Blog Front Lines and Frontiers No Terra and No Firma: The Integral Trees by Larry Niven Let’s revisit one of the most fascinating settings in science fiction: the Smoke Ring. By Alan Brown | Published on October 1, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share In this bi-weekly series reviewing classic science fiction and fantasy books, Alan Brown looks at the front lines and frontiers of the field; books about soldiers and spacers, scientists and engineers, explorers and adventurers. Stories full of what Shakespeare used to refer to as “alarums and excursions”: battles, chases, clashes, and the stuff of excitement. Today we’re going to take a look at one of the single most interesting books I’ve ever read, The Integral Trees, set in a peculiar solar system whose most habitable area is a torus around a neutron star, where people live among floating trees and jungles, surrounded by all manner of strange creatures. To make matters even more intriguing, the spaceship on which the original colonists arrived is still lurking in the system, with ideas of bringing this world back under control of the totalitarian State. By the 1980s, Larry Niven was well along in a productive and popular career as a science fiction author, and could have easily been resting on his laurels and writing sequels to earlier works. But while sequels were part of his output in those years, he was also looking for new ideas—one of the most audacious of those ideas was the Smoke Ring, which became the setting for two novels. The first was The Integral Trees, serialized in Analog magazine in 1983 and published by Del Rey in 1984. My copy came to me via my then-new membership in the Science Fiction Book Club, and featured a beautiful and evocative cover by Michael Whelan, featuring a lean and elfin woman with prehensile toes, hovering in mid-air. The sequel, The Smoke Ring, was published in 1987. About the Author Larry Niven (born 1938) is a prolific and prominent American science fiction author. I have reviewed his work in this column before, looking at the seminal book Ringworld, the books A Mote in God’s Eye and The Gripping Hand, which he wrote in collaboration with Jerry Pournelle, and his short story collection, Neutron Star. Those reviews contain biographical information about Niven, with the review of Ringworld containing not only a more extensive biography, but also a description of the Known Space universe in which many of his stories are based. The Smoke Ring and Other Strange Environments Science fiction thrives on stories set in strange and exotic environments. Between these environments and the futuristic technology, characters can sometimes be overshadowed. But that isn’t a problem when the setting is fascinating in its own right. Our robotic probes have shown that all sorts of interesting environments exist within our own solar system—worlds with different gravity, different temperatures, and different chemical compositions—places that would present unique challenges to explorers. And in the realm of science fiction, even more exotic settings can be imagined. In the early days, some of those settings were downright preposterous. There were tiny asteroids with breathable atmospheres, comets that brushed the Earth and broke off chunks of the planet, and Earth-like environments in even the furthest reaches of the solar system. But as science fiction became more scientific and our knowledge of other worlds increased, those environments grew more realistic. Science fiction authors tend to enjoy challenging the ordinary and coming up with ever stranger new worlds. They have created giant technological environments like Niven’s own Ringworld and Arthur C. Clarke’s Rama. And even keeping within the bounds of scientific possibility, they have created some exceedingly peculiar natural environments. One of the first of these I encountered was the high-gravity planet Mesklin from Hal Clement’s Mission of Gravity; over the years Clement created many a strange world. Larry Niven has followed in Clement’s footsteps and become a master of strange environments himself. If you’d like to dig into this topic a bit further, you can find an engaging article on the other worlds of science fiction here in the online Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. The Smoke Ring, the setting of The Integral Trees, is perhaps Niven’s greatest achievement in worldbuilding. It is set among his stories of the State, a totalitarian government dedicated to spreading humanity throughout the stars with slower-than-light ramships that scoop hydrogen out of the void and use it as fuel. They use human beings as tools, copying their personalities, then using them to guide their ships, as well as freezing prisoners as “corpsicles,” utilizing them as involuntary explorers. The strange world of the Smoke Ring was discovered by Discipline, a ramship piloted by Sharls Davis Kendy, a human personality transferred to a computer, who serves not only as ship’s commander, but also as the political officer and representative of the State. It was crewed by rebels that the State hoped to rehabilitate. They found a star orbited by a unique system. That system is centered on a neutron star, Voy, orbited by a former gas-giant