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Each Tuesday, rather than a POSSIBLY
IRRITATING ESSAY, I'd like to both challenge you and lend a helping hand. I
generate more speculative and teen story ideas than I can ever use. My family
rolls its collective eyes when I say, "Hang on a second! I just have to
write down this idea..." Here, I'll include the initial inspiration
(quote, website, podcast, etc) and then a thought or two that came to mind.
These will simply be seeds -- plant, nurture, fertilize, chemically treat,
irradiate, test or stress them as you see fit. I only ask if you let me know if
anything comes of them.
SF Trope:
(reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmutation. I
think I’m going to mine THIS idea in various ways for a while!) biological
transmutation, more specifically covered here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_transmutation
So basically the
idea here is that ancient bacteria (actinidic
archaea) in the human body can transform phosphorus, (and I’ve read, silica
from sand), and magnesium into calcium via a nuclear addition of protons,
neutrons and electrons.
Speaking
simply…well, I think I’ll let a couple of characters take over here…
Seamus O’Neille
and Brooke Sherman glared at each other over the lab table. Brooke crossed her
arms over her chest and said, “The only reason I’ll work with you is because
Ms. Harkonnen said I had to.”
Seamus scowled,
his pale skin flushing red, making his freckles and red hair look dull by
comparison. “Yeah, well Ms. Harkonnen said I had better be your partner ‘cause
she felt sorry for you…”
Ms. Harkonnen –
who had neither threatened either one nor matched them out of pity – thought
they make a cute pair. She also knew that their IQs, if added up, would total
more than any THREE other students (and the teacher, she silently amended). If
their initial lab reports and test scores were any indication, Ms. Harkonnen
was fairly sure there were a dozen people in the room whose IQs wouldn’t total
the pair of young geniuses.
Ms. Harkonnen said
out loud to the class, “I want you to read the article on ‘biological
transmutation’ tonight and be prepared to discuss it tomorrow. I’ll also want
you to use the index in the text and a wiki search to find one reference that
favors it and one reference that refutes it. Now, back to work on the sheets.
Tomorrow we’ll also be starting energy levels.”
Seamus and Brooke
had finished glaring at each other when Seamus said, “It’s true. My sinseanathair
told tales of the Viviparous
Lizard that would eat lead and pass gold beads. He said it changed in the
Lizard’s intestines.”
“That’s ridiculous! I had the same ancestors as you and none of them ever
told absurd stories like that! You’ve got a brain between those ears, Seamus –
use it for something besides a doorstop for once!”
Ms. Harkonnen barely managed to damp her grin. She nodded to the two and
said, “It seems natural then that Seamus will lead the discussion from a
pro-biological transmutation stance and Brooke will lead the discussion from an
anti-biological transmutation stance.” The bell buzzed and she waved the class
away, saying, “Have a nice night!”
The division soon became obvious and an undercurrent of discussion
carried through every class that day – they were all in the International
Baccalaureate Diploma Program so they often had classes together. It also soon
became apparent that it was going to be a bit of “boys against the girls”.
By the time she got home, Brooke was hungry, tired and irritated all at
the same time. Dad met her at the door of the kitchen. He was a biochemist at
Princeton University. Brooke said, “So Dad, can you give me a few sources to
use to smash my nasty opponent in a debate tomorrow?”
Dad perked up as he sat on the bar stool, took and apple, bit into it,
chewed a bit then asked, “So, who’s the fool who decided to take you on and
what’s the subject?”
Brooke sniffed, “The fool is that idiot, Seamus O’Neille. The subject is
the absurdity of biological transmutation!”
Dad’s face suddenly went blank. He stood up abruptly, nearly knocking the
chair over as he said, “Oh, sorry Sweetie. Just remembered – I’ve got papers to
grade tonight…” He scurried away, leaving Brooke startled and bothered. What
would have made him act like that?
Names: ♀
Middle English, Middle English ; ♂ Celtic, Gaelic
Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Delta_IV_Medium%2B_(4,2)_lifts_off_with_GOES-N.jpg
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