Biotechnology, gothic fiction and the alien man.

In his famous book For a history of the imaginary Professor Lucian Boia identifies the alterity (the otherness)  as one of the recurring patterns in the human culture, upon which the entire mythology of the alien man is founded. At present the radical forms of this pattern are related strictly to the imaginary, but could they ever become a reality?

A few weeks ago I read a book that marked the emergence of a new genre in the Romanian culture. Until recently, among the fiction genres of the Romanian literature, we could find fantasy fiction, science fiction, magical realism fiction and surrealism fiction but, however, no horror fiction, as it simply did not exist. This is the novelty brought by Oliviu Crâznic and his debut novel ...And Then The Nightmare Came At Last (a novel which has received a lot of important awards in a relatively short time span):  the appearance of the gothic genre within the Romanian literature.

As I went through the book, the first thought that came into my mind was that the author writes very well: a writing style which is elegant, alert and dynamic, despite the elaborate depictions and the almost pedantic attention to details. Throughout the entire story, up to the very last page, Oliviu Crâznic is playing with the attention of the reader, in a captivating game of appearances and unexpected twists in the plot that capture the imagination, the mind being simply glued to the narrated events. Just as in a Hitchcock’s film, Crâznic’s novel makes you follow his path so as to see what will happen next and what lies behind the masks apparently worn by almost all characters. And, in addition to all of these, beyond these sharply defined profiles of the heroes, beyond the dark mise-en-scene, we can permanently see an ineffable love story which is somehow ethereally permeating the entire plot.

Then, after I finished reading it, my mind flew inevitably to the analysis of the archetypal structure that dominates the whole novel, the radical alterity (ie the human prototype distorted beyond the boundaries of humanity) and its classical representations within the universal culture (Pan, Minotaur, Frankenstein, Dracula, lycanthropy, mermaids, fairies, Yeti etc.). I thus came to think of a relatively recent film, I am Legend (2007) whose plot proposes that we should accept that, at some point in the not too distant future, our darkest imagination may become a reality on account of a science which gets out of control.

Could it be possible that the hypothesis proposed by this film to become a reality someday? Might there come a time when things could be reversed, when the fantastic biology and the nightmare creatures „painted” by Oliviu Crâznic in his novel (creatures deemed to be merely myths nowadays) predominate and the common man becomes, instead, only  a  legend, a thing of the past ?

Could this dystopia be the ultimate outcome of the science of biotechnology ?

Sci-fi Art versus Science (2): „Prometheus” Case.

So, let's see.

The plot of the film, summarized in just a few words, can read as follows:

They, the aliens, have made us, the humans, but then they decided to destroy us. Anyway, they didn’t live to get this done because other beings destroyed them.

In most general terms, science has two purposes:

- to explain the surrounding Universe and, if possible, the reason of our presence within its framework;

- to provide us with equipment and technologies designed to improve our lives.

Accordingly, a film related to science (even if it is science conveyed through fiction) should present to the audience, insofar as possible, new ideas focused on the two above mentioned directions.

So, let's see how Prometheus serves these two purposes:

1.      Explanations regarding the surrounding Universe & the reason of our presence within its framework.

Regarding this topic, we identify two or three ideas illustrated by the film:

The paleoastronautics hypothesis: some of the cave paintings made by several ancient human civilizations, which had no contact with one other (Egyptians, Mayans, Babylonians, etc.), indicate the presence of some visitors from space who presented the ancient humans with a map of the stars.

The hypothesis that we have been created by aliens: sometime in the distant past the Earth was visited by an extra-terrestrial humanoid civilization that spread its genes in the young terrestrial environment and consequently the human species appeared at the end of the evolutionary chain.

The hypothesis regarding the diversity of life in the Universe: the Universe could host a wide diversity of life forms and some of them may cause the destruction of the humanoid one. Those destructive life forms could multiply by gestation inside the human body.

2.      Presentation of some technologies meant to improve our lives:

Like any other respectable sci-fi movie, Prometheus gives us the image of some advanced technologies:

- spaceships that undertake journeys into the far-off space/ galaxies;

- cryogenics systems,

- robotic surgical  station that operates the human body by itself;

- android robots,

- terraforming,

- flying balls that map the overflown terrain,

- holographic communication;

- etc.

Conclusion:

In brief, this is the science included in the two-hour movie, in a package that also contains a lot of action and many special effects. Is this much, is this little, could it have been more than that?

Is there any objective truth in the above mentioned suppositions or is everything just pure fantasy? Each of us can come up with their own answer to this question. As far as I’m concerned, I would say that, regarding the first category, we are dealing strictly with assumptions related rather to fantasy, and clearly not based on strong arguments, but which are very popular due to their unusual statements. Regarding the second category, things are slightly better, as the presented technologies have, in my opinion, good chances to become reality in the not too distant future.

