There are billions of stars, millions of planets, but there is only one man, Terrance McDoogal. Welcome to LIU Atlas.
LIU Atlas - Talpa
The Ludgonian Industrial Union's galaxy contains billions of stars and billions of planets. Unfortunately, most residents of the LIU could only name a handful of these worlds. In order to improve astronomy grades across the LIU Galaxy, TV2 has started a new program called LIU Atlas. Follow our host, Terrance McDoogal, as he takes you on a tour across the LIU and some of its more obscure worlds.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Note: This episode is presented in full screen. The corresponding dialogue is underneath each photo.
Doog: “Welcome to another episode of LIU Atlas. I’m your host, Terrance “Doog” McDoogal. Today we’re visiting the unique moon of Talpa. Talpa looks similar to most lifeless moons in the galaxy, with its bare rocky terrain and lack of vegetation, but it is, indeed, teeming with life. Most of this life has evolved to live underground, where it is safe from radiation. We’re here to check it out.”
Doog: “Alright folks, I’ve been dropped off outside a small house on the moon’s surface. Talpa may look barren from orbit, but, down here on the surface, you can easily see that there is indeed life. Several varieties of mushrooms are sprouting up from the dry, desiccated soil. If I remember anything from school, mushrooms are fungi, and they eat decomposed organic matter. If there’s mushrooms, there must be other lifeforms. That’s just speculation though. Let’s head over to this house and ask my guide.”
Flynn: “Welcome to Talpa, Doog. I’m Dr. Flynn Stone, but please call me Flynn. Also, I am acutely aware that my name bears a resemblance to a fictional, prehistoric family, so keep all the jokes to yourself. I’ve heard them all.”
Doog: “I’ll make sure I yabba-dabba-do that. Sorry, had to get it out of my system. So, what do you do here?”
Flynn: “I’m the science officer for operations here. My background is in astrobiology, but I dabble in several fields, from space weather to mycology.”
Doog: “A jack of all trades, huh? So, what kind of operation do you support?”
Flynn: “Talpa’s principal export is hyphae branches of fungal mycelium.”
Doog: “Huh?”
Flynn: “Er…mushroom roots, more or less. The fungal systems and their accompanying ecosystem are complex, though. Harvesting the hyphae in a responsible manner is part of my duties on Talpa. Come inside, and I’ll explain in more detail.”
Doog: “I’ll make sure I yabba-dabba-do that. Sorry, had to get it out of my system. So, what do you do here?”
Flynn: “I’m the science officer for operations here. My background is in astrobiology, but I dabble in several fields, from space weather to mycology.”
Doog: “A jack of all trades, huh? So, what kind of operation do you support?”
Flynn: “Talpa’s principal export is hyphae branches of fungal mycelium.”
Doog: “Huh?”
Flynn: “Er…mushroom roots, more or less. The fungal systems and their accompanying ecosystem are complex, though. Harvesting the hyphae in a responsible manner is part of my duties on Talpa. Come inside, and I’ll explain in more detail.”
Doog: “This place is…homely.”
Flynn: “It’s a bit small, but it serves its purpose nicely. My lab and the kitchen are downstairs, and the bathroom and bedroom are above, in the loft.”
Doog: “Will anything in here help you explain the fungal system? Is there something growing in your kitchen? No need to be ashamed, we have quite the collection of fungi onboard the Magellan.”
Flynn: “I’m sure you do, but no, my kitchen is clean. I want to show you something in the lab.”
Flynn: “It’s a bit small, but it serves its purpose nicely. My lab and the kitchen are downstairs, and the bathroom and bedroom are above, in the loft.”
Doog: “Will anything in here help you explain the fungal system? Is there something growing in your kitchen? No need to be ashamed, we have quite the collection of fungi onboard the Magellan.”
Flynn: “I’m sure you do, but no, my kitchen is clean. I want to show you something in the lab.”
Flynn: “The ecosystem on Talpa is highly cyclical. It’s a complex system of birth, death, and rebirth. It’s all driven by Talpa’s unique orbit. I’ve brought up a diagram on the screen over here.”
Flynn: “First, Talpa orbits the gas planet, Talpis, which in turn orbits the star Talpae. Charged particles from Talpae get trapped in Talpis’ strong magnetic field. This creates a radiation torus, or Van Allen belt, around Talpis. Talpa’s highly elliptical orbit takes it in and out of the belt.”
Doog: “Are we in the radiation belt now? Is it dangerous?”
Flynn: “No, we’re not in it now. If we were, we wouldn’t be leaving this house. The radiation levels inside the belt are high enough to kill anything on the surface.”
