Posts tagged ‘science’
THE SUPERIOR SPECIES: PART IV, THE CLONING
THE CLONING
John Sanders received the frozen tissue samples from Gold. As he gazed at the sample packed in dry ice, he could not believe he was peering into a box containing a tissue sample of a ‘man’ dead thirty thousand years. Sanders’ ego did not get the better of him. He knew he had been out of the lab for too long to attempt the important work that lay ahead. He employed a promising PhD candidate, Michael Rose, to do the actual work. He would tell Rose as little as possible about the nature of the experiment. The meeting at Gold’s study had left him with the feeling that he was involved in a conspiracy rather than an experiment, the fewer people that knew about the true purpose of the experiment, the better.
Sanders’ first meeting with Rose went well. “Michael, I would like you to help me in a special project.”
“Certainly Dr. Sanders. I’m a little desperate for a new project now that the study I’m working on is going nowhere.”
Sanders said, “It’s a cloning experiment.”
“Fantastic,” said Rose. “What will we be cloning?”
Sanders hesitated, and then answered, “A non-human primate.”
“Has that ever been done before Dr. Sanders?”
“Not to my knowledge. We would be making history.”
Rose could not believe his luck. He was going from a dead-end research project to an historic experiment.
“When do we begin?”
“Immediately,” Sanders said. “I already have a tissue sample from which you can extract the DNA for the cloning. I also have a list of references I want you to read and extract from them the method used to fertilize the egg and develop it into an embryo.”
* * *
Two weeks later Rose had the DNA extracted and the materials he would need for the union of the egg and extracted DNA to begin their journey to a living entity.
Sanders called Mark, “Bill, we’re ready to implant the DNA into the eggs.”
“I’ll ship them out by express mail,” said Mark. “Good luck!”
The eggs arrived in a container of liquid nitrogen. The paperwork indicated that there were ten eggs contained in the container. When all was ready, with Sanders at his side, Rose began the cloning experiment.
The eggs were rapidly thawed. Once thawed, Rose removed their DNA and inserted the ‘primate DNA’ he had prepared. Each egg was given its own petri dish of life sustaining fluids and put into an incubator.
Both Sanders and Rose periodically checked on the eggs. Initially, all ten began to divide. But soon four of the small balls of cells died. The remaining six progressed to a point where they could be slowly cooled, then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen until they could be implanted into a uterus.
Rose was excited as he entered Sanders’ office. “Dr. Sanders, the embryos are frozen. I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the experiment.”
Sanders said, “I’ll let you know how things progress.”
“Do we have the monkeys that will carry the embryos to term here?”
“No Michael, the implantation will be done at another institution.”
After Rose left, Sanders sat at his desk and thought, You’ll be told the embryos all died after implantation. For you, this experiment is over.
Strangely, Sanders found himself feeling envy for Rose. His dreams had recently been haunted by what this adventure might produce.
SUPERIOR SPECIES: PART III, NEW HAVEN CONNETICUT
New Haven, Connecticut
It was a wild night with a howling and frigid wind buffeting the windows of the senior faculty house on the Yale campus. Sheets of rain kept all the details of the world beyond the windows indefinite.
Four men, leaders in their fields, sat before a roaring fire, the flames reflecting off the dark wooden panels of the study walls. Each man held a brandy stiffer and appreciated the ambiance of the room and the moment. The men were in one of the faculty houses provided to senior members of Yale. The residence was that of Dr. Carl Gold, an evolutionary psychologist. Gold was in his mid sixties, and with his trim build and gray mane of hair, would not be out of place in the boardroom of a major company or arguing on the floor of the senate. He was a leader in his field with a worldwide reputation.
Gold had invited three men he knew by reputation as giants in their own fields. He also knew them all personally, in varying degrees, and was confident that what was discussed this stormy night would not go beyond the walls of his study.
Across from Gold sat Fred Fielding. Tall and gaunt, Fielding had a permanent tan from his many field trips as physical anthropologist. Next to Fielding was John Sanders, a world-renowned human geneticist. Sanders published his work in all the major journals, but most of his work was now tied up in the debate over the use of human stem cells. Sanders, with his short thick build, was the opposite of Fielding. With his thick black hair and swarthy complexion, he was often mistaken for a maintenance man. The broken nose he earned during his collegiate boxing career added to the image.
The last of the three invited guests was Dr. Bill Mark, a fertility specialist and adjunct professor in Yale’s medical school. Tall, slim and blond, with his athletic build, he appeared to be in his mid forties although he was well on the way to sixty. As each man introduced himself and discussed their specialties, Mark wondered if he had been summoned to this meeting by mistake. His discipline did not fit in with the others present. He was not a researcher. He was a physician.
Gold surveyed his colleagues and friends. “Gentlemen, the storm that rages beyond these walls will be dwarfed by the storm that may rage within these walls tonight. I’m sure you are all aware of the magnificent discovery made in the Swiss Alps. The body of a perfectly preserved Neanderthal, using carbon dating, is estimated to be thirty thousand years old. I have spent my life in the study of these creatures. From the time the first Neanderthal skull was found in 1848, this subset of man has remained a mystery. We are still trying to fathom the extent of their intelligence and how they fit into the human tree of development.
“There are many facts about these distant relatives of modern man that lead to fascinating conjecture. To begin with, their brains were ten percent larger than that of modern man, yet they are thought to be simple brutes. We now know that Neanderthals manufactured tools and produced art. The mask found on the banks of the Loire in France was an unexpected find. The fact that they produced art indicates they had an appreciation of life beyond their own existence. They apparently did lack one skill. They were not as adept at fashioning weapons as their fellow bipeds.
“Another intriguing discovery found in the Kebara Cave in Israel was a Neanderthal bone of extreme importance. The bone I refer to was a Neanderthal hyoid bone. This find dispels the theory that Neanderthals could do nothing but grunt. The presence of a hyoid bone indicates they were capable of speech. Taking into consideration other aspects of their skulls, it is thought that Neanderthals had a high, nasal voice.
