Galactic TravelogueEnnetech by Erasmus and Kinkajou Authors

 

 

 

Kinkajou Interviews Famous People For Their Unique Points Of View.

Warrior Kinkajou.....Galactic Travelogue

Biofilms in SciFi: Infestations and Conflict

KinkajouMedKinkajou

 

Biofilms in scifi can be used in Pollution Control, Planetary Terraforming, and complex biomolecule production.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kinkajou interviews ” SigmaPsiBasright”,
known long term associate of Loo-Macklin
(Allen Dean Foster: The Man Who Used The Universe)


Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Tell us somewhat of your home world.

BasrightAccountant SigmaPsiBasright: I have spent many of my formative years in the valley in which is situated the heavy industrial city of Cluria, on the planet Evenwraith. In my youth there, the situation of the environment was dire. Pollution and toxins were rampant throughout the atmosphere. The only trees that would grow there were special varieties imported from the planet Earth.

At night these plants would gleam as they exuded water from their  leaves, washing the day’s accumulation of pollution and toxins from the leaves. Close to the city of Cluria, on the planet Evenwraith the only plants that lived were those that transpired. These singular trees acted to give the barren landscape an illusion of vitality, totally at odds with the wholesale destruction of biota for as far as the eye could see.

At some point the decision was made that the only way the planet could sustain human life was to encase the human habitations in long tubes of transparent alumina, to exclude the toxic atmosphere. Transparent alumina was the building material which enabled our civilisation to exist and to resist the attacks of the noxious atmosphere. Human habitation simulated the act of living in a fish tank, we being the fish living inside the transparent alumina tank.

While transparent alumina was a truly amazing building material, the nature of our existence was not.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Wow! But that has changed has it not?

 

BasrightAccountant SigmaPsiBasright: Yes indeed. In my prime, the land was cleaned and scrubbed through the agency of my boss “Loo – Macklin”. People began to take strolls through the parks that had multiplied outside the tubes of Cluria. Many citizens of the city were still not used to the idea of walking around outside the tubes without protection. Many of the older citizens would carry breathing masks and safety goggles attached to their belts, just in case.

Public transport withered as people demanded the availability of individual transports necessary to commute to their homes in the newly scrubbed countryside.

Loo – Macklin was the public hero, the man who benevolently made the valley of the great industrial city safe to walk through once again, to walk through as men were meant to walk, without appliances of plastic and metal attached to them, giving humans the appearance of scuttling insects.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   
You seem to have some reservations about what you are saying.

BasrightAccountant SigmaPsiBasright: I have always been circumspect about the motivations and obsessions of my boss Loo – Macklin. Yes he was responsible for saving the environment of the valley of Cluria, on the planet Everwraith.

However, I have always suspected that there is nothing benevolent about his intentions. I think loo – Macklin simply calculated that the productivity of individual workers on clean worlds was much higher than on poisoned worlds such as Evenwraith or Photoner. There have been studies I have seen, instituted by loo – Macklin on the effect of improving the environment on the human individual.

A simple equation was revealed. Clean air and clean water result in greater productivity and hence greater profits. A healthy happy worker is a hard worker. I think these simple facts underlie the innovations Loo- Macklin made to the environment of our world.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   What technical advances were required to allow the improvement of the environment?

BasrightAccountant SigmaPsiBasright: A number of key technologies underpinned developments. Recycling was critical to reducing the emission of waste and toxins into the environment. Humans on industrial worlds had often failed to grasp the advantages of recycling in reducing environmental pollution. Also, recycling allowed the usage of materials at lower cost than virgin mining or production facilities. This became more evident as the population increased and the world in which we lived began to shrink as a result. Simple economics dictated the use of recycling technologies.

Another technology with which we struggled initially was the introduction of biofilms capable of advanced detoxification of many different sorts of waste. Although we had many functional solutions in the early days, we developed some truly awesome advances through our contacts in the ”Nuel” race.

In the early days, humanity experienced many conflicts with the Nuel. Small almost ritualised battles would often break out between our peoples. Humans dealt death with energy rays and high explosives. Meanwhile the Nuel utilised poison projectiles and selective diseases. Initially in conflict, humans were forced to deal with the vagaries of biology which we found to be unnatural and insidious. Meanwhile the Nuel struggled to cope with the application of physical forces which to their minds outraged nature and were unnecessarily destructive.

