For those of you who didn’t read the previous post yet, we just wanted to quickly say sorry for the delay in getting this month’s updated out. There were some technical difficulties – but in the end, we feel the newsletter is now better than ever and on track for bigger and better things!
With that said, this past month was crazy! While some of the team were out on the Insomnia Tour, our panelists continued to pump out great posts, and still others on the team helped us to a successful Kickstarter campaign. Here’s just a peek at this month’s science-related events:
- For those of you who didn’t know, we had a Kickstarter to fund the creation of a sourcebook – this is basically a 5 volume booth that explores the science behind our game’s sci-fi, as well as containing a short story compilation volume that discusses the backstory that leads up to the in-development game, Escaping Titan
- We managed to raise 336% of our goal, which is fantastic! A huge thanks has to go out to all of our supporters!
- Excess funds will go towards enriching the community experience for Broken Crown Games fans like you!
Insomnia Tour 2013
We had a great time on the tour, but here are just a few science-related snippets from the trip:
(Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ)
(Bill Nye being awarded the Space Foundation’s Public Outreach Award at NSS29 in Colorado Springs, CO)
(Chewie and I hang out at the local Cantina in the Broadmoor Hotel – all this happened moments after the photo was taken)
- Science Focus: Paleobotany
- Author: Jamie Boyer
- Overview: Jamie gives readers a different view of how plants can aid in space colonization by exploring the incorporation of planets into structural design.
- Up Next Month: The Varied Uses of Plants, Part 1
- Science Focus: Neuroscience
- Author: Robert Hampson
- Overview: Robert continues his exploration of the Cortex from last month’s post, this time discussing the layout of the Cortex with respect to the rest of the brain.
- Up Next Month: Hypothalamus: The Control Center
- Science Focus: Astrobiology
- Author: Jacob Haqq-Misra
- Overview: Jacob details how the life-cycle of a star can effect a planet, explaining how light, brightness, and climate may be effected as a star ages; using examples of Earth and Titan.
- Up Next Month: Terraforming 101
- Science Focus: Astrophysics
- Author: Amitai Bin-Nun
- Overview: Amitai took this month to explain the mechanics behind the popular theoretical technology of space elevators, as well as the pros and cons of the tech.
- Up Next Month: Dangers of Space: Radiation
- Science Focus: Science History
- Author:Nathan Nolte
- Overview: Nathan steps in as our guest to give readers a closer look at fungi, and how future scientists and space explorers can benefit from fungal symbiosis.
- Up Next Month: Still open! Know a professional scientist passionate about science-fiction as well as their field? Have them email us at admin@brokencrowngames.com.
This Month in Science
I’m beginning to get a love-hate relationship with this section of the newsletter because there are so many cool things each month that it’s hard to just pick a few to showcase. Never the less, here are this week’s selections for featured science:
- Let’s start this week’s features with a bang… or at least a flash… watch a meteorite streaks into the atmosphere over Argentina at the end of a band’s song during concert.
- That last post was just a small meteorite, but just like in our game’s backstory, there are always other larger unseen dangers lurking out in space. Because of that, Stephen Hawking’s is again urging our species to seek the safety of spreading across multiple planets.
- Care to take Dr. Hawking’s call to action? Well Mars One is now taking applications for their planned manned mission to Mars in 2023.
- And what’s next after Mars? Well for those of you who haven’t kept up with the Kepler telescope data, they just found what they believe to be two other habitual worlds!
Science Behind the Sci-Fi 