“There are many questions to be answered, and now we have the means at our disposal to journey from conjecture to fact. I have obtained a sample of the newly discovered Neanderthal. The reason I have called you all together this evening is to formulate a plan, that my utilizing modern genetics and in vitro fertilization, will produce a Neanderthal. We shall be able to answer all the questions that have plagued modern man about the Neanderthal enigma.”
Fred Fielding was the first to speak. “As a physical anthropologist, I look forward to examining the body of the recently discovered Neanderthal. But your point is clear. To see how the physical characteristics, whose meaning we assume to deduce, come into play in a living specimen would mean phenomenal advances in our knowledge of man’s distant relative.”
John Sanders, the geneticist, now spoke up. “With a specimen from this newly discovered Neanderthal, modern genetics could solve, once and for all, the debate of where Neanderthals reside in man’s family tree. However, what you propose is to produce a living individual. To do that would require cloning, a method too dangerous to try on a human – to say nothing about it being illegal.”
Gold said, “My dear Dr. Sanders, you would not be cloning a member of the Homo sapiens species. You would be cloning an example of Homo neanderhtalensis.”
A smile crept across Sanders’ face. This argument would be viable, until the law caught up with the science. “In that case, I am willing to isolate the DNA. What we would need next is a human egg and female willing to carry the Neanderthal to term.”
All eyes were now on Dr. Mark, the fertilization specialist. He said, “I now see where I fit in. I see how we all fit into this project. I will not mince words. I feel uncomfortable about this proposition. The mechanisms of the plan would be simple. I have a supply of donor eggs. We can remove the egg’s DNA and using cloning methods described in the literature, insert Neanderthal DNA and initiate mitosis. I also have a group of women we use in my practice who are willing to carry babies as surrogate mothers, but refuse to see the baby after birth. They want no chance to form an attachment to the child.
“I think the experiment Dr. Gold proposes can be accomplished. My question is should it be done? By using the scientific name of the Neanderthal as a loophole, we feel we are free to create an individual who may possess human emotions, who may possess a soul. This is much different than cloning a sheep or a cat, no matter how much we choose to belittle the difference. I am not sure I can proceed with this endeavor.”
Gold said, “I picked you, Bill, because I knew you would not go easily with this plan. What we are planning to do is of profound importance, and also of profound scientific and moral complexity. Yet, for science to advance, sometimes risks must be taken. I appreciate your arguments. I know there are risks, but we have the capacity to venture into the unknown and bring light to a land of mystery. Through our expertise we can gain knowledge of the beginning of our humanity.”
The debate went on until dawn lit the study windows. Fielding and Sanders warmed to their initial confidence. Mark persisted in his initial skepticism. But in the end, as a new day on Earth began, a new chapter in mankind’s knowledge was agreed upon.
PRDICTIONS IN SCIENCE FICTION
PREDICTIONS IN SCIENCE FICTION
It is a well-known fact that writers of science fiction have been known to predict the future. In the story which will follow is a series of posts, in which I predict the past.
Two famous writers of science fiction have shown foresight in predicting the future in their work, Issac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke.
Asimov, in his work, saw the move from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs and on to LED bulbs. Also, the introduction of robots in his work is well-known.
Arthur C. Clarke had a host of predictions of the future in his work. In the world of computers, he predicted the Yk2 scare in the 1990 novel The Ghost from the Grand Banks.
In Clarke’s 1972 novel Rendezvous with Rama, astronomers were involved in a defense system against asteroid collisions with Earth, detected an alien spaceship. The world is now concerned with a collision with an asteroid and the U.S. has already sent a spacecraft on a successful mission to nudge an asteroid and changed its path.
Clarke also predicted the various uses of satellites. He saw groups of satellites being used for data transmission, phone calls and TV transmissions.
This article is a preamble for my short story, The Superior Species. In this story, through cloning, neanderthals are produced with surprising results. I first submitted this story on July 21, 2006. Since then, the view of neanderthals as brutes has been changing.
It’s been found that neanderthals buried their dead, made jewelry, and manufactured tools. And may have been able to speak.
What really caught my attention was the cover of The New York Times Magazine section published on January 15, 2017. It depicts an obvious caveman holding the hand of a modern-day man. The caveman is wearing a T shirt with the saying, I’M WITH STUPID, with an arrow pointing to modern man.
I will be offering The Superior Species in a series of posts. Hope you follow and enjoy the story.
THE CRYSTALS OF LIFE, A SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORY
This story was accepted for publication by Books To Go Now in July 2011.
THE CRYSTALS OF LIFE
Jacques Stern was tall and lean and with his Van Dyke beard, exuded an air of sophistication. As the head of the Martian probe, THE QUEST FOR LIFE, he shouted to all in the command center, “We have a successful liftoff.” A mighty cheer went up from the men and women in the room who had toiled for so many years on the project to bring Martian samples back to Earth. They finally would realize the fruits of their labor, a chance to study these historic samples for signs of life.
An earlier probe, SEEKING LIFE, had identified a strange deposit of crystals. Analysis done by the miniature lab aboard the probe yielded puzzling results. The crystals were composed of elements found on Earth, but in a distinctively bizarre construction. There was an unexpected find with their analysis: they could initiate some sort of metabolism when introduced to a nutrient broth. This stymied the scientists studying the data. Checks and tests were accomplished on Earth and no fault could be found in the probe or the programs doing the analysis. This was a mystery that required further investigation.
A new unmanned spacecraft was designed along the lines of the Apollo spacecraft sent to explore the moon. A mother ship would insert into orbit around Mars from which a probe would be released to gather data and samples from the surface of the planet. There was no problem in determining where to land. The previous less sophisticated probe found these crystals just below the surface wherever they explored the planet. Now, to find the source of the first crystals analyzed, the new probe would have to land close to where the last probe made its discovery.
The miniature lab on the probe was much more advanced to that of the initial probe, SEEKING LIFE, which tested the crystals. However, this probe also contained a small module that would take harvested crystals and transport them to the mother ship and bring them back to Earth.
