Bassoe
Well-known member
The Six Directions of Space by Alastair Reynolds
Alternate History Ideas and Discussion
- Thread starter AndrewJTalon
- Start date
Zyobot
Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
Okay, thanks. The summary I glanced at makes it seem interesting, if nothing else. I’ll have to save further comments for later, though, since I’ll be off to bed soon.
Some kind of australophitecus do not eat meat,so if they become Homo erectus and later sapiens,it is possible.
Paranthropithecus,if i remember correctly.
One clarification. Are you ignoring climatic and other impacts of the old world disappearing and presumably being replaced by sea?
If so then it is likely to develop some more advanced technologies, such as metal-working and ideas such as the wheel more widely, although the latter would be somewhat restricted with no real animals that could be domesticated as power sources. Its going to have a much smaller genetic pool and a fairly limited range of cultural ideas as well so its likely to be a very slow process I suspect. Especially with the negative attitudes of much of the religions, at least in the more developed areas.
If you don't ignore climatic and other impacts then there's going to be a lot of problems. For instance with a world ocean expect a lot more [and more extreme storms] and ocean currents will also be greatly impacted. Which will affect matters such as fisheries and also the rainfall in the coastal regions of the Andes which were very dependent on them. Droughts are also have been thought to be a major problem for other cultures so not sure what would happen there.
Also not sure if the Antarctic ice cap would survive in this scenario and pretty certain that the Arctic one wouldn't as it would be exposed to warmer waters on a broad front. This would cause sea level rises, bloody high ones in the former case and further disruption of climatic patterns and weather.
Plus would the replacement of the 'old world' by a world ocean also mean that instead of continental crusts there were deeper oceanic plate tectonics? Not sure what the effects of that would be especially since its likely to have some other plates clashing but where?
Buba
A total creep
It will. The Antarctic ice cap exists because of the Circumpolar Current. It keeps the landmass surrounded by cold water. The Antarctic ice cap has been around since the Drake Passage opened.
TheRomanSlayer
Kayabangan, Dugo, at Dangal
Girolamo Savonarola becomes the main figure of Christian Reformation.
I did write my rebooted TL, To Rebuild a Shattered World, which included Girolamo Savonarola becoming the figurehead in the Reformation, and the PoD of it was that he decided to not invite Charles VIII of France to invade the Italian states, triggering the Italian Wars. One of his main feature was that his attempt to reform Christianity later became the founding pillar of what would become the Reformation.
I would think that a Reformation led by Savonarola instead of the likes of Martin Luther might not have been as destructive, though I wonder what an absence of the Italian Wars would have an effect on Europe as a whole. I would think that France might become the center of the alt-Reformation instead of the German states.
I did write my rebooted TL, To Rebuild a Shattered World, which included Girolamo Savonarola becoming the figurehead in the Reformation, and the PoD of it was that he decided to not invite Charles VIII of France to invade the Italian states, triggering the Italian Wars. One of his main feature was that his attempt to reform Christianity later became the founding pillar of what would become the Reformation.
I would think that a Reformation led by Savonarola instead of the likes of Martin Luther might not have been as destructive, though I wonder what an absence of the Italian Wars would have an effect on Europe as a whole. I would think that France might become the center of the alt-Reformation instead of the German states.
Yes but will that current still be there if so much of the world's land masses suddenly disappear? Not saying your wrong. Simply that I don't know.
Buba
A total creep
The CPC exists precisely because there is no landmass in its way. It is caused by Earth's rotation and associated winds.
That is what I remember from the Science I read.
Africa disapearing will affect ocean currents and climate, of course, but AFAIK not the Antarctic.
OK thanks for clarifying.
Bassoe
Well-known member
The Ottoman Empire realize their oil reserves are an infinite money cheat and become an imperialistic islamist superpower, the alt-EU gets its start as a NATO-style military alliance meant to defend against them.
Buba
A total creep
Prince Charles Stuart has a change of heart, Road to Damascus episode (or "lightbulb moment") and c.1710 slips into London to prostrate himself at Auntie Anne's feet.
Rejects "papist superstitions".
Does the Act of Succession go out the window?
I've read that Anne hated her Hannoverian cousins. Wouldn't the Tories would also prefer a Stuart?
Rejects "papist superstitions".
Does the Act of Succession go out the window?
I've read that Anne hated her Hannoverian cousins. Wouldn't the Tories would also prefer a Stuart?
Zyobot
Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
‘Adolf Hitler Regularly Launches Stalin-Like Purges’.
There’s one way to make him even more monstrous than his OTL counterpart, if at the cost of hamstringing Germany’s competence in key areas. Depending on when he starts imitating Stalin, he might also kill off Heydrich before he can propose the Final Solution as we know it, though whether there’s someone else who’d fill the void is also a big question mark.