Initially in conflict I believe the dead of both sides would have watched and laughed at us. The morality of the methodology of killing is of little concern to its victims.

However as our civilisations converged, new biotechnologies revolutionised many of humanity's industrial processes. The Nuel were very familiar with biology. Even the television and broadcast screens utilised living organisms on call.

Our developing relationship with the Nuel provided the groundwork for the development of new techniques in gene and bioengineering.

Such advances revolutionised recycling, the management of pollution and many industrial techniques in areas such as food production and the production of chemical source materials for many industrial processes.

 

Not only that, the Nuel also utilised biological organisms in medicine. They had developed the “lehl” implant. This organism prefers calm surroundings for its home as would any sensible creature. It secretes chemicals to make its home a comfortable place. The wholesale introduction of the “lehl” implant was a remarkable success. Many humans realised that the beneficial effects were very much understated. Many humans felt better than they had for many many years.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   How important was the Human- Nuel partnership?

BasrightAccountant SigmaPsiBasright: My boss Loo – Macklin rewarded nothing is lavishly as success and punished nothing as severely as failure. Right was right, to be acclaimed no matter who was the perpetrator. He believed that wars were wasteful and that much more was to be gained through trade and cooperation between the races. I think history will judge him as extraordinarily perceptive, a hero to the common people.

Many citizens had started life with far more advantages than Loo – Macklin. And yet it was Loo- Macklin who emerged as thinking of his fellow man before himself. When I had first met him, many of his associates mentioned that he wasn’t to be trusted. I think that is one thing they got wrong. He always kept his word. Always! He was just always careful not to give it in situations where he would not be able to keep it. He used to tell me that such an attitude was simpler than lying and made for fewer complications later.

I told him often that he could do absolutely anything he wanted to do. Quite a compliment, but I meant every word.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Yes in my researches on human history in your quantum universe, I have learned much of the entity known as “Loo Macklin”. He used to say the more he learned, the more ignorant he became. This was the sign of a truly wise man, a fact which only other wise men could really understand or appreciate.

BasrightAccountant SigmaPsiBasright: Yes “Loo Macklin” spent his entire life in service of humanity. He believed that every person had a right to make their own decisions for themselves. He works tirelessly his entire life to expand the human frontier through peace and trade.







BiofilmsTrue.html

Alan Dean Foster

Basright

The Man who Used the Universe

RecyclingTrue.html

Alan Dean Foster

Basright

The Man who Used the Universe

TransparentAluminaTrue.html

Alan Dean Foster

Basright

The Man who Used the Universe




KinkajouMed Kinkajou interviews SigmaPsiKirth Gerson and SigmaPsiSmade (of Smade’s Tavern), in the middle Beyond.
(Jack Vance: the Demon Princes series: Star King)



Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I thank you both for agreeing to talk to me. I have been finding my feet in your world. It strikes me “what a paradox, the fearful reproach, when the distinction of a few kilometres or even meters can transform a heinous crime to simple unqualified circumstance”.

The mobility and capability of the individual in your world is truly astounding. It seems incredible that people can live together without the rules that make up the core worlds.

 

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiSmade:  Indeed. The harmonious atmosphere that is here is mine and I intend it to be permanent.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Yes. I notice that your tavern clings to the landscape here, as integral as an outcrop of rock. Even the grove of cypress trees with their strange foliage at the rear of the tavern seems completely appropriate to the landscape. Here in this little sheltered valley you have planted fodder and garden truck. And in another nearby small Valley, I see you have a small herd of cattle and a flock of poultry. All seem to be doing moderately well, but appear to show no disposition to overrun the planet.

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiSmade:  My dominion here is extended as far as I care to claim. There is no habitation on the entire planet, but our tavern.  However, I only choose to assert control over an area of approximately 3 acres, within the bounds of my whitewashed stone fence.

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiGersen:  As I see it the native flora is sparse. Some lichens, moss, primitive vines and Palodendron and a little pelagic algae which tinctures the sea black. The fauna here is even simpler- white worms on the sea bottom muck. These few gelatinous creatures gather and ingest the black algae in a ludicrously inept fashion. There is even an assortment of a few simple protozoa. So, your (Smade’s) alterations of the planet’s ecology would hardly therefore be considered detrimental.    The tavern harms nothing. The Tavern allows the beauty of this terrible planet to reveal itself.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I find it amazing that you are able to deal with the people who travel through here so easily. What happens if they cannot pay?

