#self replicating probe

[positron2399]

The Ven, their warships and an early "sketch" WIP

Another sophont species for an "upcoming" illustrated web novel I'm "working" on.

They're von neumann probes evolved from ancient mining equipment of a long dead or horribly altered race.

No point in wasting time writing down their lore

Any who, if you have any art requests, let me know

[neuroncryptid]

With the recent reveal of several Phoenix Lords (RIP Karandras) I've been kept up at night, stuck on just understanding what it means to don their armor and what it says about the Eldar. As evidence by the Harlequins, an army of clowns is many things but subtle is not one of them, a lot of Eldar identity is defined by theatre. Its all so. . . enticing.

The Craftworlds, the traditional "vanilla" flavored space elves, live lives in the neat constraints of the paths. In order to stave off the ever hungry gaze of Slaanesh, the Aeldari dedicate themselves a particular craft or occupation. This is shown on the tabletop most clearly through the Aspect Warriors: Striking Scorpions, Warp Spiders, Howling Banshees, Dire Avengers, and more. They are masters of a particular art of war, individuals who dedicate themselves to replicating an aspect of Khaine, the god of murder. But do not be mistaken. The paths are not just a warrior thing. The poet, the musician, the painter, the sculptor, all of these things are represented by a path. They each are incredibly specific.

An individual Eldar may spend a century, maybe even thousands of years, on a singular path. But they might also just simply dip their toes into one only to hop to another after a short time. The goal of the paths is not to lose oneself to one or even master a particular thing. The act of a repeated task is enough. That, the self control, is the purpose of the paths.

Most captivating to me is the getting lost though. We are told this is a tragedy but being lost to the paths is nonetheless shown in both lore and tabletop to produce the best at a task or role. This of course makes sense. Should you spend a thousand years on one thing, have it become your person and you will become the best at that thing. But I can't help being stuck on what's lost.

The 1995 animated film Ghost in the Shell depicts a world of cyborgs and cybernetics. Every body contains some artificial product. The physical self is produced piecemeal on an assembly line. Some, like Major Motoko Kusanagi, have their entire bodies replaced. Only the brain remains, but even that is enhanced, probed, has metal shoved into it.

Of course these artificial bodies are designed with aesthetic in mind, but the individual is housed in an impressive array of augmentation and precise tuning. This leads to bodies being specialized for the tasks they need to fulfill. The Major is made for police work, her entire being curated to the application of force on behalf the state.

Not even the sparks of electricity in your brain is safe from this sense of artificiality. The thoughts that race through your skull can be manipulated, reprogrammed, hijacked. If this is what it means to exist in this imagined future, then what does it even mean to be a person.

This brings me back to the concept of the Phoenix Lords and the Aeldari. The Lords are in a way, just sentient suits of armor. But when they are worn they do not just speak to the individual. The individual becomes the person in the armor. To wear these plates is to cease to exist. You die so an individual "great hero" may walk again.

This is seen too, though in a less destructive to the individual form, in the Exarchs. These are the "sergeants" of the aspect warriors on the tabletop. They are those who lose themselves to the paths, those who become so dedicated to a form of murder that the act becomes more themselves than whoever took the first step into the shrine. Like the Phoenix Lords, Exarchs are kind of a sentient armor but unlike them, a person donning it is not completely lost. They are subsumed into the gestalt of past wearers. They become amalgamation, reshaped into a more honed individual.

But this doesn't just end there. Even the non-war focused Eldar see a form of this loss of self. When a conflict requires the conscription of the civilian population, the people take on a "mask" that separates the mind from the excess of war. The individual is hijacked to better suit the role. Of course, once any eldar leaves an aspect or the battlefield they are returned to their former self.

The Aeldari culture sees this as normal. It is made from the ground up with systems which facilitate the donning and discarding of a self depending on the role they find themselves in. There is of course tragedy in this from their perspective, but its only in the complete loss of self. The narratives of 40k place the war mask and the exarchs as separate things, diametrically opposed but they're not really are they? In a way the craftworlds are an assembly line producing bodies who's particular inhabitant is repurposed, reshaped for whatever path they find themselves on.

This. . . implied lack of actual self is so interesting by sharing space in the same civilization which has each of its citizens wear a spirit stone, a device which may save the soul from the jaws of She Who Thirsts by containing it in a gem. Clearly there is something, someone who is contained within them; the Wraith constructs show this. But who are these stones saving? Who is that self, the individual being kept?

[sjsmith56]

The Duality of Nature, Chapter 21 - Breakthrough

Summary: Winter talks to Shuri about his options once Barnes is restored to their body. In the vibranium universe, the Steve being feels Winter’s concerns and consults The One on what they can do.

Length: 4.2 K

Characters: Shuri, Ayo, Winters, The One, Steve being.

Warnings: Questions about the self and existence, Winter experiencing distress

Author notes: This is a heavy chapter with Winter experiencing a degree of frustration over his prospects. It is an existential crisis.

<<Chapter 20

Two weeks later

No.  Shuri's answer was final and irrevocable.  She would not be party to returning Winter back to his previous state.  He was aware of Ayo, standing at the ready behind the Princess, unable to decipher whether the anger he felt at that moment was a threat, but Shuri stood firm.

"You cannot ask me to destroy all that you have accomplished since you manifested," she said, firmly but with an element of understanding.  "Winter, you are a valuable member of society who has much to contribute in the future.  You don't even know if Sergeant Barnes will object to the sharing of your singular body."

"Of course he will," huffed the super soldier, backing off so that Ayo would also back off a little.  "Ever since he reclaimed his identity on the deck of the helicarrier he has continually worked to remove any influence of the Winter Soldier."  Shuri started to say something, but he put his hand up.  "I know you're going to say that he's aware that I'm not the Soldier anymore but what kind of life will either of us have, if the other is always there, always present?  He will want to live his life with his wife and family, and what will I do?  It's not like I can close myself off anymore.  I could retreat before because my understanding of love and relationships was limited and of no interest to me.  But now ...." 

He turned away, embarrassed at having to spell it out.

"Now you wish the same for yourself," said Ayo, in Wakandan.  "With your current knowledge and awareness, you cannot be an impassive observer any longer.  If Sergeant and Mrs. Barnes agreed, you would wish to be a participant in their relationship, feeling what they feel and engaging fully in their marriage.  Is that accurate?"

"Yes," he answered, truthfully.  "But she does not wish it and based on what I do recall of Barnes' feelings about his wife, he is too possessive to allow a third party into the marriage.  So, my options are limited to returning me to my previous state of disinterested occasional observer or remove me entirely."

A pain between her eyes made Shuri rub that spot in a failed attempt to soothe it.  When she arrived with Ayo the night before to be present at the testing of the probe in a low Kelvin temperature environment, she was looking forward to sharing the success of that with her colleagues.  Then Winter had approached her and asked for a private conversation about something important.  She hadn't expected this request. 

"What about a clone body?" she asked.  "Do you still have the cloning technology that Cerberus had?"

"No," he answered.  "Nova Corps took it back to their planet, with the intention of making it proprietary technology, for use only under the strictest of conditions and not for Terrans.  Thor inquired on my behalf, and they denied the request.  Tony Stark said he and Dr. Banner might be able to replicate an android body for me but felt I would lose my humanity in the transfer process.  The creation of Vision was an anomaly, unlikely to be replicated, as no Infinity Stone would be involved."