Stern, with his vast experience with SEEKING LIFE, was made head of this latest mission. He retained many of the scientists involved with the last Mars mission. He also enlisted the remaining members of the team responsible for the Apollo missions. With this group of scientists in place, he planned to carry out the current mission. He hoped the current effort would be successful in returning samples to Earth because the data from the last probe made no sense. Once the samples were brought to Earth, the mystery could be unraveled.
As he sat in the officers’ club at Patrick Air Force Base, looking out on the brilliant blue Atlantic Ocean, he questioned his friend, Tom Watson, for the hundredth time. Watson was the exact opposite of Jacques. He was short and portly, and with his selection of wardrobe, was often confused for one of the maintenance personnel. He was a friend from graduate school and Jacques often went to him for an explanation of the results found by some of his projects. Tom, as he often said, ‘was a jack of all trades but a master of none’. He was a skilled scientist in many disciplines who was often approached to delve out the answer to puzzling data.
“I’ve spent years going over the data, Tom. I’ve consulted the top geologists and inorganic chemists I could find; not one can explain the findings of the first probe. “What mechanism of nature could possibly allow a pure crystalline structure to show signs of life?”
Watson was used to this line of questioning; he paused to consider the data, and then said, “We have a built-in limit to what we understand. We gauge all our discoveries by what we have experienced, not by our imagination. We are prisoners of the known.
“On Earth, the building blocks of life are carbon-based. Out in space, it could be sulfur or some other element which we on this planet could never imagine being the backbone of life. With this next probe we will be able to test the findings of SEEKING LIFE. If the findings of the first probe are confirmed, the availability of samples will broaden our knowledge of the characteristics of the crystals and perhaps what constitutes life on the red planet.
* * *
THE QUEST FOR LIFE made its lonely passage through space, through the vacuum and cold toward the growing blood-red dot. After traveling many months, the probe began its orbit in the ink-black sky of Mars.
Back on Earth, a mighty cheer echoed throughout the command center monitoring the probe’s progress. Next was the anticipation of a successful landing on the red planet to analyze and gather samples, and then return to the mother ship.
* * *
As the probe inserted into orbit around Mars, a cold and unfeeling intelligence monitored the probe’s progress. The intelligence was passive, subject to the whim of any life form it encountered. Millions of years had gone by since this calculating entity had been ferried to its present home and occupied the surface of Mars waiting for a new life form to visit. If no contact was made, it did not matter, the presence could wait millions more years until it could enact its cycle. The intelligence occupying the surface of Mars had been patiently anticipating the arrival of a new life form, with the outcome of this encounter up to the invaders.
* * *
Stern gave the command for the mother ship to release the probe.
An intense atmosphere filled the command center.
“The probe has been disengaged,” reported one of the engineers from her station.
After a few minutes, which seemed like an eternity, another station reported, “We have ignition of the lander.”
Minutes later came word that the probe had landed on Martian soil. Another cheer enveloped the command center. Backs were slapped and the champagne opened. Off in one corner stood Stern wondering if the result from the last probe could be duplicated, and if some of the more sophisticated tests incorporated in the current probe would unravel the secrets held within the mysterious crystals.
Stern, along with the rest of the staff, monitored the progress of the lander. Again, white crystals were found after breaking through the surface layer of red soil. A sample, uncontaminated by the surface soil, was scooped up and introduced into the chamber with nutrients which would duplicate the tests performed by the previous mission. The results were the same. A battery of further tests was unable to explain the metabolic activity possessed by the crystal samples. The mission staff experienced relief that the results could be duplicated, but apprehension that this mystery might not be unraveled.
A command sent to the probe had samples introduced into a chamber for transport back to Earth. Once the mother ship obtained the proper position, the probe fired its engine and slowly lifted into the black Martian sky starting the long journey back to Earth.
“We have the returning capsule locked and secured,” called out one of the engineers. The mother ship fired its engines and left Mar’s orbit, heading home.
The mission specialists monitored the progress of THE QUEST FOR LIFE as it glided toward Earth. Stern spent this time conducting meetings at universities and centers of excellence in geology and inorganic chemistry. He filled notebooks with reports speculating on the science behind the unusual activity shown by the Martian crystals; how minerals could show metabolic activity. The common consensus was that either microbes were harbored on or within the crystals or the crystals themselves caused some sort of breakdown of the nutrient broth that mimicked metabolism.
Stern sat once again with his good friend Watson, this time in Stern’s sprawling ranch near Cocoa Beach. “Tom, in a matter of months we’ll have the Mars probe back on Earth. The excitement level in Houston, where the crystals will be analyzed, is tremendous. NASA has assembled some of the world’s foremost geologists, biologists and physicists to conduct an extensive battery of tests. This is the first time man has had an opportunity to examine material from another planet in our solar system. We could gain knowledge of a new life form, or a chemical process not found on Earth.
“I’m disappointed that I will not be present when the probe is opened in Houston, but once it splashes down in the Pacific, my responsibility for the mission is finished.”
“These are historic times,” said Tom. “It’s a great era in which to live. Perhaps the answer to one of the major questions mankind has pondered will finally be answered. Are we alone in the universe or just a speck of inhabited rock adrift in a cosmos teeming with life?”
* * *
THE QUEST FOR LIFE sailed toward a distant speck in the black void of space. The spec grew, becoming a small disc and finally a planet with clouds in the atmosphere and dark expanses of ocean. As the probe entered the first hint of the Earth’s atmosphere, the crystals altered their configuration ever so slightly, sensing the prospect of renewed life.
Aboard the U.S.S. Hornet, latest in a new line of aircraft carriers and named for the historic vessel of World War II, preparations were under way to retrieve the probe. Stored below deck in the carrier’s massive hangar was the steel vault that would be used to carry the precious cargo from Mars to Houston for study.
Managers in Houston followed the probe’s path to splashdown and radioed the carrier that they should soon be able to make visual contact. Hundreds of sailors crammed the deck and scanned the sky. A cheer went up when the three parachutes were spotted which would bring the craft gently down in the Pacific and end its long voyage of discovery. As soon as the probe was sighted, two Navy helicopters launched from the deck, bearing frogmen to recover the spacecraft. The primary helicopter hovered over the probe, now surrounded by an inflatable collar, the prop wash dampening the ocean waves. Two frogmen jumped into the ocean and attached a cable that would lift the space vehicle for transport to the Hornet. Once it was transferred to the deck, a group of scientists examined the vehicle to ensure there was no damage. “We have a good vehicle,” they reported.
