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So in my world, the afterlife is proven to be an actual, physical location you can visit with the right knowledge and technology. This is in the near-future, in a (mostly) hard sci-fi setting. We follow a group of scientists sent to investigate, in a mission similar to the theoretical mars landing. The location isn't close to any modern religious view of heaven or hell, and is akin to a massive mudflat that continues as far as anyone can tell. The general public is aware of its existence, and it's not mentioned what they're calling it yet, but the government wants to keep their research and eventual expedition private.

So what would this group call it? My brain first jumped to something similar to "Area 51", just a vague, undescriptive name that doesn't hint at anything. I also thought something like "Site Qafzeh", after the cave with the first known human burial. I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts on this, since I'm stumped on finding something that sounds good and is realistic. Thanks!

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    $\begingroup$ If it's an afterlife, and a physically visitable location, presumably it's full of people. What do those people call it? $\endgroup$
    – notovny
    Oct 15, 2022 at 6:38
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    $\begingroup$ What to call something is totally a matter of opinion and personal tastes. Snoopy and Eagle are different names for the same thing... $\endgroup$
    – L.Dutch ♦
    Oct 15, 2022 at 6:41
  • $\begingroup$ A taxable event $\endgroup$
    – Gary Walker
    Oct 15, 2022 at 8:49
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    $\begingroup$ Why would the US Government have the deciding vote naming the discovery of individuals? What is it going to do, pass a bill through Congress? $\endgroup$
    – BMF
    Oct 15, 2022 at 14:04
  • $\begingroup$ @BMF If I could down vote your comment, I would. Congress passes bills to name things on a regular basis. And, yes, that's exactly what they do. When you get below Congress, say... the military... then you get organizational naming without the need to use bills all the time. You're being a bit short-sighted about this. $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Oct 15, 2022 at 18:21

2 Answers 2

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afterlife?

Why make up any other words? If there is a place where you go when you die and you have proven it exists and you can go there, "afterlife" would be a solid name.

Ofcourse overall the world will give it different names. One group will call it heaven, another hell because its just an infinite mudflat. Others might call it the ancetral realm.

As for the US government, it heavily depends on which pile of old farts is at the top at that moment and their views.

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Keep in mind that the U.S Government is made of people (mostly), and these people retain their beliefs and biases. Most Americans already believe in some sort of afterlife, and therefore the committee (and it will be a committee) that decides the name of this afterlife will name it based off what they can broadly agree on. Given that you’ve described it as vague and featureless they’d probably call it “limbo” or “hades”. As more exotic religious views would be much less likely to be known by the group of officers or federal civilians naming it.

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