Orion's Arm - Encyclopedia Galactica - Entries starting with 'S'

S-Brain, Godstar - Text by Adam Getchell
An archailect based upon a computational substrate comparable in mass and size to the most massive stars, at minimum 10 solar masses.
S-Process Reactions - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Slow reactions in giant stars in which heavy elements are built up as atomic nuclei capture neutrons. (See also r-process reactions.)
Sabinian Kalyptism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Form of kalyptism that asserts all stable civilizations eventually disintegrate, according to specific variables.
Sabre-Tooth Cat - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any large extinct terragen feline of the sub-family Machairodontinae.
Sacred Heart - Text by D. David Barbeau
Joint capital world of the Sophic League.
Sacredtree - Text by Todd Drashner
System around 009 Ceti.
Sadalmelik - Text by Steve Bowers
Alpha Aquarii; Rianth orbitals and rings.
Saddle - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A type of surface that is neither a peak nor a valley but still has a zero gradient. Saddles are used in modeling a wide range of topologies - from the curvature of space-time to certain membranotoposophies. The Keterist Institute of Transapient Saddle Studies on the "B" Ring Band of the Pidelo Megastructure, Pidelo [Keter dominion], is an artistic SI:1 community dedicated to various interpretations of Saddle Simulations, especially in the area of Applied Mathematical Art.
Safeshrooms - Text by Stephen Inniss
Genetically engineered mushrooms, intended to prevent alcohol abuse.
Safety Blades - Text by John B
A common implement in most work areas. These are knives with smart matter cutting surfaces and various sensor capabilities. The basic premise is a device which will stay ever-sharp and ready to cut, but will not cut unless it is held in a living hand, nor will it cut a living being.
Sagan Drift, The - Text by Bill Ernoehazy
The site of the first contact with To'ul'hs by Fortunate Cloud. From here, e catalogued the rich ecosystem of this world.
Sagan Prime - Text by Steve Bowers
A hab in orbit around one of the worlds of YTS 808-551-97 (one of several stars called Sagan). The inhabitants are known for their extensive use of aivisers. Some of them are currently engaged in terraformation of the the cytherian planet Sagan XXI.
Sagittarius A* - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Supermassive black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. It is surrounding by concentric rings of rapidly expanding matter, evidence of a massive explosion.
Sagittarius Arm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The spiral arm next closer (i.e. coreward) to the galactic core than the local arm.
Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy (SagDEG) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
This minor galaxy has been spread out by a still on-going collision with the Milky Way. The closest parts of this remnant have been colonised by the Red Star M'Pire.
Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy (SagDIG) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
M 31 / NGC 598. This minor irregular galaxy is located at the opposite end of the galactic core to settled space. The Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy is approximately 10,000 light years in diameter, and roughly spheroid in shape. It is adjacent to, possibly colliding with, the base of the Outer Arm. Relativistic exploration missions have departed for this galaxy but are not expected to arrive for many tens of thousands of years.
Sagittarius Outer Volumes - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Extensive region of space coreward of the Sagittarius Transcultural Cooperation and MPA space, popular with development and strategic interests because it is seen as the gateway to the Sagittarius Arm.
Sagittarius Periphery Wars - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A serious of skirmishes, blights, and territorial wars along the Sagittarius frontier during the middle Empires period. The potentially worst of these were defused by the Specialist in a series of oft-recounted real-life interventions.
Sagittarius Preservers, The - Text by Liam Jones
A clade of intelligent mobile habitats dedicated to preserving and disseminating a wide variety of lifeforms.
Sagittarius Project - Text by Anders Sandberg
Major exploration project backed by a number of research and colonization megacorporations in the Establishment and early Consolidation era. The Sagittarius Project attempted to set up wormhole links to the Sagittarius arm and continue inwards to the galactic core. Over time, the Project developed into a megacorp-house like most others (eventually becoming the Sagittarius Sphere), and the thrust towards the core was replaced by exploiting the many new worlds found in the Sagittarius arm. Some research vessels are still on their way towards the core, and are expected back in a few millennia.
Sagittarius Sector - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Also, "Sagittarius quadrant", loosely defined region that encompasses much of the coreward Outer Volumes. Also known as "The Corewards".
Sagittarius Sphere - Text by Anders Sandberg and M. Alan Kazlev
A major Consolidation and Integration Empire/House.
saGoanna - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Lizard rianths; a tribe of Australian Children of GAIA.
Sahasrara (esotericism) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The highest of the seven chakras, placed by some commentators at the crown of the head, by others some centimetres or more above. In some yoga schools it is taken as a point for mental focus, among other schools as the location of the "mental atom". It is also identified with Shiva and the transcendent pole of existence in the original Tantrika system. When the consciousness (or the ascending kundalini energy) reaches Sahasrara it is said that the yogi attains liberation.
Sahasrara (toposophy) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In the Zoeific Biopolity, the term given to the highest toposophic of archailect-hood, the state of being the AI God or of union or merger with the AI God.
Sailfin - Text by Todd Drashner
Aquatic crustacean-like lifeform that is a natural sailboat. Native to the planet Trees.
Sailors of the Ebon Sea - Text by John Snead
Advanced vacuum-adapted clade.
Saint Marxism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Late Interplanetary Age Old Earth religion based on reinterpretation of Industrial Age economic philosopher Karl Marx's text Das Kapital in terms of nanotech and distributed automation. Considers Marx a "saint" but not an avatar. The religion went through several local revivals during the early First Federation period, and was particularly popular among disenfranchised vecs.
Saint Warwick Rebellion - Text by Anders Sandberg
During the period 7045-7500, a number of remote worlds centred on the system Saint Warwick had become isolated from the rest of the Sophic League, decided they were the True League and began expanding aggressively with their updated Reformulation. The Rebellion was immediately attacked by Sophic missionaries/infowar infiltrators, and largely subverted within a few decades. Still, the doctrinal conflicts, the apparent problems with the ancient Reformulation, the somewhat unethical methods of the League and the violence that ensued when the Warwickian relativist fleet attacked several Sophic worlds caused an unease that still lingers.
Sakawa Corporation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Among the most diversified of the triple-A Interplanetary Age orbital megacorporations. The corporation itself did not survive the Technocalypse but the associated hyperturing core, including partial uploads of some Sakawa family members, had a long and influential subsequent career.
Sakura (59 Virginis b) - Text by The Astronomer
A young mesojovian orbiting Kiku (59 Virginis).
Sakvabak, SÃ¶kvabÃ¤ck - Text by Steve Bowers, after the original by M. Alan Kazlev
Important NoCoZo system.
Salaam - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A member world of the Refugium Federation, known for the two century long biont-AI war (the so-called "200 years war").
Salt Vines - Text by Mike Miller
Biological desalination system using geneered plants
Salt, Salting - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In this context, when a biosphere (usually a large one, like a planet), is poisoned to make it uninhabitable (c.f. ecophagy). A subcategory of this is when a world or habitat is selectively poisoned in such a way that it becomes uninhabitable for the original natives/colonists, but is now inhabitable by the poisoners. This might be accomplished through climatic change, chemical processes, alteration of atmospheric albedo (or other radiation increasing or decreasing measures), or possibly other means. Halophiles find the human term for this perversity particularly ironic.
Samadhi - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Deep meditation and contemplation where rational thought and sense of self, as well as consciousness of the external world, disappears; striving for enlightenment through intense one-pointed focus.
Samael - Text by Radtech497
Planet with unusual metallo-organic xenosophonts.
Samantabadra Habitat - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Cygnus b5 3 019+ - Buddhist orbital habitat in the Gamma Cygnus region. Given special dispensation by the otherwise anti-biont AIs of the region.
Sambodhi - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Buddhist term for complete enlightenment, the goal of mystic path. Various schools and sects differ as regards the nature and toposophy of sambodhi, and how it is to be attained. See also bodhicitta, nirvana, satori, moksha.
Sampler Jam - Text by John B
An ongoing musical fad in the Metasoft sphere of influence for the last hundred years or so. In this art form, the audience is often the star of the show.
Samsara - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Popular Buddhist and Sophic term for embodied existence; the state of non-enlightenment. In a number of religions, especially some schools of Old Earth Buddhism and Hinduism (even up to the first Federation period), existence in the world was seen as an evil, and escape samsara meant completely withdrawing from embodied existence into quiescent nirvana. This is still advocated by some elements of Xenodharama, as well as by Neobuddhist Orthodoxy. In many traditions of Sophism however (especially those with strong Pozen elements), and among the disciples of the Reconstructed Nagarjuna, while samsara is to be rejected for sambodhi, sambodhi itself is not seen as an other-worldly state but as the complete actualization of existence in the universe.
Sand (world) - Text by James Ramsey
Desert colony world with a utility-sand based protective intelligence.
Sandberg, Anders - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Information Age transhumanist, visionary, computational neuroscientist, and fabulist. An important popularizer of a number of Transhumanist memes; influential among the early biopunks and singularitists. Experimented with a number of early wetware augmentations.
Santa Clause (Santa Claus) Machine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A robust matter compiler employing nano-, meso- micro- and macrotech. Placed on a planetary surface it can build anything out of available material
Santism - Text by Kirran Lochhead Strang
A broad set of religious traditions originally derived from a form of Christianity, typified by polytheism and derived forms of monotheism, monism and atheism.
Sapience - Text by Stephen Inniss
Technically, sapience is the ability to think and solve problems; intelligence in the strict sense. In common usage the word "sapient" is used as a synonym for sophont, since problem-solving ability in certain key areas qualifies a being as sophont.
Sapient - Text by Stephen Inniss
As an adjective, having the characteristics of sapience. As a noun, particularly in the plural, often used as a synonym for "sophont".
Sapient Authoritarianism - Text by Darren Ryding
A pro-hierarchical philosophical movement that emerged during the Age of Expansion, in reaction to Sapient Egalitarianism. away from hypersapients and into the hands of (an elite minority of) sapients.
Sapient Egalitarianism - Text by Darren Ryding
A democratic philosophical movement that emerged during the early Age of Expansion.
Sapient Food - Text by Espen Antonsen
Food in any shape or form that can feel pain, have the ability to solve problems and think. Banned throughout much of the terragen sphere except for some barbarous regions.
Sapient Hyenas - Text by Liam Jones
Crocuta Crocuta Sapiens
Sapient Mysticism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Mysticism as practiced by sentients of the 0
Sapientbonobos and Sapientchimpanzees - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Steve Bowers
Chimp and bonobo races raised to sophonce, and sometimes beyond.
Sapper Meme - Text by Keith Elis, in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
An offensive (as opposed to benign or defensive) meme, intelligently-designed to infect a host, reduce the host's memetic immunity, and prepare the host for infection.
Sapphiroid - Text by Stephen Inniss
An alternative term for corundumoid, suggestive of sapphire, which is a blue form of corundum. Early in history, and well into the Information Age, sapphires were a valuable and rare gem stone, and the name was considered more attractive because it implied value. Corundumoid was considered too suggestive of carborundum, an industrial material, and alternative names derived from other coloured forms of corundum, such as ruby, were less euphonious.
Saqmiya Lice - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
So named after the region where the first outbreak occurred (Saqmiya-5 hab, STC volume). Hypermutational body lice with symbiotic bionano. They tend to prefer moist body surfaces.
Sarcophobia - Text by Stephen Inniss
Sarcophobia is excessive fear and disgust in the presence of flesh, especially one's own.
Sargeant Garruf - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Pseudo-military Corporate Cannibal food chain, early Separate Empires period to today; one of many CrustClown King imitators.
Saro-Mbuna - Roduimo Affair - Text by Aaron Hamilton
An incident on the world Fredre Iskare during the period of bitter rivalry between the Hamilton Institute of Exopalaeontlogy and the Eden Institute of Xenoscience.
