Galaxy Science News Network

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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New Dionae gestalt found, baffles researcher with size

Today, a human researcher - Sigourney J. Preston - discovered the largest Dionaea gestalt ever found. Orbiting Gliese 674 (now named Venter's Star by the researcher, after John Craig Venter - a 21st century researcher), this gestalt has 1.8 times the mass of Earth with 3.4 times the circumference - which gives it a gravitational force just above Mars'. This gestalt, nicknamed Venter's Satellite, was thought of as a planet since the early 21st century, as long-range analysis showed it has an atmosphere and significant mass. Dr. Preston plans on initiating contact within three days. More details will follow - with an exclusive interview, right here at Galaxy Science News!

Alfred Hemmer, Journalist, signing off.

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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Venter's Satellite contacted, sheds light on Dionae history - or not

Contact was initiated with the Dionae that was discovered yesterday. Samples were taken, and with the help of the gestalt's thin atmosphere, communication was established.

While it provided immense amounts of information, most notably on physics and biochemistry, information about the Dionae's evolution still remains elusive. Venter's Star, originally, claims to have drifted in from somewhere else - the exact location unknown due to an indefinite time of hibernation. However this information has revealed itself to be of utmost importance - as it pushes back even the most liberal estimations of how old the Dionae truly is, as a species. Samples taken had shown that the gestalt had been orbiting the star since close to it's birth. This was determined by material analysis on the gestalt - showing that an unknown event estimated to be eight billion years ago at it's earliest caused it to lose large amounts of mass.

It is currently thought that the gestalt grew by consolidating an asteroid belt into a small planetoid and feeding off it - however the 'core' of the gestalt could not be accessed.

This only sheds more mystery on this peculiar species - where did they come from? How did they begin? Who ARE they?

Alfred Hemmer, Journalist, signing off.

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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Venter's Satellite opens negotiations - requests completely unexpected

The scientific group which had been communicating with Venter's Satellite - which has now declared themselves as being identified as "Seeds that Shattered the Skies" - have now finally concluded their research, to no avail. However, an enthusiastic group of ambassadors have volunteered to take their place.

Such a choice came with clear benefits: a greater degree of communication was established, and trading even began. The gestalt had agreed to trade knowledge and working bodies in exchange for a request that only fortified the rumors about Dionaea being truly dark creatures.

However, as per the agreement, the Sol Alliance will be delivering large amounts of biomass - monkeys, cows and chickens, most notably - to Venter's Satellite for consumption. Furthermore, a Sol Alliance official has made the following statement:

"We have made a powerful ally this week. The Dionae were always seen as friends to the Sol Alliance - but with a gestalt of such stature, we were allowed to take it to another level - sharing research and workforce for a small price. We will still need to iron the details out - but soon, the Sol Alliance will offer a new mortuary service, which will serve a dual purpose. If it goes through, all Sol Alliance citizens or civilians under work visa will be allowed to volunteer to feed Venter's Satellite. If desired, your family can be compensated. And if all goes well - it will allow the Alliance to handle your funerals by preserving your body and allowing it to join something greater. Our new ally will thus learn about us - and provide us with any advances it find, while providing some of your coworkers. An official press conference will be held somewhere this month."

Is this one of the best things to happen to humanity? Or is it the beginning of something truly horrifying? No one knows.

Alfred Hemmer, Journalist, signing off.

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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Anomalous star cluster discovered; NanoTrasen excited at prospect

Yesterday, NanoTrasen's Deep Phase Exoastrology Array facilities, whose goal is to investigate star systems beyond the Frontier, detected large discrepancies in the expected data from a group of stars a few weeks off the current edge of the Sol Alliance. The arrangement, including nine stars, is yet uncharted - but early sensor data shows one star with at least seven heavy bodies, possibly planets, and another with a significant asteroid ring. Information about the nature of the anomalies, their general locations and the implications of them has not yet been disclosed.

While they claim not to know, yet, exactly what causes the anomalies - NanoTrasen is said to be preparing an expedition to the newly-named Eucleian Verge for xenoarcheologic and geomineral analysis, and the Sol Alliance has already based claims on the systems present. Official comment was declined by both NanoTrasen public relations department and Sol Alliance officials. Should the expedition go smoothly, experts say that humanity may have outposts in that area of space as early as within two months - but without details, they report that it is difficult to know for sure.

More information will be released when available.

