SciFi Saturday News – Star Wars Trailer, Habitable Planets, Space Weather and Protostars

By Cynthia Sax on November 14, 2015

Here is the round up of the SciFi stories that inspired me this week

New Star Wars Trailer

There’s a new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer and it is epic. The more I read about this movie, the more excited I get.

Fight Over Space Rights

The fight over who owns space is heating up and giving me plenty of plot bunnies (What happens if humans claim a planet another species ‘owns’? What if we find out EARTH is ‘owned’ by another species?)

Alan Yuhas shares

“Asteroid platinum and the briny water on Mars may soon be available for plunder, Republicans and Democrats have agreed, advancing a bill that would grant “space resource rights” and could challenge an international treaty on outer space.”

3D Printing In Space

When I first saw 3D printers years ago at the Consumer Electronics Show, I immediately thought ‘replicators’ from Star Trek. The space possibilities are endless (and gold for SciFi romance writers).

Jeff Foust shares

“The benefits of 3-D printing in space are clear: it would allow crews to produce tools or spare parts, helping solve the logistical challenges of long-term spaceflight. It could also be used to create structures that aren’t possible on Earth or which could not survive the acceleration and vibration of a ride into space.”

The Number Of Habitable Planets In Our Galaxy

What is the possibility of life on other planets? Pretty darn good.

Seth Shostak, senior astronomer, shares

“There is estimated to be in our galaxy alone a trillion planets. And we can see 100 billion galaxies. It’s believed that one in 10 stars may have a habitable world capable of supporting life. That’s a lot of real estate.”

He’s talking about our galaxy, not the much larger universe.

Space Weather

Are you setting your story in a grim futuristic world and you need a ‘disaster’? Consider space weather.

The Washington Post shares

“The boisterous, volatile sun regularly throws off plasma, other particles and radiation that, with the right intensity and heading, could wreak havoc on modern society. In fact, extreme “space weather” recently came scarily close to slamming into Earth — and it has a shockingly high chance of knocking out power grids and doing other damage in the next 10 years, according to scientists’ best estimates.”

Gorgeous Photos

Wired shared some inspiring space photos

Including this photo of CARMA-7, a young protostar.

What has inspired you this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Vapor is the most advanced cyborg the Humanoid Alliance has ever developed. He’s a finely honed weapon, a warrior without parallel, half man and half machine. No lock can contain him. No being can stop him. Whatever he wants, he takes.

He wants Mira Breazeal, the Designer’s daughter.

She’s his one temptation, his sexy target. Vapor shouldn’t crave her caresses, steal her kisses, make her scream with ecstasy. The cyborgs want her dead and they would question his loyalty if he didn’t kill her. The humans would shoot him on sight if he dared to touch her.

Their love is forbidden. Their desire could be lethal. One human and one cyborg will risk everything for a moment of passion.

Buy Now:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Breathing-Vapor-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B015UN87JC/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breathing-Vapor-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B015UN87JC/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-breathingvapor-1897324-340.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breathing-vapor-cynthia-sax/1122718203

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/breathing-vapor

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SciFi Saturday News – Star Wars Posters, New Star Trek Show, Terraforming Mars and Close Calls In Space

By Cynthia Sax on November 7, 2015

Here is the round up of the SciFi stories that inspired me this week

Star Wars Posters And A Fun Q&A With JJ Abrams

Famous folks bombarded Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens’s director JJ Abrams with questions in an amusing Q&A.

Even George Lucas participated.

The Week shares

“”JJ, what happened to Darth Vader’s grandchildren?” Lucas asked.

“Oh, George, this is great. You tell me man, you made all this sh** up.””

Close Calls In Space

Do you need an exciting plot twist in your new SciFi novel?

There’s a great new series called Secret Space Escapes, which highlights near misses on space missions.

Astronaut Jerry Linenger shares

“Whenever you’re operating on the edge of human ability, you’re going to have close calls. We’ve had quite a few. But because we usually come out of them successfully people say that it’s fine when it’s actually quite hairy.”

Terraforming Mars

Thinking about setting a story on Mars?

Mars’ atmosphere will make terraforming (turning Mars into an Earth-like planet) even more difficult.

Bruce Jakosky, principal investigator of NASA’s MAVEN mission, shares

“It’s [atmospheric CO2] not there. It’s been removed from the solar system entirely, so it’s not possible to bring it back.”