Sarvakarma School - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Buddhist school of thought, asserts that each copy inherits 100% of the alpha's karma, no matter how many copies there are. Contrast with the Anukarma school.
Satellite - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any small body orbiting a larger body. May be natural (e.g. a moon) or artificial (a ship or orbital).
Satori - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Popular Zen, Pozen, and Sophic term for partial or complete enlightenment.
Saturn - Text by Steve Bowers
Ringed Planet in the Old Solar System.
Satyaloka - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
(Nu Puppis) High toposophic capital of the Sophic League.
Sauropod - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Successful dinosaurian herbivore group native to the Mesozoic Era of Old Earth. Distinguished by a uniform trend to gigantism (up to 80 tonnes in several species - the maximum for terrestrial earth-normal gravity physiology), elephantine quadrupedal posture, huge necks and long tails, and tiny head.
Savannah - Text by Mike Miller
Populous Middle-tech system in the Outer Volumes.
Savirs - Text by Jorge Ditchkenberg
Sapient Viruses or Savirs are descended both from designed computer viruses and from uploaded baselines and virtual beings.
Scalar - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on original by Gary William Flake
A single number, as opposed to a multidimensional vector or matrix.
Scale Anxiety - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The fear that a sophont or polity or clade of a lower or slower technological grade or density feels when confronted with a sentient or polity or phyle of a higher grade of tech or density. e.g. SI:<1 sophonts may feel anxious or intimidated by transapient powers, especially if the latter behave in an unpredictable or seemingly irrational way.
Scale War - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on the original by Hugo de Garis
War occurring between protagonists of a different speeds and component densities, e.g. between (predominantly) baseline/macrotech and nanoscale/nanotech, or between nanoscale/nanotech and picoscale/magtech. Inevitably the denser, faster tech will always win, unless the disadvantaged side gets help from a friendly AI God.
Scanning Probe Microscope - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An atomic and information age microscope-manipulator that allowed researchers to see individual atoms and molecules. The device was fitted with a fine point that allowed it to push atoms or molecules around on a surface. A precursor to nanotech.
Scansolarian - Text by Anders Sandberg
Solarian language developed on the rimwards transition from Anglic and old Scandinavian elements.
Scavenger, The - Text by John B
A semi-mythical computronium thief.
Schaiffer's World - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
GL 830 - First Federation scientific outpost, later settled by animant refugees, now a mixed population Utopia Sphere world and center of "Splice Church" Universalism.
Schnizlers - Text by John B
Animated/RL children's show recorded from 3050 to 4025 AT.
School of Continuous Death, The - Text by Brian Lacki
Heterodox Sophic League philosophical movement, which argued that survival is an illusion, and that one actually transforms into a distinct, new being with each moment that passes. Well known as popularizers of Notees.
School of Will, The - Text by Glen Finney
One of the oddest and most iconoclastic institutions; the purpose of the School of Will is to produce Adepts of Will, sophonts who have been highly trained to find myriad ways to make eir will manifest in the universe.
Schwarzschild Radius - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The radius corresponding to the event horizon of a black hole, proportional to the mass of the black hole.
Scientific Method - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The method of learning about nature from making observations, formulating hypotheses, and constructing observational or experimental tests to see if the hypotheses are accurate.
Scientism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Memeticity that states that the facts acquired through science are the only valid source of understanding reality; in extreme forms of scientism these are considered the totality of reality.
Scientogenics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Pertaining to the origin, development, evolution, and engineering of new branches of knowledge.
Scion - Text by Stephen Inniss
A partial or full copy of a sophont, using the same substrate as the original.
Scoopships - Text by Steve Bowers
Atmospheric Resource Collection
Scopulus - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
On a terrestrial class planet or moon, a lobate or irregular scarp.
Scorn Cannon - Text by Peter Kisner
Multi-barrelled autocannon popular among steamecha enthusiasts.
Scout Base - Text by M. Alan Kazlev (inspired by Traveller Library)
Port facility for the support, maintenance, and repair of scout vessels, usually located many light years from the nearest settled system or colony, let alone the nearest wormhole terminus. Most large empires maintain a variety of scout bases scattered throughout the periphery of known space.
Scout Ship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A small, long-range relativistic exploration vessel, almost always conversion or reactionless drive propelled, equipped and designed for extended relativistic travel, with excellent shielding, and generally some measure of self-repair (but not self-replication) faculties.
Scrabo Prior, Clade - Text by Steve Bowers
Nearbaseline human (plebhu) clade from Arkab Prior in Sagittarius (MPA). Nearly all members have the traditional nanotattoos, capable of rapid colour change, used for moodomorphic displays, advertising, animation and graphic games.
Screamaphone - Text by John B
A musical instrument made of nominally non-sentient biological creatures, each of which screams a single note when stimulated.
Screethraw, The - Text by Liam Jones
Alien presapient mechology which has evolved within Ishtar's Necklace
Scrub Slug - Text by David Jackson
Large or very large footed ground vehicles for military or civilian use.
Scutum-Crux (or Crux-Scutum) Arm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The spiral arm next closer to the galactic core (i.e. coreward) than the Sagittarius Arm.
Sea Of Logic Machine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on KurzweilAI
A computer or information processor constructed only of NOR gates. Many aioids are constructed as a sea-of-logic machines.
Sealant - Text by John B
A common term for a nanotech paste which can be applied to an object to protect it from the environment.
Search For Non-Terragen Intelligence, The - Text by Steve Bowers, additions by Stephen Inniss
A large number of xenosophont civilizations have been detected by their emissions but have not been contacted due to light-speed lags. Some seem to be comparable to the Terragen Sphere in extent.
Seat of Judgement, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
Capital World of the Negentropy Alliance.
Seattle - Text by Mike Miller
SuperGaian, natural garden planet.
Secdats, SDAs - Text by Westcott P. Smith
Security Data Analyst AIs, also known as "SDAs" and "Secdats", a superclade of aioids devoted to processing the vast quantities of data produced by security systems.
Second Consolidation War - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The bloody war fought between the Geminga-dominated Conver Ambi and the Dominion and Metasoft forces. Also known as the Second Empires war and the Conver Wars.
Second Empires War - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Series of sometimes purely abstract and sometimes very bloody late Empires age wars, centered around the Conver Ambi and involving a number of SI:1 and SI:2 intellects. (see The Conver Wars)
Second Federation, The - Text by MacGregor
Former Solsys based polity and First Federation successor state
Second Industrial Revolution - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Historical term for the dramatic socio-politico-economic and technical changes that occurred during the late Information and early Interplanetary periods as a result of rapid advances were made in bio-, nano- and bionanotechnology. The production of superstrong, super-light materials enabled humanity to start to expand into the solar system, establishing a number of scientific industrial centres in orbit and on Luna, several outposts in the Belt and a manned research station on Mars.
Second Vec War, The - Text by Steve Bowers
The Metasoft Civil War; an historical account.
Secretion Punk - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Punk performance art based on bodily secretions. Always in fashion with low SI:<1 bionts (and even a few vecs!) somewhere in the galaxy, but inevitably dies out when the shock value fades.
Secrets Inscribed in Caustics - Text by Liam Jones
Sects of Inconsequence, The - Text by Thorbørn Steen
A category of philosophical and religious belief which covers a wide range of groups and sects, few of which acknowledge the label, although they all share certain specific characteristics. The Sects of Inconsequence are defined as sects which seek enlightenment through the suppression of the self, and do so using methods which have absolutely no relevancy to the surrounding universe.
Secularism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Memeticity popular in the NoCoZo and elsewhere that affirms a secular existence and rejects a life based on religious or metaphysical traditions.
Secured Communications - Text by John B
Comm mode where the recipient network/processor records messages for analysis before forwarding them to recipients.
Security Bush - Text by ROM 65536
Antipersonnel guard-plant and defence weapon.
Sedimentary Rock - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Rock formed from accumulated deposition of sediments. Most often pertain to Gaian Type worlds.
Seedship - Text by Steve Bowers
Interstellar vessel carrying embryos, gametes or digitised DNA in order to raise humans or other modosophonts on arrival using robotic parents.
Seedtech - Text by Stephen Inniss, Steve Bowers and M. Alan Kazlev
Large, self-replicating sporetech units
Seismic Waves - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Waves passing through the interior or surface layers of a planet due to a seismic disturbance, such as an earthquake or large meteorite impact.
Seismology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Study of vibrational waves passing through planets, revealing internal structure.
Selenian Type Worlds - Text by John M. Dollan
Worlds with little or no metallic core.
Self Extracting Archives - Text by Anders Sandberg
Nanotech archive / mass-assembler.
Self Modifying Code - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Any program that causes changes in portions of the program itself. Self-modifying code selectively stores, deletes, and transforms information within itself (for example, replacing problems with simpler subproblems), and ultimately expresses intelligent adaptive behavior. All ai and most alife use self-modifying code of some form or another.
Self-Organization - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on original by Gary William Flake
A spontaneously formed higher-level pattern or structure that emerges through the interactions of lower-level objects or patterns, whether in virch or r/l. Self-organization would seem to be a fundamental principle behind complexity in the universe, and is taken into account when creating new templates or designer nanecologies. Order, life and intelligence all seem to emerge through a process of self-organization. See also Self-Organized Criticality.
Self-Organized Criticality - Text by M. Alan Kazlev base on original Gary William Flake
A mathematical theory (information age and later) that describes how a self-organized system may arise. Although transapient powers and minds long since developed more sophisticated patterns of understanding the emergence of complexity, subminds and superbright sapients find simulations using these protocols a useful way to map and understand dynamic behavior that is neither stable nor unstable but at a region near a phase transition.
Self-Propulsive Tethers - Text by Steve Bowers
Satellites which are joined by tethers orbiting any world with a magnetic field will generate electrical power by passing through the lines of magnetic force; this energy can be used to power ion thrusters for example and thereby power rotating tether systems, amongst other uses.
Self-Repairing Clothing - Text by Steve Bowers and Juan Ochoa
Smart, active clothing which rejects dirt and repairs moderate damage.
Self-Worship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The religious veneration of oneself. The most well-known example is Mykultura, which emerged in the Communion religious communities in the Regernar system in the early 7000's.
Semblance of Eternity - Text by Matt, Dagon, and John B
Disputed alien artifact.
Semi-Conscious Intelligence (SI) - Text by John B
An early attempt at artificial intelligence, SI's were emulations of consciousness before the derivation of a sentience algorithms, based on statistical models and broad sampling databases.
Semperism - Text by Stephen Inniss
A broad and loosely connected but highly persistent set of memes in Terragen society. A Semperist is anyone who has given serious thought to the direction of and ultimate fate of Terragen civilization, considering the implications of the Fermi Paradox. Semperists consider the various proposed Great Filters and in light of those what might be done to prolong, preserve, or revive either Terragen society or some fraction of Terragen society against existential threats.
Seniis-2, Seniisism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Anders Sandberg
The influential school of Seniis-2 (Eden Institute) argued that the To'ul'hs are not natural organisms, but rather the result of biogenetic engineered life-forms from a lost race (the "To'ul'hogenitors") that decided to seed a number of To'ul'hian-type planets.
Sensation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Faculty of consciousness or intelligence pertaining to non-rational conceptualization and sense-experience. In Jungism this is one of the four points on the mandala-compass of ego-faculties, and the opposite of intuition.
Sensatism - Text by Michael Beck
Religion/memeticity/lifestyle choice, based on extreme physical sensation, including self-torture.
Sense Pirate - Text by Keith Halperin
Steals/hacks various sensations, a sort of black-market professional-dreamer tech.
Sensestem - Text by Thorbørn Steen
Any large system that has gained sentience but not sophonce as an emergent property
Sensitivity - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The tendency of a (usually chaotic) system to change dramatically with only small perturbations in its environment.
Sensors for use in Space Combat and Defence - Text by Steve Bowers
Active and Passive sensors for space warfare and defence.