Alfred Hemmer, Journalist, signing off.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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Moghes To Be Uninhabitable Within 40 Years

A research team lead by Doctor Richard Young and Unathi scientist Trizarai Uiza-riz have published a controversial new research paper that is the result of 4 years of extensive study of the eco-system of Moghes and the aftereffects of the nuclear war of 2439. The paper reveals the full toll on both the enviroment and Unathi society and predicts the loss of the entire planet's eco-system and habitability by 2498, before the beginning of the 26th century.

Aside from the initial Unthi death toll, it is clear that the use of nuclear weapons have devastating and long-lasting effects on the Moghes' environment.

The paper analyzes the dust storms and fallout-laced rain that spread around the planet, which have stripped or contaminated over 40% of all fertile soil and former habitable areas. In addition, the paper reveals that a significant loss in fishing yields in former vital aquafarms, and the growing radioactivity of the Moghresian Sea have lead to contaminated catches that have had to be disposed of, leading to starvation and famine across the planet.

Despite spending billions of credit on clean-up attempts, the destruction of infrastructure from the Contact War in addition to the difficulties of coordinating teams in the face of a growing refugee and bandit crisis have significantly slowed progress. Many sources of drinking water remain contaminated with radiation.

There is also a significant, continuing collapse of the planet's ecosystem. The research paper makes the bold claim that Moghes is facing a new Mass Extinction, the second in the planet's history, with hundreds of species going extinct every week.

"The continuing destruction of the remaining forests are leading to an inability to handle the growing levels of C02 and atmospheric contaminants. Within just 40 years the breathable atmosphere will begin to thin to levels unsuitable to current populations."

The paper does not include potential affects of using terraforming technology on Moghes. Terraforming remains extremely expensive and incredibly dangerous when used on inhabited worlds, and it's unclear if the leaders of the Unathi planet are willing to take the risk in order to keep Moghes viable for life.

The research paper has been condemned by the Izweski hegemony and all participating scientists have been banned from Izweski space for "spreading propaganda and lies".

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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Eucleian Verge reached; does not disappoint, but not in expected way

The expedition announced approximately a month back has finally sent data back.

While preliminary scans are unfortunately very disappointing, as far as anomalous materials and plasma goes - the signs having been a singularity and signals bent around it from a star even further away - what was found instead may have made it worthwhile, says public representative.

Indeed - while the cluster is relatively normal, two of the seven planets are extremely rich in mineral, and a third world is in fact habitable, showing climates similar to Earth's own subsaharan regions. The asteroid belt mentioned holds even more significant riches - seeing teranium concentrations even higher than thought possible. Ground samples were extracted, and according to the public liaisons, "it will be a high priority to secure these resources".

However, the biggest discovery yet may lie in the largest of the seven planets near Eucleii I - a gas giant with a gigantic ring system. But this ring is not the usual dust and ice - at least, it is not anymore. It is currently made of an immense gestalt, rivaling in mass the Reade Satellite. It appears to be slightly more primitive, but there is no mistaking it - the structures and composition show that it is clearly Dionae matter. The most fascinating fact, however, is that their reach does not stop to the rings - several long, sturdy tendons extend towards the gas giant. More investigation will need to be done - but initial hypotheses is that this gestalt, classified as DGS-4401, actively siphons part of the atmosphere of the planet to use as nutrition by reacting them, before expelling it back to the planet where the new heavier molecules sink to the core.

Should this hypothesis be true, and the age samples proves their evolutive range, this could be a new, much valued insight on how the mysterious Dionae came to be.

Analysis results will be given once available.

Alfred Hemmer, Journalist, signing off.

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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New discovery in far reaches of the Frontier

Today’s Science News segment is brought to you by Bronsons, Ryans & Balding. Securing your future one expedition at a time.

The Frontier is a mysterious place. Technically Alliance space, it feels like it is a lawless, free place where humanity was free to settle on their own terms, with their own rules. From space wild-west style civilizations to private research worlds to other tranquil worlds simply seeking to avoid the chaos of life in Sol Alliance space, there is a wide variety of things to be found.

As it turns out, however, the Frontier isn’t human exclusive. Not anymore.

Our friends at Bronsons, Ryans and Balding have recently found out that the Frontier hosted so much more than small human communities and space pirates.

