#soc measures

[infosectrain03]

The trend towards cloud-based infrastructure and remote work models has increased the significance of SOCs. With organizations adopting cloud services and employees accessing corporate resources from various locations, the attack surface and potential security risks have expanded. SOCs play a crucial role in monitoring, detecting, and responding to security incidents across distributed cloud environments to retain the security and integrity of data and systems in this evolving landscape.

[funnyao3]

Jesper sat alongside him. “I was wondering what you were thinking about.”

His murderous father. What a failure of a son he was. How he’d never be loved. “You,” Wylan said instead.

[dearmrsawyer]

Hi! I’ve seen you post about shadow and bone and I’m almost finished with the first season of the show and I love it. I was just wondering if you read the books and if you’d recommend them? I do love that I don’t know any of the source material so I can enjoy it for what it is but I’m also curious as to how close the show is to the books so far and how in depth the world building that sometimes gets left out of show adaptions goes

Hello!! ah i'm always very interested to hear from people who are discovering the show without having read the books yet! i feel like you're such a crucial part of the audience :)

I have indeed read the books, i read the six of crows books years before the show but i didn't read the SAB books until just before i watched the show, to 'study up' lol. i would recommend them! they are very firmly a classic YA series so they have typical elements of the genre for better or worse, but if you like YA as i do i imagine you will enjoy them. I think my favourite thing about them was actually the world building, but the story itself was also quite engaging. I won't say how close the adaptation is to the books so you can discover for yourself!

I'm not sure if you're also asking about the six of crows books as well, but i would WHOLEHEARTEDLY recommend them. They are.... unfathomably good, i could spend the rest of the day listing why. They're also very different from the SAB books so think they are worth giving a go regardless of how you end up finding the SAB books!

[randomchips]

I'm gonna say it. if someone just told Quackity updates on twitter or made just one...maybe two tiktoks about voting for Quackity...maybe we wouldn't be struggling this much-

[semcoinfratechworld]

Exploring SOC-OCV Curves in Lithium-ion Battery Management

In the rapidly evolving world of lithium-ion battery technology, understanding the SOC-OCV Curve (State of Charge - Open Circuit Voltage) is crucial for optimizing battery management systems (BMS) and enhancing battery performance. This blog delves into the significance of SOC estimation, the relationship between Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) and State of Charge (SOC), and how these concepts play a pivotal role in the effective management of lithium-ion batteries.

Unraveling the SOC-OCV Mystery

The SOC-OCV curve is a fundamental tool for estimating the state of charge in lithium-ion batteries. By analyzing this curve, we can gain insights into how voltage changes with varying levels of charge. This relationship is essential for accurate battery state estimation techniques and informs the development of advanced battery management systems.

Our research highlights that precise SOC-OCV calibration is vital to understanding battery behavior, especially around critical SOC levels like 60%. Factors such as active materials, capacity attenuation, and silicon doping can significantly influence the curve's shape and behavior.

Dynamic Factors Influencing SOC-OCV Curves

Several dynamic factors impact the SOC-OCV curves, including:

Active Materials: The type of materials used in the battery, such as lithium iron phosphate and graphite, significantly affects voltage characteristics and overall performance.

Battery Types: Different battery chemistries exhibit unique SOC-OCV relationships. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective performance analysis.

SOC Adjustment Parameters: The direction in which SOC is adjusted during charging or discharging can alter the OCV readings, making it essential to consider these parameters in battery management algorithms.

Negative Silicon Doping: This innovative approach can enhance battery performance but also complicates the SOC-OCV relationship, particularly during phase transformations.

Challenges and Solutions

The complexity of the SOC-OCV curve, especially near 60% SOC, presents challenges for accurate voltage measurements. The voltage step observed in this region is primarily due to phase transformations in negative graphite. Our research addresses these challenges by providing insights into how various factors contribute to the curve's behavior, ultimately leading to improved battery health monitoring and degradation analysis.

Key Insights from Our Research

Our findings reveal that while the full battery OCV is determined by material properties, the shape of the SOC-OCV curve is influenced by several factors:

Active Material Differences: Variations in active materials can lead to distinct voltage characteristics.

SOC Regulation Direction: The method of adjusting SOC impacts OCV readings and must be carefully managed.

Charge and Discharge Cycles: These cycles affect battery capacity over time, influencing both SOC estimation and OCV measurements.

Role of Negative Electrode: The negative electrode's composition, particularly concerning silicon doping, plays a crucial role in shaping the SOC-OCV curve.