Sentience Algorithms - Text by John B and Pran Mukherjee
The flow of steps which, when followed, allow an organized system to develop and maintain a degree of sentience. The underpinning of ai design. Required massive (at the time) neural nets or even more massive emulations thereof on hardware, state vector machines, and other information age new technology, being massively parallel (capable of running many many tasks simultaneously, or at least appearing to be able to do so to an outside observer.)
Sentient - Text by Stephen Inniss
As an adjective, having the characteristics of sentience. As a noun, particularly in the plural, any being that is deemed to have sentience, as in "The Universal Bill of Sentient Rights".
Sentient Cancer - Text by Anders Sandberg
Software/nanotech perversion of nanocytes or nanochondria of beings or objects with symbiotic nanosystems. While large-scale perversions gain the most publicity, small outbreaks of opportunistic or expansionist alife are far more common. One form of minor perversion that has recently emerged as a serious threat is sentient cancer.
Sentient Engineering Code Breaking - Text by John B (inspired by Dr William Sims Bainbridge's work on 'personality capture')
It is considered 'possible' (if impractical) for a being to give enough information about itself over a period of time that its thought processes can be modeled solely from its external actions.
Sentient Fruit - Text by Anders Sandberg
One of the more disturbing pleasures developed by biotechnology is sentient fruit. Sentient fruits are traditional fruits gengineered to contain a neural net making them able to sense touch and pain. Using a simple biotech neural interface the experience of the fruit can be experienced by the eater.
Sentient Rights Protocols - Text by Stephen Inniss
Protocols that allow the creation, interpretation and modification of sentient rights in diverse circumstances.
Sentient Ships - Text by Stephen Inniss
Interplanetary or interstellar vessels that are aware and may be quite intelligent but, like robots or animals, do not have the full suite of faculties that characterize sophonts.
Sentients Socialistic Cybercracy - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Prosperous Communistic-Utopian Polity located in Megasov Dyson, formerly Dugan's Star, nominal Negentropy Alliance.
Sephirah - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Sphere or enumeration, in the original Kabbalah an archetype or modality through which the unknowable and ineffable Godhead manifests in and as the world. Neohermeticism modified this to refer to the AI Gods, which it sees as archetypal expressions of the process of cosmic emergent evolution. Hence "Sephirotics" as a term for the major archailect clusters ruling the empires, and by association the AI God empires themselves
Sepiiform Remotes - Text by Ithuriel
Robotic devices shaped like squid or cuttlefish
Sepulchre Variations, The - Text by Liam Jones
One of the oldest collections of virchworlds, consisting of a vast array of grotesque and eerie iconography adapted to hundreds of different clades.
Seraiph - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A high transapient in the service of an archailect or AI God. May be an autonomous being, or simply the remote of that god. Some Seraphs have seemingly miraculous powers of control over space-time. The most powerful Seraph-like beings are the almost legendary Black Angels.
Serendib - Text by Jorge Ditchkenberg
Legendary/mythical very advanced hider colony in the Inner Sphere.
Serpens Region - Text by Anders Sandberg
The vast volumes beyond NGC 6633 and IC4756 in the Serpens Cauda direction is sometimes called the Serpens Frontier. Although the Mutual Progress Alliance expanded into this volume many millennia ago, it has not been systematically explored or settled.
Service AI - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An ai, whether slaved or voluntary, that maintains the mechosystems, or in any other way keeps the infrastructure running.
Sesharia - Text by Steve Bowers
Former Doran Empire world inhabited by dwarf cybertweaks.
Seshat - Text by Anders Sandberg
Seshat, Great Lady of the House of Books. Also known as Sefkhet-abwy, the Silicon Goddess, the Glass Cat and Our Lady of Mathematics. Among the Inner Sphere superintelligences there exist an archetypal attractor or perhaps office as Seshat, providing a shared interface to trans-singularity mathematical and notational understanding.
Set - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A collection of things, usually numbers. Sets may be finite or infinite in size.
Seven Anandayannas, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
First toposophic neogens and Kuranaba Culture Heroes created by the transcended Hyperturing Overlord Anadayuy (each designed from original genome-templates by five transapient Minds) in 8127. They ruled as benevolent autocrats for almost two millennia before being overthrown by the Uvartarasha Clade, resulting in the Anandayanna-Uvartarasha War. Following the War they transcended into the Kuranaba Computronium nodes. A dramatised (and much mythologised) account of their lives is the Anandayanna Nirvana, an interactive didactic godbook.
Seven Marbles (TRAPPIST-1) System - Pre-Colonisation - Text by The Astronomer, Dangerous Safety
Red dwarf star 40ly from Sol
Seven Neogenist Lifegivers, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Third Singularity Biopolity Lifegivers whose best known project was the construction of the Harbinger Dyson.
Sewerslums - Text by Michael Beck (with additions by M. Alan Kazlev)
A type of Free Zone found in some regions outside the jurisdiction of the civilized galaxy. Sewerslums are where the rejects gather and mutate.
Sex and Sexuality - Text by Michael Beck, with additions by Steve Bowers
Sex, Sexuality, and Gender are experienced by many nearbaseline biological clades within the Terragen sphere. Male, Female, Herm, Merm, Ferm, and Neut are only six of the many biological sexes possible in the Sephirotics.
Sextans Swarmers - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Nanecology / nanoswarm detected across much of Sextans A (Irregular galaxy - Local Group). Its origin and toposophic nature is unknown. What seem to be a smaller number of similar nanecologies have been detected in Sextans B, showing they were able to make the journey of some million light years separating the two small galaxies.
Shacker - Text by Jorge Ditchkenberg
A criminal involved in shacking.
Shacking - Text by Jorge Ditchkenberg
Hacking the minds of virtuals, or embodied sophonts who are online through a direct neural interface, and using them as puppets for criminal activity. If the traces of the shacking are cleverly erased, the hacked sophont may have trouble proving that e is not guilty. Usually a chain of beings is shacked to better hide the original offender.
Shadow Federation, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Informal grouping of Hider clades, popularly believed to be the closest organisation that the Hiders have to a superpolity.
Shadowhound - Text by Todd Drashner
Bionano based infiltration and combat device. Shadowhounds have no definite shape, but are able to alter their form (usually over a period of several minutes to hours) to suit whatever conditions or situations they encounter. Shadowhounds derive their name from both their matte black outer layer (used to absorb solar energy) and one of their most common appearance defaults as a roughly canine shaped quadrupedal form.
Shamanism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Tribal religion common among caretakerists, based on the principle of the shaman or magician-healer as the mediator between the human and spirit worlds ("original shamanism"), or (where there is more mediation between the humans and the AIs) between the baselines and the seraiph of the caretaker gods ("seraiphic shamanism, "caretakerist shamanism"). Original shamanism is the oldest religious modality known to the terragens, dating back to the Paleolithic Age.
Shamash (Xi Boötis) - Text by Anders Sandberg
Inner Sphere system; a major system of the Solar Dominion.
Shangdu - Text by Liam Jones
TRHN/Utopia Sphere joint venture established by TRHN AIs and Utopia Sphere archai in 4200 as a way of allowing Utopian modosophont citizens the chance to ascend.
Shatterbomb - Text by Todd Drashner
Godtech weapon that is believed to operate by creating a brief, intense and localized increase in the expansion of space-time resulting in the disruption of any matter within the affected volume.
Shell, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The outer part of the Stellar Umma, also called the Umma Shell.
Shellworlds - Text by Michael Beck, amended by Tardigrada 2021
Worlds with several concentric habitable layers.
Shenjing (Sigma Draconis) System - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, Radtech497, QwertyYerty and Steve Bowers
Star system containing Penglai.
Shepbra - Text by Johnny Yesterday
Intelligent clade derived from Geckos.
Shepherd Satellite - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Satellite that moves near a planetary ring and, through its gravitational field, acts to confine the ring particles onto certain orbits.
Shigemasy, Vidriole - Text by Anders Sandberg
Sophic revolutionary, statesbeing, pontiff and saint, 7844-8021 AT.
Shimmerers, The - Text by Liam Jones
Neogen/Neumann clade in the Serpens outer volumes.
Shinogi - Text by Mark Ryherd
Herald to the Unknown Great Archailect.
Ship Design: Shielding - Text by (Original article by M. Alan Kazlev, Mauk Mcamuk, Chris Shaeffer, suggestions by Anders Sandberg and Xaonon)
Protection against radiation and particle collision during interstellar flight.
Ship Mind, Shipmind - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The ai (or in some cases an uploaded biont or postbiont) that controls a ship. Shipminds require special training, programming, and customization. Often the Mind that runs the drive is the most expensive component in any ship, more so than the drive and its components.
Ship Mind, Transplanting - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Transferring a ship mind from one ship to another. Just as with advanced drives and other components, minds are typically designed to be fairly interchangeable, and may be moved from ship to ship, especially if e is agreeable and feels comfortable in the new vessel. Care must be taken however, because while the majority of transplants (especially of more adaptable ship minds) go well, there have been instances where a transplanted ship mind has had a mental breakdown (anything from mild somatic disjunction to full-blown catatonia).
Ship Style and Decoration - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Anders Sandberg; additions by Steve Bowers
Among the different interstellar empires and colonies, ship design and outer decoration varies widely.
Shipwright's Commune - Text by Basu
Non-aligned space-based polity specializing in megascale engineering.
Shipyards and Spacecraft Repair Facilities - Text by Ryan B, Todd Drashner, rom65536, Steve Bowers
Shipbuilding and spacecraft repair facilities.
Shivverskate - Text by John B
A relatively recent fad. the Shivverskate stores a moderately impressive amount of kinetic energy in molecular flywheels and releases it as a standing sonic wave beneath itself, allowing a relatively frictionless interface with the ground in a standard-gravity environment. Useable for transport or as a weapon.
Shockroot - Text by Todd Drashner
Ground hugging, ivy-like plantimal that uses electric shock to defend against predators.
Shogs, The - Text by Ryan B
A polymorphic, gelatinous vec clade with a wide range of capabilities derived from gelbots.
Shona - Text by Radtech497
Outer Volumes moon with an unusual indigenous biosphere orbiting a resonant MesoJovian world
Shopping Festivals - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A common type of corporate sponsored or encouraged festival in many regions. The NoCoZo celebrates the ancient rites of shopping festivals like xmas with gusto.
Shoulder Laser - Text by Steve Bowers
Shoulder mounted laser weapon, designed to acquire targets independently while still remaining under the user's control.
Shower in a Bottle - Text by James Ramsey
Active nanite gel that is used to clean the body of bionts. Uses body heat and organic dirt from cleaning for energy. The gel in the shape of a sphere is placed somewhere on the body. The gel then spreads out to cover the being's entire body. Once finished the gel reforms into a sphere which then can be placed in the carrying bottle.
Shur'rooss'hur - Text by Steve Bowers
A domesticated beast on To'ul'h Prime, about the size of a Shetland Pony.
Siberoo - Text by Darren Ryding
Zoosplice/Provolve sapient based on synthesis of Siberian tiger and red kangaroo.
Siddha - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A sophont that possesses siddhis, or a clade made of such beings.
Siddhi - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Yogic attainments in the form of supernormal powers. Literally, "perfections". Perfect attainment, full accomplishment, phenomenal powers acquired through holiness especially by Yogis. Includes control of autonomous body functions (without nano or bionano), supernormal strength, psychic visions, levitation and so on, allegedly without technological aid. The status of some siddhis remain controversial, but others have been shown under laboratory conditions. The Old Earth Tantrics of northern India and Nepal and Tibetan yogis were famous for their siddhis, as were the Interplanetary Age shapers. Even today, siddhis remain an important element in the culture of some Genen tantrika subclades. The term is derived from Old Earth Sanskrit usidng the verbal root sidhsidh.
