scholarly journals At the outer limits of the international: Orbital infrastructures and the technopolitics of planetary (in)security

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-314
Author(s):  
Columba Peoples ◽  
Tim Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
International Security ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Security Analysis ◽  
Earth Observation ◽  
Detection Systems ◽  
Earth Object ◽  
Military Security ◽  
Technical Systems

AbstractAs staples of science fiction, space technologies, much like outer space itself, have often been regarded as being ‘out there’ objects of international security analysis. However, as a growing subset of security scholarship indicates, terrestrial politics and practices are ever more dependent on space technologies and systems. Existing scholarship in ‘astropolitics’ and ‘critical astropolitics’ has tended to concentrate on how such technologies and systems underpin and impact the dynamics of military security, but this article makes the case for wider consideration of ‘orbital infrastructures’ as crucial to conceptions and governance of planetary security in the context of the ‘Anthropocene’. It does so by outlining and analysing in detail Earth Observation (EO) and Near-Earth Object (NEO) detection systems as exemplary cases of technological infrastructures for ‘looking in’ on and ‘looking out’ for forms of planetary insecurity. Drawing on and extending recent theorisations of technopolitics and of Large Technical Systems, we argue that EO and NEO technologies illustrate, in distinct ways, the extent to which orbital infrastructures should be considered not only part of the fabric of contemporary international security but as particularly significant within and even emblematic of the technopolitics of planetary (in)security.

Jocular Juvenilia

2018 ◽  
pp. 17-29
Author(s):  
Gary Westfahl
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Similar Material ◽  
Sense Of Humor ◽  
Professional Science

This chapter argues that Clarke’s fiction falls into two categories: farcical pieces filled with adolescent humor--his juvenilia and later texts described as his “mature juvenilia”; and his professional science fiction, which manifests only occasional, and subdued, touches of humor. The young Clarke prefers parodies, puns, wordplay, and slapstick, and he displays a rather cruel sense of humor in jocularly describing various deaths and catastrophes. Yet some early works also show Clarke developing his skill in extrapolation and the development of future worlds as well as his interests in outer space and the oceans. Pieces recalling Clarke’s juvenilia surface through his career, and similar material may someday be discovered in his private journals.

Space Elevator

2011 ◽  
pp. 312-331
Author(s):  
Paul E. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Cost Saving ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
The World ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Cost

Currently, transporting cargo into Outer Space is not only expensive, but a complicated and prolonged process. The Space Shuttles used today are inadequate, overused and obsolete. At this time, there are efforts all around the world to make Space more accessible. There have been many proposals to solve the Space transportation dilemma. One proposal is the creation of a Space Elevator. The Space Elevator would provide low-cost, easy access to Space by dramatically reducing the cost of sending cargo into Space. A $10-$100 per pound the Space Elevator would provide an astounding cost-saving compared to the tens of thousands of dollars per pound it costs today. This low-cost access to Space would make it possible to substantially increase the amount of cargo that could be sent into Space on a daily basis. The first part of this paper describes how the Space Elevator is expected to work, and the advantage of access to space via the SE versus using primarily rockets. A compendium of information from a variety of sources is included in order to explain how the Space Elevator would be designed, constructed, and how it could solve the problems of transporting cargo into Space easily, cheaply, and frequently. The Space Elevator is a relatively new topic in the area of realistic science concepts and was merely science fiction not too long ago. The Space Elevator (“SE”) concept has only been in the spotlight in the last five years due to the work of Dr. Bradley Edwards of Carbon Designs Inc. Acceptance of the SE will be a difficult task for many reasons. One of these is that most people do not know about the SE concept, and those who do, tend to have trouble believing it is possible to build. In order to determine the best way of integrating the SE concept into society, a survey was conducted at Darien High School. The survey included such topics as the naming of "The Space Elevator," and how best to get the younger generation interested in the idea. The second part of this paper describes how to utilize the survey results to further the SE concept.

The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

2020 ◽  
pp. 290-299
Author(s):  
Hui Chieh Teoh ◽  
Katrina Pui Yee Shak
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Extraterrestrial Life ◽  
Extraterrestrial Intelligence ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
Human Desire ◽  
Substantial Effort

The constant depictions of contact with extraterrestrial life and their constant basic presence in science fiction shows the deep human desire for connection and transcendence with other life forms. In reality, continuous efforts on the search for aliens are being made by renown not-for-profit research organization such as the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) since 1984. Over the years, plenty of detected signals were dismissed as noise from transmitters on Earth or orbiting satellites but one – the “Wow!” signal. However, artificial signals from extraterrestrial sources could be the key to detecting extraterrestrial intelligence. Apart from passively searching, some are doing active SETI, or known as METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence), where humans create and transmit interstellar messages to aliens instead of waiting for theirs. Substantial effort in many areas – awareness, time, technological advancement, techniques – would be necessary to increase the probability of locating outer space intelligence.