Future Frontiers in Battery Management

As we continue to explore lithium-ion battery technology, our research paves the way for future advancements in battery management systems. By enhancing our understanding of SOC-OCV mapping for energy storage systems, we can optimize battery performance and contribute to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. In conclusion, comprehending the intricacies of SOC-OCV curves is essential for anyone involved in lithium-ion battery technology. As we push forward into a future powered by sustainable energy solutions, mastering these concepts will be key to ensuring that our batteries perform optimally throughout their lifecycle. Whether you are a researcher, engineer, or enthusiast, staying informed about these developments will empower you to contribute meaningfully to this dynamic field.

[kayespencer]

Stream of Consciousness Saturday 11/4/2023 I hope this isn't unmeetly #socs

A Meat Poem I loathe meatloaf. I’m not keen for meatballs. I’m not crazy about lunchmeat. I won’t eat mincemeat or sweetmeats. The End The Beatles’ song, Lovely Rita, (meter maid) is the first mete word that came to mind, which reminded me that I am not ‘one’ with the metric system. I learned the American standard measurement system (Imperial) of yards, feet, inches, quarts, gallons, teaspoons,…

[sundayiminlove]

sleep, pretty darling [ dallas winston x f!reader ]

synopsis : you're overworking yourself with studying in preparation for exams, and dally isn't havin' it. contains : academic overachiever reader, whipped dallas winston, mostly just tooth-rotting fluff, notes : first writing post on here, kinda (very) nervous!! think i'm gonna make a point to write for each greaser in effort to shoehorn my way into outsiders tumblr?? yeah??? okay, GREAT. 99% chance i post something different for dal tho. just a messy, silly little drabble. ironically wrote after not sleeping for 32 hours. i'm sorry if he's a lil ooc y'all, this is my first dal fic in give or take a year!!! he'll get there, i promise! mwah mwah hope u enjoy warnings : not proofread, we die like dally

i.

PALE BLUE EYES slant sideways, casting a brief look at you.

Your nose is scrunched in concentration over the comically large textbook laid open in your lap. You're hunched over, tracing under each printed word with your finger, thumbing down when you stop to take a note.

Dallas is preemptively annoyed. He's been leaning expectantly against the doorframe circa ten seconds ago, and you're yet to notice him. He takes one last dramatic drag from his cigarette before begrudgingly discarding it on the outsole of his shoe. The creases on on your nose tighten as you catch a whiff of the wafting smoke. Though a vehement anti-smoker yourself, you've spent enough time around the gang to guarantee your lungs at least a permanent char. Despite this, you always just have to make a big song and dance of your distaste for them, and Dally does nothing to curb the quirk of his lips into a slight grin.

You have him, hook line and sinker.

"(Y/N)," he speaks at last. His tone is firm yet without underlying aggression; one exclusively for your ears.

You perk up.

Dallas' fingers splay against his lips as if holding a phantom cigarette. "What're you doin' over here so late, huh? Was out lookin' for you."

He watches as your gaze darts to the window. Nightfall has long since kissed the apex of Tulsa, yet you hadn't a clue. You'd been there for hours, crunching equations and fruitlessly jotting down formulas. The encroaching weight of finals week had rendered both your circadian rhythm and measure of passing time nugatory.

"Borrowin' one of Darry's old textbooks," you explain, the corners of your mouth tugging into a frown. "Not exactly a monastery but it beats that old Soc-infested library, long as Two stays gone, that is."

He crosses the Curtis' living room in four smooth strides, plopping down next to you on the couch. The flimsy cushion sinks beneath him, forcing you closer to him, and for once, Dally's grateful for the pathetic old thing's lack of structural integrity.

He lifts the textbook, ignoring your whimper of protest and sets it on the coffee table. He spins the silver band on his knuckle, averting his gaze downwards. "You know, sweetheart," he pauses, choosing his words. Dally wears his worry uniquely, sparingly. "I'm not particularly likin' all of these.. these books, and.." he trails off, thumb tracing your newly-formed eyebag as if he could swipe it clean. "When's the last time you got any sleep?"

Things are different. You're his girl now. And not just his pretty skirt for the night and until 7am after; no, this is serious. You're his girlfriend. His lover. It's foreign. It's enthralling.

No one had told poor Dallas that falling for you would unwind a deep vortex in his brain that noticed the trivial things, like how suspiciously little you blinked or how the vibrant pink in your cheeks had drained.