While the recovery was being accomplished, NASA, along with naval personnel brought the vault topside and rolled it near to where the helicopter would place the probe. A specifically designed forklift gently maneuvered the vehicle into the vault. The mission was accomplished. The vault was sealed and returned below decks for the journey to California and then on to Houston.
* * *
After the Johnson Space Center in Houston received word that the probe was safe and secure, years of anticipation had come to an end. Now it was time to get to work and find out what those crystals were. There was a celebration. Jacques Stern approached the podium to address the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, today we made history. We secured, for the first time, samples from another planet. You are all to be congratulated for the excellent work you have done to see this mission to its successful conclusion.
“Now it is up to the scientists at Johnson to analyze these mysterious crystals and uncover the secrets hidden within their structure.”
Stern finished his speech, and that night driving home, wondered at the mysteries that might be revealed.
The Hornet’s journey to California took nearly a week. This wait added to the eagerness among the scientists waiting to work with the crystals, for there wasn’t an aircraft able to take off from the carrier that could accommodate the vault.
Dr. Jeff Watts, a leader in crystallography, was head of the team selected to study the Martian samples. Jeff was in his mid-fifties but looked ten years younger. With his short-cropped salt and pepper hair and a runner’s build, he looked nothing like the world-renowned scientist he was.
Assisting Watts was Igor Stanovich, a highly respected Russian physicist. Stanovich was in his mid-sixties, muscular, and a short solid man. He projected a no-nonsense air yet hidden beneath his gruff exterior was a caring heart for those who were willing to break through his protective shell.
The third member of the team, and youngest, was Beverly Yochum, already a legend in her field of geology at the age of thirty-five. She accomplished an impressive number of discoveries and was an expert in the study of the most hostile environments the world offered. Blue-eyed and blonde, with a model’s figure, she often turned heads but kept busy in her work. Married at twenty-five, she lost her husband in a car crash five years later and looked to work to consume her pain.
The team gathered in San Diego and anxiously awaited the Hornet’s arrival. Once the ship docked, the team hurried aboard and stood in the Hornet’s hangar staring at the vault containing the samples from Mars, feeling the excitement of their quest for knowledge of another planet.
Dr. Watts said to his colleagues, “I have a great deal of anticipation for the project we are about to undertake.” His words were refined but his voice betrayed the excitement of a child in a toy store.
The vault was brought ashore and trucked to an awaiting Air Force C-17 cargo plane to continue its journey to Houston. The three scientists rode to Texas with their precious cargo. They sat in silence, observing the vault and wondering at the secrets that lie within.
Even before the Mars mission was launched, construction had begun on a special laboratory, isolated from any other structure, to study the Martian crystals. It would be equivalent to the labs used to study the most highly contagious pathogens known to man. Once completed, it was equipped with all the state-of-the-art instruments required for geological and biological research. The scientists and technicians working in the lab would go through a vigorous cleansing and gowning procedure, donning spacesuit-like gear to ensure that no contamination was released or introduced.
While the lab was being built, Watts and his team planned the experiments needed to solve the crystals’ mysterious qualities of appearing as a mineral yet having biological properties.
Upon reaching Houston, the vault was carefully unloaded and taken to the lab which would act as both a storage chamber and laboratory for the crystals and the probe. Now that the vault was safely in the lab, the scientists were full of anticipation ready to examine their precious samples.
The next morning, Watts began, “Now comes the moment we have anticipated for years, and that mankind has dreamed of ever since the red planet was discovered. We stand on the threshold to answering the age-old question, Is there life on Mars: are we alone?
Watts opened the vault and inside lay the probe. Using a special wrench, he opened the chamber containing the crystals. There was a whooshing sound as the sterile air from the lab entered the chamber. Watts pulled from the chamber a cup-like device containing crystals. The entire planet witnessed this historic moment via miniature cameras attached to the headgear of the scientists.
The three gathered around the crystals. Watts said, “They appear to be pure white, like grains of salt but coarser. A few have a reddish-brown discoloration which must be Martian soil.” The excitement in his voice was evident. After a few more moments of inspection, he carefully placed the cup on the floor of the vault and secured the door. He then turned to his colleagues and said, “Tomorrow we begin our work.”
As the scientists slept, cameras trained on the vault were constantly monitored by NASA personnel. The vault must be observed at all times to ensure the crystals had not been tampered with. This would also make it certain that all findings made would not be subject to doubt of any type.
It was two thirty in the morning when the technician monitoring the vault saw the first bulge in its side appear. By the time Watts and his team were alerted, all sides of the vault were peppered with disfigurations, as if someone was firing a shotgun at the walls from inside. Then, before the horrified eyes of all watching the monitor, the vault’s door burst open. From inside they could see a mass of white forms.
Watts shouted, “Quick, we have to get to the lab.”
After an abbreviated decontamination, the scientists donned their protective suits and entered the lab. Near the vault, they could see spheres the size of basketballs with octagonal surfaces lying on the floor. Within the vault there were several similar objects, which, although smaller, appeared to be growing.
Watts leaned forward and picked up one of the white masses. Immediately he let out a blood-curdling scream and watched in disbelief as his hands penetrated the giant crystal. Before his unbelieving eyes, his thick protective gloves dissolved, followed by the skin of his hands. He looked down on his muscles and tendons and the veins and arteries, coursing blood through his hands and fingers. Soon his hands were no more than bone and the growing globe dropped to the floor shattering and raining crystals on all three scientists. The crystals immediately melted through the suits, seeking the life-giving water within.
The technicians monitoring the vault were in shock as it appeared that all three suits were now empty, and the crystals continued to grow at an alarming rate.
