SCP-4170

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A composite image of SCP-4170, circled in yellow, against background stars. Higgs Field density is depicted in green, νσ emissions are depicted in red, and visible light is depicted in grayscale.

Item #: SCP-4170

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: Pending repairs to the Colorado High-Accuracy Neutrino Telescope (CHANT), the orbital position, Higgs Field density, and approximate νσ flux of SCP-4170 is to be monitored by the Large Dark Matter Array. At such time as the CHANT is returned to full functionality, translations of all νσ communications by SCP-4170 are to be recorded in both the SCP database and the Dark Body database, where SCP-4170 maintains a dual-entry as 2014DBI Miriam.

Upon completion of repairs, the CHANT is not to be used for monitoring of SCP-4170 until sufficient shielding has been installed to protect the telescope from direct attack by focused neutrino streams. As this shielding technology currently does not exist, the Foundation is to increase funding and resource allocation to the Dark Matter Astronomy department by at least 25%. These funds are to be earmarked for fast-track research and development of defenses against neutrino weaponry.

Description: SCP-4170 is a dark-body intelligence (DBI) in circumsolar orbit with a period of 34.7 years and a semi-major axis of 10.64 AU, slightly beyond the orbit of Saturn. Calculations of mass decay rate imply that SCP-4170 is a relatively newly-formed body, having coalesced between 20 and 25 thousand years ago. In all physical respects, SCP-4170 is unremarkable among the population of known non-anomalous DBIs, with a core Higgs density of approximately 350 GeV and a Hess radius of 12 kilometers. Psychological reports indicate a moderate degree of asocial behavior and emotional volatility.

Dark matter is typically invisible and undetectable to ordinary baryonic matter (e.g. optical, x-ray, or radio telescopes) save through density measurements of the Higgs Field and detection of sterile neutrino (νσ) emissions. As these dark matter astronomy techniques are not presently accessible to researchers outside the Foundation, the existence of DBIs is unknown to the general public. Conversely, though DBIs are sensitive to the powerful gravitational pull of the sun and nearby planets, there is no known mechanism by which DBIs could be cognizant of the existence of humanity. Though the Foundation has collected ample communications data from thousands of DBIs, there is no evidence that DBIs other than SCP-4170 are aware of any of the other sapient species that currently inhabit the Solar System, including Homo sapiens.

SCP-4170 was first detected in a 2014 sky survey by the Foundation's Large Dark Matter Array, and was at that time designated 2014 DBI62 by the Dark Matter Astronomy department. Detailed observation of its νσ communications with other DBIs confirmed that it was at least a class-III (pseudosapient) or class-IV (sapient) intelligence, prompting assignment of the randomly-generated common designation "2014DBI Miriam." Classification and renaming were delayed due to the perfunctory and terse nature of its social interactions with nearby class-III and class-IV DBIs, rendering sufficient data collection unusually challenging. Indirect evidence was collected from other DBIs to supplement the sparse dataset, an example of which is reproduced below:

With the sole known exception of SCP-4170, DBIs are not considered to be anomalous. While the Foundation's discovery of extraterrestrial dark intelligence within our solar system was of great interest to researchers, current theories developed by the Foundation fully account for the evolution of sapient beings composed of dark matter. The primordial development, pseudo-neurology, language, and culture of DBIs are well-attested, and their existence is entirely compatible with our present-day understanding of the laws of nature. To date, SCP-4170 is the only DBI to be afforded an entry in the SCP database.

Potential evidence of the anomalous nature of SCP-4170 first came to light in a conversation between SCP-4170 (2014DBI Miriam) and 2016DBI Theodore.

Following this record, the Colorado High Accuracy Neutrino Telescope was tasked with 24-hour monitoring of 2014DBI Miriam in an effort to determine whether the DBI was in communication with a human or humans. The following excerpts are a small selection of what appear to be one-sided conversations between SCP-4170 and a party on or near Earth1. As no νσ emissions have been detected emanating from Earth, the ability of SCP-4170 to communicate by some unknown means outside of the νσ spectrum has been deemed anomalous.

The previous communications log is the last recorded transmission collected by the Colorado High Accuracy Neutrino Telescope. Twelve seconds after receiving this message, a tightly-focused νσ beam struck the main collector plate, overwhelming the detection system and permanently disabling the telescope. As the CHANT was the only device of its kind ever constructed, and as said construction came at considerable expense to the Foundation, all DBI communications collection has been halted indefinitely. Repairs are scheduled to take place within the next five to ten years.

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