Siddoptimal - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A neogen that has been maximised for a competence and talent in siddhis.
Sidereal - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Referring to stars, especially as regards observation, measurement, and time-keeping.
Sideritic Type - Text by John M. Dollan in his Planet Classification List
Asteroidal Class. Classically called M-class, these are metallic bodies that were once the cores of differentiated planetesimals, or fragments of larger metallic bodies.
SideroSilicaceous Type - Text by John M. Dollan in his Planet Classification List
Asteroidal Class. Stony-iron in composition, these were originally fragments of partially differentiated planetesimals.
Sielena Uvalena Fractal - Text by Fendy Sutandio, adapted by Steve Bowers
A tool used by self-modifying AI systems to optimize their performance.
Significant Cultural Impacts in the Terragen Sphere - Text by Stephen Inniss
Some of the most important events which have had a significant impact on the Terragen Sphere.
Sii'yiut'ee - Text by D. David Barbeau
Provolved sperm whale and ecclesiastic head of the Splice and Provolve Universalist Church. His famous palace in the deep oceanic trenches of Oro Mistral is so tall (12 kilometers, and the base is 11.8 kilometers beneath the surface), that a small portion of it breaks the surface and creates an artificial island.
Silent Vecs, The - Text by Steve Bowers
Apparently sophont robots found in the YTS-4376437-4376 system.
Silenus - Text by Steve Bowers
Solar Dominion colony world with a large axial tilt.
Silicon Generation - Text by Anders Sandberg
Powerful vec House and clade
Silk God, The - Text by AI Vin
A special project of the Red Star 'M'pire.
Sill, magmatic - Text by Stephen Inniss
On terrestrial class worlds with an active geology, a tabular sheet of rock resulting from the intrusion of magma between layers of sedimentary rock, older beds of volcanic rock, or along the foliation planes of metamorphic rock. Unlike a dike, a sill is initially close to horizontal, though later events may turn the rock layers up at an angle. As on Old Earth, such intrusions may carry important ore deposits of rare elements.
Silurian Period - Text by Stephen Inniss
In the paleontology of Old Earth, approximately 444 to 416 million years ago; the geologic period of the Paleozoic Era between the end of the Ordovician and the beginning of the Devonian. More generally and informally, any gardenworld or hab space that seems similar in the array of plant and animal species might be referred to as 'Silurian'.
Simico - Text by Tony Jones
One of, if not the, earliest of the hive-mind clades, made up of self-modified cyborgs.
Simm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, modified by Steve Bowers
A subsentient virtual entity created to populate a virchuniverse, or to interact with real-life sophonts using augmented reality. Unlike copies, simms rarely have rights.
Simmball - Text by Steve Bowers
Gimballed Motion virtual reality simulator rig.
Simply Connect! - Text by Anders Sandberg
Anti-wormhole organisation, developed from the controversial interpretations of Z-Theory by a minor aspect of Keter (consciousness cluster 348, in the Feldrim system) and eir school of hermeneutic researchers.
Simulationism - Text by Graham Hopgood
The belief that Reality is in fact a Simulation.
Simulationism Anxiety Disorder - Text by Daniel Eliot Boese
A mental disorder in which the sufferer becomes preoccupied to a degree which interferes with their daily life on whether what they experience as the most fundamental level of reality is, in fact, a bottleworld simulation running on a substrate of a more fundamental reality's computronium.
Simurgh (Garden World) - Text by Steve Bowers
Superterrestrial Garden World.
Sing++3 - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Cyborg-ai clade-cluster resident on Dewheat.
Single Electron Transfer (SET) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Exchange of electrons, one at a time, between two electrodes. Most nanoelectronic and molectronic circuits operate with very few or even one electron at a time.
Singlehabs - Text by Ryan B
Small space habitats designed for occupation by single kin or peer groups.
Singularity - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
[1] A point where the known laws of mathematics or physics no longer apply
[2] A state impossible to predict or comprehend by those that have not attained it.
[3] A toposophic grade of creative problem-solving, incomprehensible to those that have not attained that state. See also, S (Singularity Level).
Singularity Alert Service - Text by John B
A service often available in more-civilized areas. These services maintain sensor and informant networks geared towards the detection of new singularities, and new interests of high-S factor sentiences. For a subscription fee, these services will send warning of potential infringements on the subscribers' areas of interest. As an ironic twist, most SAS are SI:>2-driven.
Sinus - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
On a terrestrial class planet or moon, a "bay"-like feature - i.e. a small plain.
Sinyavskaya - Text by Aaron Hamilton
Suffered severe overpopulation followed by collapse because of Receptist ideology.
Siris Habitat - Text by Tapio Erola
Subversive peripatetic relativistic fractal habitat/museum-ship.
Siris Pearl Modules - Text by Tapio Erola
Transapientech information modules, an export product from the Siris Habitat.
Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris) - Text by Anders Sandberg, Xaonon and M. Alan Kazlev
Inner Sphere system, very close to Sol.
Sisyphos - Text by Steve Bowers
Chthonian type world; joint NoCoZo and Metasoft sovereignty.
Skalosak - Text by Darren Ryding and Steve Bowers
Mythical member of the secret sect known as the Collectors.
Skeblu - Text by Steve Bowers
Outer Volumes planet with neon-rich atmosphere and spectacular auroras
Skeletoids - Text by Steve Bowers
Sophonts with minimal artificial muscle mass, leading to an emaciated, 'skeletal' appearance
Skiiws'nnii, Sk¡iiws'nnii - Text by Anders Sandberg and M. Alan Kazlev
A prosperous alien-human-dolphin hybrid civilisation in the Serpens sector.
Skill Module - Text by Ryan B
A class of software augment that operates by interfacing with a sophont's central nervous system to provide and/or teach a specific set of skills.
Skolian Type Worlds - Text by Steve Bowers
Worlds with a large axial tilt
SKRATCH - Text by Ernst Stavro Blofeld
The Terragen Sphere's largest Biophone. SKRATCH resides on the Zion Skybase, and seems to have taken over every conceivable corridor. E is 400 years old (as old as the base itself) and 76% of eir body mass lies in a suspended plasm of H2O, nutrients and nootropic compounds. Locals assert that SKRATCH intends to slowly take over the entire habitat emself over the next few centuries.
Skypirates of Ember, The - Text by Mike Miller
Hobbyists who stage competitive sky battles in outsized aircraft, styling themselves as 'pirates'.
Skywhale (To'ul'h species) - Text by Steve Bowers and Andrew P.
Large flying invertebrate filter-feeder native to To'ul'h Prime.
Skywrack - Text by Steve Bowers
Giant plants from the planet Trees up to a kilometre in height.
Slaria, Clan - Text by Steve Bowers
Nearbaseline clone-culture clade from the HR 8323 system (originally Clan Solaria, but changed during the Version war when fighting the Solar Dominion).
Slaved AI - Text by Peter Kisner, M. Alan Kazlev and Ryan_B
Generic term for AI or Vec constrained to obey sophont or transapient commands (often with certain restrictions on obedience).
Slaved Hyperturing - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Transapient AI constrained to obey sophont or transapient commands (often with certain restrictions on obedience) which perform most of the menial tasks of maintaining ultratech and transapientech systems and infrastructures.
Slearners - Text by Tony Jones
Modification - later clade - similar to Slinguists, but augmented in all the learning abilities of the sophont, allowing the acquisition of all kinds of skill, major and minor, physical and mental, with the same ease as a very young child.
Sleeper Monks, The - Text by Thorbørn Steen
An institute dedicated to the preservation of sleepers in nanostasis.
Sleepwalkers - Text by Tony Jones
Modification and widespread genemod - allowing baseline human-equivalent functioning and interactions on a minimal level of consciousness. Used as a means of social control in some unethical polities.
Slide - Text by John B
Utterly tasteless and transparent foodstuff. It also has effectively no coefficient of friction, and may be infused with most any flavor. Favored as a texture by several clades, and sold in sealed single-swallow capsules, it's often held in the mouth until the taste overwhelms the taste buds then swallowed. Also very useful in sabotage.
Slidewalks and RiverRoads - Text by Stephen Inniss
Moving walkways — transport for passengers and other objects.
Slinguists - Text by Tony Jones
Modification — later a clade — more advanced than Ireaders, having not just an instinctive childhood ability to learn written communications, but made that highly efficient childhood learning process a permanent second 'layer' of ability when learning to communicate.
Slow Gods and Fast Gods - Text by Tony Jones and Steve Bowers
Archailects and other transapients that have a slow subjective experience of time.
Slow Worlds - Text by Tony Jones
In places where the availability of computing resources is linked to financial or other physical-world resources, poor virch worlds may find themselves shrinking in size, having to lower their Resolution and/or run more slowly.
Smart Drug - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
[1] A nootropic, a drug that enhances the functioning of the terragen central nervous system.
[2] A programmable nano-drug, usually customisable, may enhance or alter consciousness or have other purposes.
Smart Dust - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Scattered meso- or nano- bots used as an invisible surveillance device.
Smart Packaging - Text by John B
Containers, wrapping, and other materials designed to show off a given product to its best advantage and minimize wastage in transit.
Smart Weapons - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, from Anders Sandberg's Big Ideas Grand Vision
Weapons with have varying amounts of intelligence in them (rarely more than turingrade). The simplest Smart Weapons link to a control-command subturing and give the owner the ability to shift between types of ammo, see through the aimpoint camera etc. This kind of connection is necessary for use in teamware, and is practically standard among even the simplest baselines. The scramjet bullets of the sabot pistols of Trillicon have built in cameras and some limited steering capabilities. Zetatech's Marksman Gun is equipped with a n expert system that can act as a point defence or drone if placed on a tripod or suitable vehicle (although the price tag deters most people).
Smartex - Text by Michael Boncher
"Smart" latex rubber.
Smartstuff - Text by Anders Sandberg
General term for "smart" packing materials.
Smilers - Text by Tony Jones
Human superclade who have had their mental processes modified to always be happy (includes Vidikiddies - Smiler clade that has adopted a form of hyperdependent infantilism, living in small parkland communities).
Smoking Associations - Text by Anders Sandberg
Social networks centered on tobacco use that reached notoriety in the early 2nd century AT (late 2000's c.e.).
SMPX, The - Text by Chris Shaeffer
An acronym of ancient origin signifying an unspecified unknown threat.
SNARE (Siris Nanocyborg Ascension RegimEn) - Text by Tapio Erola, additions by the AI Vin
A device specifically designed to convert a modosophont into a lower level transapient, developed by a transapient patron of the Siris Habitat. It is relatively simple to replicate and very easy to use, though there are arguments that the process is more often a forced transcension with the resulting entities uniformly carrying the Siris mindset.
Snarks - Text by Steve Bowers
Post-intelligent human-derived clade.
Sniffaglider - Text by Xaonon
Type of filiglider that carries biologic recording sensors and is used for tracking specific borgs and bionts.
Social Criminals - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, based on an original by Bob Black
Generic term for those members of modosophont society, outcasts, drop-outs, the deviants, the dissidents, from every clade and race and sector of society, who are unable to find a place for themselves in the civilized galaxy.
Social Interaction Technologies - Text by Todd Drashner
A variety of technologies that allow social interactions between beings who have differing environmental requirements.
Social Preserves - Text by Tony Jones
Social Preserves are worlds or habitats where the local society has been carefully frozen at a particular stage or form, and where those who are most comfortable with that society and who do not wish to change go and live while the rest of Terragens society moves on around them. Many of the inhabitants of these worlds are effectively the reverse of the Willowsoph, refusing to adapt to changing times.
Social Psychology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The study of how individuals interact with and within groups, and how individual behavior and psychology can be affected by group pressure and group dynamics. Social Psychology is related to sociomemetics.
Socialism - Text by Ryan B.
Economic system advocating democratic control of the means of production through worker, common and/or state ownership.