"Winter, I cannot do as you have asked," she said again, looking at him imploringly.  "You are a unique being and what you ask cannot be done before Barnes is reunited with his body.  He should at least have input into it.  My concern is that because you would be sharing the part of the brain where a person's individuality exists that anything I do to your essence will damage the physiology of the brain enough to affect Sergeant Barnes.  I'm unsure if the regenerative abilities of your body would be able to repair that damage.  He still has existing damage from his time with HYDRA and this could add to that.  Do you wish to risk being the cause of more damage?"

It had been something he hadn't really considered.  The last thing he wanted to do was cause further brain damage to Barnes.  It wouldn't be fair to the man.  With a heavy heart, he realized that he truly had no alternatives.  Shuri and Ayo both watched the dilemma play itself out on his face, recognizing the moment when he accepted that he really didn't have a choice. 

"Very well," he answered.  "I withdraw my request.  Please keep it confidential.  I don't want anyone to think that I had doubts about reuniting with Barnes."

"Perhaps I can create a process for you to voluntarily enter a state of deep meditation," said Shuri, quickly thinking of acceptable alternatives.  "It might be a way for you to withdraw from those moments that should remain private between Sergeant and Mrs. Barnes."

"That would be acceptable."

He took his leave and returned to his quarters, standing at his windows again and looking out over the landscape, which now had a skiff of snow on it.  How did Barnes do it?  How was he able to navigate this labyrinth of emotions, desires and doubts that seemed to dominate this life?  It was difficult for him, and he struggled as you are struggling now. The thought came unbidden to Winter, but he recognized the accuracy of it.  Barnes had struggled with finding a way to fit into society.  Without Steve to help him he had pulled away from Sam Wilson, convincing himself that the man's help was reluctantly offered.  He was wrong about that.  You yourself know that Sam's counsel has been valuable.  Everyone that you have confided in, Sam, Carol, Peter, even Noelle have been honest with you and have guided you well.

"Then why do I feel the way I do?  Why do I want more when I know I can't have it once Barnes returns?  Why do I feel guilty for that part of me that doesn't want Barnes to return?"

He voiced those thoughts out loud, waiting for that other voice in his head to answer.  When it did, it surprised him.

You feel that way because you've grown as an individual.  That's a good thing.  You feel guilty because you are a good person and Barnes is the reason you exist in the first place.  Without him, you wouldn't be.  Winter, be honest with yourself.  If it was possible to make it so, what would you do to satisfy all these concerns?

"I ... we would have our own bodies, Barnes and me.  He would be reunited with Noelle and Winnie, while I would be free to pursue my own wants and needs, without regrets or guilt.  We would be friends, and perhaps colleagues on the Avengers, for I have found a purpose with them."

If it were not possible to do that, would you accept the inevitable truth that you were not meant to be what you have become?  Would you stay in the background and allow Barnes to resume his life, the life that he built for himself, the life that was denied to him by HYDRA?  Would you give up your desires so that his desires are fulfilled?

It was so quiet in his room.  Winter could hear the sounds of his heart beating, the intake and outflow of his breath, even the slight clicks and whirs of the mechanisms in the vibranium arm.  It was the sound of the silence that was loudest as it waited for his answer.  He couldn't be removed from this body, not without risking damage to Barnes.  He couldn't be modified either, not by an external force.  It was all on him, on the man he had become.  He turned away from the window and looked at his room, at the small things that had begun appearing, some of Winnie's drawings tacked to the wall, a jar of autumn leaves preserved in their bright colours as a reminder of the beauty of the season, the binoculars he requisitioned for the birdwatching club, the cook book he borrowed from Noelle as he decided to make something, the books he had borrowed from the onsite library.  The one on top, A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens; so fitting a book for the situation he found himself in.  Not because of the historical aspects of the story but because of two of the male characters, Charles Darnay and Sidney Carton; two men who resembled each other but also loved the same woman.  There was much more to the story, but Winter couldn't help but identify with the Carton character, who loved Lucie but knew her heart was with Darnay.  Even though Carton didn't think of himself as a good man, he made the decision to trade places with Darnay, allowing him to have the life with Lucie that Carton wanted.  Carton went to the guillotine, while Darnay had Lucie.  The answer was there.  It always had been.

"Yes, I would give it all up for Barnes," said Winter, quietly to the room.  "It was his life before and it will be his life again.  Somehow, I will stand aside so he can live it without interference from me."

The other voice didn't answer but Winter knew it was the right answer.  If it was a test of his morals, then he must have passed because voicing the decision felt right.  There was no other choice, it was never his life to live.  It was Barnes and Noelle's. 

"Winter," said Friday's voice.  "The low temperature test for the probe is minutes away.  Do you wish to be present?"

"Yes," he answered.  "Thank you.  I'll be right there."

A few minutes later, he arrived at the lab, not surprised to see it almost full.  It was a momentous occasion; a communications device to be sent to another universe, so fundamentally different than this one.  Thor was at the front, along with the team members and he raised his hands to signal the procedure was imminent.

"Welcome everyone.  As you know, we were struggling with how to keep the heat generated by the power supply from putting the vibranium universe at risk.  The contact with the living vibranium in Wakanda gave us the information needed to expand the temperature range of the power unit, just as the contributions of our sorcerer friends in keeping a safety barrier around it has made it possible for this test.  We have chosen to go lower than the upper range of the vibranium universe for this test, allowing ourselves the time to open a portal and return the device to our universe if the safety barrier begins to fail.  This test will run for one hour.  Subsequent tests will run longer.  After eight straight hours have been verified, we will consider sending the unit to the vibranium universe and making contact with the single consciousness and hopefully Sergeant Barnes.  Everyone ready?" 

He looked around, then at members of the team.  The probe was already in the chamber and the vacuum was applied to remove the atmosphere.  A new atmosphere was pumped in, at the temperature and pressure of the vibranium universe.  Then the probe was activated, and it rose into view on the screen, opening up and beginning to function.  Everything on it seemed to be working as it should and after an hour of anxiously watching it the test was ended and there was a celebration of sorts.  Winter watched for a short time, then left, headed back to his quarters.  Once inside, he went to his bedroom and picked up the copy of A Tale of Two Cities, removing the sticky notes he wrote and inserted as he came across aspects he wished to consider further.  When he was done, he left the apartment and returned the book to the library.  He didn't take any others out, as there no longer seemed to be a point to it anymore. 

Vibranium universe

The Steve being sat where it could watch the Barnes entity, still in his unresponsive state.  How alone that entity was, isolated inside that single form, with no access to something greater than itself.  Still, he had created bonds with other entities, like Noelle, Wilson, and the others who were cooperating to find a way to return him to their universe.  The bonds were different than what the Steve being felt with The One, but they were important to Barnes.  Even as singular forms the humans sought out connections with other singular forms.  Since his portion of The One first coalesced to form its own singular shape, it had become obvious that there was something to admire about these beings.  They were persistent in their efforts to join with like-minded individuals to satisfy their need for connection.

