Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories

Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
but not before they've found their way into science fiction!

https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
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James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
>Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>but not before they've found their way into science fiction!

Sure, but there are millions of these, starting with the thousands of
stories taking place on a watery venus or on a Mercury with only one face.
That's not even counting retrophrenology.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article <uv8rvl$7h9$1@panix2.panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>
>>Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
>Sure, but there are millions of these, starting with the thousands of
>stories taking place on a watery venus or on a Mercury with only one face.
>That's not even counting retrophrenology.

There was a case for Venus being tide-locked as well, but I can only
think of two authors who used that model: Stanley G. Weinbaum and
Clark Ashton Smith.
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On 11 Apr 2024 14:08:18 -0000, jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
wrote:

>Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
>Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/

Wasn't there at least one novel based on the Steady-State Universe?
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>
> The Destruction of Planet V
>
> The region between Mars and Jupiter is filled with a myriad of small
> bodies. That is not controversial. The Belt’s origin, however, has
> been the subject of various competing theories over the years. In
> 1972, M. W. Ovenden proposed that the Belt is the remnant of a
> large planet that exploded about sixteen million years ago.

Overden draws upon centuries old theory:

Physical sciences: Bode's Law and the Missing Planet

Ovenden, M. W.

Abstract

EXACTLY two hundred years ago, Titius published a mnemonic for
the mean distances of the planets from the Sun. His rule was

[a_i is proportional to 2^(i - 2) . 3 + 2^2]

where a_i is the major semi-axis of the orbit of the ith planet
from the Sun. Titius's law represents the distances of the then
known planets with an accuracy of a few per cent, provided that
(i) for Mercury, we take i= -∞ instead of i=1 and (ii) the
orbital i=5 is left vacant. The law made three valid predictions.
Uranus (discovered by William Herschel in 1781) fits the orbital
i=8. After the discovery of Uranus, Bode publicized the law,
which became known as Bode's Law. The search for a planet for
i=5 culminated in the discovery of the first asteroid, Ceres,
in 1801. Recognition of a similar law for the satellite system
of Saturn led to the discovery of Hyperion in 1848.

(10.1038/239508a0)

Ovenden himself presents his proposal's planet Phaeton problem in the
summary of his paper:

Two major problems remain. First, what physical caused the sudden
dissipation of A? From the point of view of the dynamical arguments
presented, it is probably true that A was always in the form of a
ring. But while it may be difficult to "explode" a planet, it would
seem even more difficult to dissipate a ring suddenly after it has
been quiescent for 4.5 X 10^9 yr. Second, only ~0.1 M [sun cross]
seems now to reside in the asteroid belt. What has appended to the
other 89.9 M [sun cross]?

(ibid)

Here's another sfnal romp around planet Phaeton:

Science fiction naturally reflects the interest in this supposedly-
lost world, and continued to do so even as the hypothesis fell out
of scientific favour. The idea that something as large as a planet
could be destroyed both horrified and appealed to audiences, and -
particularly in the mid twentieth century when the world-shattering
potential of nuclear weaponry was recognised - suggested a deep
suspicion of the scientific theories and processes that might
release enough energy for the task.

<https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/physics/research/astro/people/stanway/sciencefiction/cosmicstories/the_vermin_of/>

Danke,

--
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telltale tall tail /, _.. \ _\ (`._ ,. Walk humbly with thy God.
tells tall tales.. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.' Make 1984 fiction again.

On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/

Niven seems to have done a lot of these - memory RNA, Bussard ramjets,
etc.

Another that stands out for me is any story that posits that humanity
did not evolve on Earth. Our biochemistry and genetics are just too
similar to all other Earth life for that.

pt

In article <cf1g1jlvc4325bh5aqt8bn5akut0qsc96f@4ax.com>,
Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>On 11 Apr 2024 14:08:18 -0000, jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
>wrote:
>
>>Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>
>>Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>
>>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>
>Wasn't there at least one novel based on the Steady-State Universe?

Starchild, by Pohl and Williamson.

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In article <uv93d4$1pbbb$1@dont-email.me>,
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>
>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>
>>
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>
>Niven seems to have done a lot of these - memory RNA, Bussard ramjets,
>etc.
>
>Another that stands out for me is any story that posits that humanity
>did not evolve on Earth. Our biochemistry and genetics are just too
>similar to all other Earth life for that.