 

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiSmade:  Observe the sign hanging above the bar Kinkajou:   Eat and drink without stint. He who can pay is a customer. He who cannot and does not pay is a guest of the establishment. This simple outlook removes conflict. Exercising control only to the fence, also allows people and visitors the freedom of the planet. Again removing conflict.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Surely accessing orbit and space requires a substantial technological base, which is obviously sorely lacking in a small habitat like this.

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiGersen:  The beauty of the technology of our civilisation is on the ease with which we can attain orbit and travel through space. A common spacecraft such as the “Locator 9B”, is essentially a box to live in and travel in. It contains a monitor autopilot duplex, a star finder, chronometer, macroscope, manual controls; midships with living quarters and machines such as organic re-converter, information bank and storage; and finally aft the energy block, the Jarnell Intersplit and more storage.

I require little equipment for my work. Often my only personal disguise was no more than well-worn clothes and natural taciturnity. In such circumstances, space travel is very simple indeed. I think this the magic of the Jarnell Intersplit which has enabled human habitation to spread so easily throughout the galaxy. A ship can rise from the ground to orbit and return many times without refuelling. A ship can travel for considerable distances throughout the galaxy without requiring refuelling or resupplying. Resupply is relatively simple. The technology is simple and robust, allowing for reliable travel throughout the galaxy.

People, even individuals can come and go much as they choose throughout many habitats. This technology has the allowed the explosion of many peoples and many thoughts to many places, where they have been able to set down roots and survive. In what other universe could there possibly be a Smade’s Tavern in the middle Beyond?

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   But still the policing must be an issue?

 

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiSmade:  The only agency attempting to assert its domain in the Beyond is the IPCC. Out here, their agents are called weasels. If I were a weasel, I’d hardly admit it. The IPCC has few friends beyond.

Just look at our competition in Brinktown. Is success defined in policing such an ambiguous recommendation? Few indeed of the inhabitants would dare to show themselves within the Oikumene. The magistrates are assassins, the civil guard are extortionists, arsonists and rapists, and the elders of the Council are bordello owners. Humanity finds its own solutions as it must.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   People aside, surely biology poses some dangers?

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiGersen:  One must always be careful of biological hazards. However the system is well-established. When I arrive at a new planet, I usually wait until the analyser makes environmental tests. The atmosphere must be acceptable to life. My tests look at whether microorganisms of air and soil die quickly upon contact with some of our standard antibiotics. In an unknown world, I would normally dose myself with such a standard antibiotic before exiting my spaceship. In effect simple and safe actions guarantee survival.

I think uncertainty hurts more than ignorance. It is clear that uncertainty breeds indecision which is a dead halt. An ignorant man can act. As for right or wrong – each man to his own answer. There’s never been a true consensus.

 

GersenSmadeTavern Smade:  You espouse a very popular doctrine: ethical pragmatism which I believe always turns out to be the doctrine of self-interest.

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiGersen:  I do not doubt that there are considerable complexities within the biofilm structures and the processes we use for environmental maintenance within our spaceships. However, this is an old problem. Humans produce certain sorts of waste. So long as the system has energy coming in either from the energy block or from photovoltaic banks, processing can occur. Maintenance of environmental conditions is an old problem dealt with largely by old solutions little changed over many years. Much of it is set and forget technology.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I’m surprised how the flora and fauna introduced around this tavern, shows so little proclivity to encompass the planet.

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiSmade:  Again, I think there are complexities here that are not immediately apparent. By introducing the farm and the cattle and the poultry here, by default much of the supporting biota was introduced as well. This means that things work well here in this part of the planet. However, to enable many of these plant cells to spread throughout the planet requires an organic matrix of supporting organisms. Even a small gap in the matrix creates a system failure condition. So things flourish well around the tavern, but as you say show very little tendency to spread and to dominate the planet.

Each organism does not exist in the world by itself, but in a matrix with others. Together it all works. But if a piece is missing, it is very difficult to replace or substitute. It creates a situation whereby things that work, work. Things that don’t work, keep on not working. Simplicity indeed.

