While the world is in the grips of the Coronavirus out of China, another virus has been found that possesses genetic material never before seen by scientists. This is highly unusual because most of the time scientists can find genes they’ve seen somewhere before, even if the virus itself is new.
But don’t worry; this virus only affects amoebas.
The virus was found in a lagoon in Brazil, by researchers looking for special viruses. When they sequenced its genome, they found 68 genes were completely unknown. They did discover 6 of its genes had similarities to other known genetic material.
This is an easy one to turn into a story. Small, localized epidemic in Brazil, where natives struggle to save their loved ones. A survival story, hidden from the rest of the world because of their remote location. The protagonist is targeted because he isn’t infected, and the locals believe he has the cure. He survives by going into the woods and making a Rambo-style series of traps and eventually escapes. But, at the end of book one, he shows the telltale signs of having contracted the disease, and in book two he has to stay alive against the healthy people in a larger village trying to hunt him down.
The third could be he is saved by an antidote provided a larger country, then he’s used as a mercenary without ties to any government. The fourth could have him infiltrate an infected country, and the fifth could have him discover the country which provided the antidote actually created and sent out the virus, so he goes back for revenge. Rambo meets bio-warfare.
Quantum dots are tiny semiconductors a few nanometers wide. They can be used to transport electrons when exposed to solar energy.
These dots are so small they can be printed on flexible sheets without breakage risk, unlike solar panel technology. These sheets could be applied to windows, cars, even cell phones, to power electrical devices.
The technology already existed but a lab at the University of Queensland broke the efficiency record, bringing the technology one step closer to commercial viability.
One benefit of the quantum dot over traditional cells is the ability for them to work in less than ideal conditions, on cloudy days and under indoor lighting.
How could this be applied to a story? Well, most advanced technology and societies in science fiction have all manner of smart devices, powered by AI. Think programmable clothes that change color and displays on clear windows. Well, all the energy used to power these devices has to come from somewhere, and it would be best if it could be generated at all places at once, in addition to traditional large-scale methods.
An interesting society could be one that places a premium on energy production. With a limit on how much energy a person could use from the grid, they would be forced to produce their own. People could be forced to go outside in order to harvest. Similar to farming but it could just be to take a walk.
And what happens when one person is born with a small electric charge, that the quantum dots can use to power her devices? The story could take place when a solar event knocks out traditional energy acquisition technology and this person could rise up, similar to a Godfather type role, and her arc could follow a similar trajectory: well-intentioned at first, leader of a powerful organization, then accepting the lifestyle, fallout, and trappings of power.
The discovery of the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans at the Chernobyl power plant has given scientists reason to believe the organism could be of use to humans on the International Space Station (ISS), where astronauts face much higher levels of radiation from the sun.
The fungi was first described in 1894. Before the Chernobyl discovery, it was known for the negative effects it had on the human immune system. Now, it has been found that the fungus converts radiation into chemical energy using the pigment melanin, allowing it to thrive in areas thought to be devoid of life.
Scientists have derived melanin from the fungus and sent it for testing on the ISS.
Now, how could this be used in a story? Imagine a spacecraft coated with the fungus, absorbing radiation and using it to grow. It would have to be like a double-paned window, so there could be oxygen for the organism, and would therefore have a limited amount of space. One way growth could continue is if there was a continuous belt that moved very slowly, scraping away grown fungus and leaving room for more to grow at the far end. Since it’s dangerous to humans, it could be incinerated as soon as it gets scraped.
This could solve one of two main problems always addressed in stories based in space: the increased solar radiation. The other, decreased bone density, would have to be taken care of, but for a space-faring race there would have to be some loss expected. Might even lead to evolutionary changes over a long enough timescale.
The fungi could play a key role in the story, when, somehow, spores leaving the containment zone and get into the air supply. This could be a part of a horror novel, where this is just one more challenge to be overcome in order to make it out alive.