New Star Trek Show

As of this date, we know very little except there will be a new Star Trek show in 2017.
io9 had some fun musing about what they’d like to see.

Inspiring Photos

Wired shared some truly inspiring photos from The NASA Photo Archives.

Including this photo of dust surrounding V838 Monocerotis, a red supergiant.

What inspired you this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Vapor is the most advanced cyborg the Humanoid Alliance has ever developed. He’s a finely honed weapon, a warrior without parallel, half man and half machine. No lock can contain him. No being can stop him. Whatever he wants, he takes.

He wants Mira Breazeal, the Designer’s daughter.

She’s his one temptation, his sexy target. Vapor shouldn’t crave her caresses, steal her kisses, make her scream with ecstasy. The cyborgs want her dead and they would question his loyalty if he didn’t kill her. The humans would shoot him on sight if he dared to touch her.

Their love is forbidden. Their desire could be lethal. One human and one cyborg will risk everything for a moment of passion.

Pre-order Now:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Breathing-Vapor-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B015UN87JC/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breathing-Vapor-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B015UN87JC/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-breathingvapor-1897324-340.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breathing-vapor-cynthia-sax/1122718203

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/breathing-vapor

Topics: SciFi News | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Star Wars Posters, New Star Trek Show, Terraforming Mars and Close Calls In Space

SciFi Saturday News – Women In Space, Star Trek Tractor Beams, And Has Luke SkyWalker Gone Bad

By Cynthia Sax on October 31, 2015

Here is the round up of the SciFi stories that inspired me this week

Luke Skywalker Rumors

The latest Star Wars buzz is about Luke Skywalker. We know he is in the movie. Why isn’t he in the trailer?

The Week shares

“Force Awakens director JJ Abrams has also said that Luke’s absence from the trailers is “no accident”. Asked why he does not appear in them, Abrams added: “I can’t wait for you to find out the answer.””

Launching Rockets In The Congo

Is your hero or heroine visiting a less technologically advanced culture? I found the locals’ reaction to Congo’s Jean-Patrice Keka fascinating.

Drew Hinshaw shares

“Of the five rockets he has trucked to their launchpads, the first, Troposphere I, got rain in its fuel compartment and didn’t ignite. Journalists on-site, he says, accused him of trying to fire a rocket without permission from the ancestors who lord over daily life in Congolese religion.

“I told them, ‘no, no, no. There is no story of ancestors here,’ ” he says. “ ‘This is science.’ ””

Space Exploration Equality

Russia is preparing its first all female crew for a trip to the moon.

Amy X. Wang shares

“To make up for lost time, the country is now embarking on a new experiment. Yesterday (Oct. 28), six Russian women locked themselves in a suite at Moscow’s Institute of Biomedical Problems at the Russian Academy of Sciences for the start of an eight-day experiment simulating the conditions of a space mission.

The point? To test women’s aptitude for space flight and to prepare for a potential all-female journey to the moon in 2029.

“We consider the future of space belongs equally to men and women and unfortunately we need to catch up a bit after a period when unfortunately there haven’t been too many women in space,” explained project director Sergei Ponomarev in a press conference.”

Some of the reaction has, unfortunately, been appalling.

Bacteria On The International Space Station

The coverage of bacteria on the International Space Station has given me many plot bunnies about mutations and heroine/hero-threatening diseases.

The Telegraph shares

“While the opportunistic bacterial pathogens are mostly innocuous on Earth, they are thriving in the station that has turned out to be a prime breeding ground.

It seems the bugs like their new home in the unique environment that has experienced microgravity, space radiation, elevated carbon dioxide and continuous occupation by humans for nearly 15 years.”

Gorgeous Space Photos

Here is a link to some gorgeous space photos. One is sure to inspire you. – http://www.wired.com/2015/10/space-photos-of-the-week-oct-18-24/#slide-1

The photo pictured is of the galaxy cluster MS 0735.6+7421 with a black hole at the center of the cluster.

Star Trek Tractor Beams

The tractor beams in Star Trek have become reality.

Patrick Tucker shares

“Researchers in England have created, essentially, a tractor beam that uses highly targeted sound waves to move objects in the air as though pulled and pushed by invisible fingers.”