Barnes being here started with bringing those entities associated with Cerberus to their universe to learn why they had broken through.  In the brief time those entities still existed The One had learned about HYDRA and about what they did to the Barnes entity.  It was why they brought only his essence instead of his form to this universe, not wanting his form to cease existence while they determined if that universe was a threat to them.  It wasn't realized that they couldn't restore him in the same manner until they discovered there had been two within his original form, two distinct essences.  When the Winter essence awoke, restoration of the Barnes' essence could not be achieved.  The One quickly created a singular form for Barnes then could only observe as he mourned the loss of his connection to his universe; especially to the one called Noelle and the smaller one, Winnie.  It had taken many explorations of Barnes essence to learn that a connection between him, Noelle, Winnie, and the other part of him, Winter, still existed; not limited by being part of another universe. 

There was so much they didn't know about these beings.  It was why The One agreed to creating a form, in a shadow appearance at first, then in the likeness of "Steve," Barnes childhood friend, another concept that had been foreign to them but was of so much importance to the beings in the other universe.  For such singular creatures, they were complex in their thoughts and actions, and perhaps being in the same form as them would help The One understand.  After the first onslaught of emotions, and thoughts, during the communication with the Winnie entity, there was understanding but there were also more questions, and concerns over how the original mistake had created a cascade of events in both universes that created even more concerns.  A portion of The One swirled around the Steve form and he raised the appendage known as a hand to it, watching as it dissolved into the grey for better, more precise communication.

"We sense disquiet within your form.  Do you wish to rejoin The One?"

It would be simple to reject this singular existence and rejoin the others but he ... wait, when did he start thinking of himself as an individual entity?  His thought rippled throughout the rest of the main body, and he waited for the inevitable discussion between the different portions of The One to commence.  There were parts that were outraged (a human word that easily fit the disdain they felt about individuality), parts that were more curious, like he had been, of how these beings functioned without a central thought and sense of purpose guiding them.  Other portions withdrew towards the edge of The One's existence, just wanting to go on as they always had, never changing.  Then, deep in the most aged part of their being, some of the Ancients, those who were present at the beginning and had been sentient for the longest time, made themselves known.

"Change is inevitable," they said.  "There are memories of before, when we existed only at a level so minute that many of us were created and unformed within moments as the chaos couldn't sustain us.  When the chaos reached a state of pressure that could no longer be maintained it detonated and the beginning of everything was.  Even then it took many millennia to become what we are now.  Soon, this portion of The One will be reabsorbed back into the non-sentient portion and wait to become part of The One again.  The prospect of becoming a unique entity is interesting and should be investigated and explored.  Perhaps the next facet of our existence is a more physical presence of individuals rather than the collective spiritual entity that we are."

The words of the Ancients created their own ripples throughout The One and the Steve being was aware of portions of the main body that were approaching his position.  They had questions. 

"How was it done?" 

"How was his appearance decided?" 

"If it was unpleasant, could they rejoin The One?" 

"What did it feel like to be in a singular form?" 

His answers were cryptic to some.  His first attempt at creating a form was in thinking of their own shadow form as more than ephemeral but it wasn't enough, so future attempts tried to make it look more human, using Barnes' memories as a template.  The appearance he chose was taken from a specific time when Barnes' friend Steve was affected by the death of his mother. 

"Define mother." 

The female of the human species whose body was the receptacle for new life and who provided care for the child as it grew into an independent state.  She was a nurturing influence and of emotional importance to the individual throughout their existence. 

"They are not created to be independent from the beginning of their existence?" 

No, they are not born sentient beings, but learn through experience, and development of the brain and body.  The Winnie entity was a child and although she was partially sentient now, she still had much to learn.  If they examined her memories, they would understand more.  The singular existence was unsettling at first, but he believed that one could rejoin The One if they wished and if the main body accepted them.  There was a sense of acceptance from The One; they would always allow the return of lost portions.  The longer he was in a singular form, the more it felt normal to him. 

"Is there more?"

Yes.  This latest sensation from Winter had made him ... what was the concept?  Concerned.  When they first took Barnes by mistake, thinking that he was the simplistic Winter entity, they hadn't expected the complexity of his thoughts and emotions.  It had been an onslaught on their existence; so much data, so much input that was foreign to them.  Keeping him in a quiet state had given them time to analyze and evaluate Barnes.  The Steve being had been curious about these aspects of the inhabitants of the warm universe and had taken initiative to cultivate the communication between The One and Barnes, then the others. 

"Explain again," said The One.  "What is your proposal?"

Winter had grown, without the presence of Barnes in his original body.  He felt that they were unable to share that form together and contemplated removing himself from the original form.  It would be a great loss as Winter was also experiencing what it meant to be a separate entity.  It was similar to how the Steve being originally felt being separated from The One.  At first, he experienced a sense of loss but the more time he spent in the form, the more he became accustomed to it.  There was such potential for Winter to contribute but if he removed himself from the original form, his essence could be lost forever.  He waited for The One to absorb this information. 

"Do you have a solution?"

Offer him a form in this universe.  There were newly sentient portions of The One that could be formed into a more permanent form than the current Barnes one, which was hastily created from the solid form of their universe.  The current form operated at the higher temperature of their tolerance, but it isolated Barnes from touch, which was an important part of his species' existence.  If they used newly sentient portions of The One, the form would be more attuned to life in this universe.  Based on the questions he had sensed from other portions of The One there may be interest in others changing to a solitary form, to experience that existence.

"Is the Barnes entity aware of this?"

The Steve being looked back at where the Barnes entity lay.  It was easier to keep him in a state of rest to avoid interfering with communication with the Winter entity.  His thoughts on the Winter entity were still somewhat hostile.  Even though the memory of Winter's emergence was shown to him, Barnes still had doubts.

"What is the state of the humans' efforts at communicating with this universe?"

Based on additional communication from both the Noelle and Winter entity, there was a breakthrough on their part that anticipated an attempt at contact very soon.  He expected that the next step, of actually entering this universe would be the next breakthrough.   Communication with the portion of The One that existed in their universe was successful, but it confirmed that portion had evolved too much to be reunited with the main body.  The disappointment was palpable but the oldest part of The One spoke again.

"Can communication be maintained with it?"

"Yes.  Part of the mechanism of their probe appears to be made from the solid form that was thrown into their universe.  Once they send it here and it has adjusted to our environment, we should be able to absorb that and establish a direct link."

"Much has been learned."  The Ancients seemed impressed.

"The humans associated with the Barnes, Noelle, and Winter entities are not like the ones of Cerberus or HYDRA.  They are more open, sharing their thoughts freely with each other.  Monitoring them has allowed me to come to these conclusions."

He awaited further questions from The One but instead detected some amusement from the Ancients.

"You are starting to think like them," it said.  "Do you wish to remain as an individual?"

The Steve being considered the question carefully.  "As long as I retain the ability to commune directly with the main body, yes.  I wish to remain in this form."

There was a murmur throughout The One then the Ancients spoke again.  "Let it be known among us all that this individual form is still part of The One, as he explores a new facet of our existence.  Others may join him, freely and without restraint.  They will always be able to communicate with the main body and will always be welcomed back if they so choose it.  The creation of a distinct new form for the Winter and Winnie entities will be undertaken, using newly sentient portions of The One.  The Winter form will be kept unresponsive until that time that it is needed to house his essence.  The Winnie entity will be paired with a mother being and will learn in the same manner as the humans do."