planet, Gold, whose atmosphere has been stripped away by the gravity of Voy, and trails in the orbit in the form of a giant gas torus. In the center of that torus, there is a ribbon of breathable atmosphere, rich in life. The ramship is equipped with organisms that can be seeded to terraform unsuitable environments, but they find the flora and fauna here surprisingly compatible with life from Earth. While the Smoke Ring is full of free-floating forests and ponds that exist as spherical globes, the humans are attracted to large trees that look like mathematical integral symbols, whose midpoints center in the torus, but which are long enough that their outer and inner tufts have tidal forces which simulate the gravity humans find comfortable. The native animals are strange—most of them are able to fly, and most exhibiting trilateral symmetry that allows them to see in all directions at once. Kendy’s plans to plant a colony for the State are dashed, however, when the still-rebellious crew flee in the eight Cargo and Repair Modules, or CARMs, that allow operations beyond the ship. In the centuries since the crew escaped and struggled to establish colonies throughout the Smoke Ring, Kendy and Discipline have lurked behind Gold, patiently plotting a way to reestablish the power of the State. The Integral Trees The Quinn tribe is in trouble. They live in the tuft at the end of a gigantic integral tree, where tidal forces provide a comfortable low-gravity environment. But the tree they live on passed close to the planet Gold, and since then the tree and its ecology has been deteriorating. They don’t realize it, but their tree has been slowly falling out of the Smoke Ring toward Voy. The Chairman of the slowly starving tribe has decided to send a team of hunters and explorers up the trunk. He has picked people he feels are expendable, like the hunter Clave, who angered him by leaving the Chairman’s daughter for the two young sisters Jayan and Jinny. There is the young and inexperienced Gavving, who has just survived a battle with a swordbird that killed one of his hunting companions. There is the legless woman Merril, and Jiovan, who lost one of his legs in a hunting accident, as well as sour old Alfin, who suffers from a fear of heights. But the tribe Scientist does not feel this mission is a forlorn hope, because he has sent his assistant, the Grad Jeffer, along with a precious computer and data cassettes. The team makes their way up the trunk, aided by the fact that the tides decrease as they climb to the center of the tree. They find new flora and fauna, but as they reach the center, they’re attacked by warriors from the Dalton-Quinn tribe which inhabits the far tuft of their tree, warriors who are celibate women pledged to service. During the battle, the tree fractures apart, and the survivors of the battle float away, clinging to a large piece of bark. It turns out integral trees have a means of surviving falling from orbit, sacrificing the inward part of the tree to gravity to save the rest. This means that the former Quinn tribe is doomed, and the members of the expedition must now become the tribe, with Clave as Chairman and Jeffer as Scientist. It becomes apparent that the previous Scientist expected something like this, which is why he let Jeffer take his computer. Gavving acquits himself well in the battle, killing two of the enemy. The only survivor from the other tribe is Minya, who was not happy with her celibate life and, seeing it as an avenue toward acceptance, proposes marriage to Gavving. The survivors harpoon a giant moby, or air whale, and it tows them toward a cloud where they hope to find some water. Inside the cloud is a zero-gravity jungle, inhabited by the Carther states, a tribe even taller and leaner than the Quinns. Before they even have a chance to adapt to this new situation, the jungle is attacked by warriors from London Tree, a very large tribe who have a functioning CARM. The Quinn tribe is separated, with some staying with the Carther group and the rest becoming “copsiks,” or slaves on London Tree. As the slaves are adapting to their new and unpleasant life, it turns out the jungle also has a means of propulsion, and soon the tables are turned on London Tree, as the Carther warriors swarm aboard their tree, and with help from the Quinns, take control of their precious CARM. As the tiny Quinn Tribe struggles to learn how to control the CARM, they encounter the malevolent Kendy, and their lives hang in the balance right up until the end of the story. Final Thoughts The Integral Trees is an exciting book whose setting is the best part of the tale. The idea of living in an environment where there is no ground is genuinely fascinating. And if the characters are overshadowed by the environment, in this case it is not because they are poorly imagined, but simply because the setting is so creative and compelling. And now it’s your turn to talk: If you’ve you read The Integral Trees, I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts. And I’m also interested in hearing what other books that you have read with fascinating science fictional settings.[end-mark] The post No Terra and No Firma: <i>The Integral Trees</i> by Larry Niven appeared first on Reactor.

