Tag: culture

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the End of Plastic (2029) article, about the Tremella purgare fungus, released into the Gulf of Mexico after the TransAm War Oil Spill, and the knock-on impact of the attempted bioremediation.

This page has been listed as a level-3 vital article in Earth. If you can improve it, please do.

Deadly fungi?

Can an expert in this field please expand on or link to the meaning of ‘deadly fungus’ in the opening sentence. Deadly fungi is a disambiguation page and as a non-expert I am uncertain whether it applies here. — 8ditor

Update details

There’s some updated research explaining the spreading mechanism the fungi used to move from sea to land. The spores eject hard, and once airborne, can latch on to any oil-based synthetic material, and then they grow and digest it. Here’s the ref: (Spread of mycelium oil to plastics) — jamirazzz

Dumping an untested fungus into the environment like they’ve learnt nothing from biological pest control. — 8ditor

I think it was tested (Lab_Results_FUNGUS.PDF). Just not well enough, I guess. — SamePanicDifferentDisco

Article name

Doomsday doesn’t seem like a good fit for this article. It’s supposed to focus on the introduction of the oil-digesting fungus dumped into the Gulf of Mexico. — Kinoko

It does that in section one tho, look: Development and introduction into the ecosystem. It’s causing major chaos. — DoraTheExSpora

Chaos isn’t the same as doomsday. Suggest renaming to ‘Unintended consequences of fungal petrochemical control’. — Kinoko

Remove image

The picture of mushrooms sliced up on pizza can be confusing and might be dangerous. — thatplantguy

All suggestions that T. purgare fungus might be edible in the future should be removed to prevent potentially fatal mistakes. This includes any links to edible fungi in the initial description. — jamirazzz

Level-3 change to Level-2

Can an expert please confirm whether we can upgrade this page from Level-3 to Level-2 to reflect the current shitstorm now that plastic everywhere is basically disappearing? — Kinoko

I second this, the damage it’s causing to health equipment is crazy!

[This guy’s pacemaker disintegrated].

And there was that airplane that got holes in it while it was flying. Look: [Watch this airplane turn into swiss cheese!] — DoraTheExSpora

That footage needs to come with a trigger warning. I’ve unlinked them from the article. — thatplantguy

Misleading statement: Jelly seas???

Section four talks about the fungus (fungi?) eating all the microplastics in the ocean. But it talks about the seas turning to jelly, which is a misnomer. Sure, they’re more solid than previously, but when the plastics are all consumed, the fungi will die and it’ll become water again. — 47.71.232.208

Yeah, but that’s going to take a while. And look, [U gotta see this dude walking on water] and his shoes melt because of the doomfungus. Plus, all the fish and things are gonna die before the seas are free of microplastics.

Img.png

Img2.png — DoraTheExSpora

Is there a way to revoke edit access if DoraTheExSpora doesn’t stop posting triggering things? — thatplantguy

This stuff is really happening, though. You can’t deny it. — DoraTheExSpora

Death toll

Updated figures rolling in from accidents and medical issues in section four. Suggest this be moved up to the intro section to keep it easier to locate/update. Also have made a list of things that contain plastic that people might not expect to suddenly break down. Like clothes and orthopaedic implants. — SamePanicDifferentDisco

These figures are changing daily. Will add a link to the UN mortality stats page. — 8ditor

Sealing off computing equipment/bunkers

Has anyone else moved into their prepper bunker? Just checking if they’ve managed to sterilize everything before sealing in. — jamirazzz

Read more science fiction from Nature Futures

I just switched everything in the house over to metal. Like, the keyboard is an old metal typewriter that I rigged. — DoraTheExSpora

Remember that this is not a chat room. But, yes, everything in the bunker looks ok so far, everyone settling in. Nice to be away from the city, too. — SamePanicDifferentDisco

Temporary lag

Had to move to a new bunker, didn’t realize the sealant around the windows was sus. Plus, internet went down because a bunch of equipment got eaten. The UN mortality page has been moving too fast to keep this page updated. Suggest just putting a link in the page intro. — jamirazzz

I think we should big up the numbers, so more people take it seriously. Not like this dude [Watch this fool explode after drinking water with doomshroom in it!] — DoraTheExSpora

Petition to ban DoraTheExSpora for recidivism. — thatplantguy

Any updates?