You lean into his touch with an exasperated sigh. "Dally, c'mon, don't you start this. I know it's nothin' to you, but it's finals week!" you huff. "I'll catch up on the sleep, swear it! I just, I got so much left to do here, and,"

Your defense falls on deaf ears. This has been it for weeks now; and the you-sized hole burning in his chest is only getting deeper. Dally's arms encircle your waist as he taps gently on the small of your back. "Don't give me that," he sighs. "God, baby, you're worryin' me, alright? Don't like seeing my girl so..." he fans his hand outwards.

As you tense and start to fly into another excuse, he shakes his head, mind already made. He's sparing no more of your attention. "You're comin' back to Buck's with me, alright?" His timbre leaves no room for argument, but you squirm regardless. His grip on you tightens. "And I'm making sure you get some goddamn rest."

You pout, looking over at your textbook as if it would personify and save you. "But," you start, only to be hastily shushed.

"But nothin', doll. C'mon, up ya go,"

With that, he scoops you up, one arm hooking around your legs. Your series of half-hearted protests are nullified as he secures you into Buck's old truck, movements careful yet hasty. You inevitably surrender, a soft sigh escaping your lips as you lean back into the torn leather.

BUCK MERRIL'S HOUSE is as quiet as Buck Merril's house is capable of being. You've never been to Buck Merril's house, so you don't find it very quiet at all.

Running his hands over the blanket, Dallas spreads it out on the floor, smoothening out the crinkles and corners. They reform almost immediately and he sighs heavily, airing it out on the pummeled mattress in defeat. If he would have know he'd be conducting a full-scale kidnapping for the sake of your rest, he might have better prepared. Might have.

So, here's the thing, right?"

There have been girls in Dallas Winston's bed before.

There have been quite a few girls in Dallas Winston's bed before.

There have been zero girls in Dallas Winston's bed that he didn't bring into it with meaningless sex on the horizons.

You're no snob and he knows this, but now, it's the principle. Dallas Winston may sleep on a mattress deficient of ample springs and no top sheet, but Dallas Winston's girl should never. In spite his hazy, rose-colored, Y/N-centric world created under this roof, he knows he has to step it up.

As soon as he hears the faucet cut off, he's off his feet. He flings himself onto the mattress, hitching one leg up as he awaits the slow creek of the door.

And there you stand.

Dallas wonders what karmic debt is being paid off for him to deserve to see you like this. His lips part as he drinks in the sight of you like a man dying of thirst. You, in his lightly wrinkled grey tee that scarcely conceals your bare thighs. Your face glistens with renew, a few stray droplets racing down your forehead and cheeks. Even trammeled by exhaustion, you knock the wind right out of him.

You wear the moonlight beautifully. It traces each feature so delicately as you sit beside him on the bed. "I'm—," you start, but pause to let a little yawn. He practically melts beside you.

"I'm sorry I gave you such a tough time, darlin'," you continue, situating under the blanket. "You were right, I'm proper beat."

He smirks, propping his head up to look down on you. "As always," he notes, tucking a fly-away hair behind your ears. You roll your eyes and give him a playful jab, to which he winces in mock affliction. "Some nerve," he hums, thumb tracing your cheek.

You look at him, lips parting gently. This isn't Dallas Winston; that infamous, no-good hoodlum from the wrong side of the tracks. This is your Dally, someone you alone have the absolute pleasure of knowing.

"That's it," he whispers as you surrender to his side, nuzzling his neck. Your eyes are heavy, faltering by the second, yet your grip on him is unyielding. He's never felt a thing like this before, and he's quickly becoming putty in your careful arms. He's content to lay awake all night, watching the gentle rise and fall of your chest as slumber claims you.

His gangly fingers trace idly on your back, and he knows. He will never be the same.

[pumpkinsy0]

can you pls write some hcs about curly and johnny fighting over pony’s attention and being jealous when pony favors one over the other

of course!!

•unlike the others when it comes to johnny hes more reserved on what he actually thinks about curly, if u asks johnny how he feels hes not rlly gonna say his actual feelings, if pony asks how he feels anout curly, he just goes “if he makes u happy thats fine w me” he’d say as hes NOT looking at pony

•but like hes ponys bff brah, if pony likes em, shit maybe theres something the gang aint seein that pony does, but hes not 100% on board w it

•maybe their beef started bc pony would hang out w one of em for a longish time, then drop them for a bit and hang out w the other, and it was a cycle and theyre SO tired and think its the others fault or somethin

•ANYWAYS I KNOWWWW they talk shit about each other in their different language, and pony always hears but they dont say wtf the said in english, for ponys peace of mind he assumes its something good

