“”MAN, n. An animal so lost in rapturous contemplation of what
he thinks he is as to overlook what he indubitably ought to be.
His chief occupation is extermination of other animals and his
own species, which, however, multiplies with such insistent
rapidity as to infest the whole habitable earth and Canada.
|—Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary (1911)| Human
(scientific name Homo sapiens sapiens) is the common name of the
primate species also known as the East African Plains Ape, the
dominant tool-using species on the third planet (counting
outwards) of some backwater minor star. On the rocky sub-planet
they inhabit, which they call "Earth", humans have built cities
(hives), engaged in writing for at least the last six thousand
orbital periods, and have grown to a population of 7 billion
individuals. Twelve humans have walked on the planet's primary
satellite, and at least three humans are maintained in orbit
around Earth at any given time. Humans have sent robotic probes
to every major body in their Sola