Doog: “Well, how long before Talpa goes back in the belt? I don’t want to get stuck in here with you…no offense.”
Flynn: “Talpa has an orbital period of twenty-four days, meaning that it takes Talpa twenty-four days to make one complete circle around the planet.”
Doog: “I know what an orbital period is. Just explain which of the twenty-four days are the deadly radiation days, and when I should expect it.”
Flynn: “Talpa spends three days inside the radiation belt and nine days out. Then it repeats the same pattern, three more in and nine more out. This is day three out of the belt, so you have six days to complete your tour.”
Doog: “Whew, ok. I won’t need more than six hours, so I should be alright.”
Doog: “Are we in the radiation belt now? Is it dangerous?”
Flynn: “No, we’re not in it now. If we were, we wouldn’t be leaving this house. The radiation levels inside the belt are high enough to kill anything on the surface.”
Doog: “Well, how long before Talpa goes back in the belt? I don’t want to get stuck in here with you…no offense.”
Flynn: “Talpa has an orbital period of twenty-four days, meaning that it takes Talpa twenty-four days to make one complete circle around the planet.”
Doog: “I know what an orbital period is. Just explain which of the twenty-four days are the deadly radiation days, and when I should expect it.”
Flynn: “Talpa spends three days inside the radiation belt and nine days out. Then it repeats the same pattern, three more in and nine more out. This is day three out of the belt, so you have six days to complete your tour.”
Doog: “Whew, ok. I won’t need more than six hours, so I should be alright.”
Doog: “Where are we headed now?”
Flynn: “I figured we’d check out some of Talpa’s industry.”
Doog: “Yeah, you mentioned something about that before, mushroom farming or something.”
Flynn: “Not quite. Mushrooms are just the fruiting bodies, or reproductive organs, of the fungi. This species’ mushrooms are of little use. We’re more interested in the organisms’ hyphae.”
Doog: “I think I remember you saying something about that earlier. Hyphae are like mushroom roots.”
Flynn: “The main part of a fungus is the mycelium. It’s sort of like a web of fibers that seeks out organic materials and consumes it. The individual fibers of the mycelium are called hyphae. So, they’re not true roots, like plants, but they look similar enough.”
Flynn: “I figured we’d check out some of Talpa’s industry.”
Doog: “Yeah, you mentioned something about that before, mushroom farming or something.”
Flynn: “Not quite. Mushrooms are just the fruiting bodies, or reproductive organs, of the fungi. This species’ mushrooms are of little use. We’re more interested in the organisms’ hyphae.”
Doog: “I think I remember you saying something about that earlier. Hyphae are like mushroom roots.”
Flynn: “The main part of a fungus is the mycelium. It’s sort of like a web of fibers that seeks out organic materials and consumes it. The individual fibers of the mycelium are called hyphae. So, they’re not true roots, like plants, but they look similar enough.”
Doog: “What kind of organic material is there? I haven’t seen anything other than mushrooms. It doesn’t eat itself, does it?”
Flynn: “No, it mostly consumes decomposing, moss-like plants, called Urey. Urey are ephemeral, meaning they have extremely short life cycles. They grow, reproduce, shoot their seed spores into the air, and then die, all in about seven days. Today, being day three, we should start to see some surface discoloration as the Urey begins to grow.”
Doog: “Yikes. Seven days is hardly a life.”
Flynn: “Yes, for you or me, but it’s the only way this species can survive. Every nine days when the radiation returns, the Urey die off. Only their protected spores survive. Two generations live and die every month. It’s the driving force of Talpa’s ecosystem.”
Doog: “How so?”
Flynn: “Well, we’ve already established that the various fungi here eat the decomposing Urey. More complex animals, like insects, feed off the fungi. Even more complex animals feed on the insects. The Urey are the start to the chain of life.”
Doog: “There’s more complex life here? I haven’t seen anything.”
Flynn: “It all evolved underground where there’s less radiation and a more stable atmosphere.”
Flynn: “No, it mostly consumes decomposing, moss-like plants, called Urey. Urey are ephemeral, meaning they have extremely short life cycles. They grow, reproduce, shoot their seed spores into the air, and then die, all in about seven days. Today, being day three, we should start to see some surface discoloration as the Urey begins to grow.”
Doog: “Yikes. Seven days is hardly a life.”
Flynn: “Yes, for you or me, but it’s the only way this species can survive. Every nine days when the radiation returns, the Urey die off. Only their protected spores survive. Two generations live and die every month. It’s the driving force of Talpa’s ecosystem.”
Doog: “How so?”
