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Arrakis (other)
Arrakis ()—informally known as Dune and later called Rakis—is a fictional desert planet featured in the ''Dune'' series of novels by Frank Herbert. Herbert's first novel in the series, 1965's ''Dune'', is considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time,Touponce, William F. (1988), ''Frank Herbert'', Boston, Massachusetts: Twayne Publishers imprint, G. K. Hall & Co, pg. 119, . "''Locus'' ran a poll of readers on April 15, 1975, in which ''Dune'' 'was voted the all-time-best science-fiction novel ... It has sold over ten million copies in numerous editions.'" and it is sometimes cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history. In ''Dune'', Arrakis is the most important planet in the universe, as it is the only source of the drug melange. Melange (or, "the spice") is the most essential and valuable commodity in the universe, as it extends life and makes safe interstellar travel possible (among other uses). Harvesting the spice is also hazardous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dune (franchise)
''Dune'', also known as the ''Dune Chronicles'', is an American science fiction media franchise that originated with the 1965 novel ''Dune'' by Frank Herbert and has continued to add new publications. ''Dune'' is frequently described as the best selling science fiction novel in history. It won the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Hugo Award in 1966, and was later adapted into a 1984 film, a 2000 television miniseries, and a 2021 film. The latter will be followed by a 2023 direct sequel. Herbert wrote five sequels, the first two of which were adapted as a miniseries called ''Frank Herbert's Children of Dune'' in 2003. ''Dune'' has also inspired some traditional games and a series of video games. Since 2009, the names of planets from the ''Dune'' novels have been adopted for the real-world nomenclature of plains and other features on Saturn's moon Titan. Frank Herbert died in 1986. Beginning in 1999, his son Brian Herbert and science fiction author Kevin J. Anders ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Canopus (star)
Canopus is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and the second-brightest star in the night sky. It is also designated α Carinae, which is Latinised to Alpha Carinae. With a visual apparent magnitude of −0.74, it is outshone only by Sirius. Located around from the Sun, Canopus is a bright giant of spectral type A9, so it is essentially white when seen with the naked eye. It has a luminosity over 10,000 times the luminosity of the Sun, is eight times as massive, and has expanded to 71 times the Sun's radius. Its enlarged photosphere has an effective temperature of around . Canopus is undergoing core helium burning and is currently in the so-called blue loop phase of its evolution, having already passed through the red-giant branch after exhausting the hydrogen in its core. Canopus is a source of X-rays, which are likely being emitted from its corona. The prominent appearance of Canopus means it has been the subject of mytho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Date Palm
''Phoenix dactylifera'', commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. ''P. dactylifera'' is the type species of genus '' Phoenix'', which contains 12–19 species of wild date palms. Date trees reach up to in height, growing singly or forming a clump with several stems from a single root system. Slow-growing, they can reach over 100 years of age when maintained properly. Date fruits (dates) are oval-cylindrical, long, and about in diameter, with colour ranging from dark brown to bright red or yellow, depending on variety. Containing 61–68 percent sugar by mass when dried, dates are very sweet and are enjoyed as desserts on their own or within confections. Dates have been cultivated in the Middle East and t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ambrosia Dumosa
''Ambrosia dumosa'', the burro-weed or white bursage, a North American species of plants in the family Asteraceae. It is a common constituent of the creosote-bush scrub community throughout the Mojave desert of California, Nevada, and Utah and the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and northwestern Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Chihuahua). ''Ambrosia dumosa'' has been studied to determine allelopathic interactions with creosote bush, ''Larrea tridentata'', which produces a chemical that inhibits the growth of ''A. dumosa.'' Other studies have suggested that ''A. dumosa'' roots produce a chemical that causes them to grow away from conspecific roots, preventing competition for water resources. In addition to burro-weed, ''A. dumosa'' is also commonly called white bursage, and burrobush. Description ''Ambrosia dumosa'', a form of ragweed, is a highly branched shrub 20 to 90 cm in height. The younger stems are covered with soft gray-white hairs. Approximately ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saguaro
The saguaro (, ) (''Carnegiea gigantea'') is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus ''Carnegiea'' that can grow to be over tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona. Its scientific name is given in honor of Andrew Carnegie. In 1994, Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, Arizona, was designated to help protect this species and its habitat. Saguaros have a relatively long lifespan, often exceeding 150 years. They may grow their first side arm around 75–100 years of age, but some never grow any arms. Arms are developed to increase the plant's reproductive capacity, as more apices lead to more flowers and fruit. A saguaro can absorb and store considerable amounts of rainwater, visibly expanding in the process, while slowly using the stored water as needed. This characteristic enables the saguaro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Atreides
Paul Atreides (; later known as Paul Muad'Dib, and later still as The Preacher) is a fictional character in the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert. Paul is the primary protagonist in the first two novels in the series, ''Dune'' (1965) and '' Dune Messiah'' (1969), and returns in '' Children of Dune'' (1976). The character is brought back as two different gholas in the Brian Herbert/ Kevin J. Anderson novels which conclude the original series, '' Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and '' Sandworms of Dune'' (2007), and appears in the prequels '' Paul of Dune'' (2008) and '' The Winds of Dune'' (2009). According to Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert's son and biographer, House Atreides was based on the heroic but ill-fated Greek mythological House Atreus. A primary theme of ''Dune'' and its sequels is Frank Herbert's warning about society's tendencies to "give over every decision-making capacity" to a charismatic leader. He said in 1979, "The bottom line of the ''Dune'' trilogy is: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larrea Tridentata Anza-Borrego
