History Trivia / Foundation

** The first stage of Hari Seldon's plan involves publishing an encyclopedia, with updates every ''ten years'', which seems a little quaint from a post-Internet point of view. Later books in publication order catch on to the idea of TheWikiRule just before the invention of the internet.

* TheWikiRule: [[http://asimov.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page AsimovWiki]] covers the ''Foundation Trilogy''.

* ReferencedBy:
** ''Film/TheArrival'': When Zane is talking about the signal, he states that it could be the alien's ''Encyclopedia Galactica'', a FictionalDocument used in ''Foundation''.
** ''Literature/CaptainFrenchOrTheQuestForParadise'': One of the planets is [[NamingYourColonyWorld named]] Trantor, a major planet within the ''Foundation'' series.
** ''ComicBook/CivilWar'': Reed Richards admits to having basically invented psychohistory, but needs someone to check his figures. He asks recurring villain Mad Thinker for help, as he's an evil super-mathematician who likes to use {{Xanatos Gambit}}s. The Thinker is bowled over by the scope of Reed's calculations.
** ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth'': If you find the remains of a failed expedition you can perform a psychohistorical analysis of their records to learn from their mistakes. The ADVISR also performs one at the very beginning of the game to tell you about Affinities if you choose to activate Full Guidance.
** ''Series/TheDailyShow'': When Bruce Bueno De Mesquita was invited as a guest (on 2009-09-28), he referenced Hari Seldon by name.
** ''Music/DeepPurple'': Their song, "The Mule", is based on a ''Foundation'' story; "Literature/TheMule". The titular antagonist has MindControl and [[TheEmpath emotion-reading]] powers, and has Converted even his deadliest enemies into loyal servants.
-->''No one sees the things you do\\
Because I stand in front of you\\
But you drive me all the time\\
Put the evil in my mind\\
[...]\\
Just another slave for the mule''
** ''WebAnimation/DimensionalProphecyOfZoharRedux'': The protagonists are a group of Mathematicians who design an algorithm that can predict future Caine attacks. The algorithm is once called a form of "psychohistory", a term invented by Dr Asimov that his mathematicians use to predict the future.
** ''{{VideoGame/Elite}}'': ''Frontier: First Encounters'' has one in a nod to ''Foundation'' where the science of psychohistory and a figure named Dr. Seldon are mentioned in a news article called "Universal Scientist".
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': The holophonor is a recurring musical device based on the Visi-Sonor.
** ''Literature/TheGeneralSeries'': In ''The Heretic'' and ''The Savior'', Center makes several references to aspects of future-prediction calculations as 'Seldonian'.
** ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'': In "Twilight", an incredibly powerful AI living in a space base has stumbled into the problem of having developed as far as computers allow, and must now merge with a humanoid alien in order to continue. In other words, same as the climax of ''Literature/FoundationAndEarth''.
** Creator/DonaldKingsbury's ''Literature/PsychohistoricalCrisis'': This book makes an obvious reference to the ''Foundation'' series with its name, and more subtle ones in the plot.
** Creator/PaulMcAuley's ''Literature/EveningsEmpires'': Trantor is the name of a major location in the asteroid belt.
** ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'': The 26 November 2016 update is named "Foundation" and there's a "Foundation" achievement, earned by having 250,000 units in your inventory.
** ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'': A reference is made to the term psychohistory, as something even superintelligent [=AIs=] can't do.
** ''{{TabletopGame/Paranoia}}'': ''Acute Paranoia'' supplement: The new secret society The Foundation is dedicated to creating refuges where Alpha Complex citizens can survive when the Complex is destroyed. This is a reference to Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Foundation'' series, in which the Foundation was set up to preserve knowledge when the Galactic Empire fell.
** ''Literature/PhulesCompany'' novel ''[[Literature/PhulesErrand Phule's Errand]]'': A few scenes parodying ''Foundation''.
** ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'': Weyland's hologram-message to the crew bears a striking similarity to Hari Seldon's series of hologram-messages. Seldon is also physically diminished, reveals the true hidden nature of their mission, and is [[spoiler:secretly manipulating people from beyond the grave. Although, in Seldon's case, he really is dead.]]
** ''Website/SFDebris'': This website did a review on ''Literature/Foundation1951''.
** ''Literature/SpheresOfInfluence'': An AI named Isaac quotes from ''Foundation'', implying that he's modelled on Creator/IsaacAsimov.
** ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'':
*** Planet names include Melpomenia and Solaria.
*** The Great Khan, like the Mule, comes apparently out of nowhere to become a potential GalacticConqueror and is rumored to be a powerful psychic (though these rumors are never confirmed for the Great Khan).
** ''{{Literature/Sten}}'': Famed diplomat Sr. Ecu sends the equally renowned psychologist Rykor a copy of an ancient Earth manuscript. Rykor says she finds the idea of "psychohistory" fascinating, but found the protagonist "Selden" rather repellent.
** ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass'': A young mathematician named Megatron noticed in his [[PrescienceByAnalysis numerical studies of social trends]] that civil war was almost certain.
** ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'':
*** Supplement 11 Library Data (N-Z). The science of psychohistory allows the prediction and manipulation of the future behavior of large populations.
*** The name of some emperors, such as Cleon.
** ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'': There is mention of a quarantine planet named Proxima Trantor.
** {{Music/Yes}}: Their song "And You and I" from the album ''Close to the Edge'' borrows ideas from ''Foundation''; "as a foundation left to create the spiral aim" and "There'll be no mutant enemy we shall certify".

