Starseed
Encyclopedia
Starseeds, also called sailseeds, are a fictional life form in the Known Space
science fiction
series by Larry Niven
. These large (approximately one mile in diameter) "seeds" travel through interstellar space. A starseed is typically spherical, but when it needs to change direction it unfolds itself into a large squarish solar sail
with the four corners connected via strands to a small knob. Most of the internal organs are located in a cross-shaped swelling in the sail. Nothing is really known about them, other than they seem to migrate from the galactic center
to the rim to eject their eggs, and then travel back to the core. Sometimes the eggs are ejected towards other galaxies, but most are left to hatch and migrate themselves to the core.
The aliens known as Outsider
s follow starseeds for reasons only they know. Pierson's Puppeteer
s claimed to have a technology called "starseed lure" that can attract nearby starseeds to a specific solar system. They have supposedly used a starseed lure to influence the course of human/Kzin
warfare by causing an Outsider ship to visit a human colony world, allowing humanity to purchase hyperdrive technology. This technology allowed humanity to decimate the Kzinti in subsequent wars. However, other accounts have it that the outsiders followed an unmanned human starship that traveled between the human colonies (see A Gift From Earth
).
In "Peace and Freedom", it is revealed that starseeds are in fact packages of microorganisms designed to seed new planets with life, thus creating new customers for the Outsiders. They are reluctant to reveal this information because they are ashamed, since one of their starseeds created the Thrint
, which destroyed nearly all intelligent life in the galaxy several billion years ago.
Known Space
Known Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
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...
series by Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
. These large (approximately one mile in diameter) "seeds" travel through interstellar space. A starseed is typically spherical, but when it needs to change direction it unfolds itself into a large squarish solar sail
Solar sail
Solar sails are a form of spacecraft propulsion using the radiation pressure of light from a star or laser to push enormous ultra-thin mirrors to high speeds....
with the four corners connected via strands to a small knob. Most of the internal organs are located in a cross-shaped swelling in the sail. Nothing is really known about them, other than they seem to migrate from the galactic center
Galactic Center
The Galactic Center is the rotational center of the Milky Way galaxy. It is located at a distance of 8.33±0.35 kpc from the Earth in the direction of the constellations Sagittarius, Ophiuchus, and Scorpius where the Milky Way appears brightest...
to the rim to eject their eggs, and then travel back to the core. Sometimes the eggs are ejected towards other galaxies, but most are left to hatch and migrate themselves to the core.
The aliens known as Outsider
Outsider (Known Space)
The Outsiders are a fictional alien race in Larry Niven's Known Space series. They are many-limbed beings that are invariably described as a cat o'nine tails with a fattened handle...
s follow starseeds for reasons only they know. Pierson's Puppeteer
Pierson's Puppeteer
Pierson's Puppeteers, often known just as Puppeteers, are a fictional alien race from American author Larry Niven's Known Space books.- Biology and sociology :...
s claimed to have a technology called "starseed lure" that can attract nearby starseeds to a specific solar system. They have supposedly used a starseed lure to influence the course of human/Kzin
Kzin
The Kzinti are a fictional, very warlike and bloodthirsty race of cat-like aliens in Larry Niven's Known Space series....
warfare by causing an Outsider ship to visit a human colony world, allowing humanity to purchase hyperdrive technology. This technology allowed humanity to decimate the Kzinti in subsequent wars. However, other accounts have it that the outsiders followed an unmanned human starship that traveled between the human colonies (see A Gift From Earth
A Gift From Earth
A Gift From Earth is a science fiction novel by Larry Niven, first published in 1968 and set in his Known Space universe. The novel was originally serialized as "Slowboat Cargo."-Plot summary:...
).
In "Peace and Freedom", it is revealed that starseeds are in fact packages of microorganisms designed to seed new planets with life, thus creating new customers for the Outsiders. They are reluctant to reveal this information because they are ashamed, since one of their starseeds created the Thrint
Thrint
The Thrintun , in Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, were a long-extinct species which ruled the galaxy through telepathic mind control. Humans knew them as "Slavers", since "Thrint" is unpronouncable to the human larynx...
, which destroyed nearly all intelligent life in the galaxy several billion years ago.