Christmas decorations didn’t used to be so stressful and needn’t be today! Forget about fancy decorations because old school is the way to go for me this holiday. Find out how you too can use native plants for a fresh and traditional way to decorate for the holidays as you read on. Natural Christmas Decorations On A Budget Fancy store-bought decor stuff can make a pretty big dent in my budget. So now, I’m using garden plants for my Christmas decorations not only for their beauty but for their practicality too. The scent and aroma of native plants are just lovely around the home. And I can just throw the wilted or dried greens into the compost pile after. So join me as I explore once again our native plants and how to use them creatively for Christmas decorations.   Look For Christmas Decoration Ideas Christmas decoration ideas aren’t hard to come by, especially online. Although my imagination works pretty fine, it’s nice to get a helping hand. Check out for more Christmas decor ideas here and some of my few samples below.   1. Christmas Tree Decoration Pine cones may be simple but there’s just something rustic and cute about them, making them great for decorations. Adding some paint pretties them up some, but they do just as they are or with bits of pretty ribbons. 2. Front Porch Balance is important in design especially in decorating front door and porches. Create identical decor design on either side of a porch step or door for some curb appeal. 3. Fresh Christmas Wreath Our good old wreath can never be outdated for holiday decorations. Whether it’s the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and even Halloween, a wreath has to adorn a door or any part of the house. 4. Garland Garlands are one of the traditional Christmas decorations that date centuries back. So, how else are Christmas garlands best made than with organic and natural resources found around you? 5. Container Make use of planters and containers stripped bare of plants in this cold winter season. Using native plants, arrange a Christmas container garden for an organic look. Which you won’t have to water every now and then, by the way. 6. Front Door image via Enchanted Home Whether you want your decorations simple or over the top, nothing beats natural decorations, especially for your front door. Take this boxwood wreath decor idea and a mistletoe to go! 7. Table Centerpiece | Make your holiday feast scrumptious with a lovely table setting. Nothing will make your table look more festive than native plants, such as trusty evergreen and red berries to accentuate.   Now this is a good idea for a surprise gift! #Christmas #giftideas #igdaily A post shared by Homesteading (@homesteadingusa) on Nov 25, 2014 at 9:09am PST   Where To Find Native Plants image via Dawns Wild Things Native plants are practically accessible around you. Your very own garden may boost of plants great for decor purposes. Some native plants outside your garden may be more attractive but don’t take any without permission. Parks and public places are especially off limits. If you still can, plan ahead and plant what you're hoping to use by Christmas.   Types Of Native Plants Native plants boost a variety of leaf forms, structure, and color. Use these factors to make organic and unique decorations. 1. Evergreens Evergreens can have broad green leaves while some have blue to silvery, needle-like leaves. Fir, Spruce, and Pines are some of the most common evergreens used for Christmas decorations. Other evergreens are Cypress, Juniper, Magnolia, and Boxwood. 2. Colors A variety of colors in Christmas decorations can be achieved. Although lesser plants make it throughout winter, some native plants give a better color display this season. The red twig dogwood, for example, is stripped of its leaves in winter, revealing attractive twigs which are fiery red in color. The ripened berries of native plants such as holly and firethorn give off a beautiful color display as well. 3. Texture To add attraction to your decorations, use other plant parts like seed pods, twigs, and berries. Seed pods from magnolia, lotus, acorns, and pine cones add drama to any decor arrangement. You will find the red twig dogwood interesting in Christmas containers just as Winterberry – twigs, berries, and all. 4. Alternatives When using native plants for your decorations, learn to improvise when some plant species are hard to come by in your area. Herbs such as rosemary, sage, and laurel can substitute for evergreen fir and pine. Holly can be substituted with boxwood and winterberries with nandina berries.   