I was in my EarthSci class today learning about solar storms and had a revelation. You know how technology for trolls largely consists of very organic stuff?
look at this stuff. We’ve got actual grubs that store data for games and movies, honeycomb computer servers, even the desktop Sollux’s monitor is plugged into looks very organic, like something grown, not manufactured. This trend continues through a lot of troll technology we see in comic, with few exceptions, but they seem to rely heavily on biotech.
Now. Stars go through this cycle of expanding and storming and generally spitting radiation and other kinds of erratic energy everywhere, and then contracting and acting relatively peaceful. If earth happens to be in the way of a really big flare during one of these cycles, we’re getting hit with a lot of harmful stuff. It can cause electrical grid failure, satellite damage, radio communications can be cut off, all of which can have disastrous consequences. (source)
Consider: The Alternian solar system has a very intense star. So bright that most trolls can’t even stand being in it’s rays directly. (source) I’m willing to bet their sun has a very intense cycle of solar storms, which would make developing traditional technology and getting it to work reliably very difficult.
What continues to function under solar storm conditions? Living beings.
Unfortunately, most things on earth are squishy and fleshy and still prone to harm from enough radiation. Most things, with some notable exceptions. Guess what can survive high doses of radiation?
That’s right! It’s our buddies the cockroaches, aka an insect. It’s not too far fetched to think, with all the parallels between Alternia and earth, that a similar strain of radiation resistant bugs could evolve, especially given a radiation rich environment. Let’s say someone isolated that strong resistance gene and started custom breeding bugs and other invertebrates to do shit other than be bugs? Suddenly you get game grubs, squishy computers, bees that build circuitry out of wax and honey, the list goes on. When solar storms hit, they keep functioning.
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