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Rising political tensions and economic downturns following a global pandemic cause major instability. Conventional warfare between nations becomes commonplace again. This period is typically considered the end of the "Pax Americana". -
The long-hypothesized ninth planet of the solar system, an ice giant, is finally located and named Erebus. -
AI-assisted weapon systems begin to be deployed on battlefields around the world. The era of drone dominance and porous frontlines comes to a close. -
China establishes the first permanent human presence on Earth's moon. -
Continued climate change severely threatens the way of life of hundreds of millions of people, causing widespread displacement as well as intensifying political tensions and economic hardships. -
The political collapse of Pakistan results in Indian forces rushing to occupy the country alongside a multinational coalition to secure the failed state's nuclear arsenal. Rogue Pakistani military elements launch a nuclear attack against India to stop the invasion; India responds by destroying Islamabad and Karachi. Coalition forces secure the remaining nuclear arsenal before further damage can be done. -
Chinese taikonauts plant the flag of the People's Republic of China on the Red Planet. -
NASA and partnered private space corporations land on Mars and establish a permanent base, the first of its kind beyond Earth's planetary system. -
After decades of development in renewable energy and widespread adoption of electric vehicles and carbon capture initiatives, anthropogenic climate change shows the first signs of stabilization in generations. -
A treaty is negotiated between all major space powers entailing the division of Earth's moon and Mars, as well as establishing a new code of conduct for space affairs. The United Nations Interplanetary Authority (UNIA) is created to enforce this treaty. -
Power armor technology makes its battlefield debut among special units. -
Highly efficient fusion power plants can now be found in many of Earth's most developed nations, making energy scarcity in those regions a thing of the past. -
Western powers aggressively pursue asteroid mining and offworld processing facilities to offset Chinese resource advantages. China and Russia attempt to prevent the west from gaining too large an advantage in space by likewise claiming asteroids.