ommanda

Ommanda is a fictional planet featured in the science fiction novel "The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It is the homeworld of the Moties, an alien species with a complex and ultimately self-destructive civilization. The planet is described as having a single, massive continent and a tidally locked star, resulting in extreme temperature gradients across its surface. One side experiences perpetual scorching heat, while the other is locked in eternal, frozen darkness. Life on Ommanda has adapted to these harsh conditions, with the Moties developing advanced technology to survive and thrive within the habitable zone between these extremes. Their society is characterized by a unique reproductive strategy that leads to rapid population growth, a driving force behind their technological advancement and their eventual galactic expansion. The planet's environment and the Moties' evolutionary path are central to the novel's plot, exploring themes of alien biology, societal pressures, and the challenges of first contact.