Reading Science Fiction Should Be Mandatory

A few weeks ago, I re-read this book, and at the time, I felt I should address this belief: Reading Science Fiction Should Be Mandatory! I hold the belief that anything is possible. Reading science fiction helped shape that belief. It enabled me to set aside what is and visualize what could be.

In this particular book, drilling tests released an immense pocket of Nitrogen Gas. Nitrogen isn't particularly harmful. It is a significant component of our atmosphere. What happens if you were to stand in a pocket solely composed of Nitrogen? Death would occur rapidly. You wouldn't have the warning that CO2 gives you. You would breathe without warning and then die as your cells are starved of Oxygen. Even as the cloud dissipates, the higher nitrogen concentration would still kill people with heart conditions and undergoing exertion.

What if you knew that a massive cloud of nitrogen gas was extinguishing cities at the higher levels and was slowly making life harder at lower levels? Can you anticipate what your governments would do? Reading how the author came up with solutions for his protagonists models for the reader ways of coming up with novel solutions.

I was texting with a friend in Ukraine recently. Due to the bombings, municipalities have been reduced to only a few hours per day to supply electricity. Consequently, the pumps necessary to provide heating also only run for a short time during the day. It is early in their winter, so conditions haven't become dire yet (at least for her). It means staying in bed, heaped in blankets and fully clothed.

What would you do? As things get colder, she and her family will move to their garage and install a wood stove. What if you didn't have that option? What would you do? As insane as it sounds, I would set up a tent inside of the apartment. If you don't have one, use paper, plastic wrap or aluminum foil on a structure. The purpose is to create gradients of heat layers.

No matter what you are facing - keep resolute! There is a solution!