Home and Away

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-177
Author(s):  
Micha Rahder
Keyword(s):  
Science Fiction ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Evolutionary Time ◽  
Feminist Science ◽  
Feminist Science Fiction ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
New Development ◽  
Gaia Theory

This article examines the reinvigoration of outer space imaginaries in the era of global environmental change, and the impacts of these imaginaries on Earth. Privatized space research mobilizes fears of ecological, political, or economic catastrophe to garner support for new utopian futures, or the search for Earth 2.0. These imaginaries reflect dominant global discourses about environmental and social issues, and enable the flow of earthly resources toward an extraterrestrial frontier. In contrast, eco-centric visions emerging from Gaia theory or feminist science fiction project post-earthly life in terms that are ecological, engaged in multispecies relations and ethics, and anticapitalist. In these imaginaries, rather than centering humans as would-be destroyers or saviors of Earth, our species becomes merely instrumental in launching life—a multispecies process—off the planet, a new development in deep evolutionary time. This article traces these two imaginaries and how they are reshaping material and political earthly life.

scholarly journals Adversarial Samples on Android Malware Detection Systems for IoT Systems

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolei Liu ◽  
Xiaojiang Du ◽  
Xiaosong Zhang ◽  
Qingxin Zhu ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Detection System ◽  
Fitness Function ◽  
Malware Detection ◽  
Security Analysis ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Android Malware ◽  
Testing Framework ◽  
Detection Systems ◽  
Android Malware Detection ◽  
Iot Devices

Many IoT (Internet of Things) systems run Android systems or Android-like systems. With the continuous development of machine learning algorithms, the learning-based Android malware detection system for IoT devices has gradually increased. However, these learning-based detection models are often vulnerable to adversarial samples. An automated testing framework is needed to help these learning-based malware detection systems for IoT devices perform security analysis. The current methods of generating adversarial samples mostly require training parameters of models and most of the methods are aimed at image data. To solve this problem, we propose a testing framework for learning-based Android malware detection systems (TLAMD) for IoT Devices. The key challenge is how to construct a suitable fitness function to generate an effective adversarial sample without affecting the features of the application. By introducing genetic algorithms and some technical improvements, our test framework can generate adversarial samples for the IoT Android application with a success rate of nearly 100% and can perform black-box testing on the system.

W cieniu radiacji. Seksualizacje bomby atomowej w kulturze popularnej lat 40. i 50. w Stanach Zjednoczonych

2017 ◽  
pp. 33-41
Author(s):  
Piotr Urbanowicz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Popular Culture ◽  
Cultural Studies ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Atomic Bomb ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
The United States ◽  
Popular Cinema ◽  
Social Concerns ◽  
Science Fiction Films

The aim of the article is to present a phenomenon of the sexualization of an atomic bomb in the popular culture of the 1940s and the 1950s in the United States. On the basis of sociological and cultural studies, the author lists the functions of this phenomenon. Furthermore, he uses the examples of press reports and popular cinema to indicate that the sexualization of the atomic bomb resulted from fear of sterilization and assimilation of soldiers coming back from the front. The analysis concerns the film I Married a Monster from Outer Space (1958). The author proves that science fiction films conceptualize social concerns, and accustom the viewers with atomic tension by means of appropriate narratives.

Critical human security studies

2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
EDWARD NEWMAN
Keyword(s):  
International Security ◽  
Security Analysis ◽  
Human Security ◽  
The State ◽  
Security Studies ◽  
Critical Security Studies ◽  
External Threats ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Distinct Approach

AbstractFrom a critical security studies perspective – and non-traditional security studies more broadly – is the concept of human security something which should be taken seriously? Does human security have anything significant to offer security studies? Both human security and critical security studies challenge the state-centric orthodoxy of conventional international security, based upon military defence of territory against ‘external’ threats. Both also challenge neorealist scholarship, and involve broadening and deepening the security agenda. Yet critical security studies have not engaged substantively with human security as a distinct approach to non-traditional security. This article explores the relationship between human security and critical security studies and considers why human security arguments – which privilege the individual as the referent of security analysis and seek to directly influence policy in this regard – have not made a significant impact in critical security studies. The article suggests a number of ways in which critical and human security studies might engage. In particular, it suggests that human security scholarship must go beyond its (mostly) uncritical conceptual underpinnings if it is to make a lasting impact upon security studies, and this might be envisioned as Critical Human Security Studies (CHSS).

Transnationalism in Space: Inner and Outer

1971 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 602-625 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Miles
Keyword(s):  
International Security ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
International Level ◽  
Exploration And Exploitation ◽  
Common Resources ◽  
Exchange Of Information ◽  
Ocean Exploration

Interactions between different kinds of actors engaged in outer space and ocean exploration and exploitation can be grouped into five major categories of activities. These activities reflect the dominant interests of all the participants, and they are treated at a level of generality which facilitates comparison. The categories of activities are: i) management and regulation of common resources; 2) exploitation of specific resources; 3) coordination and financing of research, including exploration and experimentation at the international level, and arrangements governing the exchange of information gained; 4) preservation of national and international security; and 5) recreation and the control of pollution.

Outer space and international security

1987 ◽  
Vol 132 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-16
Author(s):  
Bhupendra Jasani ◽  
Pauline Creasey
Keyword(s):  
International Security ◽  
Outer Space
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document