What has inspired you this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

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SciFi Saturday News – Star Wars Breaking Records, Aging In Space, And The Destruction Of A Planet

By Cynthia Sax on October 24, 2015

Here is the round up of the SciFi stories that inspired me this week

Trailer For Star Wars: The Force Awakens Breaks Viewing Records

Jonathon Dornbush shares

“That tremor in the Force is the Richter-level fan response to the latest trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. According to StarWars.com, the new trailer was viewed 128 million times in a single day, combining 112 million online plays with the approximate 16 million viewers who tuned into its debut on Monday Night Football.”

It was also the biggest-ever 24 hours for advance sales in numerous countries.

Get your tickets now if you want to see it opening weekend.

Scott Kelly And Aging In Space

David Nield shares

“Congratulations to NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who has now been in space longer than any other US astronaut before him. Having most recently launched into orbit on 27 March this year, Kelly’s record currently stands at 388 days and counting. He still has some way to go to beat the all-time record though – that’s the 879-day shift put in by long-serving Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka.”

Of course, NASA is using this to examine the impact of long stays in space on astronauts, but, what I find especially interesting is, they’re also studying the impact of aging in space. Kelly has a twin brother whom they can use for direct comparison.

Destruction Of A Planet

A star at the end of its life is currently destroying and disintegrating an orbiting planet.

Andrew Vanderburg, a graduate student at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, shares

This is something no human has seen before. We’re watching a solar system get destroyed.”

“What we’re seeing are fragments of a disintegrating planet that is being vaporized by [the white dwarf’s] starlight and is losing mass. The vapor is getting lost into orbit, and that condenses into dust which then blocks the starlight.”

Huge Asteroid (Nicknamed Spooky) To Pass Earth On Halloween

Mike Wall shares

“The massive asteroid 2015 TB145 will come within 310,000 miles (500,000 kilometers) of the planet — or about 1.3 times the distance from Earth to the moon — on the afternoon of Oct. 31, just three weeks after the space rock was discovered, according to NASA. There’s no threat of an impact on this pass, NASA officials said.”

The Expanse

There’s a new upcoming space themed TV show called The Expanse, which will appear on the SyFy channel. It’s based on the James S.A. Corey books and is creating quite a bit of buzz. Some early viewers are calling it the next Battlestar.

Which stories inspired you this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

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SciFi Saturday News – Alien Technology Spotted, Wormholes and Rey from Star Wars

By Cynthia Sax on October 17, 2015

Here are the stories that gave me SciFi romance plot bunnies this week…

Possible Alien Technology

This story was brought to my attention by Danica Avet and A.M. Griffin.

Bryan Nelson shares

“Nestled between the constellations of Cygnus and Lyra sits what might be the strangest, most mysterious star in our galaxy. This star, designated as KIC 8462852, is not particularly unusual in and of itself. What’s odd is what astronomers have spotted orbitting it: an irregularly-shaped mess of objects that appear unnatural, possibly even alien, reports The Atlantic.”

Wormholes, Dark Energy And Dark Matter

Nothing excites me like wormholes (tunnels in space-time) and yes, there’s been progress on researching them.

Physicist Eric Davis shares

“It would be extremely difficult to construct a wormhole time machine. It’s relatively much simpler to use wormholes for FTL interstellar travel between the stars.”

Possible Alien Megastructure?

A mysteriously flicking star has been captured by Kepler and there’s no logical explanation for it.

Michio Kaku shares

“This is an oddball, a real oddball. Kepler for years has been giving us a catalog of over 1,000 extra-solar planets and this is the first oddball out of hundreds of thousands of stars scanned. This is the first one that does not fit the usual scenario.”


Some Space Technology Patents

Here are some super cool patents for space technology, perfect for any SciFi Romance Writer’s research file.

http://www.techrepublic.com/pictures/photos-10-patents-for-invention-and-innovation-in-outer-space/

More Star Wars Tidbits

Rey, the new female characters in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is causing buzz.

Donna Dickens shares

“Thanks to Topps Star Wars trading cards, now there is definitive proof that not only does Rey know Han and Chewie…but she knows them well enough to pilot that hunk of junk.”

The Week shares

“Rey, the new female character in Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens, will be “extremely significant”, the movie’s producer Kathleen Kennedy has promised.

In an interview in which she called on Hollywood to do more to promote women, Kennedy fuelled speculation that Rey – played by English actress Daisy Ridley – is a descendant of the Skywalkers.”