I noticed there’s not been any updates for a few days. Family bunker life is keeping me busy, and so is managing the water situation. The filters were not designed for this. — SamePanicDifferentDisco

Checking in

Internet has also been very patchy the past few days. But if anyone has any updates, please feel free to post here. It would be good to know how regular contributors from different parts of the world are doing. I heard on the news that the seas haven’t actually turned back to liquid yet, and that’s really impacting things like weather. It would be good to hear from you folks. — SamePanicDifferentDisco

Still not heard anything

It’s been a few weeks since the last post and there’s been no updates. I don’t know if that means your internet is just down, or worse. Some internet services must still be running, because the UN is still updating their death toll, and there’s still news coming in through the radio. Anyway, I hope you’re all doing ok. — SamePanicDifferentDisco

Steampunk saved me

Glad I went with metal! Even bunkers aren’t safe, look [Doomfungus ate thru insulation and got this family!] — DoraTheExSpora

The Earth and I

James Lovelock et al. Taschen (2024)

Environmentalist James Lovelock, who died in 2022, is known for having proposed the Gaia hypothesis — that Earth is a self-regulating, complex system. With his last book, first published in German in 2017, he wished to prevent people from repeating humanity’s mistakes. It offers 12 essays on this theme by notable scientists, science writers, a philosopher and an economist, book-ended with shorter essays by Lovelock himself. “Our intelligence will enable life, in whatever form, to continue, into a deep and distant future,” he concludes.

The Knowledge Economy and Socialism

Agustín Lage Dávila Monthly Review (2024)

Unlike communist-ruled China and Russia, Cuba lacks both natural resources and a large internal market. So, to develop its economy, Cuba has focused since its 1959 revolution on science and technology. This has created “the developing world’s most established biotechnology industry”, as Nature noted in 2009. Cuban immunologist and communist Agustín Dávila analyses this history, which he says is reminiscent of Soviet scientific success pre-1970s, while openly admitting that he writes “to defend socialism”.

Otherworldly Antarctica

Edmund Stump Univ. Chicago Press (2024)

Over 40 years, geologist Edmund Stump has climbed, photographed and studied much of the 3,500-kilometre length of Antarctica’s Transantarctic Mountains — “my stomping ground” — including its highest summit. His book of photographs is his “homage to Antarctica, the continent of ice”, captioned by himself with playful illustrations by Marlene Hill Donnelly. Mountains, ice, snow and sea dominate, with remarkably few signs of life apart from distant fellow explorers, and steam belching from Mount Erebus’s noxious crater.

Cull of the Wild

Hugh Warwick Bloomsbury Wildlife (2024)

In 1958, China’s then leader Mao Zedong declared war on its sparrows, to conserve the grain harvest for its hungry population. But the massacre liberated insects — normally sparrow food — to eat the grain. No doubt ecologists could have warned him, but they cannot resolve the conflict between head and heart in all instances in which wild animals are culled for conservation. Whatever the animal, “any cull of the wild is very complicated”, writes ecologist and hedgehog expert Hugh Warwick in his fascinating, readable book.

Guardrails

Urs Gasser & Viktor Mayer-Schönberger Princeton Univ. Press (2024)

Throughout history, human decisions have been influenced by social customs, regulations and laws: guardrails. But artificial intelligence is complicating this relationship. “We challenge the mantra that more technology is the best answer to problems of human decision-making,” write governance researchers Urs Gasser and Viktor Mayer-Schönberger. They cite a devastating collision between two aircraft in 2002, caused by conflicting advice from an automated warning system and a human air-traffic controller. Andrew Robinson

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Region: Noctis Labyrinthus (Phoenicis Lacus quadrangle).

Highlights: Steep-walled canyon in Tharsis Plateau. Listed on Mars Historical Register.

Difficulty: Strenuous; technical at end.

Overview

This newly opened canyon trail retraces the journey of the infamous Peterson expedition of 2058. Hardcore trekkers (bring extra oxygen!) can follow the expedition’s original path; families and less-experienced hikers should loop back at either of the Jackson Alternatives.

Getting there

At Valles Marineris Station 20, rent a half-track. Follow Route 914 westward 1,152 km to the Habitat Jerry Historical Site Visitor Centre (vacuum toilets; recycled water and oxygen).

At the Visitor Centre

The centre features a life-size reproduction of Habitat Jerry’s original living quarters, control centre and communications hub. Adults and children will enjoy exploring these 2050s-era modules with an interactive autodocent simulating Mission Deputy Shonda Jackson.

The exhibits on the Peterson expedition are, for obvious reasons, less vivid.

Starting the trek

From the Visitor Centre, follow the interpretive trail alongside Habitat Jerry’s remnants. Trail signs interpret the remains of the greenhouse, hygiene facilities and (unsuccessful) emergency shelter.

At 0.8 km, a large titanium statue honours Mission Deputy Shonda Jackson, Mission Specialist Mike Kazami and Mission Specialist Lenise Kontrovitz. A smaller historical marker contextualizes Commander Nick Peterson.