''Larrea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. It contains five species of evergreen shrubs that are native to the Americas. The generic name honours Bishop Juan Antonio Hernández Pérez de Larrea, a patron of science."Larrea" is itself a Basque surname, where ''larrea'' stands for a village in Álava (Spain), ultimatelmeaning 'meadow'(plus article -a). South American members of this genus are known as ''jarillas'' and can produce fertile interspecific hybrids. One of the more notable species is the creosote bush ('' L. tridentata'') of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The King Clone ring in the Mojave Desert is a creosote bush clonal colony estimated to be about 11,700 years old. Species *''Larrea ameghinoi'' *''Larrea cuneifolia'' *''Larrea divaricata'' Cav. *''Larrea nitida'' *''Larrea tridentata'' (DC.) Coville – creosote bush References * T. J. Mabry, J. H. Hunziker, and D. R. Di Feo, D. R. (Eds.). ''Cre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lady Jessica
Lady Jessica is a fictional character in the ''Dune'' universe created by Frank Herbert. A main character in the 1965 novel ''Dune'', Jessica also plays an important role in the later installment '' Children of Dune'' (1976). The events surrounding Jessica's conception, her birth and her early years with Leto are chronicled in the '' Prelude to Dune'' prequel trilogy (1999–2001) and the '' Caladan Trilogy'' (2020–2022) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. The character is brought back as a ghola in the Herbert/Anderson sequels which conclude the original series, '' Hunters of Dune'' (2006) and '' Sandworms of Dune'' (2007). Lady Jessica was portrayed by Francesca Annis in the 1984 David Lynch film ''Dune''. Saskia Reeves played the role in the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel TV miniseries '' Frank Herbert's Dune'', and was succeeded by Alice Krige in the 2003 sequel, '' Frank Herbert's Children of Dune''. Rebecca Ferguson portrays Jessica in the 2021 Denis Villeneuve film ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salt Pan (geology)
Natural salt pans or salt flats are flat expanses of ground covered with salt and other minerals, usually shining white under the sun. They are found in deserts and are natural formations (unlike salt evaporation ponds, which are artificial). A salt pan forms by evaporation of a water pool, such as a lake or pond. This happens in climates where the rate of water evaporation exceeds the rate of that is, in a desert. If the water cannot drain into the ground, it remains on the surface until it evaporates, leaving behind minerals precipitated from the salt ions dissolved in the water. Over thousands of years, the minerals (usually salts) accumulate on the surface. These minerals reflect the sun's rays (through radiation) and often appear as white areas. Salt pans can be dangerous. The crust of salt can conceal a quagmire of mud that can engulf a truck. The Qattara Depression in the eastern Sahara Desert contains many such traps which served as strategic barriers during World ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spacing Guild
The Spacing Guild is an organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction ''Dune'' universe which possesses a monopoly on interstellar travel and banking. Guild Navigators (alternately Guildsmen or Steersmen) use the drug melange (also called "the spice") to achieve limited prescience, allowing them to successfully navigate " folded space" and safely guide enormous starships called heighliners across interstellar space instantaneously. The power of the Guild is balanced against that of the Padishah Emperor as well as of the assembled noble Houses of the Landsraad. Essentially apolitical, the Guild is primarily concerned with the flow of commerce and preservation of the economy that supports them. Although their ability to dictate the terms of and fees for all transport gives them influence in the political arena, they do not pursue political goals beyond their economic ones. John C. Smith analyzes the concept of the Guild in the essay "Navigators and the Spacing Guild" in '' T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terraforming
Terraforming or terraformation ("Earth-shaping") is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying the atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology of a planet, moon, or other body to be similar to the environment of Earth to make it habitable for humans to live on. The concept of terraforming developed from both science fiction and actual science. Carl Sagan, an astronomer, proposed the planetary engineering of Venus in 1961, which is considered one of the first accounts of the concept. The term was coined by Jack Williamson in a science-fiction short story (" Collision Orbit") published in 1942 in '' Astounding Science Fiction'', although terraforming in popular culture may predate this work. Even if the environment of a planet could be altered deliberately, the feasibility of creating an unconstrained planetary environment that mimics Earth on another planet has yet to be verified. While Venus, Earth, Mars, and even the Moon have been studied in relation to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qanat
A qanat or kārīz is a system for transporting water from an aquifer or water well to the surface, through an underground aqueduct; the system originated approximately 3,000 BC in what is now Iran. The function is essentially the same across North Africa and the Middle East but the system operates under a variety of regional names: ''qanat'' or kārīz in Iran, ''foggara'' in Algeria, ''khettara'' in Morocco, ''falaj'' in Oman, ''karez'' in Afghanistan, ''auyoun'' in Saudi Arabia, et al. The largest extant and functional qanat systems are located in Iran, Afghanistan, Oman, the oases of Turfan region of China, Algeria, and Pakistan. This is a system of water supply that allows water to be transported over long distances in hot dry climates without loss of much of the water to evaporation. The system has the advantage of being resistant to natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, and to deliberate destruction in war. Furthermore, it is almost insensitive to th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
