#space squids

[rangeraj]

just floating in the cosmos.

from chapter 13 of Interstellar Supernova

link to fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42415260/chapters/106518225

[charnel-grounds]

"Never underestimate the power of a machine... especially this Machine!"

Albert Roanoke Tilburne (1887–1965) - Illustration for Allison V. Harding's 'The Machine'

(Weird Tales, September, 1946)

[wheredidmyfacego]

So I want to talk about the senate hearing today. I only just watched some highlights, but here's my thoughts anyway.

Actually, I just looked up who the people are who testified and that does temper some of my excitement. Still!

So this was an interview with some whistle blowers who supposedly have first hand knowledge of much of what's been going on in the background. Which really means, these are just some guys making claims. But apparently they're credible enough to get an 8 hour televised senate committee hearing, so I'm going to continue talking about this as though everything they said is true.

I think the most important piece of this is the timeline. Apparently government officials have had knowledge of non-human intelligence since the 30's. There has also been communication with these other lifeforms, not sure if that had a stated start date. Which follows that for at least the past almost 100 years, these lifeforms have been here but staying quiet and hidden. Most likely as some sort of agreement with the officials they've been in contact with.

One thing I thought was interesting was the reluctance to say "extra terrestrial". You could easily chock it up to a scientist not wanting to say without significant evidence, but maybe he has reason to suspect they are in fact terrestrial. With that idea, my mind goes to squids. Super intelligent deep sea squids who have been outpacing humans in technological development.

The other most likely scenario would be if they were from somewhere else in our solar system. The best candidate for that is Europa, the ice moon of Jupiter. Which, if they do have life, is most likely aquatic in nature which kind of still says squids.

The least likely scenario that still has some precedent behind it is that the beings are from Planet X. A "planet" which is as of yet unconfirmed to exist. This being true would lend a lot of credibility to the emerald tablets.

The final possibility is of course outside our solar system. That being true would completely change our understanding of the universe. It also is near impossible to say anything of merit about possible motives.

Here's what I think about those possibilities. I'm going to try to explain why they're here and hanging around as well as why they've agreed to keep quiet for so long. As far as why the human officials want to keep them hidden, the two obvious reasons are preventing public hysteria and getting special access to some limited resource. But really, humans are inherently irrational creatures and do stupid things pretty much constantly. Me included. Anyway.

First, Earth Squids. This is actually the easiest to explain. They also want to explore the universe. The crafts we are finding is them doing tests and trying to create a ship that can traverse outer space, and they're much closer than we are. They would rather not work with humans because we would slow them down and we're fighting all the time. That and our extremely different anatomies make it difficult to develop a craft we could share. That or they don't want to be nuked.

Next up I'll bring up the Anunnaki. Because, again, if that's real, then The Emerald Tablets are very likely to have a good amount of truth to them. They would probably be here with their tail between their legs a bit given the massive failures depicted. Scoping things out and trying to make things better all this time later. They wouldn't want to get too involved for fear of re-fucking things up. It would also make sense with the timeline because they apparently live 100s of Earth years.

The Europan Space Squids are probably the most difficult to theorize on. It would make sense to want to explore the only other place in the solar system with life on it. There are many little reasons to keep quiet, nothing big enough to be obvious enough to state here, at least for what I can think of. Though, if they are actually squids, that changes things significantly. They could not care about humans and being putting their efforts into connecting and possibly rescuing their brethren in the oceans. Or maybe Earth squids are actually from Europa and have been here doing research. It also brings up a less accurate version of the emerald tablets with all that entails.

Those possibilities all have some degree of not fully being extra terrestrial. If they are truly foreign to our planet, the only explanation that really fits is that they're researching. That could mean in a Star Trek scientific way of just wanting to gather knowledge. Or it could be in a opposition way to determine the most efficient method of eradication. This also applies if the Europans are not squids.

Those are my ideas based on what I heard said today. Purely conjecture from a layman. I don't even know how much I believe in any of this, but it's great fun to think about. This is still the most official thing we've seen regarding the existence of non-human intelligent life. I'd love to see it, and now I see a possibility of it in my lifetime. I won't respond quickly but please let me know what you think. Especially if you're not human.