If it was to make show up as part of a series, it could be found that somehow a member of the crew who becomes infected is able to use radiation to fuel themselves, leading to a race of humans uniquely suited to life in space. The series could follow the human crew of such a group of humans, who would have no need for food, as they visit other worlds and create new life on a far planet.
A second novel could focus on their main source of radiation dying out, and them facing their extinction, and further stories could have them stumble upon alien life.
The skeleton was discovered beneath a historic house in Connecticut. Three other skeletons were previously found beneath the 18th century house, and experts believe all four could be the remains of soldiers who died during a battle in the area in 1777.
All four skeletons belonged to young men.
Taking this into story mode: this could be a ghost story. Their spirits could survive in the local area and influence events in the area over time. It would require some research, but what if the story is about a place, instead of a particular character?
In different periods of time, the four ghosts could have influenced major events in the area, with different alliances forming between them as to the proper course of action. There would have to be a rule about no physical manipulation, but if they could infiltrate the dreams of major players they could alter the course of history for the town.
This could be any town, not just the town in Connecticut where the remains were found. Could there be a large-scale history of a city like New York, with vast amounts of spirits involved? Or could it be a smaller town, a fictional town like Macondo from One Hundred Years of Solitude, where the ghosts of ancestors come in to affect the lives of their descendants?
In order to get this to be a series, there would have to be a number of major events chronicled, each one affected by the spirits in different ways.
One feature: when the remains are disturbed, the ghost is sent to the “other side,” unable to affect the town again.
The main character of the series could be a ghost hunter, someone who is able to sense when ghosts are at work and take steps to remove the influence by moving the skeletons to marked graves.
Maybe the ghosts are granted power when their grave marker disappears, forgotten to the world, and their final rest can only occur when they are given a proper gravestone once more.
Wildlife trade in China was rampant due to their desire for traditional medicines and exotic foods.
In what sounds like it came from a doomsday novel, a market in a Chinese province has been ground zero for a new virus which has spread to humans. The fear caused by the virus has crippled travel and shutdown entire cities.
The market, located in the city of Wuhan, had snakes, pangolins, and porcupines available for sale.
Activists are calling for the ban on wildlife trade to be made permanent, saying the lack of regulation is systemic and could lead to another similar situation.
Story time: What happens when the entire population of the worlds most populous country are forced to stay home for fear of becoming infected?
What happens to the airline industry? The services industry?
What if this culling, instead of removing humans, is removing unsustainable businesses/practices, like the wildlife trade?
Could there be a resurgence? Would quality businesses then thrive from lack of competition, surging to the top and leading to new levels of growth?
A renaissance of Chinese businesses? The Chinese government could and would subsidize these ventures, leading to their international dominance.
And what would a world look like where China was the leading technological power, instead of the United States?
It’s no surprise humans today look different than members of the same species who lived as hunter-gatherers before the agricultural revolution. Food access and lifestyle alone could account for much of the difference.
This article lays out three way humans are still evolving.
Core temperature is going down, from 98.6 degrees to 97.9 degrees, according to a recent study. This has led to a decrease in caloric requirements to heat our bodies.
Lactose intolerance has decreased. In the past, a humans ability to handle the sugar stopped after adolescence. Now, many people are able to drink milk and eat ice cream.
Bone density has decreased. This is a result of lifestyle, with modern humans not needing to perform as much physical activity on a daily basis.
This got me thinking. What are the other ways humans are evolving? More importantly, when coming up with story ideas, what ways could humans still evolve?
Could the prevalence of screens cause a decrease in the ability to see far away? This wouldn’t be hard to detect, and could point to a future when humans no longer have the ability to see what isn’t right in front of them
More impactful, what if humans evolve to have different memory capabilities than we do now? The memorization of facts is useless, since all information is a quick search away. Likewise, with the ability to take pictures coupled with the lack of danger in modern society, there is no reason to observe the surroundings. What kind of children, and adults, would these traits produce?
