Ringworld

Xinlong Yuan UD 3- Tutors: Nicholas Boyarsky/ Camila E. Sotomayor UCL The Bartlett School of Architecture MArch Urban Design 11-12 BENVUD 1 - History and Theory

Name of the author: the Ringworld engineers Date: AD 2850 Source: From science fiction Ringworld, written by Larry Niven in 1970. Type: Outer Space

Synopsis:

The ideal city refracts the ideology evolution of current civilization. The capitalism booming of the dark era urges people to search new colony to survival. In terms of enhancing the general welfare, the establishment of space colony beyond home planets atmosphere would have higher historical significance than the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus. Ringwold is such a colony world that built by the Ringworld Engineers in 2850 to regenerate society system and physical world and spread human civilization from their home world. Here, humankinds earliest dreams of settling ideal city beyond the gravity well of Earth have been translated into reality.

Contents:

Introduction Civilization Tends to Spread Semi-Dyson Sphere God Gambit The Arch of Heaven Conclusion References Notes

3-6 6-7 7-9 9-11 11-12 13-14 15 16

Introduction The myth and heaven dreams provide original concept of sky settlement for ideal city. Facing the incredible expansion of metropolis in the last century, people tend to stretch its space in vertical level in order to maximize urban space (Cervero 1998). In this historical context, a colony in the air proposed by Wenzel-Hablik-Stiftung in 1908 described narrative about the communal living and working in the sky city and conceived an ideal city for utopian future (see Fig. 1). Ringworld is an immense artificial ring that locates encircling a sun-kind star in the galactic (see Fig. 2). The artificial gravity provided by the role of centrifugal force has close strength of home planets gravity. Its diameter is similar with Earths orbit and its width reach one million miles. In addition, the inner surface of Ringworld is three million times larger than Earths surface (Niven 1970). Two gigantic salty oceans that are completely opposite to each other exist on Ringworld. In one ocean, several continental blocks are included, which are imitation of several worlds maps in known space. In another ocean, 32 uniform blocks are containedthat are established according to the maps of to an unknown planet. In addition, a huge fin is set up under each ocean to dissipate redundant heat for the world. Proactivelytwo opposite oceans, constitutes a exactly balance in Ringworld.

Fig.1 A colony in the air(Stiftung 1908)Fig.2 Image of Ringworld (Niven 1970)

Ring floor cross section provided here illustrated that the topography of the Ringworld resembled with Earth-like habitats is constituted by its floor foundation made of Scrith1bonded bedrock and topsoil (see Fig.3). Those essential layers support possibilities for the Ringworld to simulate normal planetary landscape, with mountains, sea, canyons and rivers. The average thickness of those three layers is about 30-40 meters, 10-20 meters and 1020 meters respectively. The fourth layer under the foundation of Ringworld is foamed-scrith meteor shielding (approximately 350-1000 meters). To maintain stable and secure habitats for Ringworlders, it is made of spongy material and has an equal surface depth to buffer the possible popular collision, in addition to fitting its above surface with suited outer contour. Moreover, the atmosphere and biosphere are quite similar with the earth-like plants. Moreover, on the biosphere, land and water are roughly possessed half of the surface.

Fig. 3 Ring floor cross section (Niven 1970)

To prevent the atmosphere escaping from the world, Rim Walls constructed by Ringworld engineers are reach 1000 miles high on both sides. Apart from maintaining the atmosphere, they play vital roles on the transportation system inside the world and providing platforms for several spaceports. A transportation system, serving to provide vehicles high-speed channel to reach destination conveniently when elevators bring those vehicles up from ground area to the system, is built along one of the Rim walls. Meanwhile, several spaceportsfixed on the outer boundary of one of the Rim walls, is to accept spacecraft from outer space docking. Due to constant rotation, those spacecraft can be accelerated to the transportation system by connecting with an electromagnetic cannon as well as leaving conveniently by just descending the spaceport. Although almost half of Ringworld surface is covered by ocean, Ringworld's