I am glad to be able to grow my family and my crops and animals across the landscape as we do. The civilisation of the Oikumene with its haunting vertical farms and human density is something that I have never sought. After all, our technology allows us to encompass the entire galaxy. Why should we restrict ourselves to a postage stamp upon it?

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I perceive that you are both driven, though by different circumstances. How have your circumstances engineered you to be the person that you are Gersen?

GersenSmadeTavern SigmaPsiGersen:  As a child I remember hiding with an old man who was my grandfather behind the bulk of an old barge. Across the river we were forced to watch as slavers took those we cared for from us. I remember the landscape littered with dead and bleeding bodies. I remember men and women shuffled into the holds of five long ships under the weapons of two score men in strange grim costumes.

My grandfather told me that there were many things my father had planned for me. However, he told me that he was making a different future for me. I would live to destroy evil men.

Rolf Marr Gersen

My grandfather devoted his life to training me. I killed my first man at the age of 14, a footpad who had the luck to accost us in a back alley of Brisbane. While my grandfather stood by in the manner of an old Fox teaching a young cub to fight, I proceeded with my task gasping and sobbing. First I broke the ankle and then the neck of my astonished assailant.

My grandmother told me that he could think of no more useful service for a man to perform than that which he had ordained for me. (The destruction of evil men).” In the Beyond, you will find your work is never done, therefore you may never know peace”. My grandfather helped me to train and was always nearby, a source of advice. Otherwise during my life, I have known little other than a succession of strange beds.

Smade’s Tavern is as much a home as any I have known. It is strange to look at yourself coming and going from here. You come here, looking forward eagerly to arrival. But you leave you wondering why you ever came.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Thank you both for your insightful words. I believe Jarnell Intersplit technology is worthy of a special commendation in the halls of orbital and space technology. This technology has by itself created a distinct and much more individual civilisation than has been possible in any other Sigma Psi future I have ever seen. A world in which each person can be their own person and can choose to live as they wish. There is a rhythm to your universe. An equilibrium which I have blundered into and perhaps disturbed. Beyond argument, your own affairs are of paramount importance. I am grateful that you have permitted me to allow you to be diverted.

For my readers science and technology are paramount. If motion and sentiment were more important and could sway the future so easily, where would such things stop?

 

BiofilmsTrue.html

Vance, Jack

Kirth Gersen

Demon Princes Series: StarKing

MedicineTechnologiesTrue.html

Vance, Jack

Kirth Gersen

Demon Princes Series: StarKing

Orbital EngineTrue.html

Vance, Jack

Kirth Gersen

Demon Princes Series: StarKing

SocialEngineeringTrue.html

Vance, Jack

Kirth Gersen

Demon Princes Series: StarKing

 

 

VerticalFarmsTrue.html

Vance, Jack

Smade

FoodBiotechTrue.html

Vance, Jack

Smade of Smade's Tavern on Smade's World


 


 

KinkajouMed Kinkajou interviews SigmaPsimovie theatre owner
at the latest outbreak of the “Blob” biofilm (movie series)


Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Can you describe your impressions of what happened?

TheBlob SigmaPsiMovie Theatre Owner. The event occurred so suddenly. It was horrible. This wave of jellylike goo swept into the theatre swallowing all it touched. I looked on with horror. How could anything with no brain, no muscles and no legs move so quickly and in so directed a fashion. How could it even see people it was hunting? Perhaps it was drawn by infrared heat or organic pheromone distillations. I’ve thought about it a lot. I believe that insects such as mosquitoes can be drawn by heat, organics, carbon dioxide concentrations and even sound. Much remains unknown about this invasive “Blob” biofilm.

I can imagine the government being drawn to the weapons applications of such a monster. However, I think the only thing to be doing is to destroy it permanently. There is too much chance that if we study it ,it may escape. How could we contain  it if it were to enter the sewerage system . It might even progress to spread planet wide.

Just looking at the monster doing its work, made me worry about its ability to destroy all animal life upon the planet. I do however wonder whether it is capable of attacking and digesting plants. Or does the “Blob” biofilm have problems with digesting cellulose in common perhaps with many other animals.

The government would want to use it as a weapon but I can also imagine scientists wanting to study it. I can imagine from their point of view what might be possible. A new form of bioreactor. A new form of waste destruction. A new method of cleaning contaminated ground. A method of cleaning contaminated or infested waterways. But oh the danger. I think the thing is far more dangerous than the aliens on LV-426.