It wasn’t long before the white masses breached the lab. The entire building was ordered evacuated. The military was alerted and established a perimeter a half mile away from the rapidly disintegrating building. Tanks and artillery pieces trained their guns on the growing mass of white. Suddenly, the air was filled with the roar of fighters dropping bombs and obliterating the crystals in fire and smoke.
No scientists were consulted on this plan of attack. If they had been, the officers in charge of the operation would have been told you cannot kill a crystal. The wiser approach would have been to bury them. Soon Martian crystals were swept up into the jet stream. Some were deposited in the ocean, and this provided the first clue about their survival. Ships in the warm southern Atlantic reported monstrous icebergs. But what they truly saw were giant mountains of crystals attached to the ocean floor and growing at a fantastic pace. More than one vessel accidentally sailed into the crystalline islands and disappeared.
Too late to save the planet, the growth requirement for the crystals was discovered to be water. When the probe was opened, water vapor entered and initiated the process.
Now with the abundance of water on Earth, a growth process that could not be halted was in progress. It was not long before huge white mountains were seen where the land was once flat. The oceans began to recede as a vast number of white crystalline islands began to appear. The Earth’s population not directly absorbed by the crystals died from lack of water, and Earth soon resembled its sister planet Mars, barren of life.
Once every molecule of water was consumed, the massive crystal mountains began to crumble leaving the planet covered in a thick layer of white. But the planet was not entirely dead. It was still geologically alive. Volcanoes erupted and earthquakes spread a thick layer of new rock and ash covering the crystals. The great cities of the Earth, all signs of the civilization that once existed, were buried.
* * *
Millennia later, a bright, fast moving light appeared in the dead planet’s sky. The light intensified and entered the orbit of the desolate planet. From the orbiting visitor, a smaller light emerged and headed for the planet’s surface.
THE END
AND THEN HE RESTED, A SHORT STORY
And Then He Rested was accepted for publication by Bewildering Stories in December 2007. The story has definite religious overtones and I thought this might be a problem. It wasn’t.
AND THEN HE RESTED
David Roser, a twenty-two-year-old graduate student, was summoned to Dr. Smithfield’s office one bleak winter afternoon. David was enrolled at M.I.T. in the Astronomy Department. He chose this field for it provided the opportunity to dwell on concrete observations, but also gave him a chance to dream, to ponder the vastness of space and the possibilities of what might exist out there.
He was also in awe of Dr. Springfield.
Springfield had won a Nobel Prize in physics for his study of the cosmos. To work under the guidance of Dr. Springfield went well beyond an honor. It allowed him to tread the sacred ground of the universe.
To be summoned to Springfield’s office was a rare pleasure David savored for the man truly had the characteristics of the absent-minded genius. When thinking, he constantly smoked his pipe, and a wave of aromatic smoke followed him. All the buildings on campus were smoke-free, but no one had the nerve to tell Dr. Springfield to extinguish his pipe. To add to the dilemma, he was hard of hearing and anyone daring to reprimand him would have brought attention to someone shouting at a Nobel Prize winning laureate.
David knocked loudly on Dr. Smithfield’s office door.
“Come in,” came a preoccupied voice far louder than normal.
David opened the door to see Dr. Springfield seated at his cluttered desk, his head wreathed in a cloud of smoke as he puffed furiously at his pipe.
“David, thank you so much for coming. Have a seat.”
Smithfield motioned to the only chair in the office. It was piled high with books, which David carefully removed and stacked on the floor. As he waited for the professor to complete his work, David drank in the atmosphere of the room. Most of the wall space was taken up with bookshelves piled haphazardly with books and stacks of papers. On the little wall space available hung framed photos taken by famous astronomers. There were pictures taken using the Hubble telescope of distant galaxies and images of the planets taken from some of the most famous observatories on Earth. They were all taken by world-famous astronomers and given to Dr. Springfield. All the photos had been taken by former pupils.
Smithfield’s desk was huge, taking up a third of the room. The surface was overflowing with books, papers and star charts. So although the desk was massive, the work area was minimal.
After a few minutes had passed, David loudly cleared his throat, not sure if Springfield remembered that he was there. Because of the professor’s hearing all communication had to be done quite aggressively. His deafness also accounted for his booming voice.
“David, there’s been an important discovery. I’m sure you have heard about the cloud of matter found revolving around a distant star in the Cancer system. The cloud is approximately the same distance the Earth is from our sun, and the star around which it travels is very similar to our own.”
“Yes, professor. The news is full of the discovery.”
Smithfield continued, “What makes this find truly exciting is that it is a window to the formation of our own planet. It will take billions of years, but someday this mass of debris may form another Earth. What is also so exciting is that, because of the distance of this system, we will be observing a planet form at approximately at the very time our own came into existence, give or take a few million years.
“The reason I wanted to see you, David, was that I want you to be involved in taking some of the initial measurements to determine the characteristics of this mass. Yours will be some of the first data recorded. For unknown generations, scientists will follow this planet’s development. It will be an important view to our past.”
David said, “I feel honored that you want me to do this work, but will it lead to a project for my degree?”
“I’m afraid not. We’ll only have about two weeks to record the initial data, then that area of the sky won’t be visible for observation for another hundred years. But who knows, with the advancement of space-based telescopes, we may be able to gather more data before that.”
* * *
David made his observations over the next week, and they were truly amazing. He was sure his measurements were incorrect, so he did not inform Dr. Springfield of his findings. He did, however, consult with other astronomers after five days. David found he was one among many who did not believe their results.
On the seventh day after David began his observations, the hallways of M.I.T. were in an uproar. The astronomy building had lost its mantle of reserve and discipline.
Springfield did not hear the shouts echoing through the corridors. Beyond his office it was pandemonium.
A bewildered David Rosen knocked on Springfield’s door.
“Come in,” boomed the professor’s voice.
David was upset, mystified and euphoric all at the same moment. He was on the brink of tears as he walked into Springfield’s office.
“David, what is the matter? You look like something is terribly wrong, son.”
“Professor, I’ve finished the project.”
Smithfield said, “I thought we could observe the mass for at least two weeks. Did you make the necessary measurements before you lost it?”
