Earth (Foundation universe)
Encyclopedia
This article is on the history of Earth
, as presented in Isaac Asimov
's Foundation Series, Robot Series
, and Empire Series.
Spacer
During the Imperial Era, Earth is disliked by the rest of the Empire, and it is discriminated against. Because of its radioactivity, it is a very poor planet. Anyone who is unable to work is legally required to be killed. Earthpeople must also be executed when they reach the age of sixty, with a very few exceptions for people who have made significant contributions to society.
But why is Earth radioactive? In the Afterword to "Grow Old Along With Me" in The Alternate Asimovs
, Asimov explains:
This was retained when "Grow Old Along With Me" became Pebble In The Sky
, published in 1950. When Asimov returned to his future history with Foundation's Edge
(1982), he no longer thought a nuclear war could make the crust radioactive without destroying all life. Instead, he assumed that the crust of the planet was deliberately made increasingly radioactive.
In Robots and Empire
, he establishes how the Earth was deliberately made radioactive, by a Levular Mandamus, a Spacer
attempting to cripple Earthborn and Settler attempts at colonization. Instead, the net result, as is hinted in various books, is that the Settlers, unattached to their "holy" homeworld of Earth, are further driven to colonize and thus go on to establish the Galactic Empire, all but crowding Spacer culture out of the Galaxy.
History of Earth
The history of the Earth describes the most important events and fundamental stages in the development of the planet Earth from its formation 4.578 billion years ago to the present day. Nearly all branches of natural science have contributed to the understanding of the main events of the Earth's...
, as presented in Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Foundation Series, Robot Series
Isaac Asimov's Robot Series
Isaac Asimov's Robot Series is a series of short stories and novels by Isaac Asimov featuring positronic robots.- Short stories :Most of Asimov's robot short stories are set in the first age of positronic robotics and space exploration...
, and Empire Series.
Ancient (before 2065)
- 1982: Susan CalvinSusan CalvinDr. Susan Calvin is a fictional character from Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. She was the chief robopsychologist at US Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc., the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century...
born. Lawrence Robertson forms United States Robots & Mechanical Men, IncorporatedU.S. Robots and Mechanical MenThe fictional corporation U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. is the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century in Isaac Asimov's Robot Series of novels and short stories....
. - 1996: 'Robbie' manufactured by United States Robots.
- 1998: Lefebre-Yoshida expedition to Mars takes off from Lunar Base.
- 1998: New York passes ordinance keeping all robots off the streets between sunset and sunrise.
- 2003-2007: Most world governments ban robot use on Earth other than scientific research.
- 2005: Fatal First Mercury Expedition launched.
- 2008: Susan CalvinSusan CalvinDr. Susan Calvin is a fictional character from Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. She was the chief robopsychologist at US Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc., the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century...
obtains Doctorate and joins United States Robots as robopsychologist. - 2015: Second Mercury Expedition financed by United States Robots and by Solar Minerals.
- 2029: Hyper Base closed for a period of two weeks after the loss of an NS robot. First interstellar jump by Gregory Powell and Michael Donovan under the control of "The Brain".
- ????: Unsuccessful demonstration of the hyperspatial jump on H937.
- 2031: First practical hyperatomic motor produced.
- 2037: Stephen Byerley becomes Regional Co-ordinator for the Northern Region.
- 2044: The Regions of Earth form a Federation and appoint Stephen Byerley as its first World Co-ordinator.
- 2048: Stephen Byerley elected for a second term as World Co-ordinator.
- 2052: Earth population at 3.3 billion.
- 2064: Susan CalvinSusan CalvinDr. Susan Calvin is a fictional character from Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. She was the chief robopsychologist at US Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc., the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century...
dies.
SpacerSpacer (Asimov)In Isaac Asimov's Foundation/Empire/Robot series, the Spacers were the first humans to emigrate to space. About a millennium thereafter, they severed political ties with Earth, and embraced low population growth and extreme longevity as a means for a high standard of living, in combination with...
Era (2065 to 4728)
- 2065: Earth colonises AuroraAurora (planet)Aurora is a fictional planet in Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. It was the first world settled by the Spacers, originally named 'New Earth'; it was located 3.7 parsecs from Earth.-Origins & development:...
; later colonised 49 more worlds. - 3664: Founding of the 'City' of New York
- 3961: Great Rebellion resulting in the independence of the Outer Worlds from Earth.
- 4700: War starts between Earth and Santanni.
- 4704: End of war. Earth victorious.
