Science and Fiction
4 total works
Titan is practically a planet in its own right, with a diameter similar to that of Mercury, methane rainstorms, organic soot and ethane seas. All of the most detailed knowledge on the moon's geology, volcanology, meteorology, marine sciences and chemistry are gathered together here to paint a factually accurate hypothetical future of early human colonization on this strange world.
The views from Titan’s Mayda Outpost are spectacular, but all is not well at the moon's remote science base. On the shore of a methane sea beneath glowering skies, atmospherics researcher Abigail Marco finds herself in the middle of murder, piracy and colleagues who seem to be seeing sea monsters and dead people from the past. On the Shores of Titan’s Farthest Sea provides thrills, excitement and mystery – couched in the latest science – on one of the Solar System’s most bizarre worlds, Saturn’s huge moon Titan.
"This riveting story, set against a plausibly well integrated interplanetary space, carries us along with its bright and interesting characters. We feel absolutely transported to a hauntingly beautiful and alien Titan through Carroll's masterful weaving of art and science." – Jani Radebaugh, Professor of Planetary Sciences, Titan dune expert, BYU
"It's a fun read! Really makes Titan come alive, literally..." – Astrophysicist and author Ralph Lorenz
"Michael Carroll's new novel "On the Shores of Titan's Farthest Sea" (Springer) is a gripping, good-vs-evil tale that sparkles with imagination. It's set on the shores of Kraken Mare, the vast methane sea found high in the northern latitudes of Saturn's moon, Titan, in a future when humanity has spread throughout the solar system. The villains are wicked, the heroes are scientists (Thanks, Mike!), the story is convincing, the dialogue snappy, and the scenery is right out of our catalog of findings on this cold, hazy and alien world.
If you fancy skipping forward 250 years and checking out how humankind might be navigating the very geography and landforms we have uncovered in our years touring Saturn, this book is for you!" --Carolyn Porco, leader of the Cassini Imaging Science team and the Director of the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPS) at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado
In the aftermath of an asteroid impact, Earth's power grid is damaged nearly beyond recovery. The survival of our world may well depend on energy sources collected from an abandoned undersea settlement beneath the icy surface of Enceladus. Earth-raised Colonel Carter Rhodes, in charge of Earth's recovery efforts, calls upon Gwen Bare, a Venusian engineer, to regain control of the deserted moon outpost and collect fuel for Earth's collapsing power grids.
However, what Gwen discovers churning in Enceladus's subsurface waters brings her and Colonel Rhodes' straightforward plans to a crashing halt. Soon, Gwen finds herself in the middle of an interplanetary standoff. Win, and give the last humans on Earth a chance to survive. Lose, and risk the permanent dismantling of human society across the Solar System. Forced to take sides in this war for power, resources, and species survival, Gwen must make choices that not only affect her own life, but also force her to question what "life" itself might really mean.
Will the promise of Enceladus energy be enough to salvage what is left of Earth's society?
Are these humans worthy of salvation?.
This classically styled, chilling murder mystery about an expedition under the ice of Jupiter’s ocean moon Europa, backed up by the latest scientific findings on this icy satellite. The science fiction premise explores real possibilities of exploring other bodies in the Solar System, including probing their possible astrobiology. Now that the most recent world war has concluded on Earth, human explorers are returning to exploration, carrying out a full-court press to journey into the alien abyss using tele-operated biorobotics and human-tended submersibles. Nine scientists head out to Jupiter’s icy ocean-moon. But at Europa’s most remote outpost, one by one, the team members who shared the cruise out begin to die under suspicious circumstances. All was well until humans begin diving into Europa’s subsurface ocean. The deaths have all the symptoms of some sort of plague, despite Europa’s seemingly sterile environment.
Besides providing thrills, a science section covers the very latest in undersea robotics, discussing the assets future explorers may have available for exploring subsurface oceans on moons including Europa, Enceladus and Titan. The book explores the most recent results in Europa research, from safe radiation levels for human habitation, landing sites, subsurface ocean currents and makeup, possible plate tectonics, geyser activity on the surface, volcanic activity on the ocean floor, and Europa’s bizarre exosphere. The book also covers extremophiles and the various possible biomes on—and inside of—Europa.
One wants to preserve history.
Another seeks to resurrect a legendary army.
A third plans to infuse the past with technology to save millions.
If you could go back in time, what would you do?
Something strange is going on at ChronoCorp. Coffin-shaped pods and glowing talismans, feathered dinosaurs and ancient murals; the private laboratory’s quirky scientists have been quite busy, indeed. The reason? Katya, Xavier, Todd, and colleagues are on a singular scientific mission: to surpass the limits of modern physics and unlock the power of time travel.
Their early experiments have proved a resounding success, taking them to far-flung places in both time and space, from nineteenth-century New York to ancient Thera. But as their research progresses, the stakes get ever higher. Enter a world of competing interests and conflicting timelines, where nothing is quite what it seems. Why is Xavier acting so oddly? Where exactly did theireccentric benefactor Mila van Dijk get her wealth? What is the Primus Imperium, and what does its mysterious head—known only as “The Ambassador”—want from them?
Come along as the colleagues at ChronoCorp and their ragtag allies race to sew up several unravelling timelines, battling those who would harm them in the past and present to preserve what is left of their future.