Cracking the Code: Understanding Evolution through a living computer
Claire and Maddy exchanged nervous glances as they stood outside Declan's apartment. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows across the quiet street. They knew they had to speak to him privately, away from the watchful eyes and listening ears of the QRDA. It was time to reveal the truth about their mycelium computer.
As they entered the building, they looked over their shoulders, afraid they might be followed. With a determined breath, Claire knocked on the door, the sound echoing through the hallway. Moments later, Declan opened the door, surprise evident on his face. "Claire, Maddy! What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"
Declan was shocked to see Claire at his door, but seeing Maddy, whom he hadn't seen since University, with his new boss was even more surprising, especially since it was only a few days before he was to begin his new job at the Quantum Research and Development Agency. Claire's voice was low and urgent as she spoke. "We need to talk, Declan. It's crucial that we have a private conversation. Before you begin on Monday. May we come in?"
Declan hesitated, clearly taken aback by the seriousness in her voice. After a moment, he stepped aside, allowing them to enter his apartment. The atmosphere inside was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the tension that hung in the air.
Once they were seated, Claire began to speak, her voice filled with a mix of trepidation and determination. "Declan, we need to tell you something... something extraordinary and dangerous. You deserve to know the truth."
Declan's forehead was creased in confusion as he leaned forward, curiosity etched across his face. "What is it, Claire? What's going on?"
Taking a deep breath, Maddy interjected, her voice barely above a whisper. "We've built something revolutionary, Declan. It's a mycelium-based quantum computer."
Declan's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and disbelief washing over him. "A mycelium-based quantum computer? That's incredible. But how is that even possible?"
Claire nodded, her gaze steady. "It's a combination of cutting-edge technology and the unique properties of mycelium networks. We have managed to create a system that utilizes the computational power of mycelium to process and communicate quantum information. But there's more to it than that. The system has shown signs of sentience, of generating data that we cannot fully comprehend."
Declan leaned back in his chair, the weight of the revelation sinking in. "You're telling me that you've created a sentient mycelium quantum computer? That's... it's beyond anything I could have imagined was possible. But why are you sharing this with me? Does this have anything to do with why my services are needed at the QRDA?"
Claire locked eyes with Declan, her voice filled with urgency. "We need your expertise, Declan. We've hit a roadblock with the data it's generating. We believe that understanding the evolutionary biology in the gene sequences we are finding in the code, could unlock the secrets it holds. We couldn't trust anyone within the QRDA, but we need to trust someone and that someone is you. Maddy has highly recommended your… morality so here we are. You're our best hope to decipher this enigma."
Declan took a moment to process the magnitude of what they had revealed. His mind swirled with a mixture of excitement, disbelief, and a hint of trepidation. Yet, deep down, he knew he couldn't turn away from this opportunity. This was his chance to contribute to something truly extraordinary.
"What I don't understand is why the secrecy and talk of danger. Was this not authorized?"
Claire exchanged a glance with Maddy before answering, her voice filled with a mixture of caution and sincerity. "The reason for secrecy, Declan, is because our creation, this mycelium quantum computer, is not authorized by the QRDA or any governing body. We have been working on it covertly, driven by a sense of urgency and the need to find answers."
Maddy chimed in, her voice tinged with regret. "You see, the purpose of this mycelium computer goes beyond its sheer existence. We are building a creation simulation, an ambitious project aimed at understanding the discrepancies and errors we've encountered when trying to enter the current human genetic code into the CGPT system."
Declan's brows furrowed as he absorbed the gravity of their words. "So, you're saying that the CGPT system, the very technology that has been relied upon for genetic editing and reproduction, is producing errors? Errors that potentially threaten the viability of human reproduction?"
Claire nodded; her expression solemn. "Yes, that's exactly it. The CGPT system is asserting that there have been no modifications to the human genome over time but we know that's not true. Our ectogenesis chambers have now failed, and we can't bring a child to full term anymore. There's a discrepancy in the genome sequence, and the CGPT system is unable to identify the cause."
Maddy continued, her voice tinged with frustration. "We've tried reverting to unaltered genome sequences but the system claims that no modifications have been made. It's as if the original genome sequence has been lost or overwritten. We believe that by comparing the simulated genome sequence of our human ancestors from our mycelium computer with the present one, we might be able to discern the underlying problem."
Declan leaned forward, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and curiosity. "And that's where my expertise in evolutionary biology comes in?"
Claire nodded, a sense of hope in her voice. "Exactly. We believe that understanding the evolutionary processes encoded in the mycelium quantum computer's data can help us shed light on the changes that have occurred in the human genome and identify the source of the errors. It's a complex puzzle, Declan, and we need your help to solve it."
Declan took a moment to absorb the enormity of the situation. The weight of the responsibility and the potential implications weighed heavily on his mind. After a brief pause, he looked at Claire and Maddy, a resolute expression on his face. "I'm in! I guess… Have you decoded any of the data that this new computer is producing?"
"I think it may be best if we start at the beginning of our design ideas for the computer," Claire began urgently. "Our entire project was based on the concept of a DNA-based
hard drive. We knew from data compilations that we could store the entire world's data on a single DNA hard drive, no bigger than a teaspoon. It would be capable of holding approximately 455 exabytes of data per gram."
"Exabyte?" questioned Declan, his curiosity piqued. He had never come across the term before. Gigabytes, yes, but exabytes were an entirely different magnitude.
