Phase Space

Phase Space: Stories from the Manifold and Elsewhere. A collection of 25 SF stories by Stephen Baxter, many thematically linked to his "Manifold" trilogy (Time, Space and Origin) and other novels of cosmic scope. "The phase space of a system is the set of all conceivable states of that system", says the first page. As with "Manifold" these stories explore possible (and significantly linked) states of Earth and the universe, alternate timelines offering different solutions to Baxter's favourite cosmological question--the Fermi Paradox. It's a simple idea.According to our best scientific theories there's nothing special about Earth or the Solar System. Intelligent life has evolved here, ourselves. It's likely to evolve elsewhere. The skies should be full of other intelligences. Where are they? Perhaps our theories are wrong and we're in a galactic quarantine. Perhaps what we see through our telescopes is a clever fake, but supposing we overload the capabilities of the fakers? Maybe intelligence always destroys itself before crossing interstellar space, or something kindly takes emerging life away to a safer place. Perhaps there's teeming intelligence out there, but we're not listening on the right wavelength. Perhaps they're hiding...?Contents: * Prologue (Phase Space) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Moon-Calf (1998) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Open Loops (2000) / novelette by Stephen Baxter * Glass Earth, Inc. (1997) / novelette by Stephen Baxter * Poyekhali 3201 (1997) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Dante Dreams (1998) / short story by Stephen Baxter * War Birds (1997) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Sun-Drenched (1998) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Martian Autumn (2002) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Sun God (1997) / novelette by Stephen Baxter * Sun-Cloud (2001) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Sheena 5 [Manifold] (2000) / short story by Stephen Baxter * The Fubar Suit [Manifold] (1997) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Grey Earth [Manifold] (2001) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Huddle [Manifold] (1999) / novelette by Stephen Baxter * Refugium (2002) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Lost Continent (2001) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Tracks (2001) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Lines of Longitude (1997) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Barrier (1998) / novelette by Stephen Baxter (variant of The Barrier) * Marginalia (1999) / short story by Stephen Baxter * The We Who Sing (2002) / short story by Stephen Baxter * The Gravity Mine (2000) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Spindrift (1999) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Touching Centauri (2002) / novelette by Stephen Baxter * The Twelfth Album (1998) / short story by Stephen Baxter * Afterword (Phase Space) • essay by Stephen Baxter.