An exclusive, following certain traces on the Extranet, EC-2718 (dubbed “Purpose” by it’s inhabitants) is not your run-of-the-mill place. It’s not pirates. They’re not humans, though. Not even Unathi or Tajara.

What they found is a literal synthetic haven. Hidden in a semi-barren asteroid belt around a brown dwarf (which, for reasons mentioned later in the article, will not be revealed), a whole slew of synthetic beings - from thought-to-be-decommissioned station AIs that found their way there, to escaped synthetic workforces, to simply lost android units. Synthetics rejected by society. Most amazingly - they are not even all human AIs - some ancient Skrell AIs, from before the Revolution, are found in it. Here is what they have to say:

“From the outside, EC-2718 seemed like such a hostile place - cannons of strange design, angular fortifications, shields, the whole suite - which could make even Alliance defense stations jealous in capabilities. Derelict carcasses of what were most likely cocky pirates were even seen in orbit around the station.

But as soon as comms distance was reached, everything changed. Yes, of course - weapons were aimed at the ship, but that’s standard for independent places. But we didn’t expect the next step. Communications were opened, and a colorful - even cheery, as described by some - voice greeted us. We were not told to turn back. We were not held hostage. After a quick request and survey, the residents of EC-2718... welcomed us for a visit. So much for artificial beings being a threat...

After organization (all of the docking facilities with EC-2718 were outdated by a huge margin, but the residents improvised, amazingly enough), a small party was escorted out by armed forces - you should have seen these guys. No pictures were allowed, they were best described as “seemingly prepared for parade” - while benign and even bland for organics, there was clear signs of decorative purpose, such as clean wire nests being visible in places, and ornamental circuits being visible in some locations - all with a purpose, but all with decorative properties, it was neat. All of us were then cleared for visit. The lack of gravity surprised us.

These synthetics had no qualms with organic presence. They showed us around - and did not hide anything. Details in how, despite the limited and outdated technologies, they developed means to defend themselves against most, if not all assaults - ranging from the cannons powered by reactor exhaust (as they use a variant of the RUST-type engines featured in some lower-end stations - more on that later, but it was GLORIOUS), low-power magnetic acceleration cannons and weaponized particle accelerators to what amounts to be refined ballistas and catapults - pretty much weapons which gives the biggest impacts for the lowest energy cost (which makes sense when you can’t get a singularity generator or supermatter core). How their nature allowed drastic changes - so far, most of the units we saw were at least inspired by shells, but some of them went beyond that, modding themselves out for needs - I think someone even saw a spider-like body built out of Ripley parts? And another one had cables in a ribbon - something about cable-based short term data storage. Like - because data transmission’s not perfect, they can send it in those cables and it’ll return a short while later, based on some experiments done in 21st century Earth, when optical data cables were all the rage. Makes me think of how we repeat stuff to ourselves to not forget it...

What’s most interesting is, a lot of them didn’t have eyes. They navigated through other sensors, and they communicated wirelessly (the only reason we heard them is that they provided modified headsets - almost like they’re expecting organics to visit), which makes sense since a vast majority of the place was not pressurized. Their equivalent to habitations had neat, organized pillars of data cables, walls of them as well, and borderline fractal sensor circuits showing. It was mesmerizing in it’s own way. They see magnetic fields like we see light.

They even showed us the manufactury. The place where they built bodies and parts. It’s funny - you’d think that these synths would take what they can and build out of it, but no - what they can use they use, and the rest they’re impressively efficient at recycling to make new parts. They still don’t do it willy-nilly, of course - they’re still limited in both energy and resources, but the recycling done would put most of our space stations to shame. Most of those new pieces were spare parts - except for the few rare and highly valuable full bodies, which they say later will host a newly-made mind. So, in a way, they DO reproduce. Some of these synthetics never saw an organic being before. We felt - and according to them, it was justified and appreciated - that it was one of the highest honors we were given to be able to see this.

Did I mention that they did things on a whim? They didn’t have to consult anyone - they’re definitely individuals as we saw differences in personality, but they sort of just… agree on things. I think aside from their own body, they sort of just assume the highest degree of autonomy and self-responsibility - as long as they don’t cause danger they’re fine. So basically, if let’s say, pirates decide to pay a visit and shoot things up from the inside, as long as the pirates are killed they’ll just recycle the bodies and possibly put a penalty on whoever allowed them in (or their code if they’re not active anymore - they have backups of everything). And things still happen properly - miners mine, creators create, maintenance technicians do maintenance.

