The Retreat to Mars story
An archaeologist tells an astronomer about the time he discovered a Martian spaceship deep inside Africa.
14 total · 3 major · 11 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| alien origin of the human race | major | Hargraves discovered that Ancient Martian colonists devolved into our brutish ancestors. |
| aliens meddling in ancient history | major | Hargraves found incontrovertible evidence that Martians had colonized the Earth some hundreds of thousands of years ago. |
| Martian extraterrestrial | major | Hargraves found incontrovertible evidence that Martians had colonized the Earth some hundreds of thousands of years ago. |
| ancient alien archive | minor | Hargraves discovered a 3D encyclopedia set inside an abandoned Martian rocketship. |
| atmospheric dissipation | minor | The Martians sent colonists to Earth because their atmosphere was gradually dissipating away into outer space, and their civilization doomed as a result. |
| colonization of Earth | minor | Hargraves was shocked to discover that Martians had colonized the Earth some hundreds of thousands of years ago. |
| eugenics | minor | The Ancient Martians eugenically bred a group of colonists that were sufficiently strong bodied to survive in Earth's comparatively high gravity. |
| interplanetary space travel | minor | Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the Martians had sent an expedition to Earth in a chemical rocketship. |
| problem of language and meaning | minor | Hargraves deciphered the Martian language by reading a set of book full of vivid 3D images. |
| scientist occupation | minor | Hargraves visited Mr. Arnold at his astronomical observatory. [astronomer] |