Monday, March 31, 2025

Story: "Ghost Frame"

 

Ghost Frame

Police Science Fiction

Synopsis:

A professional photographer's unusual discovery ultimately reveals hidden secrets about the disappearance of a spaceship called the Argos and an important teleportation project . The story revolves around the ill-fated Dr. Alan Forsyth and how photographer Diana Lecrerc and detective Steve Crettan are plunged into a world of shadows, betrayals, and dangerous alliances. With tensions running high and several lives at stake, the only certainty is that the past is unforgiving, and the truth, even if hidden, always comes to light.

Tags:

  • #Espionage
  • #Conspiracy
  • #Mystery
  • #Suspense
  • #Science fiction


 




 

 

 
 


Story: "Echoes Of Eternity"

 

Echoes of Eternity

Police Science Fiction

Synopsis :

The Prefect of the Vatican Library, a Jesuit under the authority of the Pope, is plunged into crisis after the mysterious murder of Lucas Angeleri, the operator of the chronovisor , a device capable of observing the past. In his investigation, Detective Steve Crettan discovers that the crime is linked to a secret Vatican order, the 'Guardians of Time', and to temporal anomalies that could trigger the collapse of history itself. Together with Dr. Helena Volken, an atheist quantum physicist, Crettan uncovers a dangerous secret: the chronovisor not only reveals past moments, but is linked to parallel dimensions and messages from an advanced intelligence from the future. Faced with betrayal and a conspiracy seeking to manipulate time, they must do everything possible to prevent history from being irreversibly rewritten.

Tags :

#ScienceFiction
#Mystery
#Conspiracy
#ExtraterrestrialTechnology
#TimeTravel
#TimeParadoxes
#Suspense
#Detectives
#Vatican
#QuantumPhysics
#ParallelDimensions
#Intrigue
#Chronovisor
#RewrittenHistory
#SecretConspiracy

 


 




 

 

 
 


Thursday, March 27, 2025

Current Events: "Astrobiology and Science Fiction"

 


Astrobiology and Science Fiction 

Astrobiology and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) have advanced significantly since the time of Ivan Yefremov , offering science fiction writers a vast field of informed speculation. His short story " Starships " (" The Best of Russian SciFi" 1965, Page 87 ) illustrates how science fiction can draw on scientific knowledge to imagine possible forms of alien life.On the speculation of extraterrestrial life, like almost all SciFi writers, I have addressed it countless times.

 "The Three Moons of Adhara " provides an approximation of what the discovery of alien races is like. In the continuation of that story, " The Rescue of the Benfold " I deal with the subject of interdimensional contact with extraterrestrial life. The fusion of those two stories gave rise to my short novel " The Origin of Humanity ".

Today, with new research into exoplanets, biosignatures , and Earth-based extremophiles , the narrative possibilities for science fiction writers have expanded greatly.  Since 1995, with the detection of the first exoplanet around a solar-type star ( 51 Pegasi b ), the search for potentially habitable worlds has accelerated. Instruments such as the Kepler space telescope and, more recently, the James Webb telescope have identified thousands of exoplanets , some within their stars' habitable zones, where liquid water could exist.   

Studies of Earth-based extremophiles—organisms that thrive in extreme environments, such as the deep ocean, acidic lakes, and Antarctica—have broadened the definition of what we consider habitable. This suggests that extraterrestrial life could exist in previously dismissed places, such as the icy moons Europa and Enceladus or in the atmospheres of gas giants like Venus.  Scientists search for biosignatures (oxygen, methane, organic compounds) on exoplanets that indicate biological activity. In addition, " technosignatures ," such as anomalous radio emissions or artificial structures, have been proposed as evidence of advanced civilizations.  

 Although the famous " Wow!" signal of 1977 remains unexplained, new initiatives like Breakthrough Listen are exploring space with state-of-the-art radio astronomy. The chance of detecting an extraterrestrial signal remains low, but not impossible.   


And science fiction writers?
 