Preparing Plants For Decoration As appealing as plants are as a holiday decoration, you must be aware plants are fire hazards when prepared improperly. Use plants with high moisture level or those which retain moisture longer like evergreens. You can also follow these tips for preparing native plants properly. Use pruning shears when cutting plants. Use only fresh plants and avoid placing them under the sun or other heat sources. Crush the base of woody stems to better absorb water and soak the fresh plant pieces in water overnight. Check your plant decor’s freshness and replace them once dried up. Use anti-transpirant for low moisture plants.   Use Native Plants Safely Remember, most native plants you may use like ivy, mistletoe, yews, and hollies have poisonous berries. Make sure to keep them out of reach of curious children and pets. Pick up after fallen berries to avoid poisoning hazards. Watch out also for prickly plants like Firethorn and Holly, and prepare the plants with care. When using the discarded plant decor for compost, make sure no paint was used which can be toxic to microorganisms.   Planning For A Christmas Garden There are some plants which you may like but got no access to for decor uses now. But you can always plan for next year. Knowing about native plants which are great for holiday decorations will allow you to make plans for planting in spring. With winter plants added, I can just imagine your garden with a year-round appeal.   Learn how to make your own fresh Christmas garland in this video from Garden Answer: Whether for the main pieces or just to accentuate, native plants are perfect for holiday decorations. Pretty inexpensive and even free if you know your garden. Knowing your plants will totally save you a lot of trouble and money when decorating for the holidays! Did you find the topic useful for your own Holiday decoration plans? We would be delighted to know how you are getting about with yours. Tell us about it by posting in the comments section below. Up Next: 9 Natural Ways To Decorate A Tree This Year Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!   Editor’s Note – This post was originally published in December 2016 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Why Tonight's Veep Debate Might Actually Matter

BREAKING: Iran Launches Over 100 Ballistic Missiles At Israel

Charon’s surface has signs of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide.

"Luckily, we were recording it, so we could prove to other people that we weren’t crazy.”

Everything you need to sound like you know what you’re talking about at parties.

On Friday afternoon, CNN and MSNBC both used Hurricane Helene to promote the alarmist views of Michael Mann, and, on MSNBC, he was joined by fellow global warming activist Bill Nye, who begged the audience to vote for Democrats. As Mann appeared on CNN with host Brianna Keilar, similarly hinted at voting for Kamala Harris when he was asked by the CNN host what could be done to reverse to global warming trend. After declaring that "when we stop polluting the atmosphere with carbon pollution, the planet will stop warming up." and called to "decarbonize" the economy, he added: "We've got to transition as rapidly as possible away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy." Then came the liberal activist's political prescription of voting Democrat which he hinted at: And we've got an upcoming election here where we've got a stark choice before us. We have a candidate on the one side who denies that climate change is real -- calls it a hoax. We've got a candidate on the other side who recognizes that this is one of the great threats we face and will try to build on the progress that we've already made in trying to do something about the problem.  A couple of hours later, Mann appeared with Nye on the MSNBC show Katy Tur Reports. Nye "the Science Guy" was even more forthright in calling for the audience to vote Democrat: "One side is in support of doing something about these massive problems associated with climate change -- the other side is pretending it's not happening. And, you guys, we all want a villain and so on, but it really has been the fossil fuel industry that's worked really hard to suppress the science." Tur pushed back a bit: "A lot of people, when they hear that, though, they think, "God, you guys are being -- you're being too crazy -- you're being too strict, too harsh. I like my way of life -- I like my car -- I like ordering things on Amazon -- I like all the plastic that I use in my life.... I mean, it is so ingrained in our life, and what they're looking for is for science to come up with a way to solve this problem." Nye repeated his call for voting Democrat