•when ponys going back to hang out w the other, ponys wearing or at least has SOMETHING from the other one, and they do this as a stupid tactic to get in the others head thats like “pony was hanging out w me, cry about it lol”

•ITS NOT EVEN THAT PONY FAVORS ONE OVER ANOTHER, he just prefers the other over in certain situations bc he thinks theyre better at handling it

•like w socs, pony would rather curly, not that johnny cant fight, but bc curly has better fighting skills and can fight 2 ppl at one believe it or not and he just happens to b around curly when theres trouble around most of the time, then, would rather johnny when hes feeling emotional bc johnnys just better equipped at dealing w emotions and he also just so happens to get more into his emotions when johnnys around, so on and so forth

• the real problem is they just genuinely dont see that all so much and think theyre the problem, like theyre lacking in that department or somethin, but nah, rlly just a matter of circumstance

•when curlys over at a gang hang out, sometimes johnny catches him staring at pony and so he somehow gets pony to stick with him and they both go over to dallas, extra measure so curly thinks twice on heading over to em

•johnny absolutely felt a type of way when he found out pony and curly got matching scars from that fuck ass chicken game, bc not even HIM and pony have matching scars and they r basically inseparable, what kinda bc is that, he knows its stupid but still

• when johnny and pony go to the drive in, curly sometimes pops up, and johnny and curly arent even watching the movie, pony wants snacks and they both r like “I’LLL get it pony dw” and they both get pony snacks just shaking their head bc they think they have snacks pony would like more than the others choices

•curly put his arm around pony and johnny gave that lil side eye that dogs do

•this is like the only time ponys not stopping them, hes getting free snacks, ofc hes letting them continue

•i swear they NEVER actually talk to each other, like sat down and have a convo, they just have a petty competition, at best theyve said like 10 total words to each other at some point

•ponys actually not clueless when it comes to their beef w each other, he knows how awkward and tense it us when all 3 of em r in a room together, he doesnt exactly do much to stop it cause he doesnt get HOW whats going on between them is happening, but he tries not to let it escalate

[thevibraniumveterans]

“Black Panther Wakanda Forever” has a supporting cast of actors and actresses, without whom the story may not have been as effective. Sure, our main leads and the secondary characters are cool and awesome, and the story is amazing, but it’s people like the ones above who play small but very important roles in the story.

Having a young boy witness the trauma of his people be subject to horrors no child should be privy to, and hold on to that fear and rage with a grip so tight it transforms into vengeance that burns within a god-king hell-bent on protecting his people… little Manuel Chavez may not have been onscreen long, but his presence very much informed the charismatic K’uk’ulkan who is both filled with rage and kindness in equal measure.

Like Manuel, Irma-Estel LaGuerre and María Mercedes Coroy may not have been onscreen much, but their portrayal of a mother who, for the sake of her unborn son, must ingest a concoction to save both her and her people from the raging fires of colonialism resonates with many. In the film, K’uk’ulkan wonders what it is like to be a people in a pristine land who never have to leave. His mother loved him, cared for him, and wished for him to bury her in the land she loved so much, even if it was being desecrated by people who most certainly did not belong there to begin with. LaGuerre and Coroy portrayed a woman who had so much love to give, yet lost so much; it is to nobody’s surprise that her son adopted the name “Namor”, itself shortened from “el niño sin amor”, the child without love.

Without Josué Maychi, there may well not have been the inclusion of the Yucatec Mayan language in the film. Maychi’s role as the shaman who was guided by a god to retrieve a plant grown in Vibranium-rich soil to heal his smallpox-afflicted people is very important to the story, as without him, Talokan is as good as nonexistent. It is thanks to the shaman that Talokan was able to thrive as we see it do in the film.

María Telón Soc portrays a Mayan elder in the film. Her role, though small, is crucial as she is one of the guiding forces who help convince K’uk’ulkan mother to ingest the herbal drink to save her and her unborn son. Like the other actors and actresses mentioned above, she may not have been onscreen for long, but her presence informs the decisions we see the other Mayan-Talokanil make.

[outsidersheadcanons]

Hi!! Could i get a head cannon for the gang with there significant other that get jumped/ harassed by the socs? ( They hurt by cutting her neck like they did to pony) Normally they don’t bother her but since it’s late and the gangs not around they see as perfect opportunity cause she’s alone and vulnerable easy target ( there assholes like that ) of course she’s shaken up by it cause that’s never happened to her before what would the boys do if they found her or if she came to them?

