Encyclopedia Galactica
Encyclopedia
The Encyclopædia Galactica is a fictional or hypothetical encyclopædia
of a future human galaxy
-spanning civilization
, containing all the knowledge
accumulated by a society with quadrillions of people and thousands of years of history. The name evokes the exhaustive and imperialistic aspects of the real-life Encyclopædia Britannica
.
's short story "Foundation" (Astounding Science Fiction, May 1942), later republished as "The Encyclopædists" in the short story collection Foundation
(1951). Asimov's Encyclopædia Galactica was a compendium of all knowledge then available in the Galactic Empire, intended to preserve that knowledge in a remote region of the Galaxy in the event of a foreseen Galactic catastrophe. The Encyclopædia is later revealed to be an element in an act of misdirection, its real purpose being to concentrate a group of skilled physical scientists on a remote, resource-poor planet, with the long-term aim of revitalizing the technologically stagnant and scientifically dormant Empire. Originally published in a physical medium, it later becomes computerized and subject to continual change.
and science fiction
. One example is its use by Carl Sagan
in his 1980 book Cosmos
, and his documentary series of the same name
, to refer to a text where hypothetical extraterrestrial civilizations could store all of their information and knowledge. It was also a common fixture in previous incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes
comic books, and has appeared in the Star Wars Expanded Universe
and Superman
comics set in the future.
Douglas Adams
' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
(1979) series frequently contrasted the Galactica with the apparently more popular Guide. For example, the introduction to the first book notes:
In Arthur C. Clarke
's and Gentry Lee
's Rama II (1989), Nicole des Jardins
says to Richard Wakefield "Just think, the sum of everything all human beings know or have ever known might be nothing more than an infinitesimal fraction of the Encyclopædia Galactica."
The Encyclopædia Britannica distributed a series of five video documentaries entitled Encyclopædia Galactica in 1993, with the titles "The Inner Solar System", "The Outer Solar System", "Star Trekking", "Discovery", and "Astronomy and the Stars". The videos were produced by York Films of England.
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
of a future human galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
-spanning civilization
Civilization
Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally...
, containing all the knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
accumulated by a society with quadrillions of people and thousands of years of history. The name evokes the exhaustive and imperialistic aspects of the real-life Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
.
Asimov's Encyclopædia Galactica
The concept and name of the Encyclopædia Galactica first appeared in Isaac AsimovIsaac 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 short story "Foundation" (Astounding Science Fiction, May 1942), later republished as "The Encyclopædists" in the short story collection Foundation
Foundation (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...
(1951). Asimov's Encyclopædia Galactica was a compendium of all knowledge then available in the Galactic Empire, intended to preserve that knowledge in a remote region of the Galaxy in the event of a foreseen Galactic catastrophe. The Encyclopædia is later revealed to be an element in an act of misdirection, its real purpose being to concentrate a group of skilled physical scientists on a remote, resource-poor planet, with the long-term aim of revitalizing the technologically stagnant and scientifically dormant Empire. Originally published in a physical medium, it later becomes computerized and subject to continual change.
Later instances
Various authors have invoked the Encyclopædia Galactica in both scienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. One example is its use by Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan
Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
in his 1980 book Cosmos
Cosmos (book)
Cosmos is a popular science book by astronomer and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan. Its 13 illustrated chapters, corresponding to the 13 episodes of the Cosmos TV series on which the book was based, explore the mutual development of science and civilization...
, and his documentary series of the same name
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage is a thirteen-part television series written by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan, and Steven Soter, with Sagan as presenter. It was executive-produced by Adrian Malone, produced by David Kennard, Geoffrey Haines-Stiles and Gregory Andorfer, and directed by the producers, David...
, to refer to a text where hypothetical extraterrestrial civilizations could store all of their information and knowledge. It was also a common fixture in previous incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
comic books, and has appeared in the Star Wars Expanded Universe
Star Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
comics set in the future.
Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
(1979) series frequently contrasted the Galactica with the apparently more popular Guide. For example, the introduction to the first book notes:
In Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
's and Gentry Lee
Gentry Lee
Bert Gentry Lee is the chief engineer for the Planetary Flight Systems Directorate at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a science fiction writer. As an author he is best known for co-writing, with Arthur C. Clarke, the books Cradle in 1989, Rama II in 1989, The Garden of Rama in 1991 and Rama...
's Rama II (1989), Nicole des Jardins
Nicole des Jardins Wakefield
Nicole des Jardins Wakefield is a fictional character and the central protagonist of the three sequels to Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee. She is an African-European woman, of heritage from both France and the Ivory Coast...
says to Richard Wakefield "Just think, the sum of everything all human beings know or have ever known might be nothing more than an infinitesimal fraction of the Encyclopædia Galactica."
The Encyclopædia Britannica distributed a series of five video documentaries entitled Encyclopædia Galactica in 1993, with the titles "The Inner Solar System", "The Outer Solar System", "Star Trekking", "Discovery", and "Astronomy and the Stars". The videos were produced by York Films of England.
External links
- H2G2H2g2h2g2 is a British-based collaborative online encyclopedia project engaged in the construction of, in its own words, "an unconventional guide to life, the universe, and everything", in the spirit of the fictional publication The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy from the science fiction comedy series...
- BBC - h2g2 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Galaxy Quest - Wikipedia is a real-life Hitchhiker's Guide: huge, nerdy, and imprecise. By Paul Boutin Posted on Slate.com Tuesday, May 3, 2005, at 2:37 p.m. PT on Slate Magazine. Paul Boutin compares WikipediaWikipediaWikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
and the Encyclopaedia Galactica of Douglas AdamsDouglas AdamsDouglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
. - Encyclopaedia Galactica - a guide to the Orion's Arm Universe