Today, science fiction writers have adopted different approaches to depicting extraterrestrial life based on these discoveries:  

Science-Based Alien Biology  

In the style of Yefremov, current authors create alien species with solid scientific foundations. Examples include:  

Contact and Communication with Intelligent Civilizations   

Inspired by SETI studies and the difficulties of interstellar contact, modern writers have explored the challenges of first contact:  

Life in Extreme Environments  

Given the scientific interest in icy moons and exoplanets with extreme conditions, stories have explored hostile but inhabited worlds:  

  • Kim Stanley Robinson 's " 2312 " imagines the terraforming and colonization of extreme worlds.  
  • The film " Europa Report " presents a manned mission to Europa in search of life beneath its frozen ocean.  


Development Possibilities in Short Stories and Novels  

With current advances in astrobiology and SETI, science fiction writers can explore multiple directions:  

Life Based on Alternative Chemistry 

  • Organisms with metabolism based on ammonia instead of water.  
  • Life with silicon structures instead of carbon.  
  • Beings that develop in interstellar gas clouds or in stars.  

Non-Anthropomorphic Alien Intelligence 

  • Civilizations based on swarms of collective intelligence.  
  • Consciousnesses distributed in interplanetary communication networks.  
  • Life based on symbiosis, where several species combine abilities.  

Narratives about SETI Contact 

  • Discovery of a technosignature and the race to decipher it.  
  • The dilemma of whether or not to respond to an alien signal.  
  • Extinct civilizations detected by their technological remains.  

Exoplanet Explorations 

  • First settlements on planets with ambiguous biosignatures.  
  • Human colonies that must adapt to the local alien biology.  
  • Scientific missions that find evidence of past life.  

And... as I have accustomed you in this series of current affairs notes, I offer you five ideas for science fiction stories inspired by extremophiles and astrobiology for you to develop in your novels or stories:

1. The Shadowless Species - Inspired by: Radiophiles and xerophiles (Mars and arid planets)

In the near future, a robotic mission sent to Mars detects microorganisms underground that appear to be resistant to extreme radiation. However, when astronauts on the first manned mission investigate them, they discover that the organisms are completely transparent to visible light and electromagnetic waves. They are invisible not because they are small, but because their molecular structure doesn't interact with light.

The problem arises when they begin to adapt to the astronauts' environment and, little by little, replicate within their bodies without being detected. Are they a threat or a life form seeking to coexist with humans?


2. Deep Sea, Red Sky - Inspired by: Barophiles and thermophiles (Oceanic moons like Europa and Enceladus)

A team of explorers arrives on an ice-covered moon and sends an autonomous submersible to explore a subterranean ocean. There, they encounter a bioluminescent life form inhabiting hydrothermal plumes. Surprisingly, these organisms seem to communicate using electrical impulses in the water, forming patterns similar to a binary language.

When scientists try to decipher the code, they discover it's not just a language, but a hive mind of billions of single-celled organisms. A moral dilemma arises when they realize that drilling for exploration could destroy this microscopic alien civilization before they can fully understand it.

3. Star Farming - Inspired by: Halophiles and Acidophiles (Planets with extreme atmospheres)

A mining corporation discovers an exoplanet with an acidic ocean teeming with extremophile microorganisms that process heavy metals, transforming them into extremely valuable compounds for technology. As mining begins, scientists discover that the microorganisms are not just primitive life, but that they act in a coordinated manner, generating patterns that mimic more complex organic structures.

Soon, the corporation faces a dilemma: continue exploiting the resources or stop to further study what could be an evolving alien life form? As they debate, the microorganisms begin to aggressively adapt to humans, developing resistance and showing signs of biological artificial intelligence.


4. Born of Ice - Inspired by: Psychrophiles and alternative chemistry organisms (Titan, Pluto and cold exoplanets)

On Titan, a robotic probe detects movement in its liquid methane lakes. What appeared to be mere atmospheric turbulence turns out to be a hydrocarbon-based life form that doesn't use water in its biochemistry. These organisms don't have DNA, but rather a completely different molecular structure, based on exotic polymers.

When scientists attempt to simulate its metabolism on Earth, they discover that its chemistry is incompatible with terrestrial biology… until they begin modifying its own structure. Could humanity be facing the first truly adaptable life form, capable of evolving in any environment?


