New Caprica is a barely substantial planet in the midst of a dimensional tear. It was briefly settled by humans of the refugee fleet of the Twelve Colonies. After a year, the Ancient Ones discovered the settlement and dominated it for a few months. The human settlers on New Caprica built their new homes in a dry river bed near the equator; the planet's wet, damp, and dreary climate caused the river bed to turn to mud. Additionally, the damp and chilly climate led some colonists to develop flu and pneumonia type illnesses