What SciFi news inspired you this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Alien Technology Spotted, Wormholes and Rey from Star Wars

SciFi Saturday News – Planetary Protection Officers, Sending Humans To Mars and Inspiring Space Photos

By Cynthia Sax on October 10, 2015

Are you looking for inspiration for your next SciFi romance story? These are the news stories that inspired me this week.

Sending Humans To Mars

Avaneesh Pandey shares

“In another step toward humanity’s journey to Mars, NASA on Thursday released a detailed outline of its plan to get to the red planet. Although the space agency did not announce a firm date for a manned mission, humans might be living and working in “Earth independent” habitats on Mars as early as the 2030s — if all goes according to plan.”

NASA’s Planetary Protection Officer

If you want a super cool career for your about-to-meet-a-hunky-alien heroine, how about making her NASA’s planetary protection officer?

Scott Sutherland shares

“The whole job description sounds a bit like Sci-Fi: One lone woman, with a mission to protect the universe… from Earth. Meet Catharine A. Conley, NASA’s planetary protection officer.

Space is a hazardous place, hostile to life, but Conley has been charged with protecting it from us, or at least what we might send out into it. That’s just what NASA’s planetary protection officer does, and it’s far more about science than science fiction.”

3D Printers And Replicators

I use machines similar to Star Trek replicators in some of my SciFi romance novels. These machines create objects from base inputs. Hmmm… doesn’t that sound a lot like a 3D printer?

Yes, it does. And people are working on applying 3D printers to space travel issues.

Toronto doctor Julielynn Wong shares

“We can’t take all the surgical supplies we want with us on a Mars mission. So the idea was, hey, why don’t I look at the medical inventory for space missions and see what’s 3D printable — just try to convert everything from hardware into something that’s virtual? Using 3D printers for space medicine is transformative.”

Some Awesome Space Photos

Here’s a post with some of the best space related photos I’ve seen in a while, including this one of two galaxies NGC 4302-4298 interacting.

What inspired you in the SciFi world this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Planetary Protection Officers, Sending Humans To Mars and Inspiring Space Photos

SciFi Saturday News – Water On Mars, Realism In SciFi Movies And Star Wars Rumors Confirmed

By Cynthia Sax on October 3, 2015

I’m always looking for ideas for my next SciFi romance. Here are some of the inspiring real world stories I’ve seen this week.

Water On Mars

The big news was, of course, the photos of water on Mars.

Michael Daly shares

“Dark, narrow, 100 metre-long streaks on Mars, believed to have been formed by flowing water, are seen in an image produced by NASA.”

The images in this article are sure to inspire you.

Ridley Scott And Realism In SciFi Movies

I love this interview with Ridley Scott

“The fantasy of space, which is now also a reality, is a marvelous platform and a form of theatre. Honestly, almost anything goes. But, if anything goes whether you do a play, a book or a film, you’ve got to actually make your own rule book and stick within the confines of the rules you make. So, if I’m doing space fantasy like Alien or Prometheus, I’ve got to draw up the sidelines of the rule book and stick within them. It’s still a fantasy because it’s never going to happen. (The Martian) is a lot easier because, actually, you can lean very heavily on the science in the book. This was a much more realistic movie.”

Possible NASA Projects For Launch In 2020

Want to tie your SciFi Romance into existing NASA projects? They’ve announced possible projects for launch in 2020.

Rich McCormick shares

“Among those selected for this stage of funding are the Near Earth Object Camera (NEOCam), which promises to discover “ten times more near-Earth objects” than have been discovered so far, and “Lucy,” which aims to scout Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids to learn more about the birth of our solar system.”

Admiral Ackbar Returning In Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The rumors that Admiral Ackbar, the fishlike character from the original Star Wars, is returning to The Force Awakens are confirmed. Tim Rose, the actor, is also raving about the movie.

“…if you were a fan of the original three, you’re going to absolutely love this one to bits.”

Star Trek Beyond Filming

Star Trek Beyond has started filming in Dubai. Why Dubai?

Chris Pine shares

“I am always good for discovering new places and this is such a stunning city.” “I woke up this morning, opened up the blinds and looked out. It looks like whatever tomorrow will be. It’s future-land!”

Which SciFi stories are inspiring you?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | 2 Comments »

SciFi Saturday News – Modern Cyborgs, Space Junk Billionaires And More Star Wars Rumors

By Cynthia Sax on September 26, 2015

Looking for ideas for your next SciFi romance? Here are some of the SciFi inspiring stories I’ve seen this week.

