Tales of Technofiction Non-Fiction
- 2008 and earlier

as told by Roger Bourke White Jr.

These are Roger's musings about the science behind his technofiction stories. These are essays from 2008 and earlier.

Technofiction Non-fiction Essays

These technofiction essays are the first step in a technofiction story. These lay down the technology parameters within which the humans of a story are being human.

Space Travel

Lifestyles on Interstellar spaceships (Sep 08)
Thoughts on what interstellar commerce will really be like (May 05)
Space travel using constant acceleration, but slower-than-light propulsion technology (Aug 02)
Thoughts on Gas Giant Atmospheres: The Ooze Zone (Jan 07)
How hot is Venus? Not as hot as you might first suppose (May 06)
Thoughts on the Biosphere 2 project, and the gardens of space ships (Dec 05)

Evolution of Life

Save Mankind with Neolithic Park Protecting mankind from a genetic disaster (Dec 04)
The Accelerating Rate of Evolutionary Change How long will mankind be Earth's dominant species? Will he know when he isn't? (Dec 03)
Why Earth may be an especially favorable place for complex life to evolve. (Aug 02)
More thoughts on Earth's large biomass (Aug 02)
Good Times, Bad Times and Genes Thoughts on how civilized mankind's odd living environment has oddly stressed our genes (Mar 07)
The Success of the Grandfather is visited on the Grandson or "Mr. Evolution cares about your Granny!" (Jul 06)
On Brides, Matrons and Flat Bodies more thinking on the wonders of the human body and mind. (Nov 05)
What valuable trait is the Vitamin C "screwed up gene" a marker for? (Jul 05)
Thoughts on Religion and Self-Awareness religion may do a lousy job of explaining how our universe works, but that doesn't mean it is without survival value. (Jun 04)
On ecological booms, busts and flip-flops Thoughts on positive feedback loops in the environment, and how mankind is in one! (Mar 04)
On gene pools, Language and Arranged Marriages -- How these three relate, and how humanity uses them to improve the human race (Mar 04)

Evolution of Technology

The difference between High Tech and High Magic (Dec 03)
On Birds and Boeings Thoughts on how genetic engineering will affect our society (Feb 07)
Tattoos and T-shirts An essay on how over-the-hill technologies fade away, or not! (Oct 98)

Humanity's Place in the Universe

God and Man, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse Thoughts on creator and creation relations (May 08)
How Small Can Mankind's Universe Be? Trying to be intelligent about Intelligent Design (Mar 07)
Concerning Cow-Human Relations (when viewed from the cow perspective) (Dec 05)
Is Religion distinctively Human? (Jun 02)

Human Thinking

Thoughts on Prostitution Inspired by the Elliot Spitzer Scandal (Mar 08)
Intelligence without Nerves Can it exist? (Nov 07)
Why does mankind bother to civilize? It's expensive to civilize, why go to the trouble? (Dec 05)
Why Humans like Soft Drinks A tasty Roger speculation (Aug 05)
The Sacred Masculine and Civilization One of the key transformations needed for civilization to flower is highly cooperative men. (Nov 04)
Thoughts on Religion and Self-Awareness Religion may do a lousy job of explaining how our universe works, but that doesn't mean it's without survival value. (Jun 04)
"Lifeboats on the Titanic" Thinking When we give up a lot more than we should, just to feel safe. (Feb 04)
The Body's Thinking Stack Thoughts on how we think (Jul 03)
Mania and Markets Roger peers at what makes a market "tick" (Jun 03)
Advanced Leadership and Followership: Two modern human skills (Aug 02)
On gene pools, Language and Arranged Marriages How these three relate, and how humanity uses them to improve the human race. (Mar 04)
America's Panic: Post 9-11 Thinking We have nothing to fear but fear itself...but we will fear mightily (Sep 01 thru Nov 03)
Anatomy of a Memorable Disaster Titanic, Challenger, 9-11What makes these memorable? (Jun 02)
Thoughts on the upcoming Y2K Crisis... or Non-crisis How will this compare to Y1K? (Mar 99)
Finding out when mankind first used language (Mar 98)

Tales of Technofiction Non-Fiction- 2008 and earlier