inhabitants live mainly on land rather than in the gulf. In this world, the sky and land look like two flat plates that infinitely extend and finally melt together in the end of the visual. People living in the world are like microbes crawling in the two plants. In addition, their civilizations between the two plates are extremely unevenly distributed. Some still stay in original state, some highly civilized, and some in between. Thus, Ringworld cities show the state of its development at different stages of civilization in miniature. Highly civilized cities exhausted every inch of land to achieve higher density, even though there is still endless undeveloped space outside the city. Niven (1970) described the city It was all city, hundreds of square miles of city. There werent even parks. Even on Earth, man valued their elbow room. In fact, this type of city in the process of human civilization is not uncommon. Manhattan and Hong Kong that represent the Western and Eastern worlds, are two typical examples. However, those areas that are still in original state constitute with villages. Residents use the most original productivity, surviving by direct access to water and other natural resources. Also, their religions presented are in a relatively early stage. Those Ringworlders follow the guidance of the folk shaman who is considered as God's messengers. As highly ambitious human constructor, Ringworld provides extremely favorable habitat conditions, reflecting high-tech in the spread of human civilization. Under the conflicts between continued outspread and dwindling available resources, the ideal city have been burdened with the civilizing mission, relying on inclusive attitude to face a clash of civilizations as well as reachable approach to ensure a pot for culture amalgamation. In addition to that, A system provided in Ringworld to embody the fusion process of civilization by urban form in the macro level and architectural spatial in the micro level imply that it consider the different stages of development itself as heritage. Although Ringworld is a semi-Dyson sphere, we cannot neglect its significance of the enlightenment that it pursuits the ideality to completely absorb every energy radiated by its planet (Niven 1970). Solar is the original energy used in ancient humankindhowever it will be essential force in the future. In the ideal city, the sustainable energy systems rescue human beings who had been suffered from fossil energy era when people had to maintain the operation of city by plundering limited resource without thinking over Consequent negative impact on political, economical and social impact in the world. Along with material cross-flow today, worshiping people tends to worship material rather than spirit and gradually lost faith. Inevitably, it is very difficult to find a solution for the situation. However, re-shuffling has been happened at the start of civilization colonization in Ringworld. And new religious hierarchy and social network have been built when people began to rediscover the original thinking in addition to constructing the physical city. Accordingly, to find the balance point between religious hierarchy and selforganize social network become possible.

Moreover, the Ringworld explore a possibility to exploit monumental space to create the image and remembrance of the city by building a giant Arch stretching in the air. Memory belongs to the past, but it is clear to future (Terdiman 1993). By providing people with physical space and mental space, Ringworld show the imprint of historical development. Since ancient times, Colonial metropolis cities such as Changan in Tang Dynasty in China have showed us sensible methods to keeping the continuity and development of human civilization. Facing the current shortage of resources and incredible population growth, colonial metropolis urbanization is inevitable trend. Divided into four chapters, this essay is to examine and evaluate the ideality of Ringworld as Colonial metropolis city in terms of the spread of civilization, the sustainable energy systems of Semi-Dyson Sphere the balance point between religious hierarchy and self-organize social network, image and remembrance of Ringworld embodied by the Arch of Heaven. Civilization Tends to Spread The spread of civilization never stop. Tracing the history of the origin, war and trade are two fundamental driving forces of civilization spread. Despite the destruction of civilization led by the war cannot be ignored, its contribution to civilization spread should not be undervalued. In the thirteenth century, through large-scale wars waged by Mongol Empire in Eurasia, the Eurasian continent is under the control of Mongolia. Its culture and communication links have been clear, for transmission to the West of Eastern civilization, and even bringing potential impact on the prosperity of Europe Renaissance. In addition, trade has immense significance to the spread of civilization. In the Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian opened up the Silk Road that was the longest EastWest international transport routes in those days, resulting in the communication between Eastern and Western civilization. War and trade sometimes are inextricably linked. The contradiction between British and the Qing authorities based on the opium tradeled the Opium War in 1940. In the historical background, Hong Kong became a colony of Western culture as well as being the only open pot along the coast of the Qing Dynasty to communicate with the western world. the historical context of this particular conflict and integration of Eastern civilization and Western civilization create the colonized metropolis city now. Despite maintaining and developing cities own civilization, in addition to owning a correct perspective of the value of self-civilization are of great importance the openness attitude of the acceptance of foreign civilization and efficient communicate channels including transportation and information technology have much more Far-reaching significance. New York found in the New World is a good illustration. In this colonial metropolis, western civilization has blended with the local civilization, as well as the Continuous injection civilization from Africa and Asia.

