Interview With Dougal Dixon
I did it, I took the big leap. And now Metazoica presents their very own interview with the pioneer in speculative evolution himself, Dougal Dixon. He was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions I thought everyone would like to know. Just got his responses today through e-mail. And here they are, his own words to me. Enjoy!
1. What got you interested in speculative biology in the first place?
Always interested in dinosaurs, since about 5 years old. From there it was a small step to other strange-looking animals. And if the strange-looking animals had some scientific plausibility then that would fit in better with my scientific education.
2. How often have you thought about speculative biology?
Frequently.
3. What was your goal with your first speculative biology project?
AFTER MAN was a popular level book on evolution. But whereas all popular books on evolution look towards the past, and see what has happened, I wanted to look towards the future to see what might happen. Not a firm prediction but rather an exploration of possibilities. The result is a picture book of funny animals, but with each funny animal telling some story about evolution or ecology. Fictitious examples of factual processes, so that the novelty would draw people in to find out more.
4. What other sciences do you study?
Two degrees in geology, with a special interest in fossils and evolution. Masters thesis on palaeogeography - tracing the history of the landscapes of the British Isles throughout known geological time.
5. Among those, which do you find yourself most drawn to?
Palaeontology.
6. And why?
See above.
7. Are you currently working on anything new in the speculative biology field?
Second series of THE FUTURE IS WILD.
My novel GREENWORLD will be published in Japan this year. Again it deals with fictitious examples of factual processes - in this case the relationship between Homo sapiens and the natural environment - but set on an alien planet. A planet with a whole thriving ecosystem, based on the same biochemical principles that we have here on Earth. Human settlers - evacuated from an overpopulated and polluted Earth - arrive and set up a civilization. We follow the first thousand years of settlement, in which every environmental disaster caused by humans on Earth is repeated. Every incident has its counterpart in Earth's history. Told as a series of short stories, dealing with subsequent generations of a few principal families, and the whole thing building into a kind of a dynastic epic. Illustrated by excerpts from field guides, herbals, bounty notices, recipes, zoo advertisments, scientific papers - all aimed at the characters, not the reader. The reader is an eavesdropper here.
8. Do you consider yourself tops in the growing field of speculative biology?
Others do! I seem to be the go-to guy when it comes to that.
9. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment in any scientific field?
In my case, from my day job as a science writer, to inspire others to take an active interest in the fields of science.
1. What got you interested in speculative biology in the first place?
Always interested in dinosaurs, since about 5 years old. From there it was a small step to other strange-looking animals. And if the strange-looking animals had some scientific plausibility then that would fit in better with my scientific education.
2. How often have you thought about speculative biology?
Frequently.
3. What was your goal with your first speculative biology project?
AFTER MAN was a popular level book on evolution. But whereas all popular books on evolution look towards the past, and see what has happened, I wanted to look towards the future to see what might happen. Not a firm prediction but rather an exploration of possibilities. The result is a picture book of funny animals, but with each funny animal telling some story about evolution or ecology. Fictitious examples of factual processes, so that the novelty would draw people in to find out more.
4. What other sciences do you study?
Two degrees in geology, with a special interest in fossils and evolution. Masters thesis on palaeogeography - tracing the history of the landscapes of the British Isles throughout known geological time.
5. Among those, which do you find yourself most drawn to?
Palaeontology.
6. And why?
See above.
7. Are you currently working on anything new in the speculative biology field?
Second series of THE FUTURE IS WILD.
My novel GREENWORLD will be published in Japan this year. Again it deals with fictitious examples of factual processes - in this case the relationship between Homo sapiens and the natural environment - but set on an alien planet. A planet with a whole thriving ecosystem, based on the same biochemical principles that we have here on Earth. Human settlers - evacuated from an overpopulated and polluted Earth - arrive and set up a civilization. We follow the first thousand years of settlement, in which every environmental disaster caused by humans on Earth is repeated. Every incident has its counterpart in Earth's history. Told as a series of short stories, dealing with subsequent generations of a few principal families, and the whole thing building into a kind of a dynastic epic. Illustrated by excerpts from field guides, herbals, bounty notices, recipes, zoo advertisments, scientific papers - all aimed at the characters, not the reader. The reader is an eavesdropper here.
8. Do you consider yourself tops in the growing field of speculative biology?
Others do! I seem to be the go-to guy when it comes to that.
9. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment in any scientific field?
In my case, from my day job as a science writer, to inspire others to take an active interest in the fields of science.
A second series of The Future Is Wild and a new novel by Dixon?! That's enough to keep me cheerful for a week or two!
ReplyDeleteNO LAND SQUIDS THIS TIME!!!!
ReplyDeletePlease. Land octopi that slither along the ground or move through the trees like a sloth would be fine.
But I'm going to have to look up this second incarnation. It sounds interesting. But, so did the first TFIW. So I don't know.
But good interview by the way. How'd you contact him? You don't have to give me the contact info, I'm just wondering how you knew him.
Sorry, I cannot divulge the secret. :)
ReplyDeleteFinally, a long awaited update to The Future is Wild !!! Oh man I can't wait to see what they'll come up with next !
ReplyDelete-Venatosaurus
What secret are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteContact or the second incarnation?
Hmmmm.
ReplyDeletefirst of all, Cassandra, great interview! Thank you! It was very interesting to know about new plans of Foundator of speculative biology. I feel I must find and translate his new book...
As for "The Future is Wild"... Some days ago I placed to my site Russian article by Andrey Zhuravlev "Wild, totally wild" - the criticism of the project. If readers want, I may take any efforts to translate it into English. And I don't want to see the new series of TFIW as dumb as first parts are.
Pavel Volkov, you're the creator of Neocene, aren't you? Congratulations for the wonderful site! Yes, I'd love to see this article translated
ReplyDeleteFuture is Wild did have some mistakes, but I enjoyed the series very much, specially the Desert Hoppers
Here it is the translation of Zhuravlev's article:
ReplyDeletehttp://sivatherium.narod.ru/zhuravlv/zhur_en.htm
Read and enjoy! And take notes into account constructing the futuristic ecosystems...
Will Greenworld ever be published in the U.S. or the U.K.?
ReplyDeleteHi all! Sorry I'm so late getting back to you. Anyway, Canis, e-mail me and I'll let you in on my secret ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you all enjoyed this interview. Sorry I cannot say for sure what is coming up with Greenworld or the next season of TFIW. I'm shocked myself it hasn't been released in the US or UK. Especially the UK! That is his home country!