Signpost 1

The trek begins in earnest at 1.3 km. Savour the views — the Tharsis Upland, with volcanic peaks Pavonis Mons and Arsia Mons, to the west; the steep-walled Noctis Labyrinthus canyon to the east — and imagine deciding the critical question after Habitat Jerry’s destruction by a still-raging dust storm: remain on-site and await rescue, or take cover in the canyon?

Signpost 2

The trail, now just bare regolith with occasional cairns, leads straight towards the canyon’s edge. Historians believe that Commander Peterson hoped to find shelter in a cliffside lava tube. Areology buffs: the steep-sided depressions in Noctis Labyrinthus are called ‘chasmata’.

Signpost 3: Jackson’s First Alternative

Families and less-experienced hikers should turn right at this junction. Jackson’s First Alternative leads to a wind-eroded mound near a small impact crater. The lee side offers a great place to rest; returning to the Visitor Centre makes an easy 4.8 km round trip. (In the unlikely event of a sudden dust storm during your visit, the mound’s lee side offers excellent protection.)

Read more science fiction from Nature Futures

The Peterson expedition, of course, continued onward, as will experienced trekkers. The trail descends into the canyon along a narrow ledge on the basalt-walled cliffside. At 6.3 km, notice the inscription “HJ CREW SOS — MK” cut into the rock. This carving (scratched by Specialist Mike Kazami’s utility knife) is protected; don’t add your own initials.

Continue 1.6 km down into the canyon. Notice that the view overhead is cramped; even on a bright day, little light penetrates. Unfortunately, Commander Peterson was wrong about the canyon’s safety; there are no convenient lava tubes, and owing to the Venturi effect, the canyon’s steep walls force wind to accelerate. However, the hiking is safe until Signpost 5.

Signpost 4: Jackson’s Second Alternative

This branch trail leads along a canyon-wall traverse for 2.8 km, then returns to the surface. Historians believe that Jackson argued for this path, but Peterson overruled her. The cliff wall offers a fine example of the brittle ‘smectite clay’ characteristic of the Noctis Labyrinthus system’s southern basin.

Most trekkers should take Jackson’s Second Alternative. Once back at the surface, it loops back, connects with Jackson’s First Alternative, and returns to the Visitor Centre for a 12.2 km loop. Returning now via Jackson’s Second Alternative offers the best of all worlds: a short descent into Noctis Labyrinthus, a genuine historical inscription, and a vigorous but manageable day hike. Only the strongest hikers should continue downward; the next segments remain treacherous even with recent trail work.

Those continuing should check oxygen levels (minimum: 0.7 kg). Remember: you brought extra oxygen, but the Peterson expedition couldn’t.

Signpost 5: Kazami Family Memorial

Climbing ropes mandatory beyond this point. The Kazami family donated the funds to install anchor points along the trail’s next segment. Because Peterson expedition narratives often focus on the conflict between Peterson and Jackson, a small, privately installed plaque honours the life and career of Specialist Mike Kazami.

The anchor points are spaced 2.5 metres apart owing to the technical terrain and unstable rock. Be smart: check your carabiners twice.

Signpost 6: Kontrovitz Resting Place

At this turn, Specialist Lenise Kontrovitz lost her footing — perhaps blown by the storm — and tumbled into the chasm. Her body has not been recovered, although some eagle-eyed (or imaginative) explorers claim they’ve seen it on the canyon floor 5 kilometres below, when wind blows away the fine sand.

Be respectful and thank the Kazami family for the anchor points.

Signpost 7

Another cliff-wall message, also apparently Kazami’s, is faded but legible: “HJ CREW — LOST — O2 LOW — LK DEAD — SOS.” Some historians believe that Jackson again attempted to persuade Peterson to abandon the descent. (The classic Habitat Jerry: Collapse and Catastrophe, available in the gift shop, imagines Jackson exasperated.) But there is no junction here, so the only other options were turning around, or waiting out the storm on this exposed gravelly ledge.

Signpost 8: Jackson’s Redoubt

A narrow ridge studded with green pyroxene crystals. Forensic experts believe that with the dust storm unabated, Kontrovitz dead and Peterson (probably hypoxic and cognitively impaired) insisting on descending farther into the chasm, Jackson confronted him here. She may have demanded that he relieve himself of command, or just decided to push past him and reverse course. History buffs can speculate; in any event, Commander Peterson’s knife is displayed at the Xanthe Terra Police Museum.

A metal chain marks the end of the Peterson Historic Trail. Return to the Visitor Centre for fresh oxygen and a hot chocolate.