globus [lat.] m, shpere, lump
cassus [lat.]; concave, hollow
The discussions kept returning to the ever-same subject. During a september week spent in a remote hotel in the mountains, someone had unearthed a little black book from the hotel library.
The silver stamping on the leather binding read "Globus Cassus", latin for "hollow sphere". "The Earth's antipode?", were we asking ourselves, "would that be feasible or merely theoretical?"
Some argued that this counter-world was a device for understanding reality, others saw in it the proof for humanity overcoming the gods by building their own heavens.
Utopia eludes implementation, and we were never able to conclude. This is what was written:
«TRANSFORMING THE EARTH INTO GLOBUS CASSUS»
"Some day the people will take their planet's fate into their own hands. The Earth is dismantled to provide building material.This is taken away to create Globus Cassus, a new, much bigger habitat, thought out from scratch.
Four satellites orbit at a constant distance above the Earth. The satellites grow towards the Earth, and away from it. This creates four towers. The four towers have lifts in them to move building materials and people out.
Nodes are constructed at the top of the lifts. People live in these nodes while the Earth is being rebuilt. Connections are created between the nodes. A skeleton spanning the Earth completely is constructed from these intermediate pieces.
Magma is pumped up to the nodes from inside the Earth and expanded. The magma is made into a very thin shell. In certain areas, shells are not made, but transparent, inward-curving window domes. The more magma is pumped away from the Earth, the more the Earth shrinks.
The Earth's mass is reduced enormously, the oceans and the air are no longer held strongly enough. They detach themselves from the Earth and the great rains begin. At the same time, people are making their way to the Larger Earth. The atmosphere moves to Globus Cassus.
Rivers, lakes, seas form in the topography that has been built there. People build cities. After the great rains, richly varied vegetation develops on Globus Cassus. People keep building new cities. They start to live in a new way, settling and dwelling in their new habitat, Globus Cassus.
There is enough room on Globus Cassus, there are different climate zones, varied landscapes, and absolute freedom of choice is guaranteed for dwellings and habitat. All basic needs are met. The financial system is separated from the economy. Society is permeable."
The years passed, -- centuries, millennia -- and things changed on Planet Earth.
When dangers arose from the outside, someone remembered the little black book and bequeathed it into knowing hands...
But that is another story...
