Terraforming is an as yet unproven scientific concept that tries to change the environment of other planets to make them more like Earth. This involves changing the planet's atmosphere, temperature, and surface to make it habitable. For example, on Mars, terraforming would involve warming the planet up and adding oxygen to its atmosphere, so humans could breathe without space suits. An Exoplanet is a planet outside our solar system.

An "out of court settlement" is when two parties in a legal dispute decide to resolve their issue themselves, without going to trial. It's different from a court judgment because in a settlement, both parties agree on the terms, which usually involves paying money to the victim/complainant and keeping the details private. In contrast, a court judgment is decided by a judge or jury at the end of a case, which can be more costly and time-consuming but it's decision is public and final.

Patent protections are legal rights granted to inventors. When an inventor creates something unique, they can apply for a patent. This patent gives them exclusive rights to make, use, sell, and license their invention for a limited period. Patents are enforced in courts when someone infringes on it.

A reminder that this round is a "prefer a world" debate. A "prefer a world" debate is where teams discuss the desirability of a fundamentally different world than our current one, which has always been fundamentally different for all its existence. The affirmative team argues why this alternative world is better, while the negative team argues for the advantages of the current world or the potential downsides of the alternative world.