With a laugh that was almost mad, David said, “No professor, the project is finished. The debris is now a planet.”
Smithfield looked puzzled, “How could that be?” he asked. “There must be some mistake.”
“No, professor, there is no mistake. I’ve checked with other observatories. There is now a planet there. It took six days!”
THE END
SECOND CHANCE, A SHORT STORY
The inspiration for writing this short story, Second Chance, was from hearing those questioning the value of space exploration. They say, “Why send all that money into space?” If these folks are pure in their belief, they must reject all that our investment into space has provided. They probably don’t use cell phones, watch news broadcast from around the world, or watch weather reports. And don’t forget, space travel has given us Tang.
Second Chance was accepted for publication by Books To Go Now in November 2011, and by Separate Worlds in December 2013.
Second Chance
Richard Walsh, 95, relaxed in his backyard beach chair. The air was crystal clear; this was highly unusual for the smog, blown in from the coastal cities, often obscured the sky. He enjoyed this rare moment and felt at peace as he gazed at a host of constellations. Richard prided himself on being able to identify everyone visible in his piece of the sky. He chose to live in the desert, much to the dismay of his wife Molly, 80, to fulfil his passion for the universe.
They had married forty years ago and were beginning to feel their age. “Why can’t we live closer to Debbie?” Molly constantly asked.
He would answer, “We can fly to visit her and be there in less than two hours. I need the night sky for my studies. I need to be far away from the maddening city lights, but even here, the smog is a problem.” Secretly, he wished they could move farther from the pollution, but they were too old to begin life again in a new location.
Richard was a science writer and worked from home. As he gazed up at the stars, he would mutter, “Someday, man will make journeys into space that I cannot even imagine. That is where our future lies.”
###
Voyages eventually were made to the world’s moon, but Richard died before they were accomplished. The exploration of the moon was as far as space travel went. There were too many problems to tend to on the planet as the population continued to grow and resources were devoured.
GENERATIONS LATER
Dr. Gregor Adomski, with his bushy eyebrows and lion’s mane of gray hair, was an astronomer. At age seventy-three, he had never lost his child-like amazement with the universe. He was an advocate of space exploration. However, there wasn’t a government on the planet that would spend the money to make the jump into space. For generations man pondered the end of their world, the fact that their world would someday cease to exist was known. Scientists could predict cosmic events, but they had little influence on how the information was incorporated in future practices of governments. Those decisions were more of a political nature and science had no place in politics.
Adomski also noted a growing trend. Due to the planet’s growing population, weather conditions had deteriorated during the last fifty years. These changes resulted in massive crop failures and a ‘once in a century’ storm became a common occurrence. Turning to his assistant, Dr. Jeff Farber, Adomski said, “Our world cannot continue on this course. Civilization is on a downward spiral. We still have time to take action to ensure the survival of our society, but will we? Man was meant to explore the universe, to push the limits of his existence. Perhaps future generations can reach distant planets of solar systems that have yet to be discovered. Time is of the essence. We must act now or accept our fate.”
Jeff shared Adomski’s concern. The planet’s doom loomed in the distant future. Yet, most of the planet’s inhabitants were too occupied in their daily lives to care about an event that would not occur for thousands of generations. The average person thought, Why should I care about what happens in the distant future when I need to feed my family now?
Satellites were launched. Their purpose was to monitor weather and improve communications of the planet, not as stepping stones for space travel. Jeff hoped that someday space exploration would begin. But his heart told him it would not be so; the planet was consumed by too many problems to make precious resources available for space exploration. When he went home and shared his concerns with his wife, Janet. She only reinforced the population’s mindset.
She would say, “Why do you need to worry about something so distant when there are so many problems facing the planet here and now? I just don’t understand your priorities.”
Jeff recently visited a farm; most of the population of the planet was encouraged to do so to see how the governments were staying ahead of any crisis. The tour was led by Stuart Gromley, more of a scientist than a farmer, gaining the knowledge necessary to provide the food needed by the ever-expanding population.
Gromley began his tour, which would be short, for in reality, farms no longer existed, land was too precious, to grow crops greenhouses the size of skyscrapers was used. Through enhanced fertilizers and crop genetics, what would have taken thousands of acres to grow took just one acre of land. Farms went vertical. Gromley was proud of his farm and said to the tour, “As you can see, not an ounce of precious soil is wasted. Hydro farming allows us to grow any crops we want with only water and chemicals. Healthy food is brought to your table with little drain on the planet.”
The hand of a young woman shot up.
Gromley muttered, “Shit, there always has to be one,” and then said out loud, “Do you have a question?”
“Yes,” she responded, “I have read papers stating that some of these chemicals used to produce our food can build up in our bodies and produce cancers.”
Gromley shared a secret thought that many of his profession shared, Honey, would you rather die now of starvation or die later of cancer? But no one ever said this out loud.
Gromley held his temper and said, “Studies are still ongoing to see if these claims are true. Our research, thus far, has not proven any of these claims.” He did not share the fact that the research was nonexistent.
Overall, however, science improved and extended the lifespan of the world, and the population lived longer. Those in power concentrated on the immediate, as for the distant future, science would always find a way to solve the world’s problems.
TEN THOUSAND GENERATIONS LATER
Adomski and Farber were long dust. The fears they shared for the planet were forgotten.
Laws were passed by the most technologically advanced nations and space travel was ignored in favour of improving the condition of humanity. As these decisions were made, scientists on the planet predicted the maximum population the planet could support. Centuries since that prediction, the population of the planet soared to double that prediction. Yet, with further advances in technology, life continued. However, turmoil broke out on the planet. The more advanced countries continued to live fairly well, but the third world countries were in chaos. These circumstances reinforced the opponents of space exploration in favour of helping the people.
After dinner, Alex Reed, an expert in population dynamics, went to his study and quietly closed the door, blocking out the sounds of his children at play before their bedtime. He did this more and more often to turn on his computer and review the history of his planet and the dreams of space exploration attributed to the writings of Dr. Adomski and a host of the scientist that came along after his death. They all shared the hope that exploration of the universe would go forward and save the species.