Flynn: “Well, we’ve already established that the various fungi here eat the decomposing Urey. More complex animals, like insects, feed off the fungi. Even more complex animals feed on the insects. The Urey are the start to the chain of life.”
Doog: “There’s more complex life here? I haven’t seen anything.”
Flynn: “It all evolved underground where there’s less radiation and a more stable atmosphere.”
Doog: “Yeah, what’s the deal with the atmosphere? I’ve noticed you’re wearing a breathing apparatus, but no pressure suit.”
Flynn: “There’s sufficient pressure, but the air is not breathable. The chemical reactions that occur in the atmosphere during the three-day radiation plunge effectively make the atmosphere poisonous. The high levels on Xenon don’t help either. It’s safer underground, but workers down there still utilize breathing masks for safety purposes.”
Doog: “Got it. So, this is where we head underground?”
Flynn: “Yes, this is Camp Isaiah. It is one of several dozen Shroomjack camps on Talpa.”
Doog: “Did you just say shroomjack?”
Flynn: “Yeah. Like lumberjacks, but they cut down hyphae instead trees.”
Doog: “Shroomjack…wow, that’s a new one.”
Flynn: “There’s sufficient pressure, but the air is not breathable. The chemical reactions that occur in the atmosphere during the three-day radiation plunge effectively make the atmosphere poisonous. The high levels on Xenon don’t help either. It’s safer underground, but workers down there still utilize breathing masks for safety purposes.”
Doog: “Got it. So, this is where we head underground?”
Flynn: “Yes, this is Camp Isaiah. It is one of several dozen Shroomjack camps on Talpa.”
Doog: “Did you just say shroomjack?”
Flynn: “Yeah. Like lumberjacks, but they cut down hyphae instead trees.”
Doog: “Shroomjack…wow, that’s a new one.”
Doog: “I always dreamed I’d be filming inside a locker room one day, although, it was more covert, and there were way less guys.”
Flynn: “Uh…awkward. Anyway, this isn’t a locker room. This is the common area. Shroomjacks relax here until their shift begins. The dorms are just around the corner.”
Doog: “There’s lockers right there and half naked guys walking around. Hard to call it anything else.”
Flynn: “I guess our eyes are drawn to what we want to see. Head over to that airlock over there. Let’s get into the tunnels.”
Flynn: “Uh…awkward. Anyway, this isn’t a locker room. This is the common area. Shroomjacks relax here until their shift begins. The dorms are just around the corner.”
Doog: “There’s lockers right there and half naked guys walking around. Hard to call it anything else.”
Flynn: “I guess our eyes are drawn to what we want to see. Head over to that airlock over there. Let’s get into the tunnels.”
Flynn: “We must harvest the hyphae in a sustainable manner. Too much damage to the mycelium will kill the organism. That means that the scope of Camp Isaiah’s operation is huge. They harvest in hundreds of miles of various tunnels.”
Doog: “What makes these tunnels? That cool mech over there?”
Flynn: “No. That’s a handler suit. It does some of the heavy lifting, but its primary duty is to handle the diggers.”
Doog: “Wait, is it holding a leash?”
Doog: “What makes these tunnels? That cool mech over there?”
Flynn: “No. That’s a handler suit. It does some of the heavy lifting, but its primary duty is to handle the diggers.”
Doog: “Wait, is it holding a leash?”
Flynn: “Yes. We’ve tamed one of Talpa’s native creatures, the mole-bear. We use their powerful sense of smell to locate large groupings of hypha. They also do most of the digging. They make quick work of this soil with those claws.”
Doog: “A mole-bear?”
Flynn: “Yep. The apex predator and largest animal on Talpa. Mole-bears eat fungi and insects.”
Doog: “It’s huge. I wasn’t expecting something like this down here.”
Flynn: “Neither were the first explorers. They’re one hundred percent subterranean, so they left no signs of their existence on the surface.”
Doog: “A mole-bear?”
Flynn: “Yep. The apex predator and largest animal on Talpa. Mole-bears eat fungi and insects.”
Doog: “It’s huge. I wasn’t expecting something like this down here.”
Flynn: “Neither were the first explorers. They’re one hundred percent subterranean, so they left no signs of their existence on the surface.”
Doog: “This might be a dumb question, but if they evolved underground and always live underground, what is the purpose of having eyes?”
Flynn: “Ah, good question. The mole-bears do possess eyes, but they are quite simple. They mostly just detect light.”
Doog: “There’s not a whole lot of that down here. The only reason we can see down here is because of the spotlights. I’m assuming it would be pitch black otherwise.”
Flynn: “Yes, but detecting light allows the mole-bears to realize when they accidentally gone to high and breached the surface. There’s another use too. The fungi here are bioluminescent. The radiation they absorb on the surface gives them a faint glow. Seeing this glow allows the mole-bears to find food.”