Or, maybe surviving the July 20th plot drives Hitler even crazier and compels him to start terrorizing the German citizenry writ large in an insane crusade to hunt down potential “traitors” and “subversives”. All while rambling about how “Jews and Bolsheviks have infiltrated the Reich!” and using it as an idiotic pretext for extending the Final Solution to encompass “treacherous Aryans”. Which may just bring the Reich down even sooner, since the mass-gutting of competent and experienced officials would put inexperienced replacements in charge.
There’s one way to make him even more monstrous than his OTL counterpart, if at the cost of hamstringing Germany’s competence in key areas. Depending on when he starts imitating Stalin, he might also kill off Heydrich before he can propose the Final Solution as we know it, though whether there’s someone else who’d fill the void is also a big question mark.
Or, maybe surviving the July 20th plot drives Hitler even crazier and compels him to start terrorizing the German citizenry writ large in an insane crusade to hunt down potential “traitors” and “subversives”. All while rambling about how “Jews and Bolsheviks have infiltrated the Reich!” and using it as an idiotic pretext for extending the Final Solution to encompass “treacherous Aryans”. Which may just bring the Reich down even sooner, since the mass-gutting of competent and experienced officials would put inexperienced replacements in charge.
DarthOne
☦️
1) What if Richard the 3rd had won?
2) I've had various ideas for how the USA could have joined the Central Powers. With the idea being that we get a bunch of small POD's prior to World War 1 that keep nudging the USA away from Great Britan-slash-keep the distrust between the two countries going. The first POD that I came up with would be a slightly hotter version of the Trent Affair.
en.wikipedia.org
While war is averted, it comes closer than it does in the OTL. Throw in a handful of further minor divergences here and there in the late 1800s (such as more of a kerfuffle over the UK selling warships to the Confederacy; perhaps the CSS Stonewall actually makes it to Confederate hands?) and/. or 1900s and you'd be set.
The USA would be much warier towards the British and, while still isolationist, would be more along the lines of 'armed isolationism', meaning a more substantial US Army and navy than in OTL.
2) I've had various ideas for how the USA could have joined the Central Powers. With the idea being that we get a bunch of small POD's prior to World War 1 that keep nudging the USA away from Great Britan-slash-keep the distrust between the two countries going. The first POD that I came up with would be a slightly hotter version of the Trent Affair.
Trent Affair - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
While war is averted, it comes closer than it does in the OTL. Throw in a handful of further minor divergences here and there in the late 1800s (such as more of a kerfuffle over the UK selling warships to the Confederacy; perhaps the CSS Stonewall actually makes it to Confederate hands?) and/. or 1900s and you'd be set.
The USA would be much warier towards the British and, while still isolationist, would be more along the lines of 'armed isolationism', meaning a more substantial US Army and navy than in OTL.
DarthOne
☦️
Because clearly, Germany hasn't suffered enough in real life....
The Left, in Germany and elsewhere, unironically believes this.
Zyobot
Just a time-traveling robot stranded on Earth.
It’s not like the ATL counterparts we’re talking about are real or anything.
Besides, if people are willing to discuss the consequences of Hitler making his last stand at his fortress in East Prussia, then what’s wrong with this one?
DarthOne
☦️
true enough.
DarthOne
☦️
1) What if Richard the 3rd had won?
2) I've had various ideas for how the USA could have joined the Central Powers. With the idea being that we get a bunch of small POD's prior to World War 1 that keep nudging the USA away from Great Britan-slash-keep the distrust between the two countries going. The first POD that I came up with would be a slightly hotter version of the Trent Affair.
Trent Affair - Wikipedia
While war is averted, it comes closer than it does in the OTL. Throw in a handful of further minor divergences here and there in the late 1800s (such as more of a kerfuffle over the UK selling warships to the Confederacy; perhaps the CSS Stonewall actually makes it to Confederate hands?) and/. or 1900s and you'd be set.
The USA would be much warier towards the British and, while still isolationist, would be more along the lines of 'armed isolationism', meaning a more substantial US Army and navy than in OTL.
No comments on this? Anyone?
Buba
A total creep
For the USA to side with the CP during WWI?
Simple.
A different president in 1914.
A president who tells the UK and France that their laws of blockade will not be respected by the USA, as these contravene custom and tradition and International Law. And then push comes to shove ...
Now, the USA joining the CP pre-hostilities is beyond my imagination
Simple.
A different president in 1914.
A president who tells the UK and France that their laws of blockade will not be respected by the USA, as these contravene custom and tradition and International Law. And then push comes to shove ...
Now, the USA joining the CP pre-hostilities is beyond my imagination
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