Reed was both a scientist and an intellectual. He studied the great accomplishments made in art and literature going back thousands of years, but as a scientist, he knew that at some distant day it would all be destroyed. “All of this will be nothing but cinders,” he said to no one there. “All these magnificent accomplishments of the planet will be lost. Is it too late to think about the preservation of mankind’s history, of the great works produced?”
Reed remembered well the warnings Dr. Adomski had postulated and could not believe how self-centered the people of the planet had become. Even now, with the time of its demise calculated, the population remained uninterested in space exploration. He reasoned that he was only a scientist and had no power over the decisions that determine the destiny of the planet. Elected officials made policy and the rest of humanity, relying on their intelligence, would have to accept the judgement. Election and power were more important than reality.
EIGHTY THOUSAND GENERATIONS LATER
The planet was populated beyond belief. Every acre of land had hundreds of residents and resources were being stretched to the limit. When all the land was occupied, floating cities were constructed. It was not long before the entire surface was in use, reducing the planet to a seething cauldron of toxins and waste. Conditions had been deteriorating for many thousands of years, but they now accelerated to astronomical proportions. Food riots had begun and, more frequently, water riots. As predicted, the sun was getting brighter and spontaneous fires erupted, destroying vast areas and populations. The world was one large metropolis and there was nowhere to run; nowhere to escape the final result.
President Addis, leader of half the planet’s population, summoned top scientists for a conference to discuss the world’s future. The president sat patiently and listened to their talks.
Most were the same, full of hope, yet unable to dictate a plan that would save man.
In attendance was Dr. Scious Minori. She was the world’s leading authority on the state of the planet; the president listened to her speech. The message was most disheartening.
She began by saying, “My presentation will be brief. Our planet, our species, is doomed. I see no hope for any intervention that can alter the future. Our resources are stretched beyond the ability to support the population. Our future will be nothing but turmoil.
“The planet is beyond repair. There are no errors in the calculations. In approximately twenty thousand years, the sun in its death throws will engulf our world. Until then, our existence will be that of a constant conflict. The only peace our people will know is at the end of our existence.
“We have waited too long to ensure survival of our species and all the life that inhabits our planet. Now, it is not possible to journey into space, even though there is time. At this point, to build a facility for space exploration would displace hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people. On the entire planet, there is no room for such a center for space exploration. We are at a loss to save our civilization.”
The president, however, missed one presentation that shared a glimmer of hope for the future, not for the planet but for the species, and provided statistics that speculated the proposition that Homo sapiens was not doomed. It was held in a small room with seating for less than thirty. The speaker was Dr. Fermi Rialtos, a bacteriologist. The presentation was so esoteric that it was not considered worthy of the president’s attention.
There were only ten scientists in the audience.
Dr. Rialtos began his talk by saying, “The bacteria I primarily study is E. coli. One of the purposes in my use of these bacteria was the study of evolution. The benefit to studying these organisms is that one can observe thousands of generations in a short period of time. “I inoculated twelve flasks of bacteria and studied them for 30,000 generations with the E. coli exposed to identical conditions through the course of the study. At the conclusion of the experiment, I analyzed the genetics of all twelve flasks. Their pattern of development was identical.
“I feel this demonstrates that evolution is not random. Given similar conditions, life will progress in a similar manner.
“I am also something of an amateur astronomer. There are hundreds of stars, around which planets have or are presently forming. The attributes of some of these planets are similar to our planet, millions of years in the past.”
Dr. Rialtos went on to describe the conditions on some of these recently discovered planets. “One planet I have been studying is very young, a mere neophyte, but I think there may be a possibility that it will someday harbour life. The star it orbits is slightly larger than our own sun, making their years slightly longer, but the planet’s position is a close approximation to that of our own world in relation to our sun. I feel it may be capable of supporting life, but it is only one of possibly thousands that we have discovered in the universe. Perhaps our civilization will be replicated in the cosmos with more lasting results”
He finished by saying, “Embrace your children every day and enjoy the life you have.”
###
Toward the end of their world, the population prayed to the God they believed would save them. But God had other plans.
###
The end of civilization was not pretty.
In the distant past, it would have been survival of the fittest. But now, thanks to globalization and shared technology, all populations of the planet were on an even footing. Equals fought equals to the death to exist. And in the end, as the sun spent the last of its life-giving force, the last of the species perished.
###
On a planet millions of light-years away, backyards were full of people looking skyward, straining to see the star-like light racing across the heavens. The year was 1957.
Tim Riddell, age five, stood outside with his parents. His father, Eli, told him what to look for and where to look. As they watched, the Riddell family could hear voices all around them as neighbours also looked to the heavens.
This was an historic event. It was the first of its kind. Earth was being orbited by a man-made machine.
Tim began to shout, “I see it! I see it!” and his small arm pointed skyward.
All around people also began to point and shout, “There it is!”
Liz, Tim’s mom, said to no one in particular, “I feel so exposed.”
Eli smiled and said, “Tonight, I want to be your Sputnik.”
The space race was on. Sputnik made history for the U.S.S.R. Later, after many embarrassing attempts, the U.S. also launched a satellite. The race would last for decades and initiate Earth’s journey into space.
###
The year was now 2093, and the advances in science and space travel were beyond belief. Those who stood in their backyards gazing up at the sky in 1957 only witnessed the beginning. Science and mankind had developed a propulsion system that enables man to visit the closest neighbouring solar system. At the same time, great advances were made in astronomy with platforms installed in deep space.
One day, Dr. Theo Thurber was monitoring one of the platforms when alarm bells began to ring indicating an event worthy of study. He rushed to his monitor in time to witness the beginning of the death of a distant star. The bright glow of its passing lasted for weeks, and then slowly dimmed and disappeared.
After the initial observation, Dr. Thurber dictated into his records, “Witnessed the death of a distant star two million light years away. Nothing unusual. This is not a significant event.”
Thurber could not know that a distant civilization had come to and end.
© Copyright 2013 Walt Trizna. All rights reserved.
