In the vast landscape of speculative fiction and evolutionary biology, few works capture the imagination quite like All Tomorrows. This unique narrative, originally created by C. M. Kosemen under the pen name Nemo Ramjet, presents a breathtaking vision of humanity's distant future—one shaped by cosmic forces, genetic manipulation, and the relentless march of evolutionary time. Unlike traditional science fiction that might focus on centuries or millennia, All Tomorrows spans millions of years, exploring how our species might transform under extraordinary circumstances.
The Premise: Humanity Remade
The story begins with humanity's expansion across the galaxy, only to encounter a vastly superior alien civilization known as the Qu. These enigmatic beings don't simply conquer humanity; they fundamentally reshape it through advanced genetic engineering. The Qu transform human beings into various specialized forms—some reduced to simple, animal-like creatures, others molded into living tools or decorative beings. This catastrophic event sets the stage for the central question of All Tomorrows: What becomes of a species when its biological destiny is taken out of its own hands?
What makes this narrative particularly compelling is its grounding in real evolutionary principles. While the scenarios are fantastical, they explore genuine biological concepts: adaptive radiation, convergent evolution, genetic drift, and the profound impact of environmental pressures. The various post-human species that emerge—from the serpentine Sail People to the colonial Gravitals—each represent plausible evolutionary pathways given their specific ecological niches and survival challenges.
Evolutionary Themes and Philosophical Questions
Beyond its imaginative creatures and far-future settings, All Tomorrows serves as a profound meditation on identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human. As the descendant species evolve independently over eons, they develop their own cultures, technologies, and self-conceptions. Some remember their human origins as myth or religious doctrine; others have completely forgotten their terrestrial ancestry. This raises fascinating questions: If beings share no physical resemblance to humans but descend from them genetically and maintain some form of consciousness, do they retain human rights? Human dignity? A place in the "human family"?
The work also explores the theme of agency in evolution. In our own world, natural selection operates without purpose or foresight. In the universe of All Tomorrows, evolution is repeatedly directed by intelligent actors—first the Qu, later by humanity's own descendants. This introduces ethical dimensions rarely explored in evolutionary narratives: the responsibility that comes with the power to shape life, and the potential for both creation and profound suffering that such power entails.
Scientific Speculation and Artistic Vision
One cannot discuss All Tomorrows without acknowledging its distinctive visual presentation. Kosemen, trained as a paleontological illustrator, brings each post-human species to life with detailed, biologically plausible illustrations. These aren't merely monsters or aliens; they are creatures with functional anatomies, suggested behaviors, and ecological contexts. The artistic approach borrows from scientific reconstruction techniques used in paleontology, giving the work an air of authenticity that pure textual description could never achieve.
This marriage of art and speculative science has contributed significantly to the work's enduring appeal. Readers encounter the world of All Tomorrows not just through narrative but through visual evidence—as if examining entries in a xenobiologist's field guide to future evolution. This presentation style encourages readers to engage actively with the material, drawing their own conclusions about how these creatures might live, communicate, and perceive their strange universe.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Since its initial online publication, All Tomorrows has developed a substantial following within communities interested in speculative evolution, science fiction, and existential philosophy. Its influence can be seen in various online discussions, artistic tributes, and even academic considerations of post-humanism. The work resonates particularly in our current era of rapid biotechnological advancement, where CRISPR gene editing and synthetic biology are beginning to give humanity the kind of transformative power once reserved for Kosemen's fictional Qu.
The narrative structure itself—presented as a historical document from an even further future—adds layers of meta-commentary. We're not just reading about future evolution; we're reading what future beings believe about their own past, complete with potential errors in transmission and interpretation. This creates a rich, complex tapestry that rewards multiple readings and continued contemplation.
For those intrigued by these themes of deep time, evolutionary transformation, and humanity's potential futures, exploring the complete vision of All Tomorrows offers a uniquely rewarding experience. It stands as a testament to the power of speculative thought to illuminate not just possible futures, but our present condition and the fundamental nature of biological existence. In asking what we might become across countless tomorrows, it inevitably leads us to reflect more deeply on what we are today, and what responsibilities we bear toward the evolutionary legacy we will leave for whatever beings—human or otherwise—might inherit the world we're shaping right now.