1. The Moon is a Harsh Mistressby Robert A. Heinlein By Jacob Miller

2. Intro Published in 1966 Contains many predictions about the future regarding technology and political situation The book received the Hugo Award for best science fiction novel in 1967 Was nominated the Nebula Award in 1966.

3. Plot Summary The basic summary is the book is about a lunar colony in the year 2075, and its revolt against Earth “It is a tale of revolution, of the rebellion of the former Lunar penal colony against the Lunar Authority that controls it from Earth” Protagonist and narrator of the story is Manuel Garcia "Mannie" O'Kelly-Davis, a one-armed computer technician

4. Book 1: That DinkumThinkum After attending an anti-Authority meeting (the body that governs Luna), Mannie, Wyoming Knott and Professor Bernardo de la Paz decide to start a revolution After conferring with Mike they gain his invaluable support Begin making small cells of revolutionaries Vote to stop sending wheat to Terra, and instead throw rocks which have the force of a nuclear bomb upon impact Revolution begins, Luna belongs to the ‘Loonies’

5. Book 2: A Rabble in Arms Whilst Mike impersonates the Lunar Authority causing Chaos on Earth the Loonies prepare for a Terran response Mannie, The Professor and Wyoming travel to earth to get support for there cause, they are arrested Eventually freed and go back to Luna They unite the normally fractionalized Loonies

6. Book 3: “TANSTAAFL!” Months have passed and the revolution is loosing steam Terran troops land in major population centers and are wiped out by the Loonies Mike begins using the catapult to target sparsely populated areas on Earth In a second attack the catapult is destroyed, however a secrete one has been built Eventually one by one nations recognize Luna In the final attack Mike ‘dies’

7. TheDinkumThinkum: Mike Mike or the HOLMES IV (High-Optional, Logical, Multi-Evaluating Supervisor, Mark IV)is a computer He/ it is slowly given control over the Luna’s systems Eventually he malfunctions and ‘Mannie’ is called in to fix him To his surprise ‘mannie’ discovers Mike is self-aware In the end, during the revolution, Mike is destroyed

8. DinkumThinkum cont… Mike developed a strange characteristic for a computer: humor Decided to pay a janitor $10,000,000,000,000,185.15 (10 million billion, 185 dollars and 15 cents) Additionally told the joke: Q:“Why is a laser beam like a goldfish?” A: “Because neither can whistle” (16) Funny and strange right?

9. Mannies ‘Third Arm’ Mannie lost one of his arms in a mining accident It was replaced with what he calls his ‘third arm’ The third arm is a robotic arm with various tools for detailed mechanical engineering A prime example of a technological development that is predicted by Heinlein Not too far of a stretch, this technology is already being used

10. Colonization of the Moon In 2075 the moon is used a giant prison Those who live there are convicts or their descendents, no one leaves due to the, “irreversible physiological changes and…gravitational field” Uses catapult to send stuff back to Earth What the moon is used for: Mine for Ice, in turn used for water Grow Grain in Huge Tunnels Grain is used to feed the masses on earth (especially India) Have to import everything else Logical progression since space on earth is severely limited

11. In the year 2075… Years before a nuclear war was the catalyst that lead to political transformation Unification of North American under the United States, unification of South America, Europe, and Africa The Soviet Union has lost the land east of the Urals to China China has conquered all of East Asia, Southeast Asia, eastern Australia and New Zealand (deporting lots of unwanted people to Luna in the process). The militarily dominant nations are North America and China. India is overcrowded

12. Accuracy of Political Prediction In the next decade China will surpass Germany and the United States to become the worlds largest economy To extrapolate and say by the year 2075 China will be a dominant military power is not a stretch If limited supply of oil, the US’s 2 wars, or global warming don’t destroy the US, it should be the other dominant power* *Entirely my Speculation

14. Almost self-sufficient colonies on the moonSelf-aware supercomputer Electromagnetic catapult (see following slide) Advanced Mining Techniques using high powered lasers Robotic prosthetic limbs that help with extremely detailed tasks

15. Electromagnetic Catapult Artists Rendition:

16. Accuracy in Prediction of Technological progression Right About how computers will become more complicated, powerful and integrated in infrastructure systems Already taking place now with traffic systems, power grids, and phone lines Colony on the moon! Plans were made during the Bush Administration Electromagnetic Catapult, could be constructed in theory

17. Summary The colonization and eventual independence of the moon is a common topic of sci-fi, Heinlein was the pioneer His prediction of what the future will look like and how events will unfold are scary realistic In my opinion the political and technological are almost spot on