Biowar Egg

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Biowar Egg

Technology > Technology Type or Material > Gengineering
Technology > Technology Levels > High Tech / Hitech
Technology > Technology Type or Material > Organic/Biotech
Technology > Application > Weapons > Space-Based Weapons
Technology > Application > Spore Technology

Image from Anders Sandberg

Unlike autowars, that reproduce by mechanically constructing an identical ship, biowars replicate organically. Biowar eggs can drift, passive and undetected, for centuries before being activated through the proximity of raw resources. Because some types of biowar may lay literally millions of eggs, it becomes extremely difficult to control their populations. The illustration shows hatching biowar eggs in the asteroid belts of the Triumphant Fate system, 5985. The standard Biovirate template involved a plant-like growth on carbonaceous asteroids, feeding a spherical "egg" that eventually detaches and frees itself from the cocooning growth. Eggs hatch after 10-20 months, birthing a biowar. The shell contains secondary seeds, which will drift to other asteroids to plant the growth.

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Development Notes

Text by Anders Sandberg
Initially published on 08 October 2001.

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