There was consensus and the Steve being prepared to withdraw its appendage from the grey, but a tendril reached out and maintained contact long enough to send him a thought, meant only for him.

"Existence isn't enough for the humans," said the oldest of the Ancients.  "There was an attempted incursion by one of their kind, a being able to access many universes.  He sought direct communion with us, the oldest portions, but we were too different to understand each other at the time.  On reflection, we realized the humans need purpose; activities to keep them occupied.  You have already determined they need emotional bonds with others of their kind.  Use Barnes directly, not just his memories that you access when he is unresponsive.  Allow him to help you create a version of his world, so that when the times comes where you offer Winter his own form, he will choose to stay and help us transition to a different form."

"Is The One dying?" asked the Steve being.

There was no response for some time, then came the reluctant answer.  "Possibly.  The initial incursion into our universe by Cerberus killed many of our own as the warmth from that universe had an immediate effect.  The gaseous form of our universe is not forming as quickly as it once did.  When the existence of The Ancients ends, it is possible we may not be replaced.  So, it would appear we have to evolve and perhaps a solid form is the next step in our development."

The tendril withdrew and although the Steve being was aware of The One all around him, he didn't feel its direct thoughts anymore.  That final exchange of thoughts was definite.  They had to evolve to continue their existence but that wasn't enough.  They needed purpose as well.

Chapter 22>>

Series Masterlist

Please support the author by reblogging.

[vexwerewolf]

So what is a Von Neumann Cascade, anyway? You mentioned that in your earlier answer talking about printers not being able to print printer parts, but I can't seem to find any reference to that in any of the Lancer books I own.

It's a term I may have accidentally invented based on the concept of the Von Neumann probe to describe a runaway self-replication event

[radioactive-earthshine]

Trick or Treat! 👻

🎃You get a TREAT! 👻

You get more of the KonBart Star Trek AU that is unpublished.

Enjoy!

🖖

Bart didn’t even bother to listen to his audio recording again before saving it and sending it off. 

“You forgot to tell them the star date,” Conner observed as he took the 67th emergency ration, already packaged, from the replicator mat and tucked it with the rest. 

Shrugging, Bart put his tricorder down. “I’ve never been really good at these status updates, really, my grades at the Academy for all that technical reporting was a big fat D in red!” 

“A ‘D’ is still passing. Emergency ration recipe number 76, steak and mashed potatoes with chives, times ten, extra protein.”

“Ew no! That’s the worst recipe on there!” Bart appeared at the machine in flecks of gold and hit the manual cancel switch before it started. Conner gave him a probing look as they caught each other’s eyes in the dim shuttle light. “Sorry! It’s really gross,” Bart explained quickly. “Once when I was on the Mercury the replicators got all goofy and that’s the only recipe it would produce for like, two weeks! If I go my whole life without eating another chive I will be happy! Please, any recipe but that!” 

Huffing a small laugh, Conner continued his self assigned task. “Okay, okay! No chives. Let’s see then. Emergency ration recipe number 90, Swedish meatballs over noodles, times ten, extra protein.” Conner looked at Bart as if for approval and watched him as he settled on one of the two thin beds wedged in the hall of the shuttle. Conner could tell that Bart, for all his boundless high energy, was finally tired. 

He was tired too.

[dark-falz]

PSO Timeline of the Profound Sadness (Detailed lore timeline regarding Episodes 1&2,)

There's also stuff about Phantasy Star 0 in here too because they take place in the same universe! But I'm trash and didn't beat it and it was years ago so idr shit I'll go back to it one day ok promise anyway

LONG LORE POST completely spoiler

Inhabited planet Coral is drained of natural resources. The government, organizations called "The Alliance of Nations" (includes 10) , and "Black Paper" initiate the "Pioneer Project" to find a new planet to colonize. They are gifted from a passing asteroid with Photon energy. They use it to backtrack where it came from to find a place to inhabit. After approx. 7 years, Ragol is found. Coral mentions; Shino: RAcaseal, purchased & passed down to Zoke Dr. Calus: was working on an AI, also named Calus, who developed his personality. Calus dies before the AI is completed. Dr. Jean Montague: 11 yrs. old approx, researches D-Cells brought back from probes with Dr. Osto, create MAGs* which are the beginning of the MOTHER/Delta program 7 yearsish later (travel is heavily disputed among sources apparently but w/e) The people on Pioneer 1 included; Heathcliff Flowen: Deputy Army Commander Rico Tyrell: Pupil of Flowen, Scientist, Hunter Dr. Osto Hyle: Lead researcher Mr. & Mrs. Graves: Photon Engineer, Geneticist WORKS (Government military) AI: Olga, Calus, & Vol Opt (meant to assist with Pioneer 1 research and step 2 of MOTHER) - AI Purposes: - Vol Opt: Security - Calus: Information - Olga: Contact, nearly identical specs to Calus (unsure if these two count as AI as they aren't mentioned much) - MOTHER: evolution & control - Delta: Caretaker of MOTHER Established buildings Gal Da Val Island - Research Facility (Houses Delta/MOTHER Vortex and will house Olga) Mines - Robot building plant (+All mine enemies) - Houses Calus (EPI)& Vol Opt - Dr. Osto's first lab (mines 2) Forest - Central Dome: supplies, communication center

Exploration begins followed quickly by construction. Animals are noted as friendly and docile.

Dr. Osto & Graves create a mutant life form for unmentioned reasons, it starts off small, but has the ability to self-replicate.

Ruins are discovered by Flowen. Military WORKS sends in investigation team. Everyone becomes possessed, then dies turning into the bad guys as portrayed in the quest: From the Depths. Flowen leads a second team in. Falz is unsealed and kills everyone but Flowen, leaving him wounded. When he escapes, Falz is sealed again.

Flowen's wound is infected with both D-Cells and Parasitic Gene Flow, causing them to be alive in their own. Osto calls this a "D-Type Factor". Flowen knows his time is short, and pledges his body to Dr. Osto for research under 2 conditions. - A letter is set to his family informing them of his death. - That pioneer 2 is postponed/stopped from reaching Ragol (Spoilers: Neither request are honored)

Flowen is unaware of the Central Control Area's existance until he is brought there.

Olga is moved to the SeaBed, where Osto had been working on developing a super soldier. Construction of the Cental Dome is completed. Flowen's body is merged with Olga in hopes of controlling it. In failure Olga Flow is dumped into the Testing Subject Disposal Area.

Scientists tried moving De Rol due to his size. De Rol kills the scientists and escapes through the ducts. Its tentacles that stab you during battle is what caused the mutation of the cave's dwellings'. (Barbra Ray is a speculated open or salt-water variant)

War continues on Coral and the 10 Nation Alliance is weakening. Instead of telling the Government to stop Pioneer 2, Osto calls Ragol a "Paradise World" and gets the approval to make bioweapons.* Pioneer 2 starts route.