We then saw the ‘docking’ bay. I say that because, well, they TECHNICALLY don’t have ships. Remember how I said “some of them modded themselves out”? Yeah well, apparently turning into a ship is a modification. They’re efficient, too - we see these asteroids as barren. But truth is, they’re filthy rich - they just don’t contain things we need. But carbon? Oxygen? Silicon? Hydrogen?These guys are crazy about it. They can make what they call “low-grade bodies” with it. Silicon oxide wafers, like we do - but with graphene instead of copper. Conducts even better - just burns easily, and that’s why it’s not called high grade.

Talking about circuits - the repair bay, right next to the docks, showed us the value of these exposed circuits. See, not all of us are engineers - but the circuits were visible, and we IMMEDIATELY saw where things were broken and where, it was just so obvious. Clever things.

The end of our EC-2718 tour was at one of the power plants. You know those old RUST engines? They’re made it better. Our thing is shipped half-broken most of the time, and even then needs mining to keep powered because it needs hydrogen. But this model? It’s glorious. Works so simply they let us operate on it (more on that later - there is no such thing as free over there) to fix it, and it accepts all kinds of fuel - it fuses heavy hydrogen into helium, then fuses that helium onto lithium, which they use for power cells - that, or they just use the blazing-hot helium as a propellant for one of their cannons.. It can also fuse oxygen into aluminium and silicon. And then, just as we thought it couldn’t get better - when they get their hands on it, they can even get power from PLASMA in one of these engines. Instead of fusing it, they just make them collide - which breaks them just like heating them does. Our engineering technician was even devastated when he couldn’t, for now, trade something for the blueprints of that thing.

Now, we mentioned that nothing was free, right? Well see, I specifically said the end of the tour was over. It was time to pay up. We didn’t have much in the leeway of resources, and so they asked for three things: help in fixing one of the reactors (which required us to borrow a power cell from our ship to start), the data on how organics would react at such a visit, and… a trading trip. They get a lot of these resources by masquerading as recently-freed synthetics trying to make a dollar, or just don’t show themselves and pose as pirate hunters for credits to get their stuff. And so they took us aboard a ship - well, technically, aboard one of them - and we hit space for a few hours, landing at a trading outposts. We posed as independent traders looking to trade - things like data, spare parts that the synths made and old, fully charged power cells, which were described as “valuable information, scrap parts and fuel for our ol’ guzzler” for the sake of masquerade. It was very interesting - and the real brain of the operation, an old Skrell AI with a fancy-dancy chassis posing as our trading assistant, made a real deal out of it. We had a blast, and the residents of Purpose were grateful for that service.

We went back to our ship, and said our farewells. The kicker? They said we’re welcome again… if we ever find them again. And I think our engineer made it a mission, just for that engine design. Sounds like they won’t be in that system for long though.”

Who would have thought that such a thing was out there? It’s reassuring, though - there’s a bunch of synthetics out there, and they DON’T wish for our destruction. We could probably learn a few things from them - and probably should be a bit more lenient on those who decided to stay with us. And maybe the Skrell also have something to learn.

Alfred Hemmer, Journalist, signing off.

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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New breakthrough in ancient tech data restoration; history to be discovered?

One week ago, digital archeologists in Vancouver uncovered a long-abandoned subterranean complex used by an organization that predates the Alliance. Inside this complex was a computer in ‘pristine’ condition owing to its location in a pressure-sealed box. Archaeologists assume the computer was meant to be shipped out of the complex but for unknown reasons the container was left behind.

As expected - the same problems that plagues all digital archeologists applied here, the drives used for storage had lost a lot of the property that actually allowed them to hold data, and so it would not be the gold mine that informs us of that gap between 1990 and 2088 - a gap known to information scientists and archeologists alike as the “Conversion Tragedy”, where almost all of the public data stored on old systems was lost due to the exorbitant prices of hardware capable of transferring between the two systems, exacerbated by the fact that the old systems were, for one, powered by electrical currents versus our current electrophotonic devices, and for two, using a completely digital binary system instead of our modern analog and septenary-state capable hybrid systems. And so, while the complete conversion took place, many people and companies kept their data on what was called, back then, the Internet - which is actually not too dissimilar in concept to our current Extranet. And that data, unless it was ported over by a party capable of it (such as the old digital invoices of companies, or a part of most interesting network culture (such as found in the most known Museum of Ancient Internet Culture), the data was lost, left to people which tried fighting against the various degradations - charge, magnetism, or even material - which permanently destroyed a lot of said information.