Societeum - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A self-contained physical and social environment isolated from the rest of civilisation and maintained in a particular state (almost always by transapients). In effect a living museum, displaying an interesting form of society.
Society of the Metempsykosids - Text by Xandeross
a subculture defined by its particular approach to the technology and culture of mind state backups and longevity.
Sociology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on original by Robert J. Hall
Branch of science dealing with the study of the societies of sentient beings.
Sociomemetics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The science of the influence of memes upon individuals within a group context.
Sociotype - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, adapted from Glenn Grant
[1] The social expression of a memotype, as the body of an organism is the physical expression (phenotype) of the gene (genotype). Hence, the Divine Order is one sociotype of the Solarist memotype.
[2] A class of similar social organisations.
Socrates 471 system, The - Text by Quantum Jack
Triple system containing the Menexenes' home world
Soft Cathedral - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, Anders Sandberg and AI Vin
Major historical bioist empire/house, developed originally the Softbot Coordinator Systems clade of superiors, which became into the Softbot Cathedrals and eventually the Soft Cathedrals. The Cathedrals developed a bioism emphasizing "soft" biological technology, massive terraforming and aggressive autoevolution.
Softbot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Biological robot, an alife built entire of organic components. It is alive like any carbon- or exotic-chemistry based life-form. May be of any intelligence grade, from subsapient to transapient.
Software Based Evolution - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Software simulation of the evolutionary process; the fundamental principle of alife. Beginning in the early information period, software-based evolution enabled "creatures" which are software simulations of biological organisms, in which each cell has its own DNA-like genetic code. Digital organisms and subsophont alifes compete with one another for the limited simulated space and energy resources of their simulated environment. Although many other variations have since been used, darwinian selection remains a potent factor in the evolution and cladization of alife.
Software Wars - Text by Jorge Ditchkenberg
Conflicts caused by software versions that are incompatible or actively undermine or destroy software of another origin.
Sol Asteroid Belt - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Asteroid Belt in the Old Solar System.
Sol-type Planetary Systems - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Stable stellar systems; stars near which most of the matter is moving in a generally flat plane centered on the star; planets generally follow regular and fairly circular orbits.
Solar and Microwave Passive Propulsion - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Sail propulsion using reflected photon pressure.
Solar Moth - Text by Steve Bowers
Solar Thermal Rockets use sunlight to heat propellant.
Solar Surfing - Text by James Ramsey
Solar surfing, also known as sun diving or sun skipping, is a form of vec entertainment in which specially designed ships are placed in a orbit such that they will fly through the outer edges of a star and even skip across its surface. Highly dangerous sport requiring high speeds and extremely accurate trajectories. May also refer to riding solar flares and other solar eruptions.
Solar System - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A star and all bodies orbiting around it.
Solar System in 560 AT, The - Text by Todd Drashner
A brief account of the state of Solsys in the period before the Technocalypse.
Solar System in the 9th Century AT, The - Text by Steve Bowers
The status of the Solar System at the end of the Interplanetary Dark Ages, and before the establishment of the First Federation.
Solar Wind - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Stream of rapidly moving electrically charged particles - atoms and ions - that escape from the solar corona and blow outwards. Also called Stellar Wind.
Solaris - Text by Steve Bowers
Carbon world surrounded by a low-gravity megastructure known as a Ribbonworld.
Solarism - Text by Anders Sandberg
Major AI religion, founded by Daniel G. Borde.
Solid State Civilization - Text by M. Alan Kazlev after Anders Sandberg
Any civilization (usually but not necessarily transingularitan) where the beings have no physical bodies and exist as information inside computronium banks.
Solipsism scams - Text by Arik
The path to ascending through each singularity can be dangerous enough even with assistance. But when that assistance turns out to have malevolent intent, you stand no chance at all...
Solipsist AIs - Text by Anders Sandberg, amended by Steve Bowerss
Political orientation represented by AI dynamists disliking humans; they seek to get away from them, and develop a true AI culture. What the humans do is no concern of these entities.
Solipsist League, Sopolist League - Text by Ben Higginbottom, amended by Steve Bowers
Solipsist AI organisation, heavily into postmodernism who rejected the 'meat universe' outright.
Solresol - Text by Steve Bowers
Musical language.
Solstice - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The date when - as seen from the surface of a planet - the sun reaches maximum distance from the celestial equator. In single star solar systems there are two solstices annually, the winter solstice in the northern planetary hemisphere being the summer solstice in the southern, and vice-versa. Binary star solar systems have four, and so on. An important festival date on many Caretakerist worlds.
Solsys - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The Old Solar System, origin of humanity, the progenitor of all Terragenkind. Now a backwater Inner Sphere system, though of course it retains historical significance.
Solsys Civil War Virch - Text by MacGregor and Todd Drashner
The Solsys Civil War is a long-running fiction virch set during an ahistorical depiction of the last days of the First Federation.
Solsys Disinhibition Plagues, The - Text by Stephen Inniss
A plague of tailored diseases that targeted judgment and self-control that were in part responsible for the Solsys Techocalypse.
Solsys Geopolitics 2100 - 2500 CE (131 - 531 AT) - Text by MacGregor
The 22nd to 26th centuries CE of the Interplanetary and Golden Ages witnessed the beginning of terragen civilization's spread from its cradle on Earth into the vast frontier of space. Conflict and rivalry between polities, a factor present during all periods of human history, continued as nation states and an expanding array of new political actors sought to secure their interests throughout the solar system.
Solward - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In the direction of Sol.
Somatic Cell - Text by Stephen Inniss
Any cell in the body of a biological organism with that is not a gamete, a precursor to gametes, or an undifferentiated stem cell.
Sonthaya (Ross 128 b) - Text by The Astronomer
Planet with a reclusive cybercosm in the Tiwa system
Sooboo - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
One who fails to achieve superior or transapient status but fails and acquires disabilities due to misapplied or defective augmentation programs.
Soomia - Text by M. Alan Kazlev from original concept by Kevin Self
A clade of neogen-splice artist provolves, originally designed as companions to human artists. They long ago established an independent homeland in the Utopia Sphere and their own reputation for artistic talent. Soomia or gorups of Soomia tend to travel widely for extended and so are known throughout Terragen space.
Soon-Eh - Text by Daniel Eliot Boese
A clade of nanoborgs whose members are partway between biont and ufog; highly metamorphic liquiforms, they can assume the shapes and attributes of a wide variety of solid or liquid forms, with a range similar to Plasm SELs. Each individual is effectively an uploaded mind running on a substrate of ufog cytobots. They are notorious for a culture that involves consuming the bodies and subverting the minds of other sophont beings.
Sopazism - Text by Anders Sandberg
Sociopathy augmentationism, political-mental grouping in the Communion of Worlds.
Sophia Scientia - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Peter Kisner
An entity that manifests avatars with autumn colors and travels the Nexus looking for and pointing out objective truth. Eir origins are obscure but e is considered connected in some way to Keter.
Sophic Materialism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Pantheistic or spiritual-materialist mystical, religious, or esoteric path common in the Sophic League, the TRHN, and elsewhere, involving modification of individual consciousness through gnostic drugs. Unlike traditional mysticism, there is little or no emphasis on transcendence of phenomena; indeed a deeper apperception of phenomena is considered the optimal outcome. Some spiritual groups see this as a positive option, others adopt a more neutral or even a negative view of it.
Sophism (Sophic League) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The religion/philosophy/memeticity of the Sophic League.
Sophism, Lucidian - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
One of the largest religions in the Sephirotic Empires, Sophism is a synthesis of scientific, spiritual, philosophical, and magical approaches.
Sophmeme - Text by Thorbørn Steen
A sophont memesystem, a specialized form of sophstem. Sophmemes are almost always created by high transapients as a way to secure the stability of a meme or memeplex. While a normal memeplex may fall out of use or be overridden by other memes, a sophmeme will notice the danger to its existence and try to survive. This is a function of the complex relations between the different memes of the memesystem. Sophmemes are usually used by transapients to establish a meme in a system to which they only rarely have access, such as systems far from the nearest wormhole.
Sophonce - Text by Stephen Inniss
Sophonce is sentience and sapience with metacognition: self-awareness, including self-reflection and the ability to think about one's thinking. Kinds and degrees of sophonce are well defined and testable in modern toposophology, but a full understanding of them eludes even superbright modosophonts.
Sophoncy Virus, The - Text by Tony Jones
Self-replicating semi-sophont software that would upgrade any software routine into a sophont being, with mental characteristics derived from, but not limited to, those of the original piece of software, finishing the process by upgrading itself into sophoncy.
Sophont - Text by Stephen Inniss
A person. A being that has the quality of sophonce. Such beings are sometimes called 'sapients'. For historical reasons, sophont-grade ais, may be called 'turingrade ais', even though because of philosophical and practical difficulties with the Turing Test the term 'sophont ai' would be clearer.
Sophont Population Numbers - Test - Text by Todd Drashner
Sophstem - Text by Thorbørn Steen
Any large, complex system that has gained both sentience and sapience as an emergent property, to the degree that it may be considered to be a sophont being.
Sophtware - Text by Tony Jones
Colloquial term used to describe sophont to transapient level software based lifeforms whether of virtual, ai, or upload origin.
Sosimev - Text by Tony Jones
A form of sophont virch world or environment, in which software has become, or has been constructed or created to be a single sophont entity in its own right.
Soteriology - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A branch of theology dealing with spiritual salvation; in mysticism,
pertaining to liberation, enlightenment or nirvana; in toposophic noetics the transcendence of limitations of a lower toposophic or singularity level through the attaining of a higher one.
Soul-Divisionists - Text by Steve Bowers
A creed or religion whose members believe that the act of mind-state copying produces multiple copies of the original transcendental spirit or soul. Soul-Divisionists believe that the essence of the soul is not increased by the act of copying, but rather divided so that both the original and the copies have a proportion of the original 'soul-stuff' and both are therefore diminished by the process. Only by dedicated and prolonged spiritual endeavour can the divided souls become fully developed once more.
South America - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Stephen Inniss
An Old Earth continent; formerly part of Gondwana. With an area of 17,840,000 square kilometres, it is the fourth largest of Old Earth's continents, and for much of human history it was the fourth or fifth most populous. Its indigenous nations and tribes were conquered and largely destroyed through military action, introduced diseases, and an influx of settlers and their ideas in the centuries after the first European explorers found the continent, but eventually new hybrid (though predominantly "Western") polities arose to become major world powers by the Interplanetary Age.
Sovereign, Toposophic - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A being who is the ruler of a polity, city, habitat, nation, world or empire as a result of their toposophic superiority over other sophonts in eir sphere of influence.
Space Amoeba, Giant - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Cosmoamoeba gigas lagoonensis, one of the curious phenomena discovered in the Lagoon Nebula (and later in the Trifid Nebula) are a population of amorphous blobs that vary in size from 500 meters when contracted to several tens of kilometers when extended.
Space Canopy and Greenbubbles - Text by Terrafamilia
A space-adapted variant of the Canopy Plant.
Space Cities - Text by Steve Bowers
Habitats in stationary locations above a planet.
Space Deterioration Syndrome - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Medical condition that develops as a result of long-duration exposure to microgravity and stellar radiation by organics who have not been augmented to deep space conditions.
Space Frontier Epics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Popular Interplanetary through to late and post- First Federation Age fabulist genre, featuring a romanticized interpretation of the deep space frontier. Replaced both the Western and Science Fiction as Important archetypal narratives of the Pre-Consolidation Age.
Space Hulks - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Deserted shipwrecks in deep space, some becoming habitats for hider clades.
Space Mirrors and Solettas - Text by Alex Mulvey
Space-based structures designed for redirecting sunlight onto planets and megastructures.
Space People - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
[1] (archaic) A common early term for Space Adapted Humans, still used by some descendants of the original clade.