Either Willing to accept the foreign culture or reachable approach is dispensable. Qing government's Seclusion its arrogance promoted the the formation of a large gap with the western countries that considerably developed because of industrial revolution in terms of science and technology, and Slow down its process of civilization. On the other aspect, the reachable approach is vital as well. Since Indians passed across the Bering Strait to North America ten thousand years ago, the pace of development of their civilization far behind and the Eurasian continent civilization. Undeniable, The restrictions of maritime technology are the root cause. Until the development of marine technology, Christopher Columbus discovered American in 1492. Civilization tends to spread, if theres a transport system to spread it indicated by Niven (1970). With the advancement of the world's cultural transmission, as well as the expansion of demand for land resources, the colonial culture of human desire are looking increasingly urgent that in turn precipitate the colonization of outer space. In the space colony on the roots of enormously different cultures, the clash and fusion will create a new international metropolis (Cervero 1998). Therefore, the requirements of openness and reachable methods become more intense. In Ringworld, the conflict and difference between foreign intelligence and species is much higher than that of different human civilization and colors on the earth. In addition, its channels of communication are likely to go a few thousand light-years across the galaxy rather than just pass across the Pacific, meanwhile, the new transport equipment and channels far exceed the sailing in Columbus or the modern network. Ringworld is indeed the ideal in this area of the city. It not only has an open mind, but also has channels for communication. When warships accidentally went into Ringworld that would meet military attack activities, however, Ringworld civilization provides the spacecraft with magnetic power in order to travel from the rim along the Ringworld easily. Moreover, Ringworlders set several spaceports to maintain the colony world contact with the outside world as the communication channels. Civilizations are always spread along the spacesport, that explains the importance of its position as an important communication approach. The colonial cities on Earth have sufficient examples to support the similar phenomenon. Kowloon and Hong Kong Island as Hong Kong's urban and cultural centers, are also spread around the port of Victoria. Semi-Dyson Sphere Energy has great relevance with urbanization process. Although we are already familiar with fossil fuels that was found in the 18-19 century and have been widely used in the recent centuries. Nevertheless, due to its properties of its restrictions on the quantity and non-renewable, contesting the limited resource led to the political conflicts between countries and the social contradictions between the rich and the poor generation. In addition, the follow-up pollutants produced by the usage of fossil fuels bring huge environmental issues. For instance, carbon dioxide emissions have caused

global warming and led negative influence on global climate. It pose immense impose on the social and economical dimensions, and even hinder the development of human civilization. With the sharp increase in demand for energy nowadays, the passive effects brought to the development of human civilization has become increasingly evident. People start to think of renewable energy when the emergent economic and social problems are urgently needed to address. Renewable energy such as solar and wind have been exploited and saw an incredible advancement in recent years. The efficiency of absorbing solar energy and converting it into other energy has been considerably improved, accompanied by its cost reduction and increasing popularity. However, the fact that those sustainable energy are humanity's oldest energy rather than to be considered as new easy is overlook. Solar energy, providing human mankind with fire, open new era to create light from darkness, eat cook food from raw food, mark the move of human civilization from the wilderness. Meanwhile, wind supports energy for the sailing to spread dissemination of the seeds of civilization and result in making a blend of civilization and colonization. For example, Japan and the United States inherit the culture of ancient China and British separately through the sailing. In addition, Hong Kong is the typical production of civilization spread and colonization. In short, the original energy will become the potential power in the future city along with the development of colonization. Ringworld is such an ideal city that use solar- one of the most ancient energyto ensure the optimum utilization of the plants resources by introducing special mega infrastructure named shadow square. The shadow square was established at the rim of the Ringworld to generate power by thermoelectricity and transferred to the Ringworld through shadow square wire. To ensure the mission to transmit power and preserve them from destruction, a web of superconductor pipes was set in the Ringworld foundation. In additionthe Ringworld engineers use the whole web surface that is formed by those major flup-recycling pipesits diameter is over 100 meters) to build the Ring-girdling circulation system for the purpose of ensuring the stable operation of inner air circulation. Another essential significance of the circulation system is to support the defense system of Ringworld as it tends to expose in the outer space of unknown dangerous factors(Niven 1970). However, the system has the possibilities to stop working because the ring power is confronted with emergent energy crisis. Stored power has seen a tendency to more used by the personal use of those individual with high position rather than the public. In that case, private excessive use of energy leads to a lack of the necessary energy for public to survival, and then threat to the survival of civilization. Niven (1970) indicated that The power was used to light street lamps, or to support the remaining floating buildings, or to cook meals and freeze foods! And so the Ringworld fell. Given that the energy is the vital element to maintain a civilization, an advanced civilization is expected to trap every day of sunlight by establishing a spherical shell or ring around the sun (Dyson 1960)(see Fig. 4). Dyson 8

