April 2022

The Coming of the Terraphiles by Michael Moorcock

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The novel “The Coming of the Terraphiles” by Michael Moorcock was published for the first time in 2010.

The dark tides are undermining the stability of the multiverse and will cause it to collapse if something isn’t done. The Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond travel to the Miggea system, on the borders between various universes, for an activity that doesn’t seem related to the imminent collapse: participating in a sports competition.

The Doctor and Amy joined a group of people who are meant to reenact all things about Old Earth. This includes ancient sports or at least the interpretation they give of them. The key to the salvation of the multiverse seems to be tied to that competition but the prize also piques the interest of an old enemy of the Doctor: Captain Cornelius and his pirate crew.

Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Guinan (Ito Aghayere) in Monsters (Image courtesy Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video)

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“Monsters” is the seventh episode of the second season of the TV show “Star Trek: Picard” and follows “Two of One”. It’s available in the USA on the Paramount+ streaming platform and in many other countries on Amazon Prime Video.

Tallinn (Orla Brady) tries to help Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) deal with the monsters that exist in the depth of his mind leading him to discover a hidden part of his parents’ story. 7 of 9 (Jeri Ryan) and Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) search for Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) and discover that La Sirena’s systems are compromised. Chris Rios (Santiago Cabrera) is forced to reveal at least part of the truth to Dr. Teresa Ramirez (Sol Rodríguez).

Some microfossils object of this study (Image courtesy D. Papineau)

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An article published in the journal “Science Advances” reports the results of a thorough examination of a rock dated between 3.75 and 4.25 billion years offering evidence of the presence of microfossils. A team of researchers discovered in a rock found in the Nuvvuagittuq Greenstone Belt, Quebec, fossilized structures that bear similarities to microfossils from a later era and to today’s bacteria living in hydrothermal vents. This discovery offers new evidence that at the time, there were already diversified life forms after the evidence published in an article in the journal “Nature” in March 2017. In that case, the nature of the structures sparked controversy but the ones presented in the new study have greater complexity.

Salvation Lost by Peter F. Hamilton

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The novel “Salvation Lost” by Peter F. Hamilton was published for the first time in 2019. It’s the second novel in the Salvation Sequence and follows “Salvation”.

At the beginning of the 23rd century, the human species faces contacts with alien species of which one wants to help humans while the other has a hidden agenda that brings very serious consequences for humans and the invasion of the Earth is only the first consequence.

In the distant future, one of the human communities that spread out into space sets a trap for the enemy. However, the first to arrive are the ancient allies and in the same star system, another powerful entity is preparing to take action.

Renée Picard (Penelope Mitchell) and Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in Two of One (Image courtesy Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video)

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“Two of One” is the sixth episode of the second season of the TV show “Star Trek: Picard” and follows “Fly Me to the Moon”. It’s available in the USA on the Paramount+ streaming platform and in many other countries on Amazon Prime Video.

The time travelers and Tallinn (Orla Brady) must try to prevent Renée Picard (Penelope Mitchell) from giving up on the Europa mission. Any direct contact would be very risky and the dangers of time alterations are only the most obvious ones. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) has her problems to deal with while Adam Soong (Brent Spiner) steps in to do what he feels he must do.