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Perhaps in ten thousand years, the starry sky that humankind gazes upon will remain empty and silent. But perhaps tomorrow we'll wake up and find an alien spaceship the size of the Moon parked in orbit.
Liu Cixin
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the vast unknowns of the universe and the potential for extraordinary discoveries.

Liu Cixin's quote contemplates the future of humanity's understanding of the universe. While the stars may seem eternal and distant, he suggests that a breakthrough in our exploration could happen unexpectedly, such as encountering an alien spacecraft. This reveals both the insignificance of human perspective against the cosmos and the awe-inspiring possibilities that lie beyond our current imagination.

Themes

UniverseDiscoveryAliensCuriosityExploration

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can serve as an inspiring thought during a science presentation about space exploration.

More from Liu Cixin

I am a conventional science fiction author. But that said, once your work is published, it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the readers and they will derive all sorts of interpretations.
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In the century-long history of Chinese science fiction, apocalyptic themes were mostly absent. This was especially true in the period before the 1990s, when Chinese science fiction, isolated from the influence of the West, developed on its own.
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The main difficulty is finding an idea that really excites me. We live in an age when miracles are no longer miracles, and science and the future are losing their sense of mystery. For science fiction, or at least the type of science fiction I write, this development is almost fatal, but I'm still giving it all I've got.
Liu CixinRead
I'm absolutely positive about human survival. We will continue to develop our civilisation and expand not just on Earth, but also across the solar system, the galaxy, even the entire universe.
Liu CixinRead

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