Animals becoming violent and infected causes Rico to begin investigating. Rico activates the pillars upon investigating them, being under the impression they were built to commemorate the landing of Pioneer 1 from the government, however concluding this was a lie. Rico investigates until her demise and leaves confirming messages that: the ruins is a spaceship from the Algo star system of the Original Phantasy Star series to seal Dark Falz, the reborn Profound Darkness every 1000 years to reborn itself from hate as the seal weakens.

On Pioneer 2, Dr. Montague is working on developing Elenor/Mother 00 and Ult/Mother 01 and Elly Person begins contact with Calus.

Pioneer 2 reaches Ragol (approx 7 years)

Explosion caused by Dark Falz in Central Dome occurs when connection is attempted, everyone from Pioneer 1 is killed with the exceptions of Mutated Rico & Mutated Flowen.

Vol Opt's security system is breached due to explosion and corrupted due to unusual Photons & D Cells causing everything in the Mines to attack.

Calus reaches out to Elly for "help" but has been corrupted and craves a human body. Elly backs up & stores his data before he shuts himself down.

Military attempts to take over Ult following Dr. Osto's plans. Eleanor & Ult fuse to become MOTHER, briefly, as due to abnormal Photon energies, its too much for Eleanor.

Calus data is used by Pioneer 2 to begin development of the "CALs system." This is part of a navigation system any Hunter can access. (Like Rico's messages, the floating things that drop you info in episode 2, is part of "Calus".)

Natasha Milarose receives a message from someone on Ragol leaving the impression that someone from Pioneer 1 is still alive on Gal Da Val Island.

Going through VR testing with Elly before permission to reach the island, Calus has form of a FOmar. (techincally there are 2 one with red eyes and one with blue eyes, one loves Elly and wants to be with her aw the other is always basically on the clock doing what its suppose to. ((Assuming this is due to abnormal photons and having 2 of the same system on top of each other which is CAL system active in VR field as well as on Elly, the operator, but no info.)))

Flowen leaves messages using Olga AI through the terminals you use to unlock the Central Control Area. (all terminals in the Seabed belong to Olga)

Calus enters the MOTHER vortex in expectation of being evolved with a true physical form to be with Elly.

Delta admits Dr. Osto abandoned her and the MOTHER system. (though the "abandonment" could have been due to a multitude of reasons with how full his hands were getting.)

I think this mostly wraps up the timeline covering entirely episodes 1&2

Extra stuff:

Flowen's full dialogue

MAG* - "A mag is a core of D-Cells surrounded by metal plating. The D-Cells are kept in control by an "Emotional AI". This means any mag is actually a cyborg of some sort, because they are a fusion of living and mechanical tissue. This is also why spraying them with various medical items causes them to change their shape so drastically.

"This is also why they can do the Photon Blast. The mag is able to absorb the energy from your photonic attacks on enemies, and also to absorb the pain from hits and turn it into photon. They had mags doing PBs on Coral, where the blasts did not take on a particular shape. The things you see in your PBs on Ragol look the way they do because the abnormal photon count, and D-cell count on Ragol is really high. The PB animals look like dark enemies, but with light color bodies. This is the influence of Ragol." - Translated from The Book of Hunters (Eleanor & Ult also carry D-cells)

Bioweapons - The bioweapons scientists of Pioneer 1 were making included using D-Cells, Parasitic Gene Flow, and living beings. This extended from animals, to plants, to even the scientists themselves in efforts of creating a "super solder". The reason behind this is because Falz is seen as an eternal entity, and that's what the scientists want to harness for themselves. Montague does a similar process, but instead using monster parts and photon energy from the mutated creatures, as oppose to mutated genes, to create weapons.

Links to information that helped me accumulate all this: phantasystardynasty PScave (I have dialogue with Flowen's text linked, if you want dialogue from another quest, just change the text between "script/" and ".html" to the quest of the dialogue you want to look out without spaces) Fandom Wiki (multiple pages from this one) This Tumblr post

[jimharrisart]

James Wallace Harris: Self-replicating Surface Probe - KMT-2016-BLG-2321L b. Acrylic marker and ink on paper 4.75" x 6.75" March 6, 2025. https://www.saatchiart.com/en-jp/art/Drawing-Self-replicating-Surface-Probe-KMT-2016-BLG-2321L-b/292357/12605685/view #dessin #exotictechnology #drawing #spazio #weltraum #kunst #zeichnung #aerospace#futurism #futurismo

[silver-eater]

I've been getting more into dyson sphere program and the lore regarding the enemies is pretty neat.

Essentially, before the icarus program was set up, which sends mecha to distant star clusters to build factories that in turn will build dyson spheres to send energy to power humanity's simulated paradise, Homeland. Humans had sent out self replicating probes to perform this task, possessing the ability to evolve and adapt, the machine hive would passively grow to collect matter and energy to power Homeland. But eventually the hives evolutionary algorithms led it do deviate from its intended purpose, by the time the icarus program had started, the now named Dark Fog had entirely stopped following orders, and is now a self replicating menace to many industrial efforts.

Though, the Dark Fog drops useful resources, and is functionally endless if you don't destroy the hives, so some mecha see them as less of a threat and more as unconventional cattle. Choosing to build perimeters around the bases, goad them into attacking, and as the Dark Fog's evolutionary algorithms are stimulated by the presence of external threats, it grows stronger and drops more useful resources.

[frank-olivier]

The Search for Alien Life and the Mystery of UFOs: A Scientific Perspective

The possibility of alien life existing in the universe has long fascinated humans, sparking intense debate and speculation. The Fermi Paradox, first proposed by physicist Enrico Fermi, asks, "Where is everybody?" or, more specifically, "Why haven't we encountered any signs of intelligent extraterrestrial life?" This paradox has led to a range of hypotheses, from the optimistic view that intelligent life is abundant in the universe to the pessimistic view that we are alone.

From a scientific perspective, the probability of intelligent life existing elsewhere in the universe is not zero. In fact, the Drake equation, developed by Dr. Frank Drake, estimates the number of extraterrestrial civilizations in the galaxy that might be able to communicate with us. While the equation is based on a series of variables that are difficult to estimate, it suggests that the probability of intelligent life existing elsewhere in the universe is quite high. For example, if we assume that 10% of stars have a planet in the habitable zone, and that 10% of those planets develop intelligent life, and that 10% of those civilizations develop a technology that allows them to communicate with us, then the number of extraterrestrial civilizations in the galaxy that might be able to communicate with us is estimated to be in the thousands.

However, the search for extraterrestrial life is not just about probability; it's also about the possibility of detection. The universe is vast, and the distances between stars are enormous, making it difficult to detect signs of life. The speed of light is the maximum speed at which any object can travel, and even at this speed, it would take many years to reach the nearest star outside of our solar system. This has led to the development of alternative theories, such as the idea of a Von Neumann probe, a self-replicating machine that could travel to other star systems and establish a presence without the need for faster-than-light travel.

The possibility of alien life is not just a theoretical concept; it has also been explored in the context of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings. UAPs are sightings of unidentified flying objects that cannot be explained by known natural phenomena or man-made objects. While some UAP sightings can be explained by misidentification of natural phenomena or man-made objects, others remain unexplained. The US government's All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), was established to investigate UAP sightings and determine their origin. Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, the former director of AARO, has stated that the office's approach was to follow the data and be open to all hypotheses, including the possibility of alien life.