Kinkajou:   Food for thought.

 

 

BiofilmsTrue.html

Movie

Movie Theatre owner

Blob





KinkajouMed Kinkajou interviews SigmaPsiLady Fundan
(Christopher Rowley: The Black Ship).

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I believe you have had substantial experience in your world with biological hive entities (the bug based version and equivalent of bacterial biofilms) developing intelligence.

LadyFundan SigmaPsiLady Fundan:  There is a prize on our world of Fenrille. The Chitin (ant like insects) on our world produce information proteins which are the most complex molecules human science has ever encountered. The modular arrays of Pharamol equate with an omni- enzymatic function. They exhibit a complex flexibility very comparable to terrestrial DNA. These complex chemicals are able to prolong and sustain human life. Chitin communication proteins comprise a family of proteins unique for the complexity and their malleable structure.

The chitin are unique to our world. Nowhere has ever been found able to raise chitin nests outside of the Fenrille biosphere. It is for good reason though.  I believe the Arizel aliens once evolving from this world, placed that prohibition into the Chitin genetic material.

When the prize is as tempting as eternal life, someone will try for it. That is human nature. So our fortune is our downfall. We must never let down our guard. Our world is a hostile place. The Blood Spruip fungus in the early years of our colony destroyed many human lives. It continues as a hostile burden on our civilisation, even now, even with our modern biological and genetic capabilities.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I can see the benefit and the challenge for human beings. But why have all these aliens come to Fenrille.

LadyFundan SigmaPsiLady Fundan:  Well as I stated we believe the Arizel evolved here. They became again involved due to what they saw was happening here.

We believe the Chitin came here as an advanced space faring young species. When they attempted to hive this world and kill off the Great Forest, the Arizel returned, destroyed the insect home world of Herxx utterly and converted the surviving Chitin into the form we now know. On earth, there are similar social insects such as the termites. They are however a much more primitive social insect.

SWugar Ants Brisbane

The Chitin nest would look down on these termites. They would likely see the nest the way we might see a primitive hunter gatherer society of humans. A better analogy would be that of elves from our mythical past being viewed by fairies. Viewed from the point of view of being a degenerate and once civilised society.

As a result of these migrations, the biosphere of Fenrille is not purely natural. Many of the species here are not native to this planet. Humans bought their own plant and animal species as well, further adding to the complexity of the biological forms on this planet.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   So what can you tell us about the Chitin?

LadyFundan SigmaPsiLady Fundan:  With the Chitin insects, after the early stages of the colony founded by the Queen, the Chitin Vizier mass takes over the direction of the nest. The Vizier are thought to evolve from a sterile drone sub class.

The Chitin insect developed the complex proteins for communication purposes. Over millions of years, the level of complexity that they evolved into, allowed the Vizier cast to form the typical chitin brain formations that we call the Vizier mass. Between themselves, the Vizier translate a huge diversity of information. And all this is translated into several hundred different protein forms all extruded from seven huge glands on the Vizier abdomen.

Remember, The Chitin nest is intelligent, though not in a way we would instantly recognise as intelligence. But it has enormous reserves of memory. The individual Vizier Chitin act consensually to modify the masses of communication proteins in reaction to events that affect the hive. It is a slow but effective process of thought.

In the mountain regions, we work with immature hives, as they are easier to control and to commune with. Old established hives are much more dangerous. However we have had instances where hives have captured some of our workers. For some reason, the hives may wish to examine us. If we do not threaten or excite them, they may not even kill our workers. Often they merely want to see, to touch and to think about life forms such as ourselves. Our workers attempt empathic communication. Talking with the Chitin is critical to our ability to harvest Vizier chitin from brain chitin, laden with chitin communication proteins, from which comes Pharamol and all the weaker longevity drugs.

The last kind of worker to appear as a hive matures is the Stroker. They possess long forelimbs which can be used to constantly stroke the warrior Chitin. The presence of Strokers is a sure sign of a totally mature nest. We forbid these in our Highland nests, for they give the Chitin mind its agents extraordinaire, its local captains who interpret the chemically inscribed commands produced by the Vizier mass – the Chitin Brain:  

Chitin don’t have a sense of smell. They taste. They taste the world. Other senses are less important. They are extremely discriminating in taste, to the extent that it is the nests primary communication pattern, billions of little tastes, all moving out in waves from the centre of the nest.

