Mystery Organs | Ghost Ship | Sandworms - The Convo Kit #20

Happy Halloween! Did you know we aren’t the only ones dressing up? Some fungi like to masquerade as ants. They infect a host body and use it in a zombie-like state to spread fungal spores to its friends. Certainly more trick than treat.

-Steve

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Mystery Organs

Some octopus species shed hundreds of organs as they age. The purpose of these Kölliker's Organs (KO) is currently a mystery.

• KO cover the entire octopus and “bloom” into circular shapes

• Full KO bloom = 66% increase in surface area

• Not known to exist on deep sea octopuses

Currently stumped biologists theorize that KO either assist the octopus in swimming during infancy or act as a predator deterrent. The temporary organs refract light which could alter how they appear to hungry foes and people that watched My Octopus Teacher.

Images of the alien-like KO here.

Ghost Ship

Next time you visit Amsterdam you can catch a ride on MIT’s autonomous water-taxi, Roboat. Originating in 2016, the project has grown from floating platforms to passenger transport.

• Capacity = 5 passengers

• LiDAR, GPS, and cameras provide navigation

• Run time: 10 hours

Up to 50 Roboats can be simultaneously monitored by one operator to ensure the steady flow of passengers throughout the waterways. If autonomously transporting humans on water is a bit too spooky, the vessel can transport packages as well.

Pics and video of the Roboat in action here.

Sandworms?

Scientists discovered humans can survive on the desert planet of Arrakis. The allegedly fictional planet featured in Dune inspired experts to create a climate model to put the “sci” in sci-fi.

• Climate model = Dune literature + Earth’s physical laws

• 3 weeks: Time it took a supercomputer to simulate Arrakis

• “Stillsuits” would be required for bodily water recycling due to the planet’s lack of significant rainfall

Dune was first written in 1965, meaning the author did not have the benefit of climate models to help make his story more believable. The simulation did not touch on the existence of massive sandworms, but this is only the beginning…

Play with an interactive 3D model, maps, and more details here.

3D Neighborhood

ICON, the company building Mars in Texas, will 3D print an Austin community in 2022. Construction-grade printers put down layers of concrete for houses as large as 3,000 square feet.

• Neighborhood will include 100 printed homes

• 1 house = 7 day build

• Print speed: 5-10” per second

3D printers can build autonomously and produce less waste than traditional construction practices. Speed and efficiency offer an enticing solution to housing shortages and would reduce slow burn horror in the catacombs of the Montresors.

Renders of the neighborhood available here.

Deep Red

NASA’s Juno probe has completed 37 Jupiter flybys since 2016. Researchers have estimated the depth of some of the gas giant’s largest storms, including the Great Red Spot (GRS).

• GRS depth = ~200 miles

• GRS diameter = 10k miles (Earth’s = 7.9k miles)

• Jet streams (those colorful “belts”) go as deep as 1,900 miles

Some scientists believe the shrinking storm will collapse during our lifetime. Despite the potential loss of its signature storm, experts are pretty sure we’ll recognize our system’s largest planet. You may have to update your solar system diorama though.

GRS level dive. Jet stream deep dive.

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