Putting this into a story, there could be a future world where humans are similar to lambs for slaughter, ready for attack. Think Mongols, outsiders, barbarians, and politicians in this world offer protection in exchange for the ability to stay connected to screens in blissful ignorance. The story could focus on two young men/women, one inside and one outside. The one inside rejects the screens and is able to help protect the weaker humans, and the one outside (the barbarian) dreams of a life attached to a screen, unhappy with the physical nature of his culture. At the end of the book there could be an alliance OR books one and two could focus on each character and in book three the strike an alliance.
Atari has licensed its name to a series of hotels, eight in total, across the US. The biggest draw will be their focus on gaming.
Each will come with an esports studio and Atari gaming playground. Most assume the playground would be where average hotel guests would be able to find a gaming pc to spend their trip.
There’s also word that Super Nintendo World will open at Universal Orlando in 2023. The first version of the attraction is set to open in Japan, in 2020, before the concept travels across the Pacific.
All I have to say is: FINALLY! I’ve been clamoring for a vacation catered to gamers. I don’t spend much time gaming, just one day per week, but it’s hands down my favorite way to unwind. A visit to one of these destination, probably both, is in certainly in my future.
Two story ideas come to mind. In the first, it’s a classic murder-mystery, set during a major gaming championship. A cast of interesting characters, a murder weapon, an amateur sleuth.. this could be fun, and kick off a series of murder mysteries at various locations around the world, the same concept again and again. This type of story is so bingeable that it wouldn’t be hard to find a readership
The second story idea is if this technology is taken to the limits. What if nobody needs to travel anymore because they can go to the hotel, be kept on life support, and log into a virtual world? Better yet, what if there is an android for hire at their destination, complete with human-level dexterity and capabilities. OR, with androids that have abilities far-exceeding humans. There could be a whole subplot about whether or not anyone you meet is an android (ahem, The Hysteria of Bodalís) and the results of spending too much time plugged in. The major event that occurs at the midpoint of the story could be the removal of a power source, or a running out of credits, forcing the hero to achieve his goals/quest/desires outside virtual reality, in his own skin, after ignoring the development of his natural body for a prolonged period of time.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has come out with a new study detailing how the increased acidity of the Pacific Ocean has caused shell damage to Dungeness crabs.
As a native Marylander, it’s no stretch to imagine the same phenomenon happening here.
When crabs have to devote more of their resources to the development of their shells, they won’t grow as large. Ask anyone who eats Chesapeake blue crabs and they’ll tell you, the average size has gone down. (Note: this could also be because of a number of other factors; the Chesapeake Bay has seen its fair share of struggles with pollution and overfishing)
This phenomenon, the disintegration of exoskeletons, was already found in various forms of plankton.
Ocean acidification occurs when there is an increase in dissolved carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide is released by the burning of fossil fuels.
One potential solution: GMO crops with enhanced carbon-storing capabilities. Their root systems would be responsible for the trapping of the excess gas, helping to keep it out of the atmosphere.
Another solution, one that strikes at the heart of the problem: increased efficiency of energy sources that don’t rely on burning fossil fuels. A molecule has been created from the element rhodium which absorbs up to 50% more solar energy than today’s solar cells. Scaling this technology could provide a way out of the carbon problem by using the sun for a greater amount of the world’s energy needs.
This could create a story world in which humans can power all their devices without harming the planet. Flexible battery technology has just been announced, which could mean a much more connected future, with smart clothing now possible. This would just increase the energy demand required by each human. It brings to mind Neuromancer by William Gibson, or Death’s End by Cixin Liu, in which humans and machines are so interconnected the line separating them becomes blurred.
Imagine an entire culture surrounded by the GMO crops, where their ability to store carbon makes them protected by the government. Humans could be centralized in cities, with vast tracks of land dedicated to the GMO plants and high-efficiency solar cells. Then, we could not only stop the increased carbon, but reverse it.
The series of stories could be a sci-fi western, where a lone hero goes from city to city in this futuristic world and helps the locals in their fight against those in power, performing extractions of people falsely imprisoned, and using their gifts with a weapon to complete missions, similar to a video game.
Better yet, what if this was written as a video game?