[arjengelly]

Made me sad as a kid

[mccinnabuns]

Day 19: Space squids

[larphouse]

You are between 4 and 7 feet in length, possess a head, mantle, eight locomotive limbs and two manipulative tentacles arranged symmetrically around your central axis. You respire through osmotic absorption of oxygen suspended in liquid hydrogen dioxide. You are, in short, a space squid. The evolutionary advantage your species enjoys is that while engaged in mating behaviors using your two tentacles, your ganglia meld with those of your partners, combining your intellect and skills, but also your attitudes and biases. Which is critically important today, because your deep space colonization vessel has broken down! If you can keep the ship habitable, restart the engines, and plot a new course you should be able survive to settle on a planet. If you hope to survive, you will have to work together! WHAT: SPACE SQUIDS, a parlor larp playtest for 6 - 24 players (the more the merrier!). Designed by Kevin McIntyre and Jon Cole Organized by Jon Cole, Kevin McIntyre, and Kathy Shane WHEN: Saturday, June 30th from 2pm to 6pm

REGISTRATION: If you are interested in playing, fill out our Space Squids Sign-Up Form before 11:59 pm on Monday, June 25th.  Registration will be open after the deadline for stragglers. If more people sign up than we have room for attendance will be decided by weighted lottery. You should know if you are in or out of the larp by Tuesday, June 26th. WHERE: A North Minneapolis Nonprofit located near Broadway and Emerson Avenue in Minneapolis. Full address will be released to people who sign up. The space is accessible by bus. We are requesting a voluntary good will donation $5-10 to support the work of the nonprofit in appreciation for the use of their space. No one will be turned away if they are unable to make a donation. 

PLAY STYLE: This is a silly puzzle solving game with the theme of being squids searching for happy romantic or familial relationships. It has a light and engaging 'mind-meld' mechanic where you hold hands with the right combination of characters to solve challenges. Suitable for people who haven't roleplayed before.   THEMES: hookups, romance, polyamory, puzzle solving, space disaster ACCESSIBILITY: The play venue is ADA accessible. Plenty of seating. Water available. Climate controlled building. Gender neutral bathroom available. Participants must be able to talk and listen in a cocktail party environment, as well as have two hands that they can hold into different gestures akin to sign language. Being sighted is not required, but it would be very helpful.

COSTUMING: Costuming is not required at all. If you are excited about it, you can dress up as some kind of cephalopod, just make sure your arms and hands will be able to move freely. CONTENT ADVISORY: Metaphorical sex through a hand-holding mechanic (far far less intense than ars amandi), metaphorical flirting through mutual rubbing of backs of hands, hook ups and casual encounters, romantic relationships beginning and ending, seeking meaningful relationships and perhaps failing, making bad decisions and living with the consequences. WHAT IS A PLAYTEST?: "Space Squids" is the working title for a game that is still being designed, but is fun already! A playtest is a larp session intended to find design flaws in an in-development game. Often, designers will ask players for their thoughts on the experience after a playtest. FOOD: Light snacks provided, in an ocean theme. Swedish fish, goldfish, seaweed chips, fruit snack sharks, and shrimp chips.

SOCIAL: If you would like to hang out after the larp a group will go to the Broadway Pizza at 2025 West River Rd N, Minneapolis. Anyone is welcome to join in on this, including people who didn't attend the larp! ART: Last of the Starmakers by David "cinemamind" Romero

[menaathena]

Day 20: Deep Now I know what you're thinking; "Oh, it's the space squids from that Courage the Cowardly Dog episode!" NOPE! Completely coincidental on my part. I've never even watched the show, although I have heard about that episode. I just started out like, "I'm gonna draw a deep sea creature in space. It'll be a squid. Squids are cool." I sketched one kinda reaching out to wrap around a moon, and then I did two of them circling around a space object, and part way through inking that I was like, "Oh, this looks like that one Courage episode I heard about. Oops." So yeah, not intentional, as crazy as it seems.