Hi. I’m Casey Hudson, and I write sci-fi novels. I recently talked about writing tool use into sci-fi civilizations. And I used the sturnovula from my Drifting Amalgams universe as an example. Here’s a quick rundown on how I went from worldbuilding questions and real-world science to an avian species that uses stone tools.
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Writing Tool Use into Sci-Fi Civilizations
Tool use is one of the most important skills a sentient being has.
When I’m looking to make new and different technologies, I consider these five questions:
What physical, mental, and physiological traits help or hinder toolmaking?
What physical, mental, and physiological traits aid or disrupt tool use?
What socially significant tasks could be done more efficiently and effectively with tools?
What resources are available to make and use tools (including materials, skilled labor, and safety equipment)?
What will affect the adoption and adaptation of a tool that is introduced to a society?
It’s a complex topic but this has proven to be a good starting point for my worldbuilding
How Could a Bird Flintknap?
When I’m creating worlds for my science fiction novels, I try to include a fair bit of real-world science. Sometimes this is simple, but with my Stone Age sturnovula, this was a bit of a challenge.
The sturnovula of my Drifting Amalgams universe are avian, and the traditional way of making stone tools is challenging for their physiology.
Where a human would use a hammerstone or other flint knapping tool to strike a stone core into shape, an individual bird would struggle to wield a hammer.
So, I’ve taken advantage of this society’s communal nature to build a world where avians work together to lift and drop stones or knapping tools to craft the stone implements they need.
Clay Model of a Knife from the Stone Age
The Stone Age avians of my Drifting Amalgams universe have a simple life. Their needs consist mostly of food and safety. That’s why knives are one of the most useful and versatile tools in their society.
Using their legs and talons to move their stone tools about, the sturnovula carry this basic necessity in bags woven from reeds.
This is a clay-based visualization of a knife the sturnovula may wield. Maybe Aaron Does it Wrong, but he’s created this model to help you better envision how a bird could use a knife. Thanks, Aaron.
Until next time, keep creating.