Kaldea

Kaldea is a fictional planet featured in the science fiction novel "Children of Time" by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The planet is the primary setting for the first part of the story and serves as the homeworld for a highly intelligent species of spiders. These spiders have evolved over thousands of years, developing a complex society, technology, and a unique understanding of the universe.

The planet itself is described as a terraformed world, intended by its creators to be a new home for humanity. It possesses a breathable atmosphere, liquid water, and a range of ecosystems. However, the original human colonists who intended to settle Kaldea were lost to a catastrophic event. The planet's environment has been shaped by the spiders' activities, including their construction of vast, intricate cities and their manipulation of the local flora and fauna.

The spiders of Kaldea exhibit a distinct evolutionary path, driven by their unique biology and social structures. Their society is characterized by a communal intelligence and a sophisticated understanding of genetics and engineering, which they use to adapt and thrive. The narrative explores their development from primitive creatures to a spacefaring civilization, all while the remnants of humanity struggle to survive and find a new home. Kaldea represents a fascinating example of an alien world where evolution has taken a radically different and highly successful direction.