Trisolaris

Trisolaris refers to a fictional alien civilization and its home world in Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, beginning with The Three-Body Problem (2008). The Trisolarans originate from a planet named Trisolaris that orbits a distant trinary star system in the region of Alpha Centauri. The inhabitants are called Trisolarans, and their civilization is defined by a precarious climate shaped by the gravity of three suns.

The Trisolaran home world is known for its extreme and unpredictable environmental cycles, which can swing from nearly molten heat to deep freezes as the orbits of the three stars shift. This instability drives a long-term focus on survival, adaptability, and advanced technology. The Trisolarans establish contact with Earth through human collaborators and form a faction known as the Earth-Trisolaris Organization. Their civilization develops sophisticated spacefaring capabilities and signal-based technologies, including subatomic probes called sophons that are used to monitor and impede human scientific progress.

In the narrative arc of the trilogy—The Three-Body Problem, The Dark Forest, and Death’s End—the Trisolarans’ pursuit of a more stable environment leads to a tense and protracted conflict with humanity. The series explores themes such as the Fermi paradox, interstellar diplomacy, existential risk, and the clash of civilizations.

Reception and influence: The concept of Trisolaris has become a prominent element in contemporary science fiction, prompting discussions about civilization, technology, and the implications of contact with an advanced extraterrestrial society. The work has been translated into numerous languages and has inspired adaptations and ongoing scholarly and popular interest.