But why are we the first. That's the question. Given the age of the universe, statistically it should have already happened by now. Unless something was stopping it.
We have to be extremely careful that we don’t accidentally trigger a weapon that is going to kill or dramatically cripple our civilization before we become a truly interstellar species.
The failure to develop photosynthesis is the filter. I don't know how you're not getting this. No photosynthesis, no complex life, no sentience, no interstellar civilization.
I was suggesting that photosynthesis is a very unlikely mutation to occur and thus its unlikeliness means most life, if it emerges, won't progress to that stage.
The filter doesn't have to be ahead of us, it could be some stage of development that we've already passed. Like photosynthesis, or the development of consciousness. If, out of all life that develops, only a tiny fraction ever develops photosynthesis, the universe would be largely devoid of any life that we can presently detect. Despite us being the lucky lifeform that did develop photosynthesis in our past.
For international travel, I start making a vague plan about year out and formalize things about 4-6 months out. Which is also when I generally start vaguely planning flights across the US. I try to have all the dates finalized about a month out.
I've read a lot of books and articles about how to write, and honestly it just seems like different authors all have different routines. Some are very rigid with their schedules and some write when inspiration takes them.
Everyone needs to know fundamentals of plot, character, and dialogue though. There are college classes on it n
That's an incredible outline! Got a working title? Maybe "Out of the Bag" or something?
I like the idea that you start with "quirky" locals who are presumably likeable and the main character is probably a bit off putting at first but then later the mob mentality comes out and your sympathies are reversed.
Me too, but mainly because there's no active volcanoes near me
We did have a massive dry-season lighting storm out of nowhere once which sparked a wall of fire surrounding my city, burning over 8000 square km and blotting out the sun.
In 2020.
Definitely felt like the end of the world.
Also set up one of the greatest reddit exchanges I've ever seen
Commenter 1: these fires were sparked by 10,000 lightning strikes over the course of a day during hot, dry weather
Commenter 2: PG&E [our electric utility, known for both high prices and sparking wildfires] execs breathing a sigh of relief for this one
Commenter 3: I dunno, pretty suspicious. Has anyone ever seen PG&E execs and 10,000 lightning strikes in the same room?