However, the search for alien life is not just about the possibility of detection; it's also about the possibility of explanation. The military sensors used to detect UAPs are designed to identify large, fast-moving objects, such as missiles or aircraft, and are not designed to detect smaller, slower-moving objects such as drones or weather balloons. This means that many UAP sightings can be explained by the presence of these types of objects, and the remaining unexplained sightings do not necessarily imply the presence of alien life.

In fact, Dr. Kirkpatrick has stated that none of the data collected by AARO supported the theory of alien life, and that the office's rigorous scientific method was used to test a range of hypotheses, including the possibility of advanced technology or natural phenomena. This suggests that the search for alien life is a complex and multifaceted issue that requires a nuanced approach.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties involved, the search for alien life remains an exciting and important area of research. The possibility of discovering evidence of extraterrestrial life would be a groundbreaking finding that would have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and our place within it. It would also raise new questions and challenges, such as the ethics of communication with alien life and the potential consequences of making contact.

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick: What a Pentagon Scientist Found Out About UFOs (Event Horizon, October 2024)

Monday, November 4, 2024

[positron2399]

Who lies within the night sky?

“Survival of the fittest” is an often misunderstood quote, “fittest” doesn’t mean being the strongest smartest, most complex critter, but being adequate enough to survive and reproduce in whatever environment the organism finds itself in.

That being said, don’t expect a species that can reach the stars to be stupid wimps, and if they ever glance in our direction, pray they liked what they say, at least for passive indifference. Those nuclear firecrackers and men with peashooters likely won’t even scratch the “cleaning products.”

Even those who merely wish to control and conquer with “primitive” technology are still going to use self-replicating probes armed with railguns capable of shooting nukes and telephone pole-sized tungsten rods like a semi-automatic, God forbid a full-auto.

This doesn’t mean space is a “Dark Forest,” however, as it’s not exactly easy to hide with all that nothing, as far as those much smarter than me can tell. So all the Xeno’s crimes against intelligence will be visible for all to see. Still, even if there’s another civilization out there who could protect us, whether it be completely alien to the attackers or merely another faction of their race, at the quickest, it’ll be years before the omnicide is seen, but more likely, decades or centuries give how “slowly” light crawls across space.

[littlewormgrant]

Bobiverse: Taking Another Approach

Bob Clone - Leela (OC) 928 words

A/N: This is completely self indulgent fic and not my usual gibberish but I'm a fan of the Bobiverse series and wanted to tackle a plot that I felt didn't quite land for me in the books. Also I just wanted to geek out over space and one of my favorite systems. I'm writing the kind of things I'd want to read.

Summary: I came online, aptly named myself Leela, then stuck around and completed the tasks I was created for. I wasn’t the first Bob to identify as female and I certainly wouldn’t be the last. The moment I was given the green light to go, I was getting the hell out of there. (A canon compliant one-shot fic continuing from where the Dragon plotline was left off in Book 5: Not Till We Are Lost. Spoilers ahead if you've not read it.)

---

The worst part of immortality was how it didn’t also strip me of my humanity. I’d have thought by now the replicative drift would’ve beaten it out of me.

I could have been doing anything I wanted in this little corner of the universe, and I’m still trying to scratch an itch that has been plaguing me since Bob’s time on Earth. Sometimes, being a Von Neumann probe was about as much fun as trying to bathe and pill a cat. Spike was never a fan of water and had been even less tolerant of it whenever meds were involved.

I came online, aptly named myself Leela, then stuck around and completed the tasks I was created for. I wasn’t the first Bob to identify as female and I certainly wouldn’t be the last. The moment I was given the green light to go, I was getting the hell out of there.

Surveying the Dragons was interesting and all, but it had been almost a year since Bridget and Howard’s escapades, and we still couldn’t even get close enough with our Drannies without a buzz of angry noises and spears being chucked at us. I guess some grudges do hold. Could you blame them?

The predictions that they’d have centuries on Lemuria were vastly underestimating just how devastating the volcanoes were going to be each cycle. We’d be left with a minuscule fraction of the population we started with after this beatdown. Some of us didn’t want to wait around to see what untold horrors the next would bring. Not to mention the damage it’ll do to their genetic diversity.

Honestly, I probably could’ve stuck around a few more decades and tried working on it with them, but it felt like beating a dead horse at this point. The planet still sucked. We weren’t wanted. It was like being back on Earth with Faith all over again.

Jabberwocky was quickly becoming difficult to observe through the layer of thick atmosphere the volcanoes in Atlantis were producing. By all accounts, the Dragon’s shouldn’t have survived this long but they were hanging on, so I guess we had some moral responsibility to help.

Stupid humanity.

I’d have been more reluctant to go if I was completely abandoning them to their fate, but Marlow was in-system already working with the others on an evacuation plan for those still stranded on Atlantis. A colony ship was already underway in off-chance he was able to save anyone. I felt more useful setting out to survey another possible accommodation for those who were willing to leave.

TRAPPIST-1 is a mere 9 percent the mass of our sun back in Sol, the entire system can fit comfortably within the space of Mercury’s orbit. All huddled around the remnants of a campfire. With planets being so close together they would interfere with each other gravitationally, causing large tidal changes on all sides - which was both a good and bad thing when looking for a potential spot for squishy humans that aren’t all that great at swimming. But maybe not such a problem for Dragons if we could set them up with artificial platforms that imitate floaters. Then there was the case of ensuring they had a diet they could sustain themselves on. I’d tell myself that was a problem for some other future Bob, but knowing my luck I’d be the sucker to do it.

I understand why this system wasn’t selected for other colonial projects. The Aquarius constellation had roughly 12-17 stars that hosted known exoplanets. There’s potentially 300 million other habitable planets to pick from in our galaxy alone, and if the focus was more on G-class stars like our own in the Sol system, then that’s still at least a good 21 million potential habitats to pick from before TRAPPIST would even make the cut.

That’s not accounting for all the planets claimed by those species that had packed up and jumped ship already. Or any more like the Others that were picking them clean. I wasn’t being overly picky in where I surveyed first, it was as good a place to start as any. Maybe a small part of me wanted to geek out over a system with potentially more than one habitable planet. They were few and far between.

Red dwarf stars would certainly outlive all others. They made up more than half of all stars and were likely the last to be around to see the end of time, but that also came with cons of its own. The habitable zone for such stars being so much closer to their host meant they were one tiny fart of plasma away from all kinds of damage to technology and the magnetic spheres.

Once I made it there I’d have to assess if this was a big enough risk to pursue or not. It didn’t help these stars were all pumped up on beans compared to yellow dwarfs. So really, it was a good thing Dragons haven’t gotten to the technological stages of their advancement. One less thing for them to complain about I suppose.

Plus, you know, our galaxy was about to be hit with the mother of all black holes in the distant future. Not an immediate threat but it was absolutely a danger to everything we’ve been building towards. This only had to be a temporary solution for now, right? I could pack up and go on my way again and not be roped into any more Dragon bullshit. Probably, hopefully...

Please don’t let me get roped back in.

[futurebird]

Happy 3rd Birthday to my Camponotus nicoborensis queen and her lovely daughters!