as he responded: Well, so we claim on our side of it -- we claim that we have enough energy to take care of everything right now if we just could apply it, and so the longest journey begins with but a single step. We will phase out fossil fuel use, and they will -- we will phase in renewable energy, but just when it comes November 5th, everybody, you've got to vote for the Democrats. I'm doing my best here. For many years, I've been head of an organization that we work very hard to be political but not partisan in space exploration. Be that as it may, right now, the choice is clear. So you can, everybody out there, you can hate me, you can hate him, you can hate everything, but when it comes to doing something about climate change, you got to vote for Harris-Walz. And that's what Too Hot Not to Vote is all about. Transcripts follow: CNN News Central September 27, 2024 1:41 p.m. Eastern BRIANNA KEILAR: So how do we turn this trend around? MICHAEL MANN, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA: Well, turning it around is going to be tough because the reason we're seeing these more intense, more extreme storms is because of how much we've warmed up the planet -- how much we've warmed up the oceans. And that warmth is sort of baked in for, you know, the near future. We're not going to cool the planet down in the absence of, you know, substantial new technology to suck carbon out of the atmosphere. We're not going to be able to do that for the foreseeable future, and so we're sort of stuck where we are. We can prevent it from getting worse. And one of the things that climate science has taught us over the last dozen years or so is that we're now much more confident that when we bring our emissions from fossil fuel burning down to zero -- when we stop polluting the atmosphere with carbon pollution, the planet will stop warming up. So there is a direct and immediate consequence of our efforts to decarbonize our economy. And so that's what we've got to do. We've got to transition as rapidly as possible away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy. And we've got an upcoming election here where we've got a stark choice before us. We have a candidate on the one side who denies that climate change is real -- calls it a hoax. We've got a candidate on the other side who recognizes that this is one of the great threats we face and will try to build on the progress that we've already made in trying to do something about the problem. KEILAR: All right, Michael Mann, we appreciate you. This is just incredible what we're looking at here, and you really put it into perspective. Thank you. (...) MSNBC Katy Tur Reports September 27, 2024 3:52 p.m. Eastern BILL NYE, EDUCATOR:  Everybody -- people say to me, "Bill Nye, Science Guy, what can I do about climate change? What can I do about climate change?" Well, tell you what, peoples, vote. Right now, we hear so much about the undecided voters, and this is -- I'm being as (pause) TUR: Diplomatic? Generous? NYE:  Magnanimous. How can you not tell the difference, people? One side is in support of doing something about these massive problems associated with climate change -- the other side is pretending it's not happening. And, you guys, we all want a villain and so on, but it really has been the fossil fuel industry that's worked really hard to suppress the science. TUR: How do you -- a lot of people, when they hear that, though, they think, "God, you guys are being -- you're being too crazy -- you're being too strict, too harsh. I like my way of life -- I like my car -- I like ordering things on Amazon -- I like all the plastic that I use in my life." NYE: I'm crazy for plastic. TUR: Yeah, but that's the thing. I mean, it is so ingrained in our life, and what they're looking for is for science to come up with a way to solve this problem. NYE: Well, so we claim on our side of it -- we claim that we have enough energy to take care of everything right now if we just could apply it, and so the longest journey begins with but a single step. We will phase out fossil fuel use, and they will -- we will phase in renewable energy, but just when it comes November 5th, everybody, you've got to vote for the Democrats. I'm doing my best here. For many years, I've been head of an organization that we work very hard to be political but not partisan in space exploration. Be that as it may, right now, the choice is clear. So you can, everybody out there, you can hate me, you can hate him, you can hate everything, but when it comes to doing something about climate change, you got to vote for Harris-Walz. And that's what Too Hot Not to Vote is all about.