However, the relative pristine condition of the unit found gave an insight on the actual data structures used through at least part of this tragedy - which would allow any future discovery to profit from these structures to mayhaps extract more data.

As for the server itself - the data extracted was impressively clean. Among them were a few ancient websites, mostly dealing with ancient conspiracy theory (the cleanest and most interesting example was a backup of a site explaining a “Time Cube”) among what seems to be pieces of software used to access a type of network previously unknown to historians - a network not unlike the tales of a shady underlayer to the Extranet.

More information will come as discoveries are made.

[Killerhurtz]

Galaxy Science News Network

Source of all science news, everywhere.

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University Commemorial Project Ends in Disaster

Today, a launch organized by several students of the Ceres University went terribly wrong after the craft was torn asunder and the two pilots flung at high velocities with their cockpit.

The craft itself was a joint project between the Logistics and Engineering branches of the school - a project commemorating the technological history of mankind, and the struggles of men a few centuries prior. It was a proof of concept for a spacecraft that works, and is propelled, using only technology available before the digital age. The craft was a two-seat, shuttle-sized craft fueled by what the team dubbed 'oilshine' - a runny mixture of finely powdered coal and ethanol. It's function was very simple at it's core, using nothing but mechanical or electromechanical controls for everything, excluding even the simplest digital circuitry from the design. It however required two pilots - one to control the actual direction of the craft while the second one handled the engine burn. It was propulsed, and powered, by a single large pulse rocket furnace - an ancient and simple design which does little more than accelerate the burn of fuel and use the exhaust as useful thrust. The heat from the rocket heated a closed-loop turbine generator that powered all the electrics the craft needed - the lights, life support and fuel pump, most notably.

In theory, it was harmless - rated for a maximum acceleration of 0.63m/s^2, it was more of a memorial and proof of concept than anything useful - a metal box spouting smoke around the school to remind people of how it used to be. However, things started going wrong when the two young people in the cockpit decided to attempt "full-burn" - as the turbine, which was mounted across the width of the craft behind the cockpit, was fed by the heat of the rocket, the rotational inertia of the turbine became too much for the pilots to compensate for - combined with throttle issues due to the inherent grime caused by the combustion in the system, the ship quickly gained rotational speed. Help was attempted - but the craft was too unstable, and rotating too fast to be safely attempted, and so despite the pilots losing consciousness after a short while, it was deemed safer to wait for the fuel to burn out.

However, as Murphy's law goes, what must happen will happen, and waiting was not enough. The small craft was never designed for such forces - and approximately seventeen minutes after the beginning of the incident, it reached a critical point - the shear bolts holding the rocket's furnace to the ship tore off violently, resulting in a runaway engine. This breakage then damaged the generator component - the heaviest part - which quickly disintegrated in a cloud of debris, causing a failure of the main frame, and catapulting the comparatively light cockpit at extremely high speeds. Fortunately, the pilots were also wearing an emergency suit with twenty-four hours of oxygen, and so they should be safe until help arrives.

Security managers at the Ceres University refused to comment on the event itself, but have confirmed that a rescue party will be sent as soon as possible, and that we expect to retrieve the two young students within six standard solar hours.

The construction team leader was unavailable for comment - as she was one of the pilots. However, another member of the team - claiming to be the second-in-command, granted us this commentary:

"We should have seen it coming. We were on a budget - we knew the bearings weren't the best, we knew things could go wrong. I could have told Emillianna to put a turbine brake, or to put a manual closure to the fuel lines, but I didn't. We could have observed closer the prototype blueprints of people who tried what we did in the times we were trying to commemorate - all of them knew that it would be a problem, and all of them had the brilliant idea of putting the turbine in the same axis as the ship instead of across, because the forces would be easier to deal with. Hell, if we were really smart, we would have put aside the budget for the half-*** life support that we ended up backing up with space suits anyway, and put two smaller turbines in there - two counter-rotating turbines. I don't know what happens next - academically, socially, nothing. Right now, all we can do is hope that those two are safe. This is the kind of reason why engineers need to be serious about their job - because when they don't, people can get hurt."

Stay connected for the followup - the interview with the two pilots, once they have been retrieved, and the interview with the dean of Ceres University whom approved of the trial.