In March 2025, National Geographic published a sobering update. They have suspected that the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Scientists have warned for decades that the Pacific Northwest is due for a megathrust earthquake. This could equal or even exceed the destruction caused by Japan’s 2011 Tōhoku disaster, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed this prediction.
Stretching over 600 miles offshore from northern California to British Columbia, the Cascadia zone can produce magnitude 9.0+ earthquakes. In the event that it bursts, it could cause enormous tsunamis. It can destroy coastal infrastructure, force millions of people to relocate, and result in damages worth trillions of dollars. And beyond the immediate shockwaves, such an event could trigger deep, global consequences for how societies plan, adapt, and survive.
In speculative fiction, these catastrophic possibilities often serve as pivotal turning points for the world-building of future societies. One striking example is the novel ISS Stargraber. It is a 2153 space thriller by Nicolas Pollet, where the memory of a devastating earthquake reshapes human history.
In Stargraber, the West Coast of the United States no longer exists as we know it. A monumental earthquake in 2112 triggers the collapse of the American Pacific seaboard, leading to mass migration inland and political upheaval. As a result of this event, a new urban entity was created: San Angeles, an inland megacity created by combining abandoned coastal metropolises. In the wake of the disaster, Earth’s nations turn to the sky to rebuild and preserve civilization.
The Stargraber Geo Orbital Station is a 25,000-mile-long ring of interconnected modules orbiting Earth. This human-made ring collects solar energy and maintains planetary balance. But in 2153, as the story begins, even that grand system begins to fracture, suggesting that no structure, no matter how advanced, is immune to human error or sabotage.
While fictional, ISS Stargraber captures how disasters can accelerate technological evolution. In the past, times of great upheaval have frequently been followed by the greatest advancements in humankind, including public health, urban planning, and even renewable energy policies. Could a future megathrust quake drive us to build above the Earth instead of on it?
Today, scientists model long-term survival scenarios in coastal cities based on resilience planning, seismic upgrades, and community infrastructure. Still, futurists and engineers are asking What if Earth becomes too fragile for life as we know it? Should we build vertically or orbitally? Or should we strive to colonize outer space?
NASA, ESA, and private companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX are already preparing for off-Earth habitation for exploration and preservation. Space-based solar power is being tested in orbit. Moreover, concepts like the Von Braun space hotel and orbital habitats are moving from science fiction to early prototypes. The convergence of climate pressure, geological instability, and population growth makes the idea of off-planet life less outrageous and more urgent.
Catastrophe in fiction creates new worlds in addition to ending existing ones. ISS Stargraber reflects this ethos. By blending speculative science, real-world risks, and human resilience, John Desmond, the story’s protagonist, may be investigating sabotage in space. Still, his mission is rooted in Earth’s vulnerability and the collective trauma the planet once endured.
As USGS continues to monitor seismic risks and coastal cities prepare for the worst, we must ask: What happens after the fault lines rupture? Will we rebuild downward or reach upward? Could a quake actually launch a space revolution? In light of this, ISS Stargraber offers a chilling but brilliant answer. When the ground gives way, we should look to the stars.
Link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F56P7XVR.