Doog: “Hmm. Fair enough.”
Flynn: “Ah, good question. The mole-bears do possess eyes, but they are quite simple. They mostly just detect light.”
Doog: “There’s not a whole lot of that down here. The only reason we can see down here is because of the spotlights. I’m assuming it would be pitch black otherwise.”
Flynn: “Yes, but detecting light allows the mole-bears to realize when they accidentally gone to high and breached the surface. There’s another use too. The fungi here are bioluminescent. The radiation they absorb on the surface gives them a faint glow. Seeing this glow allows the mole-bears to find food.”
Doog: “Hmm. Fair enough.”
Flynn: “Another mole-bear must have detected a hypha cluster; the shroomjacks are moving out. Be sure to stay close to me and use my headlamp. It will be dark until we reach the fungi.”
Doog: “Whoa. That glow and the twisted mushroom roots are kind of creepy.”
Flynn: “I think they’re quite beautiful. We’re a few meters underground, and there’s light.”
Doog: “Sure, I guess. Wait, we’re only a few meters underground? I thought we we’re deeper.”
Flynn: “No, the fungi only grows in the upper layers of the soil. It’s where the decomposing materials are. Occasionally, you might find some of the mycelium deeper, but that’s just because a mole-bear had died there, and there’s organic material to be absorbed.”
Doog: “The shroomjacks use axes to harvest the hyphae? Seems primitive.”
Flynn: “Unlike trees, the hyphae are easy to cut. An axe cuts them clean in one swing. Using larger machinery to collect the hyphae would be a waste and would increase the odds of cave-ins.”
Flynn: “I think they’re quite beautiful. We’re a few meters underground, and there’s light.”
Doog: “Sure, I guess. Wait, we’re only a few meters underground? I thought we we’re deeper.”
Flynn: “No, the fungi only grows in the upper layers of the soil. It’s where the decomposing materials are. Occasionally, you might find some of the mycelium deeper, but that’s just because a mole-bear had died there, and there’s organic material to be absorbed.”
Doog: “The shroomjacks use axes to harvest the hyphae? Seems primitive.”
Flynn: “Unlike trees, the hyphae are easy to cut. An axe cuts them clean in one swing. Using larger machinery to collect the hyphae would be a waste and would increase the odds of cave-ins.”
Doog: “Why collect hyphae at all? What is it used for? Is it a building material like wood?”
Flynn: “No, it’s nothing like wood, despite the shroomjack name. The hyphae are collected for their abundance of chitin. Chitin is the primary component in the exoskeleton of arthropods, the scales of fish, and the cell walls of fungi. It has many uses, but the chitin of the Talpa fungi is used primarily in the medicinal field.”
Doog: “How so? To give people fish scales and lobster claws?”
Flynn: “Uh, no. Talpa fungi chitin is biologically inert. It doesn’t react with the immune systems of most species. Therefore, it can be added to the body without initiating an immune response. It’s used in tissue scaffolding, surgical fabrics, and xenotransplantation.”
Doog: “Hey, I had tissue scaffolding installed before the Mel treatments when I lost my hand on Caetarius. Does that mean I have Talpa fungi in my arm?”
Flynn: “More than likely.”
Doog: “Sweet. Hey, thanks fungi!”
Flynn: “No, it’s nothing like wood, despite the shroomjack name. The hyphae are collected for their abundance of chitin. Chitin is the primary component in the exoskeleton of arthropods, the scales of fish, and the cell walls of fungi. It has many uses, but the chitin of the Talpa fungi is used primarily in the medicinal field.”
Doog: “How so? To give people fish scales and lobster claws?”
Flynn: “Uh, no. Talpa fungi chitin is biologically inert. It doesn’t react with the immune systems of most species. Therefore, it can be added to the body without initiating an immune response. It’s used in tissue scaffolding, surgical fabrics, and xenotransplantation.”
Doog: “Hey, I had tissue scaffolding installed before the Mel treatments when I lost my hand on Caetarius. Does that mean I have Talpa fungi in my arm?”
Flynn: “More than likely.”
Doog: “Sweet. Hey, thanks fungi!”
Doog: “Well folks, Talpa is an interesting moon. Its elliptical orbit moves it through its planet’s radiation belt, killing everything on the surface every nine days. This caused life here to evolve uniquely. Some life evolved quick lifespans, while others sought safety underground. There’s giant mole-bears and lifesaving fungi. Oh, well. See ya!”
Note:
When it’s Monday…and your mole-bear just won’t cooperate…