spheres2 satisfy the basic needs of an advanced civilization to extent its biosphere and generate its energy(Dyson 1966). Although Ringworld cant absorb all the energy of sunlight like Earth-like planet, Ringworld can be still considered as a segment of the Dyson spheres. Therefore, Ringworld is accepted as a compromising astro-engineering construction between a Dyson sphere1 and a normal planet (Niven 1970). At the theoretical level, Ringworld cans not absorb all the energy radiated from its planet like the Dyson spheres, however, such a semi-Dyson sphere is close to the ideal of using the oldest renewable energy for guaranteeing sustainable development of civilization. In other words, Ringworld is an ideal colonialize metropolis in the terms of usage of energy.

Fig. 4 Dyson sphere( Dyson 1960)

God Gambit Ringworld is such an excited land that new religious hierarchy and social relations of habitats here have been rebuilt since Ringworlders migrated to this land and gradually gave up their home world. Undeniable, this brings strong attack to worships that deep-rooted in materialistic society. People begin to question the blind pursuit of material things, and no longer regard material things as a measurement for social class standard and human relationship. Similar to the original formation of religious beliefs on the planet, a new religion begins to emerge among the immigrant groups. Although the developing state of this new religion remains primitive, it has an extremely important significance. At the beginning of colonization, local form of secularism has been the main

ideology of that period. Previously existing religious beliefs such as Christianity and Buddhism are no more than just settling down as cultural traditions. Religions hierarchy and social network have become confused. Such a chaotic state is in fact a comprehensive result of historical, economic and political struggles. Furthermore, the chaotic state, in turn, results in an extremely far-reaching impact on the social hierarchy. Secular regime with its strong non-religious nature has posed a major threat to religious regime, and has utilized political means to force religion out of public domain, thereby slowing down its political and social influence process. It can be said that this situation will inevitably lead to a further chaos. There have been divergent views on the origin of religion, and no conclusion has been reached so far. But it is generally considered that religion is transitioned from quasi-religion. The chaotic social circumstances in primitive periods is right the breeding ground for quasi-religion. Similarly, the chaos at the beginning of the colonial Ringworld offers the opportunity to form a new religion. People's religious consciousness gradually grows stronger than their secular sense, and this creates favorable conditions for the formation of new religious hierarchy and people's social relations. For instance, to treat the Ringworlder engerneer as God, the dream castle (the living place of the Ringworlder engerneer) as a place where the God lives. To follow the wizard guidance among the folks, and to take him as God's messenger. These primitive beliefs also exist during the early development of human civilization. These residents and witches believe that Ringworld engineer is the God, the Creator; they call him Zeillir3 even though they have never seen him. Otherwise, when Louis flies down to the ground from the floating castle, he would not be mistaken as Zeillir. In this world, God, the priest and the people constitute a very simple religion hierarchy, and people's social relationship is very simple as well. In this re-establishing new hierarchical relationship, people's awareness of religion develops to its full, while their secular consciousness reduce to the minimum. However, there exists an ambiguous relationship between the priest and God. That is, the priest thinks himself as the publicity messenger of God's will, but on the other hand he forms a somehow competitive relationship with the God. Niven (1970) indicates that the priest really had feared to lose his congregation-as any priest might, if his god came to life and tried to take over. The priest satirizes that Louiss blood is not pure enough for he has hair (pure Ringworld engineer is considered to be bald) and he also wants Louis to leave, both for the reason that he fears louis arrival would affect his civil rule, and would take away his followers. These acts form a sharp contrast with his former behavior of organizing people to welcome Louis at the square. This explains for the subordinate yet competitive relationship between the priest and the Ringworld engineer. This reminds me of the ancient Chinese emperors who proclaim themselves as the son of God to impose control on its people. Therefore, the initial formation of the original religion indeed mirrors the mechanism in human religious hierarchy and social relationship. The process of human civilization accompanies the contradictions and conflicts between religious and secular awareness(Cervero 1998).

