Welcome to the Safe Science-Fiction Website of Barry Redhead
You are visiting the safe science-fiction website www.Things-to.com of Barry Redhead. Concept & Storytelling by Barry Redhead. Refined through AI-supported editorial work for a polished reading experience.
Welcome to www.Things-to.com, the safe science-fiction website of Barry Redhead — a place for speculative futures, cinematic storytelling, uncomfortable questions, and visions of tomorrow that often feel dangerously close to today. Here you’ll find science-fiction short stories, future concepts, speculative worlds, book recommendations, essays, articles, and reading tips about artificial intelligence, space exploration, technological evolution, human–machine boundaries, and the political as well as emotional consequences of a rapidly changing world. This is a website for readers who are not only looking for escape, but also for reflection. Science fiction is more than distant stars and impossible machines. It is a mirror. A warning signal. A thought experiment. Sometimes, it is also the last honest way to speak about the present.
A wonderful review of my second science-fiction short story collection, “The Cage of Consciousness,” is now available on Instagram at @reads.ashley. Ashley explores the book’s themes of artificial intelligence, consciousness, responsibility and machine ethics. Many thanks for this thoughtful and detailed review. Visit her Instagram page and read the full review at @reads.ashley.
Click LINK: click the Picture to READS.ASHLEYS Instagramm acount!
Eine eindrucksvolle Review zu meinem zweiten Science-Fiction-Kurzgeschichtenband „The Cage of Consciousness“ ist jetzt auf Instagram bei @reads.ashley zu lesen. Ashley schreibt über KI, Bewusstsein, Verantwortung und die philosophischen Fragen hinter den Geschichten. Vielen Dank für diese ausführliche und einfühlsame Besprechung! Besucht ihre Instagram-Seite und lest die vollständige Review bei @reads.ashley. Auch ein Klick auf das Bild bringt euch auf Reads.Ashleys Instergram Seite.
Mars Colonies: Why Permanent Settlement Still Makes Little Sense
Mars has
become more than a destination for science. It is increasingly presented as
humanity’s next home: a world where settlers will build cities, produce their
own resources and establish a second civilisation. The
physical reality is far less forgiving. Radiation, isolation, difficult
landings, limited rescue options, toxic dust, fragile life-support systems and
the enormous complexity of returning to Earth make permanent settlement a
questionable objective. A crewed
scientific expedition to Mars could deliver important knowledge. Colonisation
is a very different proposition.
The
journey begins with radiation
Earth’s
magnetic field protects life from much of the radiation found in interplanetary
space. A crew travelling to Mars would leave that protection behind. During
the Mars Science Laboratory’s journey, Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment
Detector measured an average galactic cosmic-ray exposure of approximately 1.8
millisieverts per day inside the spacecraft. The figure cannot simply be
transferred to a future crew vehicle, but it demonstrates the scale of the
problem. NASA/JPL:
Radiation Data from the Voyage to Mars. Using
measurements gathered during the flight and on the surface, researchers
estimated that a representative return mission under similar solar conditions
could expose astronauts to a total dose in the region of 1,000 millisieverts.
Solar particle events add further uncertainty. NASA:
Radiation Measurements and Human Exploration Additional
shielding increases spacecraft mass. Greater mass demands more launch capacity,
energy and propellant. Radiation is therefore both a medical hazard and a
fundamental engineering constraint.
Landing
a human-scale vehicle has never been demonstrated
Mars has
enough atmosphere to generate heat and aerodynamic stress, but not enough to
slow a large vehicle with parachutes alone. Human missions would need to land
many tonnes of habitats, power systems, supplies, vehicles and return
equipment. NASA
continues to develop supersonic retropropulsion and related technologies for
high-mass Mars landings. No human-rated atmospheric landing system of this kind
has yet operated on Mars. NASA:
Propulsive Descent Technologies. It would
be misleading to assign a numerical probability of survival before a specific
spacecraft and mission design exist. What can be said is that landing a crew
and its infrastructure remains one of the central unresolved challenges.
Earth
cannot provide immediate help
A
one-way communication delay of up to approximately 20 minutes prevents
real-time conversation with mission control. Medical emergencies, equipment
failures and habitat damage would have to be managed locally. NASA: Hazard –
Distance From Earth. Physical
rescue would be far more difficult. Efficient launch opportunities between
Earth and Mars occur only about every 26 months, followed by a journey lasting
many months. NASA:
Mars Launch Opportunities . A failed
oxygen generator, damaged pressure vessel or serious illness could not be
answered by dispatching help from Earth. Any settlement would need extensive
redundancy, local medical capability and crews trained to operate without
direct assistance. Mars
would not be a distant research station. It would be an isolated world.