* DevelopmentHell: %%Examples in chronological order%% needs to be moved to SavedFromDevelopmentHell when the series is released
** Creator/NewLineCinema had spent $1.5 million dollars to develop a film {{Trilogy}} for ''Foundation'' in 1998. Their failure to complete the project lead to Creator/PeterJackson's production of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy. In 2008, the company [[http://www.filmbuffonline.com/FBOLNewsreel/wordpress/2008/07/29/foundation-heading-to-big-screen/ announced]] that Creator/BobShaye and Creator/MichealLynne would be co-producers.
** Creator/ColumbiaPictures purchased the privilege to produce a movie from an auction in 2009, and contracted Creator/RolandEmmerich as director and co-producer. The other producer chosen at the time was Creator/MichealWimer. Two years later, Creator/DantaHarper was hired on to the project.
** Creator/{{HBO}} allowed [[http://www.thewrap.com/interstellars-jonah-nolan-developing-foundation-series-for-hbo-wbtv-exclusive/ a leak]] in 2014 that Creator/JonathonNolan would be writing a television series based on the {{Trilogy}}.
** Creator/SkydanceMedia refused comment to [[https://deadline.com/2017/06/foundation-isaac-asimov-skydance-television-series-deal-david-goyer-josh-friedman-science-fiction-star-wars-1202120701/ an article in 2017]] that they were purchasing the rights to a television series based on ''Literature/TheFoundationTrilogy''. Then, in 2018, [[https://deadline.com/2018/08/foundation-apple-gives-series-order-to-adaptation-of-isaac-asimovs-sci-fi-classic-from-david-goyer-josh-friedman-1202450917/ another article]] revealed that they would be working with [[UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh Apple]].
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgbPSA94Rqg first trailer]] from Creator/AppleTVPlus includes executive producer Creator/DavidGoyer saying that people have been trying to make a LiveActionAdaptation of ''Foundation'' for fifty years, and Apple has finally done it.

** ''ComicBook/CivilWar'': Reed Richards admits to having basically invented psychohistory, but needs someone to check his figures. He asks recurring {{Villain}} Mad Thinker for help, as he's an evil super-mathematician who likes to use {{Xanatos Gambit}}s. The Thinker is bowled over by the scope of Reed's calculations.

* DevelopmentHell: %%Examples in chronological order%%

* OutlivedItsCreator: Three novels were added to Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'' series by other authors and with permission from the Good Doctor's estate after he passed on to the Great Typewriter in the Sky. They are called the ''Literature/SecondFoundationTrilogy''.

* ScienceMarchesOn: During the search for Earth, Saturn's rings are regarded as something unmatched in the rest of the Galaxy. Well, maybe they're remarkable for a system with habitable planets, but [[http://earthsky.org/space/huge-distant-planet-has-rings-200-times-bigger-than-saturns in younger ones...]]

** ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'': Planet names include Melpomenia and Solaria.

** ''Music/DeepPurple'': Their song "The Mule" is based on one of ''Foundation'''s major villains.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: The first book in the series was published in 1951, and consists of short stories written as early as 1941 -- and it shows. For example, the most information-dense medium the early Foundation has for distributing the Encyclopedia Galactica is ''microfilm''.

* DevelopmentHell:

** In ''The Heretic'' and ''The Savior'', Center makes several references to aspects of future-prediction calculations as 'Seldonian'.
** ''Literature/SpheresOfInfluence'': An AI named Isaac quotes from ''Foundation'', implying that he's modelled on Creator/IsaacAsimov.

** ''Film/Prometheus'': Weyland's hologram-message to the crew bears a striking similarity to Hari Seldon's series of hologram-messages. Seldon is also physically diminished, reveals the true hidden nature of their mission, and is [[spoiler:secretly manipulating people from beyond the grave. Although, in Seldon's case, he really is dead.]]

* TheWikiRule: [[http://asimov.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page AsimovWiki]] covers the ''Foundation Trilogy''.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: The first book in the series was published in 1951, and consists of short stories written as early as 1941 -- and it shows. For example, the most information-dense medium the early Foundation has for distributing the Encyclopedia Galactica is ''microfilm''.

* ScienceMarchesOn: During the search for Earth, Saturn's rings are regarded as something unmatched in the rest of the Galaxy. Well, maybe thay're remarkable for a system with habitable planets, but [[http://earthsky.org/space/huge-distant-planet-has-rings-200-times-bigger-than-saturns in younger ones...]]

* TechnologyMarchesOn: The first book in the series was published in 1951, and consists of short stories written as early as 1941 -- and it shows. For example, the most information-dense medium the early Foundation has for distributing the Encyclopedia Galactica is ''microfilm''.