Pre-Imperial Era (4728 A.D. to 1 G.E.)
- 4750: SolariaSolariaSolaria was a fictional human-inhabited planet in Isaac Asimov's Foundation and Robot series.It was the last of fifty Spacer worlds colonized by humans in a first wave of interstellar settlement. Occupied from approximately 4270 AD by inhabitants of the neighboring world Nexon originally for summer...
becomes independent. - 4747: United Worlds of the Galaxy formed
- 4934: Elijah BaleyElijah BaleyElijah Baley is a fictional character in Isaac Asimov's Robot series. He is the main character of the novels The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun and The Robots of Dawn, and of the short story "Mirror Image". He is seen in flashbacks several times and talked about frequently in Robots and Empire,...
born on Earth. - 4991: SpacetownSpacetownIn Isaac Asimov's Robot novels, Spacetown is a Spacer colony established just outside New York City, on Earth, in the year 4991 AD to monitor and influence terrestrial political activity, which was considered dangerous to the Spacer worlds in the event of a second wave of Galactic colonisation...
established on Earth. Spacetown Barrier Riots. - ????: Shanghai anti-robot riots.
- 5001: Bentley Baley born on Earth.
- 5010: Population of Earth 8,000,000,000. Population of the 50 Spacer worlds 5,500,000,000.
- 5011: Earth sociologists conclude that the Spacers are becoming too powerful for Earth's survival.
- 5020: R. Daneel OlivawR. Daneel OlivawR. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society...
constructed. - 5021: Spacetown disbanded.
- 5024: Earth allowed to begin a second wave of Galactic colonisation.
- 5030: Earth begins the second wave of Galactic expansion. Baleyworld founded.
- 5040: Earth and Spacer worlds sign the Earth-Spacer Treaty of Friendship where Earth agrees not to colonise any world within 20 light years of any Spacer world.
- 5222: Earth's natural radiation begins to increase as a result of the actions of Kelden Amadiro and Dr Mandamus.
- 6300: Colonisation of the Horsehead NebulaHorsehead NebulaThe Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just to the south of the star Alnitak, which is farthest east on Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 1500 light years from Earth...
begins.
Galactic Era (beginning circa 10,000 A.D.)
- -200: Earth is already ruled by Trantor during the events of The Currents of SpaceThe Currents of SpaceThe Currents of Space is a science fiction novel by the American writer Isaac Asimov. It is the second of three books labeled the Galactic Empire series, though it was the last of the three he wrote...
- 543: First Earth rebellion against the Empire.
- 720: Second Earth rebellion against the Empire.
- 750: Third Earth rebellion against the Empire.
- 810: Earth population 20,000,000.
- 817: Earth scientists isolate the Common Fever virus.
- 822: 100,000 people die on Earth during a famine.
- 823: Lord Ennius appointed Procurator of Earth.
- 825: Affret Shekt develops the Synapsifier.
- 828: Joseph Schwartz, Bel ArvardanBel ArvardanBel Arvardan is a fictional character in Pebble in the Sky, a part of Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series of stories and novels.He was born in the year 815 of the Galactic Era on the planet Baronn, located in the Sirius sector....
, Affret Shekt, and Pola Shekt avert a plan, formulated by Earth Zealots, to destroy the Galaxy. The Empire begins transporting soil to Earth. - 900: Abandonment of the attempt to restore Earth
- 910: Plans to terraformTerraformingTerraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
'Alpha' in the Alpha CentauriAlpha CentauriAlpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
system. Gets as far as creating an island three-fifths the size of Sicily. - 930: Earth's remaining inhabitants are evacuated to 'Alpha'
Late Galactic / Early Foundation
- 12,117 (50 F.E.): Human origins are "lost in the mists of antiquity". 'SolSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
' is mentioned by Lord Dorwin as one of several candidates for the original planetary system. SiriusSiriusSirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
, Alpha CentauriAlpha CentauriAlpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
, 61 Cygni61 Cygni61 Cygni,Not to be confused with 16 Cygni, a more distant system containing two G-type stars harboring the gas giant planet 16 Cygni Bb. sometimes called Bessel's Star or Piazzi's Flying Star, is a binary star system in the constellation Cygnus...
and Arcturus are among the alternatives. - 12,566 (499 F.E.): Golan Trevize and his ship discovers Earth.
During the Imperial Era, Earth is disliked by the rest of the Empire, and it is discriminated against. Because of its radioactivity, it is a very poor planet. Anyone who is unable to work is legally required to be killed. Earthpeople must also be executed when they reach the age of sixty, with a very few exceptions for people who have made significant contributions to society.