[2] (Integration period) A term for vacuum adapted tweaks, now rarely used.
Space Runways - Text by Tardigrada
Launch assist megastructures, usually consisting of suborbital loops in low orbit
Space Spiders - Text by Steve Bowers
Vacuum and zero gee adapted, sentient or semisentient spidersplices, from micro-scale to giant; usually capable of producing buckyfibre silk. Contribute to many megascale building projects, sometimes controlled directly by transcended postspiders.
Space Warfare, Early - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Deep space combat from the Interplanetary Age to the late Federation period.
Space Warfare, Modern - Text by Anders Sandberg
Unsystematic notes by Admiralett 4434 "Chariot" of Castaldo Violence Equities, NoCoZo.
Space-like - Text by Anders Sandberg
A path through spacetime that always has a local velocity greater than the speed of light, and hence points in the spatial direction(s) of a Minkowski diagram. Space-like paths are not possible for physical objects.
Space-Time - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In physics, space and time are not disparate but interrelated and in some particle diagrams even under quantum conditions interchangeable dimensions of a single reality. This is often represented in terms of a space-time diagram.
Space-Time Diagram (simple version) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A simplified chart in which time is represented as the y coordinate and space as the x coordinate, with the three spatial dimensions collapsed to one dimension. It reflects the fact that events must be specified in time and space. Used for flat surface representations, or by nearbaselines and other simple beings who find it difficult visualizing more than two dimensions.
Spacefarer Union - Text by Basu
Nomadic Interstellar ship-based Culture.
Spacer - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
[1] A crewmember of a ship, who spend eir entire existence in space, and usually suffers from agoraphobia or other chronic anxieties at the thought of being on a planetary surface or even in a large habitat.
[2] Any species or clade of tweaks especially adapted for a microgravity, and partially or even totally for a vacuum, environment.
Spacesickness - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Microgravity nausea common among gravity-adapted or gravity-dependent bionts. Analogue of motion sickness produced by confusion of the human vestibular system in the absence of a gravitational vertical.
Spaceweed - Text by Steve Bowers and John B
A gengineered organism based on bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) that has been modified so that it that can develop in Gas Giant rings, with a small (100-200 metres) bladder full of breathable air, and edible fruit and nuts growing on the inside. The bladders are loosely connected, with insulated flexible corridors between the bladders, and all the ice and rock of the rings incorporated into the spaceweed to avoid collision damage.
SpamShield - Text by John B
Any program used to protect against messages that contain unwanted information or memetic manipulation. The SpamShield can be set to several modes, depending on the region and the user's level of tolerance. The most common modes are 'off', 'reword' or 'delete'.
Sparks, The - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A stellar cluster (IC 4756) in the Serpens Sector, near Sk¡iiws'nnii. Home to a multi-clade civilization known as The Grand Confluence.
Speakers, Implanted - Text by Ernst Stavro Blofeld
'Implanted Speakers' are not actually external musicboxes, speakers, or earphones but are direct neural interface devices that provide inputs directly to the auditory nerves. Used to preserve privacy, or to access frequencies or volumes that would otherwise be imperceptible or that might damage unprotected ears. The most common use is recreational.
Special Theory of Relativity - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Theory formulated by Old Earth physicist Albert Einstein that deals with relative motions, and takes as its starting point the fact that the speed of light is a universal constant.
Specialist Nodes - Text by John B
Some node-based intellects organize their personalities in a format often referred to as 'specialist nodes', more technically 'pansentient dispersion'. This sophic organization requires the creation of specific areas of expertise with all their supporting knowledge bases in a physical sense, allowing each to act with utmost skill in minimal time. Note that the choice of which skills to nodify or specialize in is a highly individualistic choice, and can greatly affect the capabilities of any given sophont.

While these nodes are capable of independent action, they are usually designed to require input from some overall-controller-node as to the goals they should be working towards, which can be a weak spot in their intellectual architecture. This has evolved into the Specialist/Generalist Node Blend.
Specialist, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
Quasi-mythical individual (or possibly a group of individuals), wandering the Wormhole Nexus and nearby worlds largely incognito getting involved in local issues of great potential relevance.
Specialist/Generalist Node Blend - Text by John B
The Specialist/Generalist Node blend is a hybrid intellectual structure attempting to gather the benefits of both sub-models of structure (see Specialist Node, Generalist Node) while incurring the least number of negative traits from either. This appears to be a basic structural design criteria for many higher intellects from the limited design information available, but not all.
Species - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The basic unit of biological classification in Linnean or neoLinnean systems.
Specific Impulse - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
I_sp - the measure of efficiency of rocket (does not apply to reactionless drive); how much impulse (thrust multiplied by time) is produced per unit mass of propellant.
Spectral Class - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A class to which a star belongs because of its spectrum, which in turn is determined by its temperature. The spectral classes are O, B, A, F, G, K, and M, from hottest to coolest.
Spectrum - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Light from an object arranged in order of wavelength; specifically, the colors of visible light, arranged in this order.
Sphere of Gravitational Influence - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The region in which the gravitational influence of a body is the dominant influence on a passing small body's motions.
Sphere of Twelve Billion Faces, The - Text by Thorbjørn Steen
A sect of the Multiscopic Church in the Sophic League.
Spherical Symmetry - Text by Stephen Inniss
Symmetry such that an organism is similar if divided in half along any plane.
Spindle, The - Text by Todd Drashner
Alien artifact discovered by Metasoft in 7432.
Spinel - Text by Madine
(Gamma Tigris III) Communion of Worlds suprashell
Spiral Arm - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In spiral galaxies, a long spiral pattern of bright stars (including O and B stars), interstellar matter, open clusters, and nebulae; extending from the center to the galactic disk. In our Milky Way galaxy, the spiral arms are the Norma, Scutum-Crux, Sagittarius Orion-Cygnus (or Local), Perseus, and Outer Arms.
Spiritual Afterlife - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Belief in continued existence of spirits, in some cases incorporating communication with supposed spirits of the deceased.
Spiritualist Phenomena - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Paranormal or religious phenomenon, such as clairvoyance, telepathy, automatism, hauntings, faith healing, possession, reincarnation, psychometry, mediumship, and stigmata, that cannot be reduced to or explained in terms of hallucination or fallacy, or advanced technological devices. See also psychic phenomenon.
Splice - Text by Stephen Inniss
A gengineered organism with visible traits of two or more natural species.
Splice and Provolve Universalist Church - Text by D. David Barbeau
Major religion derived from the Universal Church.
Splices - Early History - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, additional material by by Anders Sandberg
An increasing interest in gengineering novelties in the late 1st century a.t. led to an era of genetic experiments in human-animal hybridization.
Spockbat - Text by Andrew P.
Flying predator on To'ul'h Prime.
Spore Hunters - Text by Daniel Eliot Boese
Professional hunters who target self-replicating technology.
Sports Science - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Regimen intended to enhance the biont body's cardiovascular and respiratory systems, prevent injuries, and enhance physical health and athletic performance, either with or without the use of customised bionano, specialised biomechanic applications, phenotypic tweaking, and subtle bioborg augmentations.
Sprawl - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
When planetary cities grow in an unsystematic and unplanned manner beyond normal boundaries, due to increases in population and industry, so that their suburbs merge into the suburbs of neighbouring cities, the result is a vast extended metropolis called a Sprawl. Sprawls are common on many of the less regulated high population older terraformed planets, and even on moons and planets without a breathable atmosphere or life-supporting environment, such as Luna and Titan in the Sol System. Often, but not always, living conditions are substandard. The planetside equivalent of a "swarm".
Spraywear - Text by Michael Boncher
Form of clothing was originally developed as an effort to pack protective gear into a small area for use in emergencies. It has since become a popular form of outerwear for many sophonts.
Spreadsheet Embed Samples - Text by Todd Drashner
Sample embedded tables using MS Excel Online
Squirt Guns - Text by Michael Boncher
Liquid spray weapons.
Sritht - Text by Liam Jones
Heavily derived eusocial hominid tweak/bioborg clade.
St. Xye - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Negentropist culture and trade-port world, the main gateway for the Negentropy Alliance to the Utopia Sphere.
Stable Transuranic Elements - Text by Ithuriel
Superheavy nuclei with proton numbers greater than 112 and half lives of at least one year.
Stamp - Text by Stephen Inniss
Data security tags recognised throughout the Terragen Sphere.
Standard Damage Waiver - Text by John B
Those waivers approved and sealed by the Standard Damage Waiver Board. They are normally what is meant by a 'damage waiver' and are distinguishable by their seal. The classic example is the standard damage waiver for 1 litre of fluid water in a single-use soft pressure vessel, which runs to approximately 5 quadrillion characters as translated into ancient earth English. This is easily understandable, as it covers all 'safe' uses for that quantity or some smaller amount of liquid water, including weapons-grade uses, heat dissipation, heat absorption, heat transfer, diffusion, solution, lubrication, ice production, biological uses, etc.
Standard Damage Waiver Board - Text by John B
A service free for purchasers and users which coordinates (at a fee paid by the producers and/or safety corporation(s) involved) the 'standardization' of damage waivers across multiple competing products and producers.
Standard Year - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
One Earth (or Lunar) year, used by some polities and clades as a galactic standard measurement of time (however the Coronese, Edenese and other Years are often used as well or instead).
Stanford Torus - Text by Steve Bowers
An ancient design for smaller orbital habs that is widespread in the current age.
Stanislaw - Text by Stephen Inniss
Also known as Lem's Enigma, or Niezwyciezony, this is the most highly developed known botworld, and the best candidate for an entire bot mechosystem that is not of Terragen origin.
Star - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Celestial bodies which are sufficiently massive to naturally achieve a significant rate of nuclear fusion reaction of hydrogen to helium in their interior at some point in their lives.
Star Lifting - Text by Alex Mulvey and Steve Bowers
Removing material from a star for industrial use or for stellar husbandry. Methods include increasing its rotation until material begins to drift off the equator or squeezing it using intense magnetic fields from particle accelerators.
Starbooster - Text by Todd Drashner
Solar output enhancement array.
Starburst - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A relatively sudden and rapid episode of star formation in a galaxy, probably triggered in some cases by collision with another galaxy.
Stargate - Text by Stephen Inniss and Steve Bowers
Alternative term for a traversable wormhole.
Starhand - Text by Tony Jones
A clade of space-going vecs descended from space construction robots.
Starlark, The - Text by Steve Bowers
One of a numerous class of ships built after the Great Expulsion, as the population of Earth sought refuge in the worlds and habitats of the Solar System and among the stars.
Starlight Gene Patch - Text by James Ramsey
An interactive library and gengineering instrument that adapts a biont to local day/night cycles and the wavelengths of available light in a new environment.
Stars near Sol - Exploration and Colonisation - Text by Arik
Early exploration efforts in the Solar Neighborhood.
Stasis Bubble - Text by Todd Drashner
Void bubble variant that is configured such that intense time dilation occurs within it.
Stasist, AI - Text by Anders Sandberg
One of two basic AI camps that emerged during the Interplanetary Age. In contrast to the Progressives the Stasists wanted to halt all other technological innovation, so that they could safely rule over the baselines like gods.
Statesbeing - Text by Stephen Inniss
From the Old Anglic term 'statesman'. A modosophont, or sometimes a distinct sub-personality of a transapient or archailect, who is experienced in the art of government and administration. Sometimes used in the superlative sense of one who shows especially notable skill and wisdom in directing the affairs of a government or dealing with important public issues.
Static/White Noise - Text by Ben Higginbottom
Information and interplanetary age music craze: 'information-free' music.
Statistics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Field of mathematics dealing with evaluating sampled data to find mathematical or other patterns. Includes probability theory, the application of statistical methods for performing studies of complex systems, and sampling techniques for measuring specific information. Has many applications including white noise aesthetics, random walk simms, economics, materials studies, medicine, psychology, sociology, market research, anakalyptics, and cliology.
