Hernandez in conversation with Stephanie Domet about how writers engage with the often crisis-laden news of the day and imagine possible outcomes of and perhaps even solutions to some of the pressing environmental, social, and technological issues that we face. Learn more.
Science
'Mighty mice' stay musclebound in space, boon for astronauts
One of the challenges of prolonged time in space, and a real impediment to the idea of generational ships, is the fact that without gravity we lose muscle mass. Scientists seem to be making some breakthroughs here with genetically engineered mice who were able to keep their muscular physiques even after spending considerable time in space.
Inside the Craft
Brandon Sanderson offers a free class on writing science fiction, fantasy
Prolific genre writer Brandon Sanderson doesn’t usually write novels that would fall into the “Adjacent Possible” category, his titles run more towards the epic fantasy. But when a New York Times best-selling author offers a free online video course, it’s probably worth checking out.
We Have the Technology; Where are the Dreams? Futurists in Colombia
I think it’s important to get a broader, global understanding of the state of science fiction. In recent years we’ve seen the emergence of Chinese SF on the global scene. This piece is an interview with two Colombians who are leading the charge in that country to advance the science fiction output from a country most people only know of as a drug exporter. In fact, Medellin is a technology and innovation leader. Good read.
Building Character: Writing a Backstory for Our AI
Attributing human-like qualities to A.I. has long been an element of science fiction. HAL, Rachel, and Neuromancer/Wintermute are examples that quickly come to mind. This piece in The Paris Review gives a nice primer on how to think about developing a backstory for A.I. that will make it a more believable character.
If you received this issue of The Adjacent Possible from a friend, please consider subscribing so you can get this mix of science fiction, technology, and innovation directly to your inbox.
Space
Ancient star explosions revealed in deep-sea sediments
A key to understanding the travels of our planet through the solar system has been found in the inky black waters of the deep sea. Fascinating discovery that poses new questions about the universe.
Simulation Reveals What Dark Matter Might Look Like if We Could See It
Here’s my personal theory: Dark matter, which makes up something like 80% of the universe, is actually the ‘regular matter’ of alternative universes. Our matter is the dark matter for some of those other universes. Makes sense, right?
Monumental Collision of “Impossible” Black Holes Detected for the First Time
This is one of those articles that gives some context to the size and age of the universe. Massive Black Holes, orders of magnitude bigger than our sun, colliding billions of years ago.
Military Tech
Research suggests Soldiers, AI are trusting one another
Honestly, the humans v. AI battle for supremacy is a tired trope. Far more interesting is reality, where humans and AI are working together in military operations.
Thank you so much for sharing your time with me. I hope you found at least one item in this issue to be interesting, thought-provoking, or even challenging. The wonders we discover, and create, never fail to amaze me.
Coming soon from The Adjacent Possible: A Q&A with Andrew Liptak about his upcoming Dune podcast, and a deep dive into Solarpunk (teased in the header quote of this issue).
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the items in this issue. Please consider leaving a comment.
Until next time, have a better one.