Relevant Cool Stuff

There's all kinds of interesting things going on on this planet, and interesting articles out there that have direct relevance for the thinking behind the Songs of the Zhongzi project. This is a new page where we will share new things as we pick them up!

Be careful what you create!
The Opposite of the Big Bang by Nathan J. Bezzina. Humans are always tinkering and creating, but do we know anything about the inner lives of our creatins? Or are we even aware that we might be creating something with what we call a conscience? This little story asks some relevant questions.

The Fate of Our Closest Relatives:
Our Unfortunate Cousins by Conor Powers-Smith. Did Homo Sapiens really have to eradicate the Neandarthals, homo denisova, hom florensius and all the other close relatives? Here is an alternative. I love the last line - a nice variation of the theme of "Close the door behind you when you leave"

"Beam me up, Scotty!" but would you do it?
The Subatomic Fiber-Optic Deconstruction by Dylan Otto Krider. The story is about a "beam me up" technology affording instant travel to huge distances, and the first person to try it. I asked myself: assuming that all technical glitches were ironed out and the technology was as safe as modern flying, would I travel this way? In theory we could map the position of every atom and molecule in our bodies and reconstruct an identical self, with all memories and experiences intact. But even I, a confirmed secular humanist, would not like to bet on there being nothing that couldn't be mapped left behind in such a process.

The Interstellar Panspermia Society has as its goal to seed young barren solare systems in the universe with microbiological life from Earth, around 2050. Unfortunately their website was pretty bad, but I was so fascinated by the idea, that I contacted them, and made a brand new website for them. :-)

The God of Single Cell Organisms.
A sample from David Sylvian's Uncommon Deities: weird,thought provoking, definitely different. Truly other world poetry and music!

Living with trees by Geetanjali Dighe.
Another take on what wonderful possibilities lie in other-world vegetation!

Neighbours by Robert Butler.
Nice piece of non-violence demonstrated in this story, tying my sci fi interests in with my peace activist interests! :-)

Impossible matter?.
Sylvia Anna Hiven on Daily Science Fiction gives us an alternative take on the possibilities and limitations for life that absolutely appeals! Reminds me of Fred Hoyle's The Black Cloud.