terraforms
Engineers alien landscapes
Terraforms means to transform a planet or moon to make it habitable for Earth life—adjusting atmosphere, temperature, and surface conditions to resemble Earth.
The concept belongs to science fiction and speculative planetary science: In the novel, colonists terraform Mars over centuries.
Figuratively, to terraform is to radically reshape any environment to suit one's needs.
Interdependent organism-environment systems
- biomesMajor ecological community types
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- floraPlants of a region
- faunaAnimal life collectively
photosynthesis · pollination · foodweb · decomposition · keystone · endemic · invasive · trophic
Gaseous layer around planets
- cratersImpact-formed depressions
- volcanismSubterranean magma expulsion process
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
- hydrologyScience of water distribution
exoplanets · biosignatures · geology · climate · meteorology · astrobiology · planetology · Mars
Resolved dispute or colony
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- frontierEdge of settlement
- outpostRemote military station
homestead · inhabit · migration · colony · civilization · establish · cultivation · community
Basic physical systems
- domesVaulted rounded ceilings
- pressurizationRaising internal atmospheric force
- irrigationArtificial water supply for agriculture
- miningExtracting earth's resources
construction · megastructures · hydroponic · desalination · geodesic · enclosed · modular
Sci-fi desert planet saga
- cyberpunkDystopian tech-noir fiction
- utopiaImagined perfect society
- dystopiaImaginary terrible society
- singularityPoint where values explode
worldbuilding · speculative · futurism · interstellar · visionary · imagination · hypothetical
ecosystems
Interdependent organism-environment systems
- biomesMajor ecological community types
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- floraPlants of a region
fauna · photosynthesis · pollination · foodweb · decomposition · keystone · endemic · invasive · trophic · niches
atmosphere
Gaseous layer around planets
- cratersImpact-formed depressions
- volcanismSubterranean magma expulsion process
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
hydrology · exoplanets · biosignatures · geology · climate · meteorology · astrobiology · planetology · Mars · Venus
settlement
Resolved dispute or colony
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- expeditionOrganized exploratory journey
- frontierEdge of settlement
outpost · homestead · inhabit · migration · colony · civilization · establish · cultivation · community · self-sustaining
infrastructure
Basic physical systems
- domesVaulted rounded ceilings
- pressurizationRaising internal atmospheric force
- irrigationArtificial water supply for agriculture
mining · construction · megastructures · hydroponic · desalination · geodesic · enclosed · modular
Dune
Sci-fi desert planet saga
- cyberpunkDystopian tech-noir fiction
- utopiaImagined perfect society
- dystopiaImaginary terrible society
singularity · worldbuilding · speculative · futurism · interstellar · visionary · imagination · hypothetical