The Thrill of Science in 2042 - Nautilus | Science Connected

“Bring Order To Chaos.” That’s how tactical shooter Ready or Not sums up your role as part of Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT. As a commander, you lead an “element” of four officers through a gauntlet of ripped-from-the-headlines catastrophes in fictional Los Suenõs, California—the “City of Dreams,” not angels. Some missions merely touch a nerve, while others evoke mononymic American tragedies like Columbine, Pulse, Waco, or Vegas with the serial numbers filed off. Developer VOID Interactive has stated that it intends Ready or Not to immerse players in split-second, volatile situations, leaving them with an appreciation for the totalizing physical and psychological strain these officers endure for our sake. Order comes to chaos at the end of a gun. You mash X to scream “I wanna see hands!” at everyone in sight, civilians and gunmen alike. It’ll piss you off when they don’t comply. You’re here to help. Non-lethal means of submission will net you the best rating at the end of a mission, but nobody’s perfect. Indulge me in a quick history break.

More than 99% of the US population lives under light-polluted skies, according to a 2016 study published in Science Advances. With streetlights, brightly lit parking lots, arenas, and passing headlights brightening the night, it can be easy to forget how dark the sky actually is and how many stars appear when you get away from populated areas. Seeing that many stars for the first time can make you pause and remember where you truly are. You are on a rock spinning through space, surrounded by a universe filled with stars, planets, and galaxies larger than anything you can imagine. A remote mountain excursion can combine a dark sky encounter with a day of hiking and sightseeing. After sunset, bright stars emerge above the slopes and ridgelines. These American mountains lie within officially designated dark sky locations that protect natural darkness and the views of the universe it reveals. In northeastern New Mexico, Capulin Volcano sits among volcanic cones, mesas, and buttes in one of the darker areas of the lower 48 states. These landforms help shield the night sky from distant lights, while the rugged terrain has discouraged development in the area.