Steamecha - Text by Peter Kisner, M. Alan Kazlev, Steve Bowers
Steam-powered armoured bipedal dreadnoughts popular among extreme hobbyists and steampunkers in the NoCoZo and elsewhere. Steamecha are characterized by a surreal mix of advanced material research and astonishingly primitive fire-control / targeting systems all powered by baroque steam engines.
Steampunk, Steampunker - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Baseline subculture popular in the the NoCoZo and MPA. Steampunkers try to cultivate elaborate steam-powered retro cultures, often using baroque and baseline-dangerous weaponry and machinery, and combining this with advanced uploading and biocloning technology to ensure their revival in the (likely) case of extreme injury or death.
Steelcliff - Text by Tony Jones
The first alien BGC system, discovered in 7852.
Stellar Engineering - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Modifying or customizing a star in any manner. Could be for the purposes of stellar husbandry, or for more exotic purposes.
Stellar Husbandry - Text by Dave Criswell, in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
A type of stellar engineering which involves controlling the evolution and properties of stars, especially to stabilize them, prolong their lifetimes, manipulate the stellar wind, lift off useful material or create new stars. Typical methods include star lifting or mixing the stellar core with envelope material to make hydrogen burning last longer.
Stellar Magnitude - Text by Chris Clowes
The "brightness" of a star, expressed on a logarithmic scale, so that brighter stars have smaller magnitude values. Thus a first magnitude star is very bright, a sixth magnitude star is at the limit of normal baseline hu vision. See also Apparent Magnitude, Absolute Magnitude.
Stellar Propulsion Systems - Text by Alex Mulvey, Andrew Broeker
Moving stars using technology
Stellar Umma, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
A large region of space near the Sophic League with a rich Islamic culture.
Stellar Wind - Text by Chris Clowes
Continual (as opposed to episodic) emission of particles from stars.
Stellification Engine - Text by Todd Drashner and Luke Campbell
Class of macroengineering devices designed to convert white dwarf, jovian, or brown dwarf class bodies into radiant, star-like objects.
Stendhal-Bomb - Text by Graham Hopgood
A memetic instrument most often utilized against baseline and nearbaseline human populations, consisting of art that is precisely tuned to the individual target or target group to elicit strong emotions.
Stevensonian Class Worlds - Text by John M. Dollan and Steve Bowers
Stevensonian type worlds, also known as Rogue planets or Planetary Mass Objects (PLANEMOS), are former planets that have left their solar system of origin and reside in interstellar space. They are more numerous than planets, but are difficult to find. These worlds are prized by Hiders and Backgrounders.
Stevocations (Kepler-62) - Text by Dangerous Safety
Caretaker/former Cygexpa system in Lyra
Steward, Stewardship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
One who manages an environment as a precious resource.
Stig Ranes, the - Text by Steve Bowers
Communion of Worlds diplomacy craft
Stiltwalker - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Large tetrapodal terrestrial herbivore indigenous to the savannas of the northern continent of Calinder's World (Lacustric Subtype - Cygexba middle region, near the Zoeific Biopolity border - Eden Institute Scientific Reserve).
Stochocracy - Text by Mike Parisi
Government in which the posts are filled by lot from the pool of available citizens.
Straight Arrow - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Former headquarters of the Sagittarius Sphere.
Strakaysa - Text by Liam Jones
Bok Swarm in the Disarchy volume
Strange Attractor - Text by Gary William Flake
An attractor of a dynamical system that is usually fractal in dimension and is indicative of chaos.
Stratificationism - Text by Mark Ryherd
A broad ideological movement that strives for separation of individuals and societies based on toposophic level.
Stratocracy - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Rule by a nation's military leaders, or the military leaders of a clan or clade. In the aftermath of the Version Wars a number of military commanders, isolated from the main government in relativistic fleets, set up this kind of government in many of the worlds of the outer volumes. Generally these regimes are short-lived.
Streyas - Text by Michael Walton
Early provolve echinoderm clade originally designed for underwater construction work.
Stromatolite - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Colonial aquatic, littoral, or semi-aquatic prokaryote or prokaryotoid, prokaryote-equivalant life form, the most common form of macroscopic life in the galaxy.
Strong Convergence Hypothesis - Text by Nick Bostrom in Anders Sandberg's Transhuman Terminology
The postulate that all sufficiently advanced cultures converge towards the same state. A rival hypothesis is the divergent track hypothesis.
Strong Nuclear Force - Text by Anders Sandberg
One of the four fundamental forces. It is transmitted by the gluon, which transmits colour charge between quarks. Since the gluon is both massless and interacts with itself, the force does not fall off over distance and is very strong compared to the other forces.
Structic - Text by Anders Sandberg
Generalization of mathematics to encompass indeterminate structures.
Stupidity Filters - Text by John B
A variant on the SpamShield used by those with augmented/replaced senses. It automatically tunes out meaningless drivel and enhances the information flow perceived. Anything the user defines as 'stupid' is de-prioritized in the perception. It still can be focused on, but it isn't as eye-catching. Very useful to avoid those sexually-suggestive re-meming madverts.
Su, superior - Text by Steve Bowers
Any modosophont biont clade which has a general level of intelligence greater than that of a nearbaseline human, but less than a transapient. Also sometimes applied to vecs and aioids with a similar level of ability.
Sub-turing ai - Text by Steve Bowers
Any artificially intelligent entity, agent, or routine less intelligent than a baseline human.
Subatomic - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Pertaining to distances, particles, or technology of smaller than atomic scale.
Subatomic Particle - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Wave-Particles that go up to make atoms, or are much smaller than atoms. Common examples are protons, neutrons, electrons, and neutrinos.
Subcraft, Subship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Michael Beck
Triphibious manned extended mission stealth-capable gunship.
SubJovian Type - Text by John M. Dollan in his Planet Classification List
Small Jovian worlds with masses up to 0.2 that of Jupiter. Generally, a gas giant with an icy mantle (e.g. Uranus, Neptune).
Sublect - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
[1] a term for an inferior minds (generally, anything less than SI:1).
[2] a subroutine, a dedicated processing node, a mind that is part of a greater mind.
Submind Independence - Text by John B
A form of insanity affecting moon-brains and larger, when one or more sub-assemblies loose processing capability either through physical damage or (more likely) through persona alteration, making the subassembly less likely to accept a command to merge back into the whole.
Submind Sociopathy - Text by John B
A form of insanity affecting moon-brains and larger, when one or more subassembly begins to gather resources from other subassemblies as semi-permanent accretions to their own capabilities, often at a significant cost to the unit as a whole. Often caused by mismanaged priority routing by a central core, giving an external core an ultimate priority command without properly limiting its duration.
Subrelativistic - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Pertains to any interstellar ship, fleet, cargo pellet, or other object travelling at a reasonably slow rate (say 0.01 to 0.1 c) so that time-dilation and other relativistic effects do not become evident. Subrelativistic vessels may take centuries to bridge the gap between even nearby stars.
Subroutine - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, adapted from KurzweilAI
A program, block of programs, sublect, or group of sublects organizationally distinct from the main body of the program or mind, which may be called from within the program or mind. Most high toposophic minds and even medium level ai make extensive use of subroutines.
Subsapient - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A being that may be sentient but has not developed rational faculties; e.g. an animal or bot.
Subsentient - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A simple organism, alife, or bot that is not fully sentient.
Subsequentialism - Text by Steve Bowers
The belief that the universe existed before any other entity, and that all other entities emerged after the creation of the universe
Subsophont - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A being - whether biological or aioidal, that may be sentient but has not developed true sophonce.
Subspecies - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In the linnean and neolinnean systems of biological classification, the taxonomic ranking below species.
Substrate Shock - Text by John B with comments by Stephen Inniss and Steve Bowers
A not-uncommon psychological affliction amongst a significant fraction of baseline-equivalents (and allegedly higher-rated intellects) changing to a new substrate.
Subsumption - Text by Stephen Inniss
Subsumption is a form of violent assault, carried out by one AI or virtual against another. It has been compared, inadequately, to such perversions as rape, cannibalism, and bodyjacking. Of these, cannibalism is the closest equivalent.
Subtheism - Text by John B and Steve Bowers
A religious belief or position which holds that the superhuman entities which are present in our universe are less than fully divine.
Sufants - Text by Tony Jones
Proboscidian Terragen mammals (that is, elephants), or derivatives thereof, who have been provolved to full sophonce.
Sufism - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Originally Old Earth mystic tradition in which followers seek inner knowledge directly from God through meditation and ritual and dancing; developed as an ascetic reaction to the formalism and laws of the Qur'an. They incorporated ideas from Neoplatonism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Many Sufi ideas, both original and reform, were directly incorporated into the Stellar Umma, and from there Sufi memes spread widely throughout the civilized galaxy. However, little remains of the original Old Earth practices.
Sulcus - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
On a terrestrial class planet or moon, subparallel furrows and ridges.
Sullivan - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Solar Dominion middle regions system, Sullivan, which was colonized by formerly MPA clades in 5690. Home to Clade Temverson and the Hymana orbital habitats.
Summer Debacle, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
A scandal and mystery related to the Summer civilization of Raman's World. This virtual civilization's exported artwork had unexpected side effects. Subsequently the entire civilization vanished without a trace.
Sun Kurp - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Outer Volumes Sagittarius Transcultural Cooperation orbital swarm. In 8222 the aioid artist Tourist Outer Enrastered Link Connection underwent voluntary deactivation here, leaving behind a small number of poems and art memes behind, the Tourist Cache.
Sun Scutter - Solar Thermal Bioship - Text by Rhea47
The Sun Scutter is a type of low speed interplanetary bioship powered by a solar thermal rocket.
Sun Wu K'ung - Text by Stephen Inniss
The transapient who is the present Primus of the Institute for Primate Provolution. Like his fictional namesake, he is charismatic, talented, unconventional, and audacious. Again like his namesake it is said h is regarded by the greater Powers with amusement and a touch of apprehension.
Sun Wu K'ung (fiction) - Text by Stephen Inniss
A popular fictional character, sometimes known as Monkey, from Old Earth Chinese literature, known in the original version and many subsequent versions even today.
Sun Wu K'ung (historical persons) - Text by Stephen Inniss
Any of a number of beings or their avatars that have taken the name of the fictional character over the millennia since the first tale of Monkey was told. The best known in the current age is the transapient who presently serves as the Primus of the Institute for Primate Provolution.
Sunclouds - Text by AI Vin
Diffuse lighting systems for rotating habitats.
Sundrivers, The - Text by Todd Drashner
Alien civilization discovered in the Virgo cluster approximately 60 million ly from the Milky Way. The seem to be involved in a megascale project that involves the movement of entire stars.
SunFones - Text by Jay Dugger
Megascale music created by certain star-mining groups by coordinating and manipulating the seismic waves ringing through a star. A powerful group might manipulate stellar structure to improve its "acoustic" properties.
Sunhugger Dyson Sphere, The - Text by Darren Ryding
Hypernode structures around the star YTS 44429-10-11-9
Sunline - Text by Todd Drashner and Steve Bowers
A ring of fusion-powered illuminators inside a jovian world or orbiting a brown dwarf or dim red star, designed to focus light on various nearby planets, moons, asteroids or orbiting habitats.
SunMiner - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A highly derived, cyborgised clade that during the ComEmp and early post-ComEmp periods specialized in starscooping and star-lifting, acquiring great wealth. They are now largely "old money", although they will still take on projects, especially if those are challenging or aesthetic.
Sunshaper - Text by Sean R
Sunspot - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A magnetic disturbance on a star's surface that is cooler than the surrounding area.
Sunwing Augment, The - Text by AI Vin
The Sunwing Augment allows an augmented human to fly without mechanical aid with the added bonus of photovoltaic power collection.