5. Ruins in the Wind - Inspired by: Archaea-like organisms (Desert exoplanets and exotic life forms)

An exploration team arrives on a barren exoplanet where life seems impossible. However, they discover that the planet's winds carry microscopic spores that can go dormant for centuries. These spores contain extremely advanced genetic codes, and when activated by moisture, they generate temporary structures resembling biological cities that emerge from the ground and disappear in a matter of days.

The big question is: Were these spores created by an advanced civilization as an artificial life form, or are they the result of millions of years of evolution in an alien biosphere? What will happen if they come into contact with human biology?


In closing...

Science fiction has always been a laboratory for hypotheses about life in the universe, and advances in astrobiology and SETI have broadened those horizons. From detailed biological speculation to philosophical dilemmas about first contact, the genre continues to evolve with science.  

In the tradition of "Starships," writers can continue to build believable alien worlds, incorporating the latest discoveries and expanding our imaginations about what might await us beyond Earth.  

What are you looking forward to exploring all these possible futures?


Good writing! ✍️





 

 

 
 


Creative Workshop 2025: "Use of Time and Space in Narrative"

 


TIME AND SPACE IN NARRATIVE ⚡️
A LITERARY TIME MACHINE ✨📚

⛵️ Welcome back, intrepid writer and colleague, to the fascinating world of narrative time and space. If you thought these concepts were only for quantum physicists and intergalactic travelers, get ready to discover that they are essential tools for us writers. And they allow stories to be agile, modern, and captivating.


⌚✨
TIME: YOUR BEST ALLY OR YOUR WORST ENEMY

Time in narrative is not used only as a clock that advances mercilessly, but as a resource that you can manipulate at will. When you write, you are a god of time! (At least in your story).

1. Classical timeline vs. modern narrative

  • The linear story: This is what we know as the traditional form : where the story unfolds in three or four acts: beginning, middle, climax, and end. This classic approach to time has been used by authors such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen .
  • Flashbacks and Flashforwards: Used in film and novels such as " The Sound and the Fury ", the 1959 film based on the book by William Faulkner   or " Cloud Atlas ", a 2012 film based on the book by David Mitchell . These works allow information to be revealed at a very particular pace by the author and add layers of depth to the works.

Pro tip: Use time jumps purposefully. Don't confuse the reader; make each movement in time contribute something useful to the story.


🌍
SPACE: CREATE WORLDS, NOT JUST SETTINGS

If time is the rhythm of your story, space is the backdrop. But be careful, because a well-crafted space isn't just decorative; it's part of the action.

1. Spaces with personality

  • The setting as a character: In George Orwell 's " 1984 , "the oppressive city is as much a protagonist as Winston Smith.


2. Sensual Locations

Don't just say " dark woods "; make the reader feel the dampness on their skin, hear the leaves rustle, and fear what lurks in the shadows. See the lesson in this course on how to apply sensory details to your work.

Pro tip: Use the senses and atmosphere to make the reader "experience" the place. Read writers like Haruki Murakami , who can make even a coffee shop feel hypnotic.



🔄
How to Make Your Story Flow Like a River, Not a Stagnant Puddle

  • Don't give unnecessary information: If the color of the vase doesn't add anything, omit it.
  • Vary the pace: Use short sentences for action scenes, and long paragraphs for moments of introspection.
  • Be aware of your story's tempo: Don't make a character travel days in two paragraphs and a conversation drag on for five pages for no reason.


🖇 DO A TIME AND SPACE TRAVEL EXERCISE

✏️ Write a scene where a character travels back in time, but without explicitly saying they did. Use details in the setting and in the characters' language so the reader can discover it for themselves.

✨ Have fun creating! Remember, storytelling is a game where you set the rules. Let's write! 📚🌟



Do you have questions? Do you want to expand on these topics?

If you are interested in expanding on these topics, I recommend that you read my articles for writers. There you will find many interesting topics that will help you become a 21st century writer. Here are my notes for writers (use the google translate button - for no-spanish writers-) 🌌✍️

Do you have any questions? You can ask me -in english too- through a google form. Use the "Tu Consulta" button, please:


Good writing! 🚀✍️