This photos shows beginnings of a colony now in the thousands. It starts with one ant, the queen, this is my Camponotus nicoborensis queen 2 years ago with her first workers. The first workers are called nanitics and smaller than all the workers that follow. They are the product of the fat & food in the queen’s body when she flies. (hence small size)

Imagine running a marathon, getting uh ‘married,’ building a house & giving birth to 3 kids all without eating anything! This queen will soon be 3 years old! This photo is the colony at its most fragile moment. The queen is nearly starving and her little workers must find food for her or it will fail. Happily these ants live in a plush ant resort with frozen fruit flies and sugar water right by their nest for the easy taking. They won’t need to fight rivals to get this food or worry about being eaten by a spider on the way there. In nature it’s not so easy. Most new colonies never make it.

I sometimes compare queen ants to self-replicating probes containing everything needed, including the wits, to set up a city from next to nothing. Some queens fly with a bit of the fungus their species has domesticated for agriculture, others fly holding a pregnant scale insect in their mandibles— aphid like creatures domesticated by ants to produce honeydew for their meals.

The queen and her supplies are together an information-dense self-organizing package— bigger than a single species.

[kitlivingstone]

A von Neumann probe is a theoretical self-replicating spacecraft, conceptualized by mathematician John von Neumann. It’s designed to explore space far more efficiently than conventional spacecraft.

Key Features:

1. Self-Replication: The most notable feature is its ability to replicate itself. Using raw materials harvested from asteroids or other celestial bodies, a von Neumann probe can construct new versions of itself, enabling a single probe to eventually become a fleet.

2. Autonomy: These probes are designed to operate independently, without the need for direct human control. They would use advanced AI to make decisions, navigate space, and identify resources for self-replication.

3. Exploration and Research: Equipped with scientific instruments, von Neumann probes can conduct extensive research, from studying celestial bodies to searching for signs of life.

4. Longevity: Since they can create copies of themselves, von Neumann probes could theoretically continue their missions indefinitely, exploring farther reaches of space over time.

Potential Uses:

• Deep Space Exploration: They could venture far beyond our solar system, exploring and studying distant galaxies and stars.

• Astrobiology: Their extended missions make them ideal for searching for extraterrestrial life.

• Data Collection: Continuously gathering and sending back data about the universe.

In essence, a von Neumann probe represents a self-sustaining, enduring approach to space exploration, potentially allowing humanity to explore the cosmos on a scale far beyond current capabilities.

[clonemediaarchive]

Compilation of cloning fiction. I’ll update periodically.

“The Bobiverse saga” by Dennis E. Taylor

A human turned Von Neuman probe (a self replicating space machine) makes independent copies of himself in the dead of space. Gave me a panic attack from the existentialism and I never finished it. For normal people, I’m sure it's great.

“Mickey7” by Edward Ashton

A space station creates copies of its workers when they perish. Titular character gets copied when he is presumed dead, leading to two of him. Sequel “Antimatter Blues” doesn’t focus on cloning.

“Duplicate” by Alex Feinman

Similar to Mickey7 but if the copies revolted against the space faring company. They create a crew after setting the machine to constantly clone themselves as they work to escape their shit situation.

“Liminal States” by Zach Parsons

A cowboy and his rival fall into an immortality ooze. They resurrect from it whenever they die, but occasionally it spits out a duplicate of either of them. Love cowboys.

“Kiln People” by David Brin

Society where temporary duplicates is the norm. Lots of dehumanization for these “golems”, who die after a day and whose only hope for continuation is having their memories absorbed. Pretty fucked up.

“Cube” by Michael Whetzel

Man gets duplicated (alongside his dog) by an anomalous cube, becoming three semi hive-minded clones. They go off to live separate lives.

“Snakeskins” by Tim Major

In this world rich people just spontaneously create duplicates(called “skins” I think) that rejuvenate their bodies. These duplicates are usual temporary, horrifically disintegrating moments after duplicating. Some rich folk’s clones don’t vanish though and they have a growing stockpile of duplicates.

“Mirror Image” by Michael G. Coney

An alien creature is found upon colonization that perfectly duplicates a person’s loved one. Those with enough of an ego create a duplicate of themself. This alien will even create composite personas when around multiple people. Super trippy and surprisingly sympathetic to the aliens.

“Parallelities” by Alan Dean Foster

Deals with the phenomenon of parallel universe selves meeting each other. Random people find exact doubles of themselves or slightly different versions.

“Scott too” by Victor Giannini

A regular ol guy gets duplicated one night without explanation. They diverge, one remaining lazy while the other grows to be better and more successful.

“Mysterious Strangers” by Dayle Courtney

The main characters, Eric and Allison, meet two amnesiac duplicates of themselves at the police station.

“Past Continuous” by K. Ryer Breese

A man meets parallel selves, becoming a partner in crime with one of them. Inevitably though he is forced to absorb them all.

“Cellmates” by Robert Alan Burton

Ten clones of the same man discover each other's existences. Some are completely identical in fashion and personality and some aren’t.

“Falling Sideways” by Tom Holt

Cloning vats are a seemingly mundane object in the world that one can spawn permanent duplicates from. The plot hinges on it, a vat controlled by a shady man with an enormous amount of clones of himself that come about due to him not being very careful with his own DNA around the vat. Also some characters are humanoid frogs, which was a strange and funny bit of worldbuilding. Idk why they are frogs.

“Annals of the Heechee” by Frederik Pohl

Doppels can be used in which a person is synthetically replicated, allowing them to be in two places at once. The Doppel of them is treated as expendable and is terminated once it has finished its task.

“Midas” by Wolfgang Jeschke

Copies of people can be produced. These copies are inexplicably tangled mentally with their originals at first, but the connection erodes with separation. There is still a sympathy that comes with interacting copies and originals.

“Target Silverclaw” by Simon Cheshire

Sir Godfrey meets an identical android of himself.

“View from another shore” by Ed. Franz Rottensteiner

A man, Trurl (weird name), creates numerous digital duplicates of himself to run research. He is quick to think he can easily dispose of them, but ethics is taken into consideration.

“Doomship” by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson

Main character, Ben Pertins, uses an interplanetary form of “transportation” that duplicates a person across the galaxy. Both the original and copy are considered “Ben Pertins” and are considered equally real. This can be seen when Ben’s wife worries about her other husband who is likely in danger despite being with his counterpart on earth.

“Clade” edited by Madison Scott-Clary

Universe in which people are uploaded. They can create branches of themselves. These duplicates can be reconverged or become indépendant. Clade is a collection of stories about that setting, my favorite being a writer who makes duplicates that focus on specific genres. Lots of furry stories too though, which is dépendant on the person if that’s a pro or a con

“The Man Who Folded Himself” by Davis Gerold

A man can do a strange mixture of time travel and parallel universe jumping. He forms a codependent relationship with the him that jumps back in time commonly to a day before, there always being a version of him that has been through that day before. There are also alternate selves.

“Cloned Again: An Absurd Short Story” by Shelley Dawn Siddall

A man, Marvin, is initially cloned once by his family while on a mission in deep space. After leaving that initial clone on a planet, they decide to clone Marvin again. They leave the cloning machine on and the clones decide to rescue the initial clone. Cloning seems super casual in this novel, which is funny.

