An SCP-9676 instance orbiting Jupiter.
Special Containment Procedures: Foundation agents embedded in major space agencies are to ensure no information about the nature of SCP-9676 bodies is disseminated to the public.
Agents in relevant businesses are to monitor the capabilities of astronomical observation equipment planned to be available to the public, and ensure no device capable of detecting SCP-9676 instances' composition reaches market. All reports of asteroids with unusually green hues or low densities are to be suppressed.
Description: SCP-9676 is a form of exotic life, currently the only known organism to be naturally capable of growing and reproducing in a vacuum.
SCP-9676 instances are spherical, dark-green clumps of vegetative matter, varying widely in size: most instances are likely too small to be detectable with current observational equipment. However, the largest instance currently known has an estimated diameter of 18 kilometers. They derive energy from photosynthesizing sunlight, and gain biomass by extracting nutrients from dust and asteroids via an as-of-yet unknown process. Almost all SCP-9676 instances detected have been found in the Asteroid Belt, but a small number of individuals have been found as far from the sun as in the rings of Saturn.
Research into the biology, ecology, and potential dangers or uses of SCP-9676 is ongoing. Foundation liaisons within the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have arranged for the Hayabusa2 craft to visit an SCP-9676 instance, designated SCP-9676-1-162173, and return a sample of it to Earth for analysis by a joint team of Foundation and JAXA scientists.
Update 06-12-2020:
Foundation-JAXA Joint Team Briefing Transcript
Persons Present: Dr. Archer Steward, Dr. Bridget Alex, Sgt. Aidan Lee, Dr. Miyo Hara
[BEGIN LOG]
Dr. Steward: Good morning, Dr. Hara. Please take a seat. As you are aware, you have been selected to work with our team to analyze the samples delivered by Hayabusa2 yesterday, as well as conduct follow-up research as needed. As you are no doubt also aware, this is highly classified. No information about any of this can be shared with anyone.
Dr. Hara: I'm honored to work with you on such a momentous discovery, but I'm afraid I still don't quite understand what requires your involvement here. Could we begin with that?
Dr. Steward: Ah, of course. You are familiar with our organization and its mission, yes?
Dr. Hara: I've read the brochure you gave me.
Dr. Steward: Good. While these organisms may currently appear harmless, they display multiple likely-anomalous properties. This is the first life we've seen in a vacuum, and until we understand how it works, we cannot risk exposing it to the public. Even if it is harmless, it is our organization's belief that publicly revealing the existence of any extraterrestrial life would cause more harm than good.
Dr. Hara: Any extraterrestrial life? How many-
Dr. Steward: I'm afraid that's classified.
Dr. Hara: Of course.
Dr. Steward: Anyway, introductions. I am Dr. Archer Steward, Foundation astrophysicist and leader of this team. This is Dr. Bridget Alex, Foundation xenobiologist.
Dr. Alex: Hello.
Dr. Hara: Dr. Miyo Hara, JAXA engineer.
Dr. Steward: Perfect. Sign here, please, and then shall we get started?
[END LOG]
Update 09-02-2021:
The genome of SCP-9676 strongly suggests it belongs to phylum Chlorophyta. The outer cell walls are extremely tough, containing high concentrations of carbonate and silicate minerals. Long filaments extend from the surface. These filaments appear to be responsible for the digestion of rock and ice, but the chemical process responsible is likely anomalous. All attempts to observe or replicate it have failed. The chloroplasts are clearly modified as well. Investigation into the photosynthetic mechanism is ongoing.
Huh, it's actually space algae. Assuming this isn't an ectoentropic process, our space algae would need to eat a variety of asteroids. Carbonate and silicate compounds are easy to find in asteroids, but they also need a fair amount of water. There are icy and hydrated asteroids in the Belt, but not enough to support such a large population of space algae, assuming they're just bouncing around out there.
P.S. We need a better name than the SCP number or "space algae". I get the feeling we will become quite closely acquainted with these by the time we're done.I suspect they have some kind of propulsion. If they were able to target and move towards water-containing bodies, these organisms could sustain themselves in an environment with a much lower concentration of them. This would also require some method of detecting water, but simple light or chemical sensors could lead one to water at long ranges.
As for your question, they are essentially just very large and tough marimo, are they not?Urgent Update 21-04-2021:
A new revision of this document is available. Changes are highlighted in blue.
An SCP-9676 instance orbiting Jupiter.
Special Containment Procedures: Foundation agents embedded in major space agencies are to ensure no information about the nature of SCP-9676 bodies or existence of SCP-9676-2 is disseminated to the public.
Agents in relevant businesses are to monitor the capabilities of astronomical observation equipment planned to be available to the public, and ensure no device capable of detecting SCP-9676 instances' composition reaches market. All reports of asteroids with unusually green hues or low densities are to be suppressed.
All reports of a "Planet Nine" becoming detectable by advanced telescopes are to be suppressed and their originators amnesticized.
Description: SCP-9676 is a form of exotic life, currently the only known organism to be naturally capable of growing and reproducing in a vacuum.
SCP-9676 instances are spherical, dark-green clumps of vegetative matter, varying widely in size: most instances are likely too small to be detectable with current observational equipment. However, the largest instance currently known, designated SCP-9676-2, has an estimated diameter of 32,000 kilometers. They derive energy from photosynthesizing sunlight, and gain biomass by extracting nutrients from dust and asteroids via an as-of-yet unknown process. Almost all SCP-9676 instances detected have been found in the Asteroid Belt, but a small number of individuals are far enough from the sun to qualify as extreme trans-Neptunian objects
SCP-9676-2 is an exceptionally large instance of SCP-9676, currently the largest known single organism in existence. It is believed to be the object responsible for the theory that a distant ninth planet exists in the Solar System. It is currently located 221 AU away from the Sun. SCP-9676-2 is in the process of moving closer to the Sun at high velocity (estimates suggest its current speed is in excess of 200 kilometers per second, and increasing). This runs contrary to mathematical predictions of its orbit and is currently unexplained.