After murmurs lasting well over a year, CNN CEO Mark Thompson pulled the trigger Tuesday on his plan to supposed reinvigorate the annoyingly smug, dying, and far-left network (aside from greats Scott Jennings and David Urban) by charging frequent fliers of CNN.com — which in of itself is comical — a rate of $3.99 a month. CNN and Thompson believe this will ensure the network’s survival, but those with even a short-term memory will recall the network launched on June 1, 1980 had already tried this with CNN+. Liberal media hall monitor Brian Stelter announced it in a story Tuesday, nearly a month after he was rehired at the network to continue doing the mouthpiece work he had spent nine years doing from November 2013 to August 2022. He wrote that, for now, “[t]he average visitor to CNN’s website, CNN’s website, who may only read a few articles a month, will not be prompted to pay at this time.” Stelter shared the hope is paywall subscribers will ensure “CNN’s journalism around the world” could continue and it could expand to include “new formats and experiences” (what the industry calls verticals) (click “expand”): On Tuesday, the news organization is laying the first bricks in a so-called paywall that should, over time, help foot the bill for CNN’s journalism around the world. “Starting today, we are asking users in the United States to pay a small recurring fee for unlimited access to CNN.com’s world-class articles,” Alex MacCallum, CNN’s executive vice president of digital products and services, wrote in an internal memo outlining the plan. The average visitor to CNN’s website, who may only read a few articles a month, will not be prompted to pay at this time. “Only after users consume a certain number of free articles will they be prompted to subscribe,” MacCallum explained. “In addition to unlimited access to CNN.com’s articles, subscribers will receive benefits like exclusive election features, original documentaries, a curated daily selection of our most distinctive journalism, and fewer digital ads.” (....) In a memo over the summer, Thompson said CNN would “create best-in-class, subscription-ready products that will provide need-to-know news, analysis and context in compelling new formats and experiences, starting with CNN.com’s first subscription product launching before the end of 2024.” That paid offering is what’s launching on Tuesday – in a preliminary form that will expand in the months ahead. “Over time, we will invest in ways to better meet our users’ needs and expand our aperture to engage and serve new audiences,” MacCallum wrote Tuesday, hinting at “new products and businesses” in the future. To Stelter’s credit, he acknowledged CNN+ baring some resemblance and that it didn’t exactly pan out too well. He also pointed out “[d]igital subscriptions have been a promising but challenging business for other news organizations” and one challenge to convincing Americans to pay for news has been pointing out the reality of producing news costs money. Perhaps CNN would be in a better place financially if they hadn’t blown $300 million on a streaming platform hoping 29 million people would tune in for all sorts of pointless shows.  That only lasted 30 days from March 29 to April 28, 2022. NewsBusters readers will recall we had an incredible time lampooning it as having lasted less time than New Coke and the marriage of Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock and that things such as World of Warcraft subscribers and a Kickstarter campaign for potato salad were more popular.

MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle became a target of mockery this week after she tried — but failed — to fact-check Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance. While campaigning in Pennsylvania last month, Vance stopped at a grocery store in Reading where he talked about the inflation crisis and the skyrocketing cost of groceries under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. During his brief remarks, Vance's two sons, Ewan and Vivek, interrupted him when they reached for a carton of eggs. 'Vance: "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" Ruhle: "TONIGHT, we talk to PETA to get to the bottom of this Republican-led equine eating catastrophe."' "You want some eggs? Let's talk about eggs. Because these guys actually eat about 14 eggs every single morning," Vance quipped. Considering that Vance's sons are young boys — ages 4 and 6 — and not bodybuilders, it's evident that Vance was engaging in hyperbole when he joked that his boys eat more than a dozen eggs each morning. But Ruhle still tried to fact-check Vance's joke. "14 eggs per day. 98 eggs per week. 2 children consuming 8+ dozen eggs per week," she posted on X. — (@) Ruhle's response and calculation went viral on social media because it came less than a week after she interviewed Harris. That interview did not include fact-checks, featured few follow-up questions, and it was comprised mostly of softball questions. On Monday, Vance mocked Ruhle's failed fact-check. "One time I said I was so tired I could sleep for days. Stephanie Ruhle: Vance, in fact, only slept for 8 hours," he posted on X. — (@) Others joined in the fun. "Vance: 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!' Ruhle: 'TONIGHT, we talk to PETA to get to the bottom of this Republican-led equine eating catastrophe,'" CNN commentator Scott Jennings mocked. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), meanwhile, observed that Ruhle's response demonstrates how "the mainstream media are some of the most pathetic people on the planet," while Christopher Rufo forwarded Ruhle the definition of "hyperbole." Some implored Ruhle to investigate claims that it is raining cats and dogs outside, while others noted Ruhle's journalistic failure to conduct basic fact-checks on Democrats. Last week, Ruhle defended her interview with Harris and even appeared to defend Harris for repeatedly dodging her questions. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!