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The Arch of Heaven The night was cool. Archlight painted the city in navy blue shadows. a few strokes moving picture illustrated by Niven(1970). The Arch filling in the urban environment, not only support a strong visual effect to urban space, but also articulate complex history background and the spirit of residents who live in the city. The real attributes of the Arch are Good interpretation of its position in Ringworld space. Due to its huge scale and special position, the Arch as a landmark element, create a clear structure for hierarchical organization of urban space(Lynch 1960, Crosby 1970). In such a chaotic and complex social, its significance of spatial organization on the clarity of urban space and the blend of the urban context contax cannot be discounted. Based on its spatial sense, such magnificent monumental architecture have always been continued to explore, and some even utopian. For instancean utopian project had been proposed by the VAL Group who was an experimental architecture organization in 1970s. Three giant Arches designed as the Istroport-city would be built on the Danube river (see Fig.5). Under the support of the three Arches, the urban space has become more structured and understandable (Moravkov 2009).

Fig.5 the Istroport-city (Moravkov 2009) Yet, the Arch is the monumental architecture in addition to working as a landmark of the city. Thus, its spiritual sense to enrich ringworlderss spiritual world and evoke their memories of the past should be accepted together with its physical significant elements of urban space(Sack 1992). To trace its historical significance, the Arch was built together with the dream castle as monumental construction at the beginning construct of the Ringworld. Such a huge construction built with the dream castle that is considered as God's chambers, apparently, contributes to Ringworld habitats deep level of guidance and inspiration because of its spiritual and historical values. Thereby, they are bound to trace the great achievements of the predecessors, and explore its relevance with God's power. Similar with peoples attitude to the pyramids of Egypt's contribution to human civilization, people are shocked for both the infinite consumption of manpower and time and its breakthrough of construction technology. The pyramids Guide people to think our original and deep-rooted identity in our heart and give retroactive guidance for the human civilization forward (Danzer 1995). In addition, the Arch supports to build potential spirit structure in the

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Ringworlders heart. The image of the Arch described by brought Louis Wus thinking of Dantes Divine Comedy Dantes universe had been a complex artifact, with the souls of men and angels shown as precisely machined parts of the vast structure (Niven 1970) Through the depiction of three levels- hell, purgatory, heaven in this masterpiece (see Fig. 6), the spirit structure of individuals in the medieval dark world and its significance to foreshadow a prelude to the Renaissance can be clearly understood. At this level, the giant Arch is undoubtedly a spiritual masterpiece of epic written by image rather than text. Through the atmosphere rendered by the monumental architecture, image and memory of the past is indeed faintly visible - this piece of the city in ruins, has great prosperity in the past. An ideal city should bring hint of the past and memory in addition to providing some clues for continuous memory guidelines (Korpelar 1989). In fact, the shocked image saw by an accidental visual adventure in the castle give the Arch a good supplement. Unexpectedly looking at the screen fixed on the spaceport, some fragments presented a past microcosm of Ringworld through playing old capes. Despite this boom from several centuries ago has been somehow expected, they were really shocking when it actually appeared in front. In the backlight, the outer contour of the floating buildings that was floating under a field of light has been strengthened. In this case, its sanctity appears much more vivid and colorful. Niven1970describes that From the abandoned worlds! From centuries ago! Ramships are subject to relativity, to time dilation. The impact of the Arch is a supplement of the past and memory as well as the interpretation of the concern regarding the understanding of future generation to the former. The first generation of colonists had dropped their home world in order to survive to in the new barren land, however they indeed want to retrieve their lost things even though the later generation cannot understand.

