What is your favorite type of sci-fi? For me since Ive always been interested in life in the universe/space exploration, anything regarding that. I love golden age sci-fi and reading what they thought we would do in space back in the 40s and 50s
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ChatGPT.... The concept of single biome planets, such as a "desert planet" or an "ice planet," has its roots in the early days of science fiction literature and has been a popular trope for many decades. This idea likely stems from the desire to create exotic and easily understandable settings for science fiction stories. Here's a brief overview of its development:
Early 20th Century: While it's difficult to pinpoint the exact origin, the concept of single biome planets was popularized in early 20th-century science fiction. Writers like Edgar Rice Burroughs, in his Barsoom series (starting with "A Princess of Mars" in 1912), depicted Mars as a predominantly desert-like world.
Golden Age of Science Fiction (1938-1946): During this era, authors like Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury began to explore and solidify many science fiction tropes, including unique planetary environments. Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles" (1950) often depicted Mars as a desolate, arid landscape, reinforcing the desert planet trope.
Post-War Science Fiction: After World War II, there was a surge in science fiction literature, with writers increasingly exploring the possibilities of life and environments on other planets. This period saw the creation of many more vividly imagined single-biome worlds.
Modern Popularity: The most iconic example of a single biome planet is arguably the desert planet of Tatooine in George Lucas's "Star Wars" (1977). This and other similar portrayals in film and television helped cement the concept in popular culture.
Influence of Real Astronomy: As our understanding of exoplanets grew, especially with the advent of space telescopes like Kepler, the idea of planets with singular biomes became more plausible, further fueling the trope in recent science fiction.
In summary, while it's challenging to determine the exact moment when the concept of single biome planets started in science fiction, it's clear that it has been a prominent and evolving element of the genre since at least the early 20th century.
The early days, with Borroughs, etc, would have been linked to the early days of planetary study by telescope. The other planets in our own solar system seem to be "single climate/biome" planets, so it was only natural if Barsoom didn't have ecological/temperature regions.
It's also a subtle psychological trick to make Earth still seem "special". Oh, there might be billions of planets, all teeming with life, but Behold! only Earth has multiple biomes, hee-yuk-yuk.
No Man's Sky takes the "single biome planet" to the extreme ....
And it makes sense if you are using Mars as the planet, because we can see it and it basically is in fact like that. But it being like that is because its a desolate wasteland that is inhospitable to any real life, with no ability for life to spring forth and then progress to a point where it remotely reaches sentience under such harsh conditions. Which limits basically all uses of it to interplanetary settlers instead of actual aliens, and if they aren't humans fleeing a dead Earth begs the question of why stop in the shithole planet when the pretty fucking good one is just a hop away.
But a planet with thriving life will have all the correct positions in a solar system and the planetary movements to have at least a handful of biomes relating to their own poles and equator that would diversify them beyond just the Jungle or Frozen planet. Which also precludes any of the justifications like "they are from a desert planet, so Mars is actually perfect for them!" as literally any species would have left the desert portion of their planet for the much less harsh other biome, leaving only the retarded versions behind in the sand (insert Africa racism joke here).
It's funny you say that. I actually like the concept of "humans looking for another habitable planet" despite it being done many times and my inability to think of it being done well. One day I'll find something that nails it!
Honestly, looking for habitable isn't a bad idea. The problem is that it either always ends up with "the literal first stop, a complete shithole" or "something wacky happens, forcing them to land somewhere 'safe' where shenanigans happen."