Editing 2171: Shadow Biosphere
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Because organisms based on RNA would not have ribosomes, which are usually used to detect living microorganisms, they would be difficult to find in normal circumstances. | Because organisms based on RNA would not have ribosomes, which are usually used to detect living microorganisms, they would be difficult to find in normal circumstances. | ||
β | The comic suggests that this hypothetical biosphere exists, and its study is funded by "shadow biotech | + | The comic suggests that this hypothetical biosphere exists, and its study is funded by "shadow" biotech corporations, but anyone that studies it becomes undetectable. A "shadowy" figure, presumably a shadow biologist, is telling this to [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]], but they are not shadow biologists and can't hear him. |
The title text references {{w|desert varnish}}, an orange-yellow to black coating found on exposed rock surfaces in arid environments, which has been suggested as a potential candidate for a shadow biosphere. Unless a building was made with already-varnished rocks, it would be impractical to cover a building in desert varnish (it forms naturally on rocks over thousands of years). Ignoring its impracticality, the joke is that if a building were covered in desert varnish, it would supposedly be invisible to biologists who don't study the shadow biosphere. | The title text references {{w|desert varnish}}, an orange-yellow to black coating found on exposed rock surfaces in arid environments, which has been suggested as a potential candidate for a shadow biosphere. Unless a building was made with already-varnished rocks, it would be impractical to cover a building in desert varnish (it forms naturally on rocks over thousands of years). Ignoring its impracticality, the joke is that if a building were covered in desert varnish, it would supposedly be invisible to biologists who don't study the shadow biosphere. |