Darry

He would be BEYOND pissed man. Esp since the socs decided to jump a girl??? He knows there's no sense in calling the cops, but he can't really do anything either (he's pretty nonviolent). But you can bet he's not letting her out of his sight for a good while now. And he'd let her stay over for a while until she wasn't shook up anymore.

Soda

Soda would be horrified. If he found her he'd take her back to the house to be patched up and he'd convince her to tell him who did it (later that night, him and Steve would go out and find the guys who did it. It isn't hard because the socs go to a lot of parties, and when they're finished w/ them they look much worse off than Soda's S/O did lol)

Ponyboy

Too young (right now) to have a S/O, but if he did his reaction would be similar to Darry's but he'd want to go out to find them. She'd be able to convince him not to though, because fighting with the socs would only make them want revenge. He agrees, but he would gladly walk her home for the rest of her life.

Two-bit

If he found her, he'd take her home. He doesn't know a ton about first aid, but his mother does. What he does know about though is how to deal w/ socs. He leaves and about four hours later he returns with three silver rings, two wallets stuffed with cash, and an expensive pack of cigarettes. Mrs. Mathews is beside herself but. at least the girl's safe 😭

Steve

Steve has a similar approach to Two-bit, but when he's done there's a tuff-looking mustang missing its wheels and chrome in front of the high school (he even broke in the windows for good measure). The socs all think it's Tim and there's talk of another rumble, but she knows the real culprit. I guess they couldn't handle the Randle 🤷‍♂️

Johnny

If he found his girl in that state he would panic so hard (and immediately take her to the Curtis house. He was so relieved when she was alright). He knows first hand what these experiences are like. but he doesn't want to risk anything (with the socs it's on sight when they see Johnny. You can't blame bro, esp since multiple people jumped his S/O). So he tells Dally abt it. A week later the problem is solved (and two socs are in the hospital with broken jaws).

Dally

He carries her bridal style to Buck's, kicking the door open and screaming for first aid supplies (she has a tiny nick on her throat but does she mind this? not really). Dally ends up giving his S/O a loaded heater to put in her purse when she goes out and leaves after she's patched up (before he left he tells her "If anyone asks, I was at the Dingo man. 😡" huh wonder what he's up to). Dally ends up going to the reformatory for a good four months after that, but the socs don't bother her anymore.

[funnyao3]

Inej entered the room with a cup of coffee and a bucket of water. “Everyone thinks I’m putting out a fire,” she said.

“Do I want to know?”

“It was Jesper’s idea.”

“I don’t want to know.”

[crystal-mouse]

Trying to explain the Star trek abba core lore to irls (who don't know star trek) is harder than it looks

to fully explain it you must explain the sarek lute saga and then the fight sarek soc and to explain that you need to explain sarek being a dick and why we're fighting him at the lidl carpark

So probably best to tell them to watch tos, the films and then disco for good measure

[morbidsmenagerie]

Scorpions, Sizes, and Science

So recently I was asked about Emperor scorpion sizes, specifically about the claim that they were the "largest scorpion in the world" or that they get "up to 8" (200mm) (or even 9" (230mm)) long. I went on a very long deep dive into Emperor scorpions, how they've been described, and how information spreads through the scientific community. This is incomplete, as some of the older sources aren't available online or in other languages, so if anyone reading this has access to these papers or can provide more information I'd love to hear more. The TL;DR though, I don't think Emperor scorpions have ever reached 8" long, from what I can tell it seems most Emperor scorpions in the hobby are 4" (100mm) - 5" (130mm), with the much more uncommon forest localities sometimes reaching up to 6.7"(170mm). The largest one I ever found a someone solid record of was 7" (180mm) long, but this is suspect also.

To start, some information about how to measure scorpions, and how species are described and talked about. For this discussion, we'll be only talking about Pandinus imperator, the Emperor scorpion. Scorpions are measured from the front of the prosoma (the head) to the telson tip (the tip of the stinger). This is because the "tail" is actually a highly modified abdominal segment, with the scorpions anus being located on the last segment of tail right under the stinger. Now personally, I'm not sure why scientific literature has decided to include the stinger in their total body length measurement since it's more of a true "tail" as opposed to being part of their body, but that's just how it is and it doesn't add too much to a scorpions total length. Also important to note is how new species are described. For the Emperor scorpion, we are actually extremely lucky to have recently rediscovered the "holotype".