The
return journey is possible, but it must be built in advance
Mars
does not make a return impossible simply because ready-made rocket fuel is
absent. NASA is studying ascent vehicles that could arrive fully fuelled,
receive propellant from a pre-positioned depot or use resources produced on
Mars. NASA:
Getting Back from Mars. Every
option adds mass and complexity. A Mars ascent vehicle would first have to
carry the crew from the surface into orbit. The astronauts would then need to
rendezvous with another spacecraft capable of supporting them during the long
return to Earth. A
responsible mission would deliver, fuel and verify this system before the crew
left Earth. Without a proven return architecture, the expedition would indeed
become a one-way journey. A lack
of propellant is not an unavoidable law of nature. It would be the result of an
incomplete mission design or a deliberate decision to abandon the possibility
of return.
Mars
has water, but not a convenient water supply
Orbital
surveys have identified substantial deposits of subsurface water ice. Some may
lie relatively close to the surface and could provide drinking water, oxygen
and feedstock for propellant production. NASA:
SWIM Map of Subsurface Water Ice. Accessing
that resource would still require mining equipment, power, purification
systems, storage and highly efficient recycling. The settlement would also have
to be built close enough to suitable ice without choosing a landing site that
is too cold, too high or otherwise unsafe. Martian
soil and ice may contain hazardous perchlorates. These compounds would need to
be removed before water could be used safely for drinking, agriculture or
industrial processes. NASA:
Detoxifying Mars. Water on
Mars is a potential resource, not a functioning utility.
Much
of life would take place behind shielding
Mars
lacks a global protective magnetosphere and its thin atmosphere provides only
limited radiation shielding. Long-term habitats could be placed below ground or
covered with thick layers of regolith and water-rich materials.
Research
supported by the European Space Agency is examining how locally sourced clay,
ice and brines might be used to create structures with improved radiation
protection. ESA:
Sustainable Radiation Shielding on Mars
Future
settlers would probably spend much of their lives in sealed, heavily shielded
environments with limited access to natural light. The popular image of
transparent domes overlooking the Martian landscape has little connection with
the requirements of radiation protection.
Terraforming
remains beyond present-day technology
Mars
does possess an atmosphere, but its surface pressure is less than one per cent
of Earth’s. It is too thin and cold to support stable liquid water in the open. A
NASA-supported study concluded that Mars does not contain enough accessible
carbon dioxide to thicken and warm the atmosphere sufficiently using
present-day technology. Much of its earlier atmosphere has already been lost to
space. NASA:
Mars Terraforming Not Possible Using Present-Day Technology. Terraforming
is therefore not prevented by a complete absence of atmosphere. It is prevented
by its extremely low pressure, the shortage of accessible greenhouse gases and
the vast energy required to alter an entire planet. Any
foreseeable settlement would remain dependent upon sealed habitats and
mechanical life support.
The
cost cannot yet be calculated honestly
There is
no complete, funded architecture for a crewed Mars landing, let alone a
self-sufficient settlement. NASA’s current Moon to Mars Architecture remains
evolutionary, with major decisions concerning landing systems, ascent vehicles,
habitats, power and local resource use still under study. NASA: Moon to Mars
Architecture A
credible settlement would require repeated launches over many years, extensive
redundancy and an interplanetary supply network. Any confident total price
presented today would be speculation. The
required infrastructure would include transport spacecraft, cargo landers,
power generation, radiation shielding, water extraction, food production,
medical facilities, spare parts, communications satellites and a complete
return system.
Scientific
value does not automatically justify colonisation
Mars is
scientifically important. It may contain evidence of ancient microbial life and
can help researchers understand planetary climate, atmospheric loss and the
development of potentially habitable worlds. NASA: Humans to
Mars
Human
explorers could make rapid decisions and carry out complex fieldwork. Robots,
however, can operate for years without air, food or protection from many of the
hazards that threaten a crew. The
scientifically honest question is not whether Mars deserves exploration. It is
whether permanent settlement offers enough additional value to justify its cost
and human risk. Limited
expeditions may eventually provide a defensible answer. A colony is a much
larger claim.
Conclusion:
a destination for science, not a replacement Earth
A crewed
journey to Mars could become one of humanity’s greatest engineering
achievements. It might answer important scientific questions and drive
technological innovation. A
permanent colony is another matter. Radiation, isolation, difficult landings,
uncertain local resources, complex return systems and incalculable costs make
settlement difficult to justify with foreseeable technology.
Mars may
become a destination for carefully planned scientific expeditions. It is not a
practical refuge, a second Earth or an easy new beginning. Before
attempting to make another planet habitable, humanity should demonstrate that
it can preserve the habitable world it already possesses.
Discover Redhead Future Fiction – Barry Redhead’s creative future universe of science fiction, AI thrillers, dystopian visions, film ideas and international book projects. Literature, film, artificial intelligence, alien worlds and socially critical questions about the future come together here in a growing narrative cosmos. Find out more about current and upcoming projects, books, series and visual concepts on the Redhead Future Fiction website. Click on the logo or HERE to go directly to the page.
What You’ll Find on This Website
Things-to.com is the English-language website of science-fiction author, filmmaker and visual storyteller Barry Redhead. The site offers insight into a growing universe of speculative fiction, future-oriented essays, literary updates and cinematic science-fiction concepts. Here, readers will find news, articles, background material and reflections on Barry Redhead’s creative work — including the science-fiction short story series "Yesterday, Tomorrow Was Already Different", the dystopian future universe Paradise 4.0, and its related prequel 43/53. But Things-to.com is more than a project archive. It is a place for questions that define our age: artificial intelligence, alien contact, machine consciousness, political instability, ecological collapse, inequality, war, space exploration and the uncertain future of humankind.