Points to Hogan for addressing all of the obvious issues with ET
humans in Inherit the Stars.
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On 11/04/2024 11.55, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <cf1g1jlvc4325bh5aqt8bn5akut0qsc96f@4ax.com>,
> Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>> On 11 Apr 2024 14:08:18 -0000, jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>>
>>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>>
>> Wasn't there at least one novel based on the Steady-State Universe?
>
> Starchild, by Pohl and Williamson.

Also, _The Triumph of Time_, by James Blish.

--
Michael F. Stemper
Why doesn't anybody care about apathy?

On 11/04/2024 09.08, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/

Wasn't Vonnegut's "Ice Nine", as portrayed in _Cat's Cradle_, inspired
by polywater?

--
Michael F. Stemper
Why doesn't anybody care about apathy?

In article <uv99i1$1quav$1@dont-email.me>,
Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 11/04/2024 11.55, James Nicoll wrote:
>> In article <cf1g1jlvc4325bh5aqt8bn5akut0qsc96f@4ax.com>,
>> Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>>> On 11 Apr 2024 14:08:18 -0000, jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>>>
>>>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>>>
>>>>
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>>>
>>> Wasn't there at least one novel based on the Steady-State Universe?
>>
>> Starchild, by Pohl and Williamson.
>
>Also, _The Triumph of Time_, by James Blish.
>

Interesting, in that the coda for "Cities In Flight" is distinctly
non-steady-state.
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:

> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/

There's a very nice short story based on The Origin of Consiousness
and the Bicameral Mind.

Anyone recall title & author which I forget?

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

In article <uv99qu$1quav$2@dont-email.me>,
Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 11/04/2024 09.08, James Nicoll wrote:
>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>
>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>
>>
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>
>Wasn't Vonnegut's "Ice Nine", as portrayed in _Cat's Cradle_, inspired
>by polywater?

I don't know.
--
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On Apr 11, 2024, Scott Dorsey wrote
(in article <uv8rvl$7h9$1@panix2.panix.com>):

> James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
> > Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
> >
> > Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> > but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
> Sure, but there are millions of these, starting with the thousands of
> stories taking place on a watery venus or on a Mercury with only one face.
> That's not even counting retrophrenology.
> --scott

There are even watery Venus stories written in the full knowledge of Venus’
reality. How Venus _got_ to be watery is a Major Plot Point. Examples
include:

1. David Drake’s Surface Action and The Jungle: Venus was terraformed by
humans. Things got out of hand. Homocidal honeysuckle and five-ton monitor
lizards are among the more minor problems.

2. S.M. Stirling’s The Sky People and In The Courts of the Crimson Kings
had Venus (and Mars) rebuilt by the Lords of Creation, who have Plans for
humanity. Humanity doesn’t know what the plans are. They include a watery
Venus, a habitable Mars. ad other toys, such as a Dyson sphere and working
instant interstellar travel. And humanity, all three humanities from Earth,
Mars and Venus (and yes, all three are subspecies or species close enough to
interbreed, that’s been clearly established) have yet to actually meet the
Lords of Creation. It’s been a while and they haven’t been back to check
on their experiments. It’s not at all clear that they still exist. I forsee
problems.

On Apr 11, 2024, Cryptoengineer wrote
(in article <uv93d4$1pbbb$1@dont-email.me>):

> On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> > Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
> >
> > Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> > but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
> >
> > https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theor
> > ies/
>
> Niven seems to have done a lot of these - memory RNA, Bussard ramjets,
> etc.
>
> Another that stands out for me is any story that posits that humanity
> did not evolve on Earth. Our biochemistry and genetics are just too
> similar to all other Earth life for that.
>
> pt

Niven did that one, too. Protector. Which was linked to Known Space and
directly contradicts the ‘mutated food yeast’ hypothesis from World of
Ptavvs, also linked to Known Space.