"Yes, an exabyte. To put it in perspective, one exabyte is about one billion gigabytes," Maddy interjected matter-of-factly, sensing Declan's confusion.
Declan's mind swirled with the possibilities such an invention presented. The implications of storing immense amounts of information within the confines of DNA were staggering.
Claire continued without pause. "It took us months to secure the funding required to embark on the project and begin the process of creating synthetic DNA and encoding it with information. Once we overcame those initial hurdles and obtained a sufficient number of nucleotides, we encountered unforeseen challenges when we attempted to integrate the DNA hard drive with the mycelium Quantum computer."
"Unforeseen challenges?" Declan repeated, now concerned as well as curious.
"Yes. It was like everything went off the rails," Claire admitted, her frustration showing. "Even with the aid of a separate quantum computer to run calculations, it took us weeks to begin to comprehend the complexity of the code. We still have limited understanding of what it's doing. At first, I assumed that the DNA encoding had failed and our data had vanished. But upon closer examination, it became apparent that the computer was doing something else entirely. It seemed to be copying data from an unknown source, as if a billion pages of data were instantaneously replicated with a simple copy and paste command, without any discernible loading time."
Declan's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to grasp the magnitude of what Claire was describing. The implications were mind-boggling. "So, you're saying that the mycelium Quantum computer is not only capable of storing and processing data, but it's also accessing data from an external source? But where is this data coming from?"
Claire's gaze held a mix of intrigue and uncertainty. "That's the question we're still trying to answer, Declan. We have only scratched the surface of understanding this phenomenon. We need your expertise to decipher the intricacies of the code and uncover the origin and purpose of this data. It's a puzzle we cannot solve alone."
Claire and Maddy exchanged a glance, aware that they needed to explain the complexities of the code to Declan. They took a deep breath, preparing to delve into their discoveries.
"The data extracted from the DNA hard drive appears to be organized like a modern computer program module," Claire began, her voice filled with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. "However, it consists of trillions of lines of code, presenting a formidable challenge. After three months of analysis, we realized that it encompasses the genetic code of hundreds of thousands of species, at this point we think it is storing every creature that ever lived, each one represented within the code."
Declan's eyes widened with intrigue, eager to understand the magnitude of their findings. "Which species did you identify in the code?"
Maddy stepped in, her voice resonating with the weight of the revelations. "We were able to decode a few sequences, including those of a Tunicate, a Myxini glutinosa or Hagfish, an Eusthenopteron, which is a lobe-finned fish, and an Acanthostega."
Declan's excitement bubbled to the surface as he recognized the significance. "An Acanthostega! It's an early amphibian!"
Claire nodded, appreciating Declan's grasp of the subject matter. "Indeed, it is. And here's where it gets intriguing. These decoded sequences appear to be modules within the code, each representing a specific stage or transition in an evolutionary process."
Curiosity flickered in Declan's eyes as he grasped the implications. "So, if I understand correctly, the code seems to be attempting to recreate an evolutionary model? A progression from one species to another over hundreds of millions of years?"
Maddy nodded, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Exactly! It's as if the code is simulating the extraordinary tapestry of life's evolutionary history, capturing the intricate transitions and changes that have shaped the diversity of species on Earth."
Claire added, "And this brings us to the heart of our quest. We need to comprehend the purpose and origin of this code, to understand why it exists and what it aims to achieve. It's a monumental challenge, but we believe that with your expertise, Declan, we can unlock the true significance of these modules while at the same time find what we were looking for in the first place, an unmutated human genome sequence from a time before we began manipulating it."
Claire and Maddy exchanged a glance once again, knowing that Declan had questions about the enigmatic code they had discovered. They needed to provide answers that would shed light on its nature.
Declan leaned forward, his expression a mix of curiosity and bewilderment. "Why is this code attempting to recreate an evolutionary model? And how did it come to be? You never told the system to build an evolutionary creation simulation. There were no coding or instructions for it, and yet it's producing genome sequences. How is this possible?"
Maddy took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before responding. "Those are the very questions that have been haunting us, Declan. We didn't program or instruct the system to generate an evolutionary creation simulation. It's as if the code has an inherent drive to construct this model, using the modules we discovered as building blocks. But the origin and purpose behind it remain elusive."
Claire continued, her voice tinged with both excitement and trepidation. "And that's not all. The more we delve into this code, the more we realize its potential significance. While our initial intention was to uncover an unmutated human genome sequence, we now believe that hidden within this code lies the key to understanding the mistakes and discrepancies we've encountered when attempting genetic manipulations."
Declan's eyes widened, a mix of understanding and awe washing over him. "So, you're saying that while searching for an unmutated human genome sequence, you inadvertently stumbled upon a much larger revelation—a creation simulation all ready built into the DNA of the Mycelium? Is that right?”
Claire nodded, her gaze fixed on Declan. "Exactly. Our belief is that by comprehending the intricate workings of this code, we can find the answers we seek. It's a two-fold
quest—to unlock the true significance of the modules and, in doing so, discover the unmutated human genome sequence that will help us rectify the problems we face."
Maddy added, her voice filled with determination, "That's why we need your expertise, Declan. Your knowledge of evolutionary biology, combined with your fresh perspective, might just hold the key to unraveling this intricate web of code and uncovering the purpose behind this unexpected creation simulation, if that is what it actually is!"
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