Research into methods of hiding or preventing SCP-9676-2's approach to the rest of the Solar System is ongoing.
Update 22-04-2021:
So, Planet Nine is real and it's a humongous marimo. What exactly do we do here? We can't stop it, because it's bigger than the Earth. We can't hide it, because it's bigger than the Earth. It also appears to be actively propelling itself towards us, so even if we did stop or hide it, we have no way of knowing what it would do after. And I don't think I need to explain why killing something that is, as I have said, bigger than the Earth, is not a feasible option. The good news is, we have about two decades before it becomes widely observable, assuming no major breakthroughs in commercially-available telescope technology. Any ideas, anyone?
P.S. Our collaboration has been extended, pending your signature, Dr. Hara. We have much to do now.I do not as of yet have a solution for SCP-9676-2's approach, but I believe I have uncovered a key component of SCP-9676 biology. Our samples contain microscopic pockets filled with a mix of hydrogen and methane gases at fairly high pressures, which become more abundant in the deeper layers. I suspect that sufficiently-large instances have a hollow bladder in their center, filled with high-pressure gas. This would serve two purposes: it would allow instances to propel themselves by venting it in a controlled manner, and it would allow them to grow much larger than expected, as their gravity would be balanced out by the internal pressure of their bladders. This explains both the massive size and high speed of SCP-9676-2.
If your gas-bladder hypothesis is true, I believe I have a solution to SCP-9676-2. It is, in essence, an impossibly-large balloon. All we need to do is puncture a sufficiently-large hole in it. Depending on the exact pressure of the gas and physical properties of the outer shell, it's possible that it would deflate or even pop entirely.
Of course, the challenging part would be making something capable of piercing through it, but I believe the Foundation has the resources to do so. A long period of acceleration via gravitational assists and ion propulsion would be sufficient to deal catastrophic damage, given a sharp and tough enough tip.
I will attend to our agreement as my next order of business.If both of you are correct, and this gets off the ground, we would be simultaneously destroying a planet and killing the largest known organism. I don't know what the ethics are on that, but it'll certainly make us notable.
Of course, I don't have anywhere near the authority to approve something like that, but I'll submit an official proposal as soon as possible.Update 28-04-2021:
O5 COUNCIL VOTE: LANCE-1 MISSION PROPOSAL
YES: 9
NO: 2
ABSTAIN: 2
PROPOSAL APPROVED
Update 30-07-2030:
A new revision of this document is available. Changes are highlighted in blue.
An SCP-9676 instance orbiting Jupiter.
Special Containment Procedures: Foundation agents embedded in major space agencies are to ensure no information about the nature of SCP-9676 bodies or debris from SCP-9676-2 is disseminated to the public.
Agents in relevant businesses are to monitor the capabilities of astronomical observation equipment planned to be available to the public, and ensure no device capable of detecting SCP-9676 instances' composition reaches market. All reports of asteroids with unusually green hues or low densities are to be suppressed.
All reports of unusual debris in the outer Solar System are to be suppressed.
Description: SCP-9676 is a form of exotic life, currently the only known organism to be naturally capable of growing and reproducing in a vacuum.
SCP-9676 instances are spherical, dark-green clumps of vegetative matter, varying widely in size: most instances are likely too small to be detectable with current observational equipment. However, the largest instance known, designated SCP-9676-2, had an estimated diameter of 32,000 kilometers. They derive energy from photosynthesizing sunlight, and gain biomass by extracting nutrients from dust and asteroids via an as-of-yet unknown process. SCP-9676 instances store a high-pressure mix of methane, hydrogen, and trace amounts of other gases in centrally-located bladders. This gas keeps them from collapsing, and can be vented for propulsion. Almost all SCP-9676 instances detected have been found in the Asteroid Belt, but a small number of individuals have been found as far away as extreme trans-Neptunian objects.
SCP-9676-2 was an exceptionally large instance of SCP-9676, and was the largest known single organism in existence prior to its termination. It is believed to have been the object responsible for the theory that a distant ninth planet exists in the Solar System. SCP-9676-2 was terminated when the LANCE-1 spacecraft penetrated its outer layer, causing a catastrophic release of highly-pressurized gas to tear the object apart. The resultant fragments show continued signs of life, and have been designated as new SCP-9676 instances.
Update 01-08-2030:
Foundation-JAXA Joint Team Debriefing Transcript
Persons Present: Dr. Archer Steward, Dr. Bridget Alex, Sgt. Michael Bayle, Dr. Miyo Hara
[BEGIN LOG]
Dr. Steward: Congratulations, both of you. We just popped a planet.
Dr. Hara: It was an honor, doctor.
Dr. Alex: Thank you.
Dr. Hara: So, is this where our collaboration ends?
Dr. Steward: The contract is up, and we have no further expectations for you. This is where we amnesticize you and let you continue your work at JAXA. However, my superiors have taken notice of your role in this achievement. Should you be interested, the SCP Foundation would be proud to have you. In an official status, that is. You have already worked with us longer than many.
Dr. Hara: I see… This is a truly great honor. I would-
Dr. Steward: No pressure to accept, of course. We have already taken plenty of your time. If you would prefer to be amnesticized and returned to civilian science, that is your choice.
Dr. Hara: …I will accept your offer. There is clearly more I can do.
Dr. Steward: Very well. Sign here, please.
[END LOG]