Modern Cyborgs

Jill Margo shares

“Men seem surprisingly open to the idea of having cancer-detecting biosensors implanted in their bodies, according to a report in Science as Culture.

One day such sensors could hopefully aid in the treatment or repair of tissue and organs without external human direction or control.

The report says sensors would bring them another step closer to becoming cyborgs, hypothetical people with mechanical elements built into their bodies that extend their physical abilities extended beyond human limitations.”

Dark Matter

Edwin Cartlidge shares

“For years, high-energy radiation from space has been teasing scientists with inconclusive hints of dark matter. But a definitive answer may be at hand. A team of physicists says that certain galactic x-rays could be a sign of decaying dark matter, and that an upcoming satellite mission should prove or disprove their claim.”

Space Junk Billionaires?

Robert Ferris shares

“Call it “space debris” or “space junk,” there is enough material floating through space or orbiting the Earth that some companies believe they can build a business around it, according to an article in Nature News. Space debris can be natural, such as meteroids, or human-made, such as old satellites or parts of spacecraft.”

I know what you’re thinking—space junk billionaires!

The Next Space Station

John Wenz shares

“All good things must come to an end, and that’s true even of the International Space Station. The orbital laboratory, which has been remarkable on many levels (including getting the US and Russia to get along, sort of), is set to be decommissioned in 2024. Russia already has plans for its own space station, but the American space program hasn’t put forward anything new.

At a meeting sponsored by the Secure World Foundation and the Alliance for Space Development, though, one solution was proposed: a privately owned or commercial space station, utilizing corporate (rather than national) stakeholders.”

Space Junk Billionaires. Now Space Station Billionaires. I sense the start of a series.

More Star Wars Rumors

The latest rumor about Star Wars: The Force Awakens is that Darth Vader might be resurrected.

Kirsten Acuna shares

“We know Vader is definitely tied to the storyline of “The Force Awakens.” We’ve seen his old, melted helmet in a teaser trailer.
Just how much will Vader be a part of the new “Star Wars” trilogy?

We also know Vader serves as the inspiration for the new villainous Kylo Ren in December’s film, so much so that Ren has been described as “obsessed” with the Dark Lord.

This is where those two ideas merge.

A lot of fans are thinking Kylo Ren wants to resurrect Vader — especially since it seems like he’s after Luke’s lightsaber, which was originally Anakin’s.”

I’m all for this happening. I love me some Darth.

Star Trek Villains

Idris Elba is set to play a villain on Star Trek Beyond. Here are his thoughts…

“Simon [Pegg] and the team have written a very interesting, complex journey for my character. You’ve never seen me play a character like this.”

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Modern Cyborgs, Space Junk Billionaires And More Star Wars Rumors

SciFi Saturday News – Darth Vader As Martyr?, How To Speak To Aliens, And Baby Stars

By Cynthia Sax on September 19, 2015

I missed last week (due to being offline) so there are a zillion awesome stories I could cover this week. I’m giving you the ones I think will inspire you to write.

More Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teasing

JJ Abrams shares “Could the First Order exist as a group that actually admired the Empire? Could the work of the Empire be seen as unfulfilled? And could Vader be a martyr? Could there be a need to see through what didn’t get done?”

Communicating With Aliens

SETI has released a free eBook that deals with the problems, pitfalls, and advancements that we’ve made in the quest to communicate with aliens. If you’re looking for the premise for your next SciFi romance, this eBook is gold!

http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/nasa-releases-free-ebook-about-communicating-with-aliens/

On that topic, scientists want to send modern messages to aliens in space

Dr Jill Stuart, space policy expert at the London School of Economics, shared that (this is a quote from the article, not her) ‘the messages featured on pictorial messages should be carefully thought out before deploying into space. She said that the attitudes of people have significantly changed over the past 40 years.’

The Martian And Space Technology

Folks in the space community are raving about The Martian. Much of the technology currently exists (either in testing or in reality), including the deep-space habitat Matt Damon’s character uses.

Speaking of space technology, Rebecca Burn-Callander has written a fascinating article on four future space technologies that will change the world in our lifetime.

“Imagine a world where severe storms, tornadoes, and flash flooding are no longer a threat to human life. Or a time when flying from London to Australia takes less than an hour.

Picture a future where our understanding of the dawn of time and the fabric of the universe are so sophisticated that time travel becomes more than just theory.

