Editing Known Space (section)

=== Solar System ===
* '''Earth''', the human homeworld, is ruled by the United Nations, a direct democracy, but not a utopia. An important organization is the [[Known_Space#Organizations|ARM]], a global police force tasked to deal with organlegging and crimes committed by cutting-edge technologies. For centuries, due to the perfection of [[organ transplant]] technology, all state executions were done in hospitals to provide organ transplants, and to maximize their availability nearly ''all'' crimes carried the death penalty, including such offenses as multiple traffic tickets or tax evasion. This period ended when [[Protector (novel)|Jack Brennan]], who had consumed the [[Tree-of-Life]] root and become a human version of the [[Pak Protector]], used his superior intelligence to engineer social change in medical technology and social attitudes that eventually reduced the use of organ banks to reasonable levels. Part of Brennan's manipulation was the development of a science known as "psychistry". Psychistry was used to "correct" all forms of "mental aberration" – the populace is extremely docile. To combat overpopulation (one estimate is 18 billion people), a license is required to procreate, only available after exhaustive testing has determined that a prospect is free of "abnormalities"; unlicensed procreation is a capital crime. This policy, in addition to the existence of the [[transfer booth]] and a one-world language and economy, has led to the populace eventually becoming fairly [[Race of the Future|genetically homogeneous]]. To prevent the development of new&nbsp;[[weapons of mass destruction|WMDs]], all scientific research is regulated by the government and potentially dangerous technology is suppressed. Due to such suppression, Earth has had fewer real breakthroughs in science than would be expected. A&nbsp;common title for people born on Earth is "Flatlander"; having been born and raised in the only environment in Known Space to which humans are well-adapted, they are considered naïve and a bit helpless by humans from colony worlds.
* The '''[[Moon]]''' is a separate entity, with its own distinct culture but is under the control of the same government as Earth. Humans native to the Moon are called "Lunies", and tend toward tall, lean body types regularly reaching eight feet in height. They are frequently referred to as looking much like [[J. R. R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]] due to their physiques and alien allure.
* '''[[Mars]]''', fourth planet in the Solar System and the first planetary colony in Known Space. Native "[[Martians]]" were exterminated by the [[Protector (novel)|Brennan genocide]]. No one goes there, as resources are easier to mine in the Belt and Jovian moons. Earth ultimately colonized Mars specifically to study the descent landing pod used by Phssthpok the Pak in 2124 AD and the research colony was still in existence in 2183 when the Martians were exterminated by Brennan. The colony expanded greatly during the first Man–Kzin war 2367–2433.
* The '''[[Asteroid belt|Sol Belt]]''' possesses an abundance of valuable ores, which are easily accessible due to the low to negligible gravity of the rocks containing them. Originally a harsh frontier under U.N. control, the Belt declared independence after creating Confinement Asteroid, a habitat with spin gravity that permitted safe gestation of children, and Farmer's Asteroid, the Belt's primary food source. Almost immediately a lively competition began between the fiercely independent "Belters" and the technology police of the U.N. Several years of tension and economic conflicts followed, but soon settled into a relatively peaceful trade relationship as the Belt has so many resources that the UN and the Earth need.
* '''[[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]''' is also a colony world with a small number of inhabitants, used mainly for mining and as a gravitational anchor for orbiting solar power stations which beam power to the more remote colonies using gigantic lasers. At the time of the First Man–Kzin War, human society is so pacifistic that no weapons exist; those who are able to even contemplate killing another sentient being or constructing a weapon for that purpose are regarded as mental aberrations and must take drugs to control their thoughts. However, an enormous laser, whether constructed as a weapon or not, makes a highly effective one, and it is strongly implied that the existence of the Mercury power satellites is a large part of what enabled Sol System to hold off the Kzinti in the early part of the war.