Fictional places
- Schenectady — Primary plant of U.S. Robots (Ancient Era)
- New York City — Home of Elijah Baley; population >20,000,000; population density: 4000/km² (Spacer Era)
- Spacetown — Region on the edge of New York City inhabited by Spacers (Spacer Era)
- Other cities: Bonair (Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
?); Conair; Senfran (San Francisco?); Washenn (Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
), capital of Earth
- Chica (ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) — One of the largest cities of the Galactic Era- Fort Dibburn (Fort DearbornFort DearbornFort Dearborn was a United States fort built in 1803 beside the Chicago River in what is now Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed by troops under Captain John Whistler and named in honor of Henry Dearborn, then United States Secretary of War. The original fort was destroyed following the Battle of...
?) — Imperial Garrison - Institute for Nuclear Research — Institute where synapsifier developed
- Fort Dibburn (Fort Dearborn
- Procurator's palace — Home of the Procurator of Earth; 13 km² (5 mile²); artificial garden in the Himalaya (Galactic Era)
- Temple of Senloo (St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
) — Base from which Earth Zealots attempted to launch their attack on the Galaxy
Radioactivity and fading memories
- In The Stars Like Dust, Earth is radioactive, apparently from a war. No one doubts its status as the planet of origin: indeed the exact order of settlement is remembered on Rhodia.
- In The Currents of SpaceThe Currents of SpaceThe Currents of Space is a science fiction novel by the American writer Isaac Asimov. It is the second of three books labeled the Galactic Empire series, though it was the last of the three he wrote...
, thousands of years later, and not far from the start of the Trantorian Empire, Earth's progenitor-status and legacy is no longer remembered by most of the galaxy. - In Pebble In The SkyPebble in the SkyPebble in the Sky is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, published in 1950. This work is his first novel — parts of the Foundation series had appeared from 1942 onwards, in magazines, but Foundation was not published in book form until 1951...
, the status of Earth is even more uncertain. Some experts believe that humans originated separately on many worlds. - In FoundationFoundation (novel)Foundation is the first book in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy . Foundation is a collection of five short stories, which were first published together as a book by Gnome Press in 1951...
, 12,000 years later during the fall of the Galactic Empire, "Sol" is just one among several candidates for the original home of humanity.
But why is Earth radioactive? In the Afterword to "Grow Old Along With Me" in The Alternate Asimovs
The Alternate Asimovs
The Alternate Asimovs is a collection of early science fiction drafts by American writer Isaac Asimov. Asimov mostly threw away early drafts...
, Asimov explains:
- I gave the Earth of the future a radioactive crust, at least in spots, yet it had a remnant of life and humanity clinging to it. Clearly, I meant this to be taken by the reader as the result of a nuclear war in our future; and the story's past... It is of crucial importance to the plot.
This was retained when "Grow Old Along With Me" became Pebble In The Sky
Pebble in the Sky
Pebble in the Sky is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, published in 1950. This work is his first novel — parts of the Foundation series had appeared from 1942 onwards, in magazines, but Foundation was not published in book form until 1951...
, published in 1950. When Asimov returned to his future history with Foundation's Edge
Foundation's Edge
Foundation's Edge is a science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the Foundation Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original Foundation trilogy, due to years of pressure by fans and editors on Asimov to write another, and, according to Asimov...
(1982), he no longer thought a nuclear war could make the crust radioactive without destroying all life. Instead, he assumed that the crust of the planet was deliberately made increasingly radioactive.
In Robots and Empire
Robots and Empire
Robots and Empire is science fiction novel written by the American author Isaac Asimov and published by Doubleday Books in 1985. It is part of Asimov's Robot series, consisting of many short stories and novels....
, he establishes how the Earth was deliberately made radioactive, by a Levular Mandamus, a Spacer
Spacer (Asimov)
In Isaac Asimov's Foundation/Empire/Robot series, the Spacers were the first humans to emigrate to space. About a millennium thereafter, they severed political ties with Earth, and embraced low population growth and extreme longevity as a means for a high standard of living, in combination with...
attempting to cripple Earthborn and Settler attempts at colonization. Instead, the net result, as is hinted in various books, is that the Settlers, unattached to their "holy" homeworld of Earth, are further driven to colonize and thus go on to establish the Galactic Empire, all but crowding Spacer culture out of the Galaxy.