Terraforming: Difference between revisions

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'''Terraforming''' is the process in which the terrain, climate and atmosphere of a planet is altered to suit the needs of those colonizing the planet. It normally involves inserting plants and/or flora, introducing new minerals or substances, or other changes to fulfill the required goals for the planet in question. It can take up to several centuries to fully terraform an [[Earth]]-sized planet, depending on the degree of terraforming that is needed. The [[UNSC]] uses terraforming processes to convert potential colonies into environments suitable for [[human]] habitation.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''</ref> The {{UNSCShip|Odyssey}} was the first UNSC ship to carry terraforming gear out of the [[Sol system]].
'''Terraforming''' is the process in which the terrain, climate and atmosphere of a planet is altered to suit the needs of those colonizing the planet. It normally involves inserting plants and/or flora, introducing new minerals or substances, or other changes to fulfill the required goals for the planet in question. It can take up to several centuries to fully terraform an [[Earth]]-sized planet, depending on the degree of terraforming that is needed. The [[UNSC]] uses terraforming processes to convert potential colonies into environments suitable for [[human]] habitation.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]'''</ref> The {{UNSCShip|Odyssey}} was the first UNSC ship to carry terraforming gear out of the [[Sol system]].


The UNSC uses devices known as "Atmospheric Processors" to push a planet's atmosphere towards a more tolerable composition, but human terraforming technology has its limits. Many planets are so inhospitable that they cannot be terraformed, which often results in the UNSC seeking already habitable planets. Understandably, these are extremely few and far between, which results in some colonies being extremely remote.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', "chapter 1", ''page 32''</ref> Still, the UNSC has used several methods to terraform worlds, such as bombarding a planet with asteroids to lay a new mantle and crust over the planet's natural one. This process is known to trap [[Helium|helium-3]] into the second, artificial mantle. The colony world [[Verge]] was known to have required this type of terraforming.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[Blunt Instruments]]", ''page 194''</ref>
The UNSC uses devices known as atmospheric processors to push a planet's atmosphere towards a more tolerable composition, but human terraforming technology has its limits. Many planets are so inhospitable that they cannot be terraformed, which often results in the UNSC seeking already habitable planets. Understandably, these are extremely few and far between, which results in some colonies being extremely remote.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', "chapter 1", ''page 32''</ref> Still, the UNSC has used several methods to terraform worlds, such as bombarding a planet with [[asteroid]]s to lay a new mantle and crust over the planet's natural one. This process is known to trap [[Helium|helium-3]] into the second, artificial mantle. The colony world [[Verge]] was known to have required this type of terraforming.<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', "[[Blunt Instruments]]", ''page 194''</ref>


After the [[Human-Covenant War]], humanity began to re-terraform their colony worlds glassed by the Covenant during the conflict, including [[Reach]]. While initial assessments for re-terraforming made by the [[Assembly]] in [[2530]] indicated that restoring a glassed world would take from 110 to over 300 years, <ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''[[Data pads|Data pad 14]]''</ref> Reach had been at least partially restored by [[2589]], in only 37 years.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', campaign level, ''[[Lone Wolf]]''</ref>
After the [[Human-Covenant War]], humanity began to re-terraform their colony worlds glassed by the Covenant during the conflict, including [[Reach]]. While initial assessments for re-terraforming made by the [[Assembly]] in [[2530]] indicated that restoring a glassed world would take from 110 to over 300 years,<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''[[Data pads|Data pad 14]]''</ref> Reach had been at least partially restored by [[2589]], in only 37 years.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', campaign level, ''[[Lone Wolf]]''</ref>


The [[Flood]] terraform their habitats through natural processes, converting the atmosphere<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level, ''[[The Library (Level)|The Library]]'' (''343 Guilty Spark: ''"Your environment suit will serve you well when the Flood begin to alter the atmosphere - you are a good planner!"'')</ref> and using local biomass to spread itself until it can form a Flood Hive. Beginning as small spores, these eventually grow into larger clumps of biomass, which convert the areas atmosphere to what is presumably optimal for Flood expansion, and have been known to infect large areas, ranging from areas of [[Installation 05]], to the planetoid [[High Charity]].<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level, ''[[High Charity (Level)|High Charity]]''</ref>
The [[Covenant]] terraformed certain worlds solely to produce [[plasma]] to fuel their large-scale industry, engulfing said planets in perpetual violent thunderstorms; one planet engineered in such manner is [[Ealen IV]].<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''Issues 1-2''</ref>
 
The [[Flood]] terraform their habitats through natural processes, converting the atmosphere<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level, ''[[The Library (Level)|The Library]]'' (''343 Guilty Spark: ''"Your environment suit will serve you well when the Flood begin to alter the atmosphere - you are a good planner!"'')</ref> and using local biomass to spread itself until it can form a [[Flood hive]]. Beginning as small [[Flood spores|spores]], these eventually grow into larger clumps of biomass, which convert the areas atmosphere to what is presumably optimal for Flood expansion, and have been known to infect large areas, ranging from areas of [[Installation 05]], to the planetoid [[High Charity]].<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level, ''[[High Charity (Level)|High Charity]]''</ref>


==List of appearances==
==List of appearances==