All of these emerging technologies are being worked on right now”

Space Nurseries

On the topic of the dawn of time, a telescope has captured some beautiful images of the Prawn Nebula and some young stars.


First Woman In Space

“Valentina Tereshkova travelled into space in 1963 in a craft programmed to ascend but not descend. This was compounded by the fact she had no toothbrush.” I love this woman.

Getting Drunk In Space

Valentina Tereshkova went to space without a toothbrush. Modern astronauts are testing special drinking glasses. Ballantine’s ‘Space Glass’ is the world’s first whisky glass designed to work in gravity-less conditions.

Who Owns Space?

Dr Jill Stuart, space policy expert at the London School of Economics, had a fascinating lecture on who owns space. If a private corporation discovers and lands on an uninhabited planet, does this company own it? If they mine an asteroid, who owns the minerals?

What SciFi news did you find inspiring this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | Comments Off on SciFi Saturday News – Darth Vader As Martyr?, How To Speak To Aliens, And Baby Stars

SciFi Saturday News – New Star Wars Droid, Hamburgers In Space and Robot Love

By Cynthia Sax on September 5, 2015

I’m deep in the writing cave for the next 10 days, cut off from the SciFi world and completely offline. I wrote this on Thursday. If aliens visited on Friday or that blasted JJ Abrams leaked another teaser for Star Wars over night, that won’t be covered. (grins)

Next week, SciFi Saturday News will be posted two days late, on the Monday, for the same reason.

BB-8 – A New Star Wars Droid

I LOVE R2-D2 so I’m super stoked that Star Wars will introduce a new droid character.

Lucasfilm concept designer Christian Alzmann shares
“J.J. wanted something rolling on a sphere, so I tried a lot of different designs developing that idea. He would give direction on the kinds of shapes to use, and that led to a personality for the droid. Of course, the original sketch had very pleasing, round shapes, so you kind of figured it wasn’t going to be a very serious or angry character. Ultimately, BB-8 developed out of a back-and-forth process with J.J. where he gave feedback on each iteration of the design.”

Robot Love

Speaking of robot love, a Sky News poll found that 15% of British men and 2% of British women would have sex with a robot.

Top academic Dr Helen Driscoll shares “Robophilia may be alien now, but could be normal in the near future as attitudes evolve with technology.”

Astronaut Chris Hadfield Rates Space Movies

My favorite astronaut Chris Hadfield talked about the accuracy of popular space movies. “Gravity made me wince. They changed the laws of physics. The characters were completely wrong.”

Great Views From Space

The Guardian compiled some of the most gorgeous views from the International Space Station. These will inspire any SciFi writer!

Colonies On Mars

“Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin has teamed up with the Florida Institute of Technology with the aim of establishing a human colony on Mars within 25 years.”

Space Hamburger

Astronaut Scott Kelly took a pic of his space hamburger. I hoped it tasted better than it looked!

Star Trek Into Darkness And Underwear Scenes

Alice Eve talked about that infamous underwear scene in Star Trek Into Darkness.

“I’m an educated, independent woman and I decided that would be a fine thing to do and me and J.J. [Abrams] did it and there was nothing underhand or awkward. Then it kind of took on a life of its own. But I don’t think that’s what will remain of that image.”

“I think what will remain is the movie, the power, the fact that its like a Princess Leia moment. The fact that it’s something that’s allowed to be iconic, aside from the male moments being iconic. Yes she’s an intelligent, strong, educated woman who…also has a six-pack.”

What SciFi news inspired you this week?

***

Subscribe To My Release Day Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/

Half Man. Half Machine. All Hers.

Rage, the Humanoid Alliance’s most primitive cyborg, has two goals—kill all of the humans on his battle station and escape to the Homeland. The warrior has seen the darkness in others and in himself. He believes that’s all he’s been programmed to experience.
Until he meets Joan.

Joan, the battle station’s first female engineer, has one goal—survive long enough to help the big sexy cyborg plotting to kill her. Rage might not trust her but he wants her. She sees the passion in his eyes, the caring in his battle-worn hands, the gruff emotion in his voice.

When Joan survives the unthinkable, Rage’s priorities are tested. Is there enough room in this cyborg’s heart for both love and revenge?

Buy Now:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Releasing-Rage-Cyborg-Sizzle-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZOL1DRO

On ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-releasingrage-1850041-340.html

On B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/releasing-rage-cynthia-sax/1122455646

Topics: SciFi News | 1 Comment »

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