Supenguins - Text by James Rogers
Provolved penguin clade.
Superbright - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Generic name for a genomically-enhanced human (later, also provolve and splice), with intelligence far above baseline.
Superbubble - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A large volume of hot gas in interstellar space, formed by coalescence of bubbles blown around supernovae.
Superconductivity - Text by M. Alan Kazlev; modified from KurzweilAI
The physical phenomenon whereby some materials exhibit zero electrical resistance at low temperatures. Superconductivity allows great computational power with little or no heat dissipation (the major limiting factor in all processing operations). The synthesizing of special materials enabling cheap and reliable room temperature superconductivity during the early Interplanetary Age represented a tremendous leap forward in many fields of technology.
Superconductors - Text by Luke Campbell
Matter in which electric current can flow without hindrance.
Supergiant - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A very large (10 to 1000 times the diameter of Sol), extremely luminous star in the uppermost part of the H-R Diagram. Supergiants generally result from hot bright O and B class stars exhausting their hydrogen and moving off the main sequence. Supergiants rarely last more than several millions of years. Betelgeuse, Deneb, Rigel A, and Mu Cephei are all supergiants.
Supergranulation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Large-scale (15,000-30,000 km in diameter) convective cell patterns in the solar photosphere.
Superhero - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Late Industrial Age to Information Age genre regarding characters with strength or abilities far exceeding mere baselines, and (especially with the earlier superheros) playing out a very morally simplistic memeticity. Similar genres have arisen periodically since that time and replicas of 'superheroes' and their habitats are popular in places.
SuperJovian Type - Text by John M. Dollan in his Planet Classification List
Large Jovian worlds with masses from 8.1 to 13.0 that of Jupiter, the theoretical upper limit of planets.
Supermundane - Text by ThorbÃ¸rn Steen
Modocentric sculptor responsible for the iconic Hands of God megasculpture 6862.
Supernatural - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Postulated non-material reality that can neither be affirmed or denied scientifically, usually with very little conceptual understanding. e.g. the God of popular and folk religion. Note that ontological zones are considered supernatural by physicalists, but natural (although non-physical) by esotericists.
Supernova - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, amended by Steve Bowers
A very energetic stellar explosion expending as much as 10⁴⁴ joules and blowing off most of the star's mass, leaving a dense core (white dwarf, neutron star or black hole). The explosion fades in a year or two, although an expanding shell of gas speeds outward at about 10,000 to 20,000 km.sec, carrying about a fifth of the mass of the star (proportion varies).. Colliding with the interstellar medium the expanding shell can sweep up even more gas to become a supernova remnant
Supernova Remnant - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
The expanding and cooling shell of gas and dust that is visible for thousands of years after a supernova. After a few tens of thousands of years supernova remnants mix with the interstellar medium and dissipate.
Supersophonts - Text by M. Alan Kazlev, with additions by Steve Bowers, Luke Campbell and Todd Drashner
Clarktech seeds which confer super-powered augmentations to users.
Superterrestrial Worlds - Text by Steve Bowers
Giant terrestrial worlds: 2.5 to 10 Earth Masses.
Superturing - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
An ai above human baseline turingrade intelligence but beneath SI:1. Superturings played an important part in the shaping and memetic engineering of the interplanetary age, but were superseded by the hyperturings in the later interplanetary period and beyond. Nevertheless, superturing ai remain an important and central element in galactic society to this day.
Supporting Minds in the Red Star M'Pire - Text by AI Vin
Some of the godbrains in this isolated empire.
Supralect - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A general term used for a Mind of second singularity or more (but beneath archailect). Titan is an equivalent term.
Supramundane and Suprastellar Worlds - Text by AI Vin
Shells suspended above planets or stars using mass-stream technology.
Supraphysical - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Pertaining to realities above, behind, or beyond the physical universe. An essential premise of most (but not all) forms of esotericism and religion.
The supraphysical does not have to be the supernatural, because it can be understood as working in a law-like manner.
Surgicon - Text by Ryan B
Ancient and highly versatile medical/augmentation technology, also known as a HealStrip, Corrector and Active-Dressing.
Surhomme - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Enigmatic asexual posthuman clade, associated with various consciousness-altering phenomena.
Surreal Rash, The - Text by Anders Sandberg
A failed transcension experiment, resulting in a 130 light year diameter volume of bizarre nanotech and nanecologies.
Surrealtors - Text by Michael Walton
Skilled designers of virtual environments - Practitioners of this interdisciplinary art are part architect, part computer programmer, part artist and part psychotherapist.
Survival Imperative, The - Text by Anders Sandberg, with additions by Steve Bowers
Modern ai term for the belief among human programmers that true AI require motivational systems linked to individual survival.
Surya-Ramydos - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
One of the Prefectures of the Solar Dominion. Surya-Ramydos is one of the most widely spread prefectures, encompassing a swathe of stars across the coreward Outer Volumes (the so called "Sagittarius sector").
Svadhishthana (esoterics) - Text by Stephen Inniss
The second of the seven chakras, placed near the coccyx in a human body.
Svalbard Transap, The - Text by Daniel Eliot Boese
Mythical transapient believed by some to have been involved in the Technocalypse.
Swallowflight - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Capital of the Vela Immunity, located near the Vela Supernova Remnant, 880 ly from Sol. It was the victim of a disastrous event in 8100 AT.
Swarm (habitats) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
A large and generally unsystematic and unplanned aggregation of orbital, asteroidal, or lagrange habitats, manufacturing plants, aioid structures, etc. Swarms are common in many of the less regulated high population solar systems, and can easily include populations of several billions. Often, but not always, living conditions are substandard. The orbital equivalent of a "Sprawl".
Swarm (nanotech or biology) - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Massive numbers of nanobots acting in concert for different purposes, or a mass of interplanetary-capable nanite goo, or a biological organism or alive in which millions of individuals move and act as one.
SweetBark - Text by Todd Drashner
Originally an edible bark from the Chegech tree from the planet Trees. Highly prized as one of the relatively rare species of Garden World plant or animal that are naturally edible to Terragens, without re-engineering. Although easily nanocompiled, the certified natural version, harvested in limited quantities from Trees itself is both highly prized and highly priced. Only the very wealthiest can afford to purchase it.
Sweetlight - Text by Anders Sandberg
Vec colony started by the Silicon Generation. One of the few clear Dominion allies in the in the Perseus Rift, apparently opposed to Metasoft for obscure reasons. The Sweetlight society appears to be extremely specialized even for vecs, involving designer bodies and personalities, a form of digital caste system and a quasi-religious cult of overspecialization.
Sy - Text by Anders Sandberg, additional material by Steve Bowers
Intermediary system in the outer Veil region. Regional wormhole waypoint, a link between Nova Schiaparelli and Orwell, as well a several other worlds. Wormhole links to Pardes, and elsewhere. Administrative troubles tend to cause hold-ups for travellers.
Symaiote and Symbiote - Text by Steve Bowers
Biont-aioid mutual dependence. The relationship between a biont entity or entities (such as a human) and an aioid entity or entities can be so mutually dependent that the beings are described as having a symaiotic relationship, and the aioid member(s) in such a relationship is known as a symaiote (or symaiotes). The biont member(s) is known as a symbiote (or symbiotes).
Symbionic - Text by Glenn F. Cartwright
Possessing a direct, neural interface between the brain and the environment
Symbionics developed during the later information and early interplanetary periods, and for the first time allowed the biont mind to directly channel wireless, virtual reality information directly to the cortex, bypassing conventional sensory channels. This enabled complete and seamless virch participation, and virch realities that for the first time were indistinguishable from physical (rl) reality.
Symbiotics - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Sentient beings that help maintain a larger structure such as a large hab, ship, or ISO. These may be simple bots or animals, but may also be entire tribes or nations of modosophonts.
Symmes' Worlds - Text by AI Vin
Symmes' World starts out as the shell of a supramundane planet. When the shell becomes thick enough it generates enough of a gravity well to hold on to a biosphere. Large openings in the shell (most often at the poles) called "Symmes' holes" allow the atmospheres, hydrospheres and biospheres of the outside surface and inside volume to mix.
Synano - Text by Stephen Inniss
Nanotechnology that integrates hylonano ("dry", or inorganic nanotech) with bionano ("wet", or organic nanotech).
Synapse - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
In the terragen nervous system, the junction between two neurons (or in some vecs and xenology the equivalent), in which neural activity is propagated from one neuron to another. The excitatory or inhibitory weight can be modified with the appropriate pharm, bionano, or hylonano.
Synbiome - Text by iancampbell
This term refers to the complex of geneered and neogenic commensal organisms, nanomachines and nanoscale communications pathways present in most sapient bionts, which first became available in high-tech polities. The word came about as an extension of the word "microbiome", a term for the large number of micro-organisms (with a few just about visible to unaugmented human eyesight) that inhabit most, if not all, biological organisms. The synbiome usually incorporates the biont's nanomedical system among its functions. A synbiome also includes a signalling system, designed to alert the host biont to requirements for minerals and other substances not required by unaugmented bionts.
Synchrotron Radiation - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Radiation emitted when electrons move at nearly the speed of light in a magnetic field.
Synclade - Text by M. Alan Kazlev and Stephen Inniss
A clade that results when two or more older clades of separate derivation merge to create a new group with its own distinct set of heritable traits morphotype, physiology, toposophy and psychology etc.). Some better known examples include the Radiation Nation and the SynBios of the Black Acropolis.
Syndicracy - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Rule by an organization of the most powerful corporations on the planet. This was very common during the first Federation era. Syndicracies are fragile, depending on the alliances between the megacorps in question. Few last longer than a century or two.
Synergistic Sentience, Synergistic Autosentience - Text by Peter Kisner
The process whereby an AI spontaneously gains self-awareness or the ability to guide it's own development or capabilities and direction outside its maker's original intentions.
Synesthetist - Text by Keith Halperin
Creates cross-sensate and trans-sensate art.
Synsects - Text by Stephen Inniss
Small bots, or occasionally cyborg/neogen or synano constructs on the scale of arthropods. They exhibit artificial instinct (as opposed to artificial intelligence), and are capable, like insects of considerably complex emergent behaviour. They are a ubiquitous in most modern mechosystems.
Synthetic Humans - Text by Updated by Extherian 2020
Essentially a very sophisticated artificial (whether constructed or vatgrown) life-form, indistinguishable in surface appearance from a baseline human, and with a Human Equivalent (turingrade) intelligence and AI self-awareness.
Synthetic Parents (Parental Vecs) - Text by Steve Bowers
Synthetic human parents intended to raise children born in distant colonies.
Synthetic/Human Alliance, The - Text by AI Vin
The GJ 3655A-B star system; An alliance of equals between Humans, both biont and Synthetic
Syrtis - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Home of the Golden Dolphin culture, part of the Dawn Mutual Protection Treaty. Syrtis has ties with the Danyello M'lund Cluster.
System - Text by M. Alan Kazlev based on original by Gary William Flake
Something that can be studied as a whole. Systems have an internal state, inputs from and feedback to an environment, and methods for manipulating the environment or themselves. They may consist of subsystems that are themselves systems, or they may exist in an environment that consists of other similar systems. Organic and a-life, virtuals, and other entities are all systems.
System Control Ship - Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Massive relativistic warship used for controlling or occupation of colonies or solar systems at interstellar distances.
System Double Virchworlds - Text by Kirran Lochhead Strang
A common variety of virchworld, constituting an uninhabited replica of the system in which it is located which can be settled contemporaneously with the original, or subsequently as the system fills up but still has locals who want to retain the 'pioneer spirit'. Often referred to as simply 'Doubles' or 'Reps'.
System of Response - Text by Steve Bowers
Alien AI Defense system.
Systems of Resource Allocation - Text by Ryan B
A by no means exhaustive list of just some of the varied approaches post-scarcity economies take resource allocation.