# Vocabulary Hub: [[Topics/Science Fiction Possibilities/Science Fiction Possibilities|Science Fiction Possibilities]] | Term | Meaning | |---|---| | Fermi paradox | If the galaxy is old and big enough for many civilizations, why is there no sign of any? Named for Enrico Fermi's 1950 "Where is everybody?" ◻ | | Zoo hypothesis | Aliens exist but deliberately avoid contact and watch us, like a nature reserve (John A. Ball, *Icarus*, 1973) ◻. The video's "scientists, not raiders" framing. | | Dark Forest | Civilizations hide and strike first because any other may be a threat; from Liu Cixin's *The Dark Forest* (2008) ◻. The opposite of the video's message. | | Kardashev scale | Ranks civilizations by energy use: Type I uses its planet's, Type II its star's, Type III its galaxy's (Nikolai Kardashev, 1964) ◻. | | M-type asteroid | A metal-rich asteroid class. 16 Psyche is the largest, at about 30–60% metal by volume (NASA). | | Deuterium (D) | Heavy hydrogen, the practical fusion fuel; about 2.6 per 100,000 hydrogen atoms in Jupiter ◻. | | Terraforming | Re-engineering a planet's atmosphere and surface to suit Earth life. Never done; purely theoretical. | | Planetary protection | Rules (Outer Space Treaty Art. IX, COSPAR policy) to avoid carrying Earth microbes to other worlds and alien material back ◻. | | Habitable zone | The orbital range where a planet could hold liquid surface water. | | Starseed | New Age belief that some people's souls come from other star systems (Pleiades, Sirius, Arcturus); self-description of the author. | | Galactic Federation (of Light) | A New Age belief in a benevolent alliance of alien races guarding Earth; spread by channelers. No evidence. | | AI slop | Slang for mass-produced AI video or images posted for engagement; used in the replies. |