Regarding the novelty of these ideas, is there something that hasn’t been seen or heard before? I think the answer to this question is "no", with 2 exceptions, both belonging in the category of technology, namely: the robotic surgical station that operates the human body by itself and the flying balls mapping the overflown terrain. As far as I'm concerned, this is the first time I see these technologies illustrated in an artistic work.

And, finally, one last clarification:

What may seem a new idea to some, namely the hypothesis of human creation by the alien through the dissemination of their genes within the terrestrial environment (not through the "manufacturing" of humans in some kind of an alien lab, but by stimulating the natural evolution to move in a certain direction) is not at its first use in the sci-fi art.

I personally have come across this idea in at least one other work, namely the two-volume novel "First day" and "First Night" by Marc Levy, which is to be discussed here soon.

Amazing: assumptions about the Universe.

Could you guess what is the structure of the surrounding world ?

If you want to know the latest assumptions, a new film series, narrated by a professional of science: 

The Fabric of the Cosmos, de Brian Greene.

Sci-fi Art versus Science (1).

Science-fiction art is fascinating because it requires our speculative thinking and, ultimately, our creativity. And creativity is, as we all know, the engine of progress. By challenging our prejudices and mental patterns, the art of sci-fi succeeds in pulling us out from the inertia of our daily life, forcing us to ask ourselves questions about the surrounding universe and our purpose as integral parts of it.  

This remarkable performance of sci-fi art is largely based on its claim to have established its credibility. In order to draw our attention and to convince us to grant it some mental space among our thoughts, the sci-fi art presents itself as the expression of a potential reality. It seems to be telling us: „this is a face of the world that you have simply ignored until now” or „look how the world might look like some time from now”.

Therefore, the scientific component is fundamental to the sci-fi art because its entire credibility rests on its shoulders.

But how much science is there in the contemporary sci-fi art ? Or, in other words: does the contemporary sci-fi art rely on any scientific truth or is it just pure fantasy which is craftily packed so as to look like having some objective truth in it ?

The „Prometheus” blockbuster seems to be an excellent case-study for such a debate. 

„Postcard” from space.

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Scientists have managed to see a light coming from an Earth-like planet.

It is highly commendable that we can see so far and in such detail but it is strange that we are not able to get even to our nearest neighbour (i.e. the Moon).

That’s good but we still have work to do…

James Cameron is back !

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After Expedition: Bismarck (2002),  Ghosts of the Abyss (2003), Aliens of the Deep(2005), James Cameron is back with a new project that combines scientific research with film:  DeepSea Challenge.

This time, the indefatigable filmmaker and explorer has managed to reach the deepest spot on the planet: the Mariana Trench, 11 km below the sea level.

To me, this whole experience brings back memories of Jack-Yves Cousteau and Carl Sagan.

And I am very glad that their spirit carries on through somebody else.

Congratulations !!!

As there are no trees there, probably the best location for a nest on the Moon remains, however, the underground.

Moon, 2009

The future of mankind living on the Moon sounds neither bad nor good, but rather minimal.

As stated in the previous post also, although some of us would very much like to see  a real human lunar colony vibrating with activity, it seems we will not have this chance too soon.

If this happens not even in films, how could we hope it will happen in reality ? Or should we be so ultra-optimistic as to hope in a “life overcomes the movie” evolution of facts ? I wouldn’t exactly think so.

But let’s see how the mid-term future of human presence on the Moon is pictured by a presumptive credible sci-fi film called “Moon”.

Beyond the serious (and even metaphysical) theme of human identity (does a clone has a soul ?; especially as we see him praying in the take-off scene), the film is a good illustration of how a moon-base of the 21^st  century might really look like.

According to the filmmakers, this human settlement will be supposed to serve just one single purpose: to harvest helium 3 (a substance that could solve the global energy crisis) from the lunar soil and to send it regularly to Earth.

No other activities (scientific research of any kind - astronomical observations, biological experiments in vacuum conditions etc, etc - or military activities etc) are foreseen. Only mining done as thrifty as possible. And with that, the plot is generated. 


The Lunar Industries mining colony is typically made up by a single inhabitant, assisted by a robot without any humanoid design but who proves during the film remarkable qualities of friendship, qualities that we’d be happy to find in any of our real fellow beings.

Gerty, the robot, is a mix between Robinson Crusoe's Friday (i.e. a support against alienation caused by loneliness) and Big Brother (the all-seeing eye). Despite a quite rough interface of communication (a device moving through the base, caught by a rail fixed to the ceiling, equipped with a flexible arm and a small screen which displays different faces according to its mood; and having a very human voice), it embodies the perfect assistant: it prepares the meal, it cuts the hair, it bandages the wounds etc. But, most surprisingly, Gerty seems to have feelings and adopts attitudes, as we observe him smiling, laughing, in a state of confusion, unhappiness, crying, comforting the man and, finally, even helping the man against the instructions received from the Company. He even justifies this behaviour (refusal to follow his instructions) arguing that his main purpose is to serve the astronaut. Nice guy, this Gerty.

