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Science Fiction
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"I went back to science fiction to try a few experiments …and my first experiment was a disaster…"
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One of the key problems in running an interstellar empire (or just traveling between stars) is communicating with the home world. Electromagnetic radiation dawdles along at a mere 299,792,458 meters per second. At that rate, you could never carry on a long distance phone call with anyone on Alpha Centauri; you would wait years just to hear "hello."
It is widely reported on the 'net that the first appearance of this term is in LeGuin's award-winning book Left Hand of Darkness." However, an earlier reference can be found in this work, published in 1966.
LeGuin is supposed to have invented the idea of FTL (faster than light) communication, but that is hard to believe. Discussions of how energy might travel faster than light were done shortly after publication of Einstein's original papers on relativity in 1905.
In his 1951 novel Foundation, Isaac Asimov referred to a hyperwave relay that could be used to instantaneously trip a switch across interstellar distances. In his 1950's Cities in Flight novel series, James Blish refers to a Dirac transmitter that allows instantaneous communication throughout the galaxy.
Perhaps my favorite means of FTL communication is the sniggertrance, which is what happens when you take a Taprisiot call in the 1969 Frank Herbert novel Whipping Star.
Also, the concept is implicit in well-known Saturday movie serials from the 1930's, like Buck Rogers. Comment/Join this discussion ( 4 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This | Additional
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Science Fiction
Timeline
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'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
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'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
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'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
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'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
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'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
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'Do not waste your priceless company on the unappreciative folds of a sleep pod...'
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'...so we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
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'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
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