In article <0001HW.2BC87CCC0051425470000497138F@news.supernews.com>,
WolfFan <akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote:
>On Apr 11, 2024, Cryptoengineer wrote
>(in article <uv93d4$1pbbb$1@dont-email.me>):
>
>> On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>> > Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>> >
>> > Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>> > but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>> >
>> >
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theor
>> > ies/
>>
>> Niven seems to have done a lot of these - memory RNA, Bussard ramjets,
>> etc.
>>
>> Another that stands out for me is any story that posits that humanity
>> did not evolve on Earth. Our biochemistry and genetics are just too
>> similar to all other Earth life for that.
>>
>> pt
>
>Niven did that one, too. Protector. Which was linked to Known Space and
>directly contradicts the ‘mutated food yeast’ hypothesis from World of
>Ptavvs, also linked to Known Space.
>

It could be both Earth and the Protector home world were former Slaver
food worlds.

Kzin and Earth both were but I note that Kzin and humans have entirely
different body plans. Why Protectors look so much like mammals is
hard to explain unless Protector ancestors came from Earth in the
first place. I blame the Outsiders.
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In article <87frvrll0w.fsf@enoch.nodomain.nowhere>,
Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:
>
>jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>
>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>
>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>
>>
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>
>There's a very nice short story based on The Origin of Consiousness
>and the Bicameral Mind.
>
>Anyone recall title & author which I forget?

I think it is a Turtledove.
--
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ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) writes:
>In article <uv99i1$1quav$1@dont-email.me>,
>Michael F. Stemper <michael.stemper@gmail.com> wrote:
>>On 11/04/2024 11.55, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> In article <cf1g1jlvc4325bh5aqt8bn5akut0qsc96f@4ax.com>,
>>> Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
>>>> On 11 Apr 2024 14:08:18 -0000, jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>>>>
>>>>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>>>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>>>>
>>>> Wasn't there at least one novel based on the Steady-State Universe?
>>>
>>> Starchild, by Pohl and Williamson.
>>
>>Also, _The Triumph of Time_, by James Blish.
>>
>
>Interesting, in that the coda for "Cities In Flight" is distinctly
>non-steady-state.

Is it? To paraphrase another classic, a circle has no end....

In article <87frvrll0w.fsf@enoch.nodomain.nowhere>,
Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:
>
>jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>
>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>
>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>
>>
>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>
>There's a very nice short story based on The Origin of Consiousness
>and the Bicameral Mind.
>
>Anyone recall title & author which I forget?
>

Turtledove. "Bluff".

He sort of revisited the idea in _Between The Rivers_
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

In article <l7r18mFebf0U1@mid.individual.net>,
Ted Nolan <tednolan> <tednolan> wrote:
>In article <87frvrll0w.fsf@enoch.nodomain.nowhere>,
>Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> wrote:
>>
>>jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
>>
>>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>>
>>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>>
>>>
>>https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/
>>
>>There's a very nice short story based on The Origin of Consiousness
>>and the Bicameral Mind.
>>
>>Anyone recall title & author which I forget?
>>
>
>Turtledove. "Bluff".
>
>He sort of revisited the idea in _Between The Rivers_
>--

BTW, has TOOC been "disproved"? I'm not sure how you could do that.
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

WolfFan <akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote in
news:0001HW.2BC87C1F005119BE70000497138F@news.supernews.com:

> On Apr 11, 2024, Scott Dorsey wrote
> (in article <uv8rvl$7h9$1@panix2.panix.com>):
>
>> James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>> > Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>> >
>> > Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of
>> > scientific favor but not before they've found their way into
>> > science fiction!
>>
>> Sure, but there are millions of these, starting with the
>> thousands of stories taking place on a watery venus or on a
>> Mercury with only one face. That's not even counting
>> retrophrenology. --scott
>
> There are even watery Venus stories written in the full
> knowledge of Venus’ reality. How Venus _got_ to be watery is a
> Major Plot Point. Examples include:
>

(snipped)

I seem to recall Dorothy Heydt mentioning here that she was working
on a book with watery Venus and Mars-with-canals.

If I recall correctly, it was set in the far future and there had
been a period of disorder and lost records between the time of the
story and the time of the terraforming so no one in the story
actually knew the details of how Mars and Venus became habitable,
although they did know that they weren't always habitable.