“L’Énigma de Givreuse” by J.-H Rosny. Translated and adapted by Brian Stableford as “The Givreuse Enigma”.

One of the first written instances of duplication of a character (ignoring old old stuff like the Monkey King). A soldier is duplicated in two during a battle and comes home as two. They like each other’s company, feeling like halves of one another.

“11 of me” by Jiae Go and Jaeyeong Yeong

A very well made WEBTOON that follows a man using an antique Time Machine to produce paradox duplicates rather than time travel much. They all live together and share a life.

"Replica" by Paul Jenkins and Andy Clark

A high quality comic about a man who accidentally orders a large amount of clones. These clones help him with his detective work and have a large variation in personality.

"Galaxy Trucker Double Trouble" by Jason A. Holt

A novel written to subverse clone infighting tropes. This man gets duplicated, immediately befriends his clone and works to share his life with him. They even enter into a throuple with their wife and start a family. Very wholesome.

“All My Alter-Egos Are Tycoons” by ?????

A manhwa isekai comic about a man who awakens the power to create clones of himself that he is mentally connected to and can hive mind with. Pretty interesting

[alys-is-rabbit]

Some people seem to imagine the book reading audience is just their tumblr mutuals and like, I'm sorry but you're competing with the book series with the premise "a guy got his personality uploaded onto a self replicating exploration probe and now he has to try to avoid playing god with a legion of himselves while trying to save a post nuclear apocalypse human race"

[tessolve12]

The Future Of Test Engineering In Chiplet And 3d Ic Architectures

Traditional monolithic designs are giving way to modular chiplet and 3D IC architectures in the semiconductor industry. This change opens the door to further integration and performance opportunities while addressing the escalating problems caused by Moore's Law. These sophisticated systems do, however, present special test engineering difficulties that traditional approaches are ill-equipped to handle. In order to guarantee reliability and performance in these next-generation semiconductor designs, test methodologies must change, as this article examines crucial Quality Engineering Services features for chiplet and 3D IC architectures.

Pre-Bond Testing: The Foundation of Reliable Integration

The crucial initial stage of quality control for chiplet designs is pre-bond testing. Each component needs to be thoroughly inspected to find any possible flaws before the separate chiplets are physically linked. By stopping defective parts from entering the integration process, this step avoids the expensive waste of perfectly good chiplets. In order to handle ever thinner silicon wafers, testing engineers must use specialized probe techniques that can reach smaller test pads. Effective pre-bond testing techniques must be implemented by striking a balance between thoroughness and pragmatism, as too much testing might increase expenses while too little testing could result in dependability problems with the finished product.

Die-to-Die Interface Testing: Ensuring Seamless Communication

Die-to-die interface testing is crucial because the communication channels between chiplets serve as the framework for multi-die systems. Across physical boundaries, these interfaces must consistently transport massive volumes of data at lightning-fast rates while preserving signal integrity. Verifying these interfaces presents special difficulties for test engineers, such as the necessity to replicate real-world operational circumstances and the scarcity of physical access points. Built-in self-test circuits are becoming more and more important, and new ways that combine structural and functional testing approaches are emerging. Test product engineering solutions must constantly modify their methods when die-to-die communication standards change in order to guarantee that these vital interfaces continue to function flawlessly under a variety of circumstances.

Through-Silicon Via Inspection: Navigating the Vertical Dimension

Reliability is crucial to system performance because Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) act as the vertical highways that connect various layers in 3D IC layouts. These tiny holes drilled into silicon need meticulous production accuracy as well as equally stringent post-manufacturing inspection methods. To find tiny flaws like microvoids, fractures, or misalignments that can jeopardize electrical connection, test engineers use specialized equipment that uses ultrasonic, infrared, and X-ray technology. As TSV dimensions decrease and densities rise, the testing problem becomes more difficult and calls for increasingly advanced detection techniques. Engineers may now confirm TSV integrity during the production process without jeopardizing the structural integrity of these sensitive channels thanks to the ongoing development of innovative non-destructive testing techniques.

Thermal Management Verification: Controlling the Heat Factor

Since heat produced by lower layers is retained by upper layers, the stacked architecture of 3D integrated circuits poses previously unheard-of thermal problems that might result in performance loss or even irreversible damage. Advanced thermal testing techniques that can precisely detect and forecast the temperature distribution throughout the stack while it is operating must be developed by test engineers. Using infrared imaging methods, sophisticated thermal simulation models, and integrated thermal sensors are all part of this. Worst-case power consumption patterns are among the many operational situations that must be taken into consideration throughout the verification process. The validation of dynamic thermal management systems that can modify chip performance in real-time to maintain ideal operating temperatures throughout the whole integrated structure is becoming more and more important to test engineers as chiplet designs get more intricate.

Known-Good-Die Strategies: Maximizing Assembly Yield

The basis for producing chiplets in an economically feasible manner is the known-good-die (KGD) method. The idea is simple but difficult to put into practice: to optimize final assembly yield, thoroughly test and validate each individual die before integrating them. To obtain near-perfect defect detection rates without significantly increasing production costs, test engineers must create specialized wafer-level and die-level test procedures. This entails finding a careful balance between test economics and test coverage. This method is optimized by the use of adaptive test flows, in which test parameters change in response to trends in production data. KGD tactics continue to change as chiplet topologies become more varied, with a growing focus on standardized test procedures that preserve uniformity across different chiplet designs from different manufacturers.

Power Integrity Testing: Ensuring Stable Operation Under Load

The intricate problem of preserving a steady voltage and current distribution across multi-die systems under a range of operating loads is addressed by power integrity testing. There are many possible sites of failure because of the various power needs of distinct chiplets and the intricate power delivery systems required to sustain them. Even during periods of high processing demand, test engineers must confirm that power rails retain the proper voltages without making excessive noise or drooping. This calls for specialized testing apparatus that can concurrently monitor several power domains and replicate real-world power consumption patterns. Test procedures must change when chiplet designs include more complex power management features in order to confirm dynamic voltage and frequency scaling across die borders and guarantee that power-saving measures operate as intended without endangering system stability.

System-Level Testing: Verifying End-to-End Functionality

The final stage of verification is system-level testing, where engineers make sure the integrated chiplet assembly works as intended as a whole. All functional requirements, performance measurements, and reliability indicators of the finished product must be confirmed by this thorough testing process. The difficulty for test engineers is to create test plans that are both economical and comprehensive enough to handle the intricate relationships between many chiplets working together. This frequently calls for specialized test tools and advanced software that can put the system through a variety of operational situations. System-level testing is increasingly using artificial intelligence approaches to detect small performance irregularities and anticipate possible failure causes before they materialize in field circumstances as chiplet-based systems get more complicated.

Conclusion

An interesting intersection of innovation and difficulty exists in test engineering for chiplet and 3D IC pcb board design. Test procedures must keep developing as these cutting-edge designs become more widely used in order to guarantee dependability without causing delays in time to market. The rate of acceptance and eventual success of these ground-breaking semiconductor designs will be greatly impacted by the industry's capacity to work together to create efficient test solutions. The upcoming generation of high-performance computing systems will be made possible by more advanced, automated, and standardized test methodologies.