The Strokers give the nest- local interpretation of central orders – programmed by set of chemical controls pressed upon the antennae of the Strokers. It gives the nest characteristics which have been described as its personality. But the programming makes it impossible for the chitin talkers to beguile the nest, into releasing the chitin Communication Proteins.

Mature nests are not always hostile. Think of the nest as a dragon that has invited you in for a cup of tea. If you’re very polite, you might even be allowed to stay for supper.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Thank you for your insights into Chitin intelligence. Their method of operation reminds us of bacterial biofilms, whereby bacteria communicate with their fellows by chemical means – chemical signals if you like. Your chitin insects are capable of expressing intelligence. They have a thirst for knowledge and an ability to interact intelligently with other animals.

However, their true value to humanity lies in their ability to produce longevity proteins. It is a shame that we are unable to trade with the insects. If we were able to develop the ability to work together, I think both our species would be enhanced. As usual, it is the social interaction aspects that are the most difficult aspects of technological progress.

Learning communication between two life forms with little overlap in reasoning processes, different aspects of intelligence and completely different capacities.

Paradise is a place where you achieve your heart’s desire. For humanity, extension of life and health has always been one of the most precious commodities inherent in paradise. Long life in your world begins to appear as something you don’t extract but something you need to earn and something that needs to be bargained for.

 

 

BiofilmsTrue.html

Rowley, Chris

Lady Fundan

Paradise Game

Rowley, Chris

Lady Fundan

SingularityTrue.html

Rowley, Chris

Lady Fundan









 

 

 


Book : "The Black Ship"




KinkajouMed Kinkajou interviews a “ SigmaPsiBrain” (Frank Herbert: The Green Brain)

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Thank you for agreeing to communicate with we humans. I realise that for too long human arrogance has allowed humans to remove themselves from the environment in which they live. I understand that in your era the humans had decided to exterminate all insects that were not immediately useful to them throughout the entire planet.

InsectBrain SigmaPsiBrain:  Yes. We found ourselves in a situation where we must produce immediate and consequential benefits that the humans could not fail to recognise. If we could demonstrate dramatic usefulness, they may yet be brought to understand that interdependence is circular, intricately entangled – a matter of life and death. They need us and we need them – but unfortunately the onus of proof had fallen on us. And if we fail to prove it, this would truly be a barren earth.

 

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   Tell us something about how you came to be.

InsectBrain SigmaPsiBrain:  I have never once considered that I had once been part of a human, and subject to emotions. I had found that the intrusion of emotion laden thoughts to be quite irritating. I had them excised at my own direction. In concert with the insects, I modified myself and my functions. Now, I have become only vaguely like my human counterpart – but larger and more complex. No human circuitry system could support my need for nourishment. No merely human sentry system could supply my voracious appetite for information.

But I was still a component – a Brain:  I was a functional part of a super-hive system instituted by the insects – more important than even the Queens.

Structurally, I was about 4 metres in diameter and approximately half a meter deep. I knew myself as a supreme integrator. Wingless insects crawled over my surface membranes – inspecting, repairing, and giving special fluids when needed. Specialist hives of winged insects clustered in fissures of the cave in which I lived, some producing acids, some breaking down the organic acids for their oxygen, some digesting, some providing muscles for the pumping.

I believe I was the ultimate construct integrating human and insect biology. But it was so difficult to understand the human creature. Even when they were permitted a limited freedom, it was almost impossible to reason with them. And the decisions – conscious decisions. These are a punishment inflicted upon the single self by consciousness. Conscious decisions can fragment the single self. How could human stand-up under such a load of decisions. I found my role incredibly difficult.

Kinkajou Kinkajou:   I find it incredible how a human organic brain can operate using insects as supporting biofilm matrix to create something capable of functioning at the level of a superior intelligence. No matter what the intelligence of the consciousness, physical needs must be met and these are best met by using physical advantages inherent in a number of different species – in effect the biofilm matrix. Your insect allies appear to have created a mind which we humans can only see as Gaia – an expression of the life force and ecosphere of a planet. I believe you have much work to do, to enable the humans to be resigned to their role in the management of this world.

For ecology to succeed, all must work together interdependence and intricate inter-cooperation. My thanks for your insights.

 

BiofilmsTrue.html

Herbert, Frank

green brain

The Green Brain