In article <XnsB151AF16AF916mmikedacomcastnet@85.12.62.219>,
Michael Ikeda <mmikeda@erols.com> wrote:
>WolfFan <akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote in
>news:0001HW.2BC87C1F005119BE70000497138F@news.supernews.com:
>
>> On Apr 11, 2024, Scott Dorsey wrote
>> (in article <uv8rvl$7h9$1@panix2.panix.com>):
>>
>>> James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>> > Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>> >
>>> > Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of
>>> > scientific favor but not before they've found their way into
>>> > science fiction!
>>>
>>> Sure, but there are millions of these, starting with the
>>> thousands of stories taking place on a watery venus or on a
>>> Mercury with only one face. That's not even counting
>>> retrophrenology. --scott
>>
>> There are even watery Venus stories written in the full
>> knowledge of Venus’ reality. How Venus _got_ to be watery is a
>> Major Plot Point. Examples include:
>>
>
>(snipped)
>
>I seem to recall Dorothy Heydt mentioning here that she was working
>on a book with watery Venus and Mars-with-canals.
>
>If I recall correctly, it was set in the far future and there had
>been a period of disorder and lost records between the time of the
>story and the time of the terraforming so no one in the story
>actually knew the details of how Mars and Venus became habitable,
>although they did know that they weren't always habitable.

Al Sarrantonio's Masters of Mars has a set up like that, I think.
--
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On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>
> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>
> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theories/

Thomas Gold was an astrophysicist, but like academics, opined in areas
well outside his training.

He, along with Fred Hoyle, pushed the Steady State Universe model for
many years. He also proposed the existance of a 'deep hot biosphere' of
primitive bacteria living in bedrock pores down several miles.

Those bacteria supposedly fed on hydrocarbons, which Gold proposed were
created by non-biological process further down in the Earth, and
gradually rose to the surface. This implied that the supply of gas and
oil was essentially unlimited.

pt

On 4/11/2024 4:17 PM, WolfFan wrote:
> On Apr 11, 2024, Cryptoengineer wrote
> (in article <uv93d4$1pbbb$1@dont-email.me>):
>
>> On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>>
>>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>>
>>> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theor
>>> ies/
>>
>> Niven seems to have done a lot of these - memory RNA, Bussard ramjets,
>> etc.
>>
>> Another that stands out for me is any story that posits that humanity
>> did not evolve on Earth. Our biochemistry and genetics are just too
>> similar to all other Earth life for that.
>>
>> pt
>
> Niven did that one, too. Protector. Which was linked to Known Space and
> directly contradicts the ‘mutated food yeast’ hypothesis from World of
> Ptavvs, also linked to Known Space.
>

That's what I was referring to.

pt

On 4/11/2024 4:44 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
> In article <0001HW.2BC87CCC0051425470000497138F@news.supernews.com>,
> WolfFan <akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote:
>> On Apr 11, 2024, Cryptoengineer wrote
>> (in article <uv93d4$1pbbb$1@dont-email.me>):
>>
>>> On 4/11/2024 10:08 AM, James Nicoll wrote:
>>>> Five SF Novels Inspired by Disproven Scientific Theories
>>>>
>>>> Plenty of exciting hypotheses eventually fall out of scientific favor
>>>> but not before they've found their way into science fiction!
>>>>
>>>>
>> https://reactormag.com/five-sf-novels-inspired-by-disproven-scientific-theor
>>>> ies/
>>>
>>> Niven seems to have done a lot of these - memory RNA, Bussard ramjets,
>>> etc.
>>>
>>> Another that stands out for me is any story that posits that humanity
>>> did not evolve on Earth. Our biochemistry and genetics are just too
>>> similar to all other Earth life for that.
>>>
>>> pt
>>
>> Niven did that one, too. Protector. Which was linked to Known Space and
>> directly contradicts the ‘mutated food yeast’ hypothesis from World of
>> Ptavvs, also linked to Known Space.
>>
>
> It could be both Earth and the Protector home world were former Slaver
> food worlds.

If I want to nit-pick, I'd point out that 'yeast' is a eucaryote. If
that was all that was seeded, then where did procaryotes, which still
share a huge amount of genetics and biochemistry with us, come from?

pt