Fig. 6. Dante's Scheme of the Universe (from Singer 1917)

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Conclusion

This ideal city, existing in AD 2850 and built in a special place--the galactic core lies in the plane of the Ringworld, is in essence a critical exploration under the current shortage of resources. Its realization provides a guiding significance for current society. The four aspects presented above as: 1.The construction goes along with the trend that culture has always been spreading, 2.The approximately ideal utilization of solar energy, 3.The formation of social network and hierarchy under new circumstances and 4. The Archs support to image and remembrance of Ringworld. All the four aspects contribute to the citys ideality. The nature of the four perspectives lie respectively in four extremely important elements in constituting a city, they are, communication, energy, social hierarchy and image and remembrance, from which they provide examples and reflections for current urban problems as well as suggesting new developing paths for contemporary city. To maintain the existence of a civilization, there must have a minimum number of populations (Cervero 1998). However, during the course of the spread and dissemination of culture, it is indispensable to have an allembracing attitude and reachable technology to ensure the progress of civilization. The cold hydrogen line is used as a medium of communication to exchanges information with foreign species. Its perfection is reflected in its ability to avoid the potential communicative barriers produced by subtle changes in language as a result of temporal and spatial development over time. In addition, several spaceports are set in the rim of the Ringworld in order to ensure the hardware-based communication with external civilizations, which can bring in culture and technological innovations. Admittedly, Ringworld as a giant constructor requires a great deal of energy to maintain its normal work, which includes the normal requirements for the ecological environment and also energy for rehabilitation and prevention in case of emergency. The model that Ringworld absorbs solar energy takes the form of a near-perfect semi-Dyson sphere, and is a near-perfect exploration for the ultimate demand (Niven 1970). Surprisingly, in the Ringworld, during the process of social network re-formation, the secular consciousness and the religious consciousness have reached a new equilibrium, which provides an inspiration for contemporary society where secular sense becomes the dominant social consciousness while religious awareness just remains as a cultural heritage. Finally, the Arch as Ringworld's monumental architecture, has a far-reaching significance in the urban image and peoples memory of the past, thus beacons the direction for the new development of civilization (Niven 1970, Danzer 1995). Of all time, the exploration about the ideal city is a balderdash of mankind based on the critical thinking about realistic problems and the possibilities of an unknown new world during the development of human civilization. In the original civilization, there is imagination about city in the air on ancient murals, which suggests people have produced thinking about building a city in the air; this is mainly a curiosity for the unknown world and the new way of life. Today, 13

as urban development grows mature, all kinds of social problems have also emerged out (Cervero 1998). In order to deal with social problems, responsible architects all think in a critical method. Take Le Corbusier's Radiant City for example, the city takes machine age as the background, issues an all-round crusade at the urbanization patterns and habituating system. Similarly, in face of the explosive expansion of the city and the unprecedented invasion and plunder on land resources and energy, the colonial concept gradually comes into being. After gradually exploit the unknown field of the Earth, mankind progressively turned to the cause of the sky, and even to the space. Wenzel-Hablik-Stiftung proposed the concept of a colony in the in the air in conform to this situation and raised the curtain of the imagination about the colony in space. The Ringworld described in the above essay is such an ideal city emerged as a result of the conflict over population explosion and resource plummeting.

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Reference: in Modern Physics: Essays in Honor of Hans Cervero Robert, The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry, Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1998. Corbusier Le, the Radiant City, New York: Orion Press, 1967 Crosby Theo, The necessary monument, London: Studio Vista, 1970. Danzer Gerald A, Public places: Exploring their history, Walnut Creek, CA : AltaMira Press, ,1995. Dyson Freeman John, "The Search for Extraterrestrial Technology," in Perspectives in modern physics, edited by R. E. Marshak, 641-55. New York: Wiley, 1966. Dyson Freeman John, "Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation". Science 131 (1960): 16671668. Korpela K.M, Place-identity as a product of environmental self-regulation, Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol.9, no.3 (1989), 241-256. accessed December 19, 2011. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494489800386 Lynch Kevin, The image of the city, London: MIT Press, 1960. Moravkov Henrieta, Monumentality in Slovak architecture of the 1960s and1970s: authoritarian, national, great and abstract, The Journal of Architecture, vol.14, no.1 (2009): 45-65, accessed December 23, 2011, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13602360802705205 Sack Richard, Place, modernity, and the consumers world, Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins Press, 1992. Terdiman Rechard, 'Historicizing Memory', Present Past: Modernity and the Memory Crisis, 332. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1993

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Notes 1. The material strength. used to build Ringworld; has remarkable tensile

2. A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical mega structure originally described by Freeman Dyson. Such a "sphere" would be a system of orbiting solar power satellites meant to completely encompass a star and capture most or all of its energy output. 3. Another of the Ringworld engineer who is considered as God by Ringworld habitats.

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