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The Terraformers review: What do we owe the animals in our care?

Annalee Newitz's new novel examines the dark side of "uplifting" animals to a state of self-awareness – and asks whose intelligence is being used as the template, finds Sally Adee

By Sally Adee

4 January 2023

man and his pet in futuristic suit siting and looking at the star trail in the sky, digital art style, illustration painting; Shutterstock ID 2155438713; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Terraforming means creating human values as much as physical places

Tithi Luadthong/shutterstock

The Terraformers

Annalee Newitz (Tor Books on sale 2 February)

IN A deep future tens of thousands of years from now, animals have been brought into the so-called Great Bargain: in saving Earth from the consequences of the Anthropocene, a deal has been struck between all creatures, and humans now include everyone in managing the shared land.

But to participate, you need to be a person, and for that you must pass an intelligence assessment. So while relations between species look …

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