Idea for a Sci-Fi Story - WritingForums.com - Writing Forums, Writing Challenges, Critiques and Help for Writers

rboy27 · 10-09-2006, 04:06 PM

I'm not much for writing sci-fi/futuristic types of things, but I had this idea come to me a few days ago. All the numbers might not be quite right as I am getting them from memory. Usually my ideas for these kinds of things are either really corny or they've been done before, but here it is anyways:

The inspiration originally came from my BIO 111 teacher who was explaining evolution. He said that the earth originally had an atmosphere made mostly of CO2 (carbon dioxide). As plants began to grow, they oxidized the environment and released oxgen as plants continue to do today. By the time humans came into existance, the atmosphere was roughly 75% nitrogen and 5% CO2 (as well as several other gases). Nowadays, the CO2 levels have reached over 7%.

Now, here is where the story begins:
What if the CO2 levels continued to rise and the whole cycle started over again but the remainants of our culture were left behind and then found by the "second coming" of humans making them more technically advanced? For example, you could say the story takes place in the 1300's and yet the people would be more advanced than we are now.

Or, alternatively, the people of today could find the remanants of an ancient culture and we are the second coming. Set the time period in the not-so-distant future (say 2100) and build a governmental cospiracy type of story where life is being threatened to repeat itself.

journyman161 · 10-09-2006, 04:55 PM

Have a read of some authors like Robert Bauval, Ralph Ellis, Graham Hancock & Christopher Dunn - you may just find some eye-opening facts about our real history that give you some insight into your idea.

Scientifically it needs some work - raising CO2 levels causes other things to happen & there arte natural cycles that precipitate CO2 from the atmosphere in the form of carbonates etc.

Also, *grins* the original atmosphere seems to have contained quite a bit of methane - you might want humans & other animals to start chronic farting if you're going to reproduce the original atmosphere *grins*

rboy27 · 10-09-2006, 06:51 PM

Thanks, maybe I will check into some of what you mentioned. I know its not a totally sound scientific idea, I didn't really put much thought into it. Really, it just sort of stemmed from me thinking about what would happen if the world had to evolve a second time? I don't plan on doing anything at all with this, I was just trying to give someone else, who has the patience and the desire for this type of writing, an idea for something greater because I know I certainly do not.