Moon, 2009

The interior of the colony seems perfectly suited for its destination, having all the functionalities needed to provide the man with a working and leisure environment: command centre, bedroom, kitchen, shower, garden, gym and a few corridors of a somehow…eerie white colour. Perfectly predictable, no surprise...so far.

Somehow surprising is the location of the building, which is not set, as we would expect, completely above the lunar surface, but in a space dug into the lunar soil. Why is this so, we are not told. Probably on account of protection reasons or maybe due to some economic calculations, who knows... Also interesting is the name of this underground bunker, „Sarang”, which in Malaysian means „nest”. In a sense, this name is quite justified: as there are no trees there, probably the best location for a nest on the Moon remains, however, the underground.

On the contrary, the machines displayed during the show are permanently reinforcing the feeling of credible sci-fi that dominates, more or less, the entire film. 

As such, the lunar rovers do not contain any extravagant element, they are basic solid vehicles, tank-like, seemingly perfectly fit to march across the unfriendly ground of the Moon. Similarly, the lunar harvesters, who collect and process the lunar soil in order to extract the desired substance, resemble, to some extent, the harvesters who can be seen at work on the earthly lands.

Even the astronaut of the 21^st Century is an absolutely common man, a little bit blasé person (with no impulse to explore the foreign world he inhabits), with joys and sorrows, fears and expectations, rather vulnerable, being haunted by the usual family life sinusoids (his wife left him for a while) and completely dependent on his feelings. A nice common man, who wants nothing else than to finish his contract and to return to his wife and child. As such, the only inhabitant of the colony counts impatiently the days remaining till the end of his mission, dividing his time between professional activities, conversations with his family from Earth, sports, watching tv and a few other hobbies such as gardening or modelling some little cardboard buildings.

Moon, 2009

On the other hand, the outdoor moonscapes are truly remarkable, displaying a perfectly intertwined realism and eeriness.

Both the splendid view of the Earth seen from the Moon and the monochromatic vastness of the lunar plains (empty and bleak but so challenging in terms of all that might be discovered there) provide the film with a huge power of seduction, bringing forth the mythological sense of  far off spaces into the spotlight: the mystery and fascination of a world waiting to be truly explored and discovered.

But if we are to give credit to the vision of the film, this exploration will not take place in the near future. On the contrary, Moon will continue to remain an untamed and hard-to-be-reached natural environment, where humans will work with difficulty, having only a limited presence there, that will be justified only be purely economic reasons and in no way by some exploratory enthusiasm.

To sum up, the future of mankind on Moon sounds neither bad nor good, but rather minimal.

We can only hope that our presence on Mars  will be more consistent than on the Moon. 

Moon mining is getting started

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The children who enthusiastically read Jules Verne in the early 80s of the last century were imagining that around the year 2000 the Moon will be  swarming with human activity. Compared with these dreams, which at that time seemed achievable even to adults, the reality of 2012 (nobody landed on the Moon during all this period) can be somehow disappointing.

But in the last few years, some news has come to reinforce those expectations a little: an American private company is planning to set up what many generations have dreamt of for so long, namely a level of permanent human activity on the Moon. Although this is not exactly what we would have expected to happen in the year 2016 (the older public lived with the expectations that a true human colony on Moon would be established around this moment in human history), the achievement of this objective will be an important step forward, anyway.

Actually, with the start of 2016 Moon Express Inc., a private company, intends to set the basis of a  permanent Moon mining activity, using a robot which will exploit one of the natural resources found there in abundance, namely the „rare earth elements”. Unfortunately, the purpose of this project is not to settle a mining colony on the Moon, but to man a hover aircraft vehicle that will carry out scientific missions, customer-designed missions and, most importantly, business missions.

In other words, this seems to be the first step towards the privatization of outer space. The whole philosophy behind this strategy is that the private sector should take over those space activities that already have the needed technology at their disposal (technology which has been previously developed by the public sector). By doing this, by being relieved of these tasks, public agencies (like NASA) could focus their efforts on creating new technologies that will allow humanity to go forward into space (Mars, asteroids, etc). To put it simply, NASA does not withdraw from the Moon, but lets the private sector take care of this.

And since we talk about the private sector, we must say that we talk about business here: the initiators of this project plan to obtain a profit of billions from this activity. According to their view, the money will come from the sale of the ore extracted there, as well as from other services provided to individuals (transportation  to and placement on the Moon of several things belonging to private persons, like messages, photos, etc).

Copyright 2011 Moon Express, Inc

All in all, even the image of a little robot working on  the Moon is not exactly what we would have expected to see after a lapse of more than 40 years from the first moon-landing, however, in the opinion of Naveen Jain, the co-founder of Moon Express Inc., the entire Moon will be full of such machines working hard on that terrain in the not too distant future.

But till that moment, in the next article, we will try to see how a genuine lunar mining colony is actually supposed to look like  (Moon, 2009, Directed by: Duncan Jones).