Elmo’s Invention Chapter V
ELMO’S PRISON
When Kingsley rose, everyone looked in his direction. It was not unprecedented that he would speak at a meeting, but it was definitely a rare occurrence. What Kingsley said to the group would usually solve the problem at hand. Elmo prepared to hear great things from Kingsley and gain insight on how to fix his machine.
After once again clearing his throat, whether to gain everyone’s attention or because he found talking to be an effort, no one was sure, he began to speak. “Elmo, you must be rewarded for your effort. Although you have not accomplished what you set out to accomplish, and perhaps never will, your invention could possibly change the course of society. I have no doubt that mankind will greatly benefit from your invention, if they choose to embrace its benefits is a different matter. Only time will tell.”
Elmo, along with the rest of the group, was both puzzled and full of anticipation.
Kingsley continued, “However, I am a mathematician and not an ethicist and cannot predict the consequences of your discovery.”
Elmo said, “I am totally lost. You say I have made a great discovery, yet at the same time say that its use will produce ethical problems.”
“That’s correct, Elmo. Your invention, in my mind, would be the perfect prison.”
Elmo, along with William and James, stared at Kingsley in total disbelief, and then slowly began to understand what he was saying.
After a few moments of deep thought, Harold Kinter voiced his thoughts to the gathering, “Of course, I can see it now. Elmo, your invention, though unintended, could do away with prisons as we know them. Year-long sentences could be served in a matter of minutes. It would save society millions of dollars and save prisoners from the dangers inherent in incarceration.
“Think of it! No matter what the length of a prisoner’s sentence, the punishment could be delivered in a matter of minutes. Your invention could funnel money into projects that benefit society, and save prisoners from harm.”
They all looked at Elmo. His visage was one of disappointment and disbelief. “I meant my invention to be a time machine; instead you say I invented the perfect prison. I failed.”
Kingsley stepped totally out of character and attempted to comfort his colleague. “Elmo, some of the greatest discoveries in the world were made by accident. Look at all the lives that were saved by the discovery of penicillin. If Fleming had not noticed that petri dish with mold and dying bacteria, who knows how long it would have taken for someone else to discover that life-saving antibiotic.
“Think of the value of your discovery, and someday I am sure that you will determine the principle behind the device. With your invention, no matter the length of a prisoner’s sentence it could be served in minutes with virtually no expense to society. And when it comes to a death sentence, your machine can accomplish that too, but a death sentence is a death sentence no matter how it is accomplished.
Then James Forsyth began to speak, “I can think of another question which requires an answer. After a prisoner serves his term in your machine, what is his mental state? Is his mind the same as it was before the prison term? Or does his mind age along with his body? Although I cannot imagine how the mind ages with the lack of experience.”
Elmo can think of no answer to the question of mind aging. I feel this can only be determined with the test of a said, “I human subject. But I must add I owe a great deal of gratitude for introducing important questions I had not considered.”
“Your device could save society millions, perhaps billions of dollars and funnel the revenue into efforts that would better society. Education, medical research, providing for the elderly and that is only the tip of the iceberg of what could be affected by this machine. But I fear there will be obstacles to this scenario which I cannot anticipate.
“You see, our society is inconsistent. It professes one set of values, yet lives by another. We say how important education is, but we do not support it the way we should, not to mention that the key to education is parental input. We pay lip service to medical advancement, but do not fund the conjecture that could become reality. And when a discovery is made, many times it is beyond the reach of those who would benefit. We say we value the elderly, yet turn away when we could make their final years more comfortable.
“I fear there will be great objection to your discovery, but cannot anticipate the form it will take. Good luck, Elmo. You have a difficult path ahead of you.”
OBSERVATIONS & OPINIONS: WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?
PROFIT AND GREED
The solar eclipse will occur on August 21st and be visible across a great part of the nation.
This is a great opportunity to observe a magnificent spectacle. I am sure many children will take this opportunity to observe the event and maybe choose to study astronomy.
Taking this into consideration, I recently heard a report which sickens me. To observe this fantastic event, you must take caution. One of the devices you can purchase to protect your eyes, special glasses, for if you gaze at the eclipse with your eyes unprotected you stand the possibility of going blind.
I was a scientist and still enjoy reading about the unknown revealed by science. What sickens me is that I just learned that counterfeit glasses are being sold. Glasses which may render the unsuspecting buyer blind.
What is the profit gained by selling a pair of cardboard counterfeit glasses, when the cost to the unsuspected buyer may be blindness.
This is what we have become. A nation of greed, wanting to make money no matter what the cost to the individual.
SCIENCE FICTION BECOMING SCIENCE FACT
Since I write science fiction, I had to give praise to SpaceX landing their 14 story rocket on a barge, not a very large barge, in the ocean.
How many of us, advanced in age and wisdom remember rockets landing in movies or TV in an identical manner. I do not know why but watching the missile land, the fact that the top of the rocket was perfectly flat was something I had never pictured. It’s delivery, gone.
I just had to mention this historic event and contemplate the next science fiction turned science fact. I might share that War of the Worlds is one of my favorite science fiction movies along with The Thing from Another World which scared the shit out of the seven or eight year old Walt. Remember the last line of The Thing after the vegetable James Arness is fried?
“Look to the skies.” I love that line.
THE BIG BANG: THE MEETING OF GOD AND SCIENCE
have spent countless hours pondering the Big Bang.
I write science fiction and have for years been working on a short story, The Event, closely associated with the Big Bang. Someday I hope to get it published.
Now, back to the primary subject.
I am not a Hawking, no one is, but I am still in wonder of what the hell happened at the moment of the birth of the universe. Was this the first time this event happened?
Hawking proposed the Higgs boson as the culprit starting the process of the Big Bang. The existence of this particle has now been confirmed. This discovery is also referred to as the ‘God particle’. There I feel science has found the mingling of science and God.
I have always wondered what existed before the Big Bang. Even time should not have existed. Then the entire birth of everything began. I thought that matter could be neither created nor destroyed, getting that from somewhere.
If the Higgs boson started the Big Bang going, how did it produce matter from nothing?
Who created the Higgs boson?
Walttriznastories's Blog 