Should billions be spent on Moon and Mars missions while Earth struggles with hunger, conflict and environmental destruction? What happens when machines begin to dream? And what remains of humanity when technology no longer serves us, but begins to judge, imitate or replace us? These are not abstract questions. They are the raw material of our future. In the Articles section, Things-to.com publishes lead essays, commentaries and reflections on science fiction, society, technology, politics and the fragile architecture of tomorrow. Some older but still highly relevant articles remain available for several weeks after publication — because on this website, older does not automatically mean outdated.
The future does not shine. It flickers.
In Barry Redhead’s science-fiction short story series "Yesterday, Tomorrow Was Already Different", the journey leads from the dirty streets of Neo-Tokyo to the silence of the Singularity. Tomorrow smells of ozone, rusted titanium and synthetic sandalwood — and behind every technological vision waits the ancient question: what remains of humanity when machines begin to dream? The stories blend cyberpunk noir, AI satire, alien contact, dystopian futures, machine consciousness and cosmic wonder into a cinematic journey through possible tomorrows. Written for readers who love the atmosphere of Blade Runner, the unsettling questions of Black Mirror, and the philosophical depth of classic science fiction, the series offers short, intense visions of futures that feel strange, dangerous and disturbingly close.
Volume 1 of Yesterday, Tomorrow Was Already Different is available now.
Volume 2 – The Cage of Consciousness is now available worldwide — in every bookstore, everywhere in the universe.
Volume 3 is coming soon - 31 July, the journey continues with Hybrid, Alien, Machine. STAY TUNED!
This new collection explores artificial intelligence, alien contact, machine consciousness and the fragile border between human, hybrid and machine. Cinematic, atmospheric and thought-provoking, Hybrid, Alien, Machine continues the journey into futures where nothing remains quite as human as it once seemed. Barrys visions of tomorrow. One warning: Yesterday, tomorrow was already different.
The stars are silent.
The machines are dreaming.
But we are still here.
The machines are dreaming.
But we are still here.
In the Work in Progress section, you can follow the current status of upcoming book projects, new stories, developing concepts, and future publications. This is where readers can see what is being written, expanded, revised, or prepared behind the scenes. In the SF Short Stories section, selected science-fiction stories are available to read directly on the website. These stories range from dystopian and philosophical to satirical, cosmic, political, and deeply human — always with one eye on the cracks in our civilization. You’ll also find book recommendations and reading tips for fans of intelligent, thought-provoking science fiction — stories that explore artificial intelligence, alien worlds, digital consciousness, future societies, space colonization, and the fragile line between progress and catastrophe.
Here you’ll find regularly published SF short stories, insights into developing fictional universes, background articles on futuristic technologies, and thought experiments about humanity’s possible futures. The focus goes beyond spectacle, it’s about impact: How does technology reshape power? What remains of humanity in an optimized world? Can progress exist without moral cost? This site combines classic science fiction themes, space, advanced technology, alternative societies, with a grounded, contemporary perspective. The futures explored here are not distant fantasies; they are extensions of changes already underway. You can find more science fiction short stories in the SF Shorts section.
Click the PIC to more Information and the FILM-CLIP. UFOs YES or NO?
Why We Are Alone: The Physical Impossibility of First Contact Text: Forget what science fiction told you. This film deconstructs the UFO myth through the lens of astrophysics. From the immutable speed of light to the entropy of deep time, we analyze why interstellar visitation is scientifically ruled out. A sober look at the universe that explains why, effectively, we are alone in the dark.
"Related Links: We have curated 4 external websites for you. Simply click the buttons below to be redirected to these additional resources."
To my new Website about my AI thriller Codename:
Darwin — a dark, cinematic story about artificial intelligence,
control, power and dangerous secrets. Click on the image to find out more about Codename: Darwin.
🌌 Welcome to the Worlds of Paradise 4.0 and 43/53!
On the website www.Paradies40.de, we gradually open the archives of the planet Hope and its many colonies. In the sections “Worlds” and “Colonies,” you will find detailed descriptions of ecosystems, settlements, political structures, and environmental conditions within the Paradise-4.0 universe. These articles are part of the ongoing development of the Paradise 4.0 novel series and will be expanded continuously as new chapters and background materials are completed. Many texts are already available in English, making the site accessible to international readers. Visit: 👉 www.Paradies40.de – sections Worlds & Colonies - Now Online- Planet Earth. Here, the complete universe of Paradise 4.0 grows step by step. Enter the future. Discover new worlds. Experience the paradise—its light and its darkness. The Books are coming in 2027. Stay Tuned!
For the MAJO - Marie-Josephine Youtube Channel and her great songs and videos, please click the picture. Three songs you can also hear on Spotify and other music cahnnels. Be sure to listen. Click her to her newest Song
