I had How the Universe Works on in the background while I made breakfast. And they started discussing how when a star starts producing iron, it dies. Immediately. Of course I couldn't find that specific video online, but I found something that explains what happens...
What did that immediately make me think of? Fairies. Specifically, how in folklore, iron was the way to ward them off or defeat them. (If you can find a better website that explains this, please leave it in the comments. I didn't have time to do an extensive search.)
Put these two ideas together and...
What if supernatural creatures are the embodiments of stars?
Fascinating! I never knew that about fairies.
ReplyDeleteIt's strange what I remember when I watch science shows.
DeleteI read a story once in which stars WERE beings. Whipping Star by Frank Herbert.
ReplyDeleteI love that idea. I heard about that iron thing, and it's totally cool to know iron is the death knell of stars. There are a lot science-fantasy ways to use that.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of sad that iron is formed with stars deaths. I learned something new today. If supernatural creatures were the embodients of stars, I don't think they should be around iron, wouldn't that harm them?
ReplyDeletebetty
Isn't there a Michelle Pfeiffer movie about that? Stardust or something? I've been taking iron supplements so I guess I won't be seeing any fairies in the near future.
ReplyDeleteYou're referencing one of my favorite movies of all time! Yes, there is a star in it, but she's not a fairy. (I didn't reference Stardust in the post as i figured no one has heard of it.)
DeleteSounds like a great subject to explore in fiction. I didn't know the iron thing--either about stars or fairies.
ReplyDeleteI think it would make a fascinating story.
DeleteYou ask the best questions.
ReplyDeleteSo Gods might be supernovas, fairies would be white dwarves? Pulsars could be rogue monsters. It's a cool idea.
C.S. Lewis had stars retire, remember? In "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" the group stopped on an island where a star was retired and being revived, and another island had a disgraced star (?) responsible for the dwarves with one foot.
But your idea seems pretty cool. The stars could be intelligent and able to project their forms on the Earth. Definitely worth fleshing out. I'd do it here but I'm out of time. So someday. (I haven't forgotten Gods & Robots, either.)
Are you going to enter our Time Travel anthology contest? You should. Details here:
http://indiewritersmonthly.blogspot.com/2014/05/call-for-story-submissions.html
Thanks, I try. Every Thursday. Some weeks work out better than others.
DeleteI did not know this about the fairies so it will be neat to see what story you can create:)
ReplyDelete