Science and Technology

The critical fields of study and innovation that support humanity’s survival, adaptability, and progress in the far reaches of space.

The rapid advancement of science and technology has been at the heart of humanity’s expansion into space and the establishment of colonies across the Hyades cluster. Over the past two millennia, humans have developed groundbreaking technologies that enable them to overcome biological, environmental, and physical limitations, allowing them to thrive in the most inhospitable conditions. From limitless energy sources to genetic enhancements and immersive digital environments, technology shapes every aspect of life in the colonies.

To oversee these advancements, the World Trade Federation has formed Special Committees dedicated to critical areas in science and technology. These committees, composed of members nominated and appointed from among the general membership of the Federation, focus on governance and oversight, ensuring that each field—whether nuclear fusion, artificial intelligence, or biotech—is managed responsibly and aligned with the colony's broader goals. Tasked with drafting policies and maintaining ethical standards, each committee addresses both the potential and risks within its focus area.

Collectively, these advancements bring extraordinary opportunities but also introduce significant challenges. As new technologies continually reshape society, they present complex issues around ethics, power, and sustainability, requiring careful governance to balance the benefits of progress with its potential societal costs.

AGRITECH: Advanced agricultural technologies ensure food security for capital cities, while high costs and corporate monopolies leave rural areas struggling with food access and nutritional disparities.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AI supports everything from infrastructure management to healthcare, but biased algorithms and corporate data control create social and ethical divides across colonies.

AUGMENTED REALITY: AR enhances daily life with digital overlays, yet its commercialization and data mining deepen inequality between urban centers and rural communities with limited access.

BIOTECH: Encompassing genetic modifications and physical augmentations, transhumanism allows colonists to adapt to extreme environments but raises ethical issues around access, identity, and economic disparity.

NUCLEAR FUSION: The primary energy source powering the colonies, fusion promises clean, abundant energy, yet corporate monopolies create significant divides in access and affordability.

ROBOTICS: Integral to colony life, robotics automates labor and infrastructure, yet corporate control and job displacement foster resentment and dependence on proprietary technology.

SMART MATERIALS: Adaptive materials that respond to environmental changes revolutionize colony infrastructure, but high costs and corporate control restrict their benefits to affluent areas.

SPACE EXPLORATION: Essential for colony expansion and resource acquisition, space exploration is dominated by corporate interests, leading to conflicts over access, exploitation, and ethical concerns in interstellar ventures.

VIRTUAL REALITY: VR provides immersive digital experiences for work, education, and socializing, but corporate control over content and access fuels concerns over surveillance, dependency, and mental health.

SETTING THEMES

Additional considerations regarding the impact of science and technology on human society is discussed further in the Setting Themes section of the Toolkit.