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319136599_The_Emperor_is_back_Rediscovery_and_redescription_of_the_holotype_of_Pandinus_imperator_Scorpiones_Scorpionidae

The holotype is the original specimen of the species, basically it's the specimen the species description is based on, and it's the specimen that is usually compared to other animals to determine if they belong in this species or not. These specimens can be preserved for an incredibly long time, Emperor scorpions were first described in 1841, and the specimen from that paper is still in good enough condition to be examined today.

In this paper, they note a discrepancy with measurement. The physical specimen was measured at 160mm (6.3") but they suggest it might've been closer to 170mm (6.7") if you take into account some damage. This is the first record of Emperor size we have. This specimen unfortunately didn't have a location (this is important), and I can't find the original paper to be able to tell if he collected more than one specimen for the description or how big they were. One of the oldest pieces of information I could find access to is this section of The Biology of Scorpions by Max Vachon, published in 1956.

https://archive.org/details/biostor-149586/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater

The only reference to Emperor scorpion size is in this drawing here.

This Emperor was stated to be caught in "French Guinea", which now is just the country of Guinea in West Africa. This is likely the source of the 20cm (8") number, though it's important to note he gives a range and doesn't state the metrics of any particular scorpion he saw. The range given is likely from whatever "After Gaillard" is referencing, but I have absolutely no source on what this is referring to.

1899 a paper by Pocock, I think Tumblr's starting to get mad at how many image files I'm adding in. States "total length up to about 155mm".

Scorpions of Medical Importance by Hugh L. Keegan was published in 1980. I don't have a digital copy, but I do have the physical book, and in the section on Pandinus imperator it says "up to 180mm (7") or more" for their size.

The next piece of information we have chronologically is this:

https://www.academia.edu/50601420/Prey_capture_and_stinging_behavior_in_the_emperor_scorpion_Pandinus_imperator_Koch_Scorpiones_scorpionidae_

Published in 1985. This compares the size of Emperors with how likely they are to sting. In this paper they include a chart of the scorpions they had and how long they were, and we can see here the largest scorpion was measured at 170mm (6.7").

There's also the book, The Biology of Scorpions Edited by Gary A. Polis published in 1990.

This book states they get from 18cm (7") - 20cm (8") and cites Vachon 1953, I don't know if this is referencing The Biology of Scorpions book from 1956 or a different source. This book also doesn't have a specific References section that say what papers he's actually referencing.

Next is this CITIES proposal to include several Pandinus species to a protected status. I believe this was drafted in 1994 but I don't have the exact date.

https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/09/prop/E09-Prop-63_64_65_Pandinus.PDF

The Casper, 1985 citation there is referencing the paper I linked above, which only as them at 17cm. There isn't a reference for what they're basing 20cm off of specifically, and none of the other papers cited in the document that I could find suggests Emperors can get this big. There is another paper by Vachon that is cited, but I haven't been able to find it and it's not in English. The CITIES proposal is also interesting because it tracks imports of Emperor scorpions into the United States and where they were coming from.

So we can see most of the Emperor scorpions that made it into the hobby in the US were originally from Togo and Ghana (and elsewhere in the paper they confirm most of the exports worldwide come from these two countries). This is important for later.

In 1991 the book Arachnomania by Philippe De Vosjoli came out.

So it seems this book for sure got it's numbers from The Biology of Scorpions. Also interesting to note that this book states their normal size range as being 4" (101mm) to 6" (152mm), and only said "Some are 'giants' which will come close to attaining the large size reputed for the species", which implies giant scorpions weren't a common occurrence, and the "nearly eight inches" and "will come close" implies the author has no belief they get to or exceed 8" (200mm).

How to Keep Scorpions by Hull-Williams 1988 just gave a range for all scorpions, and said they get between 40mm (1.5") - 127mm (5") with no clarification on which species this was referring to. Later in this text it says "Large forest dwelling species are nocturnal ramblers and also grow quite large (8-9")" also without saying what species this refers to. Later for Heterometrus longimannus, it says "Due to their conspicuous size (trunk length up to 160mm) they are a good match for the closely related African genus Pandinus Thorell: they are among the world's largest scorpions." There is no specific size given for Pandinus imperator, nor does it specify where the 8-9" number comes from or if that measurement includes the claws. As stated before Scorpions of Medical Importance says "up to 180mm (7") or more".

The next chronological piece of evidence we have describes a little known phenomena with Pandinus imperator sizes, published in 1999.

https://britishspiders.org.uk/node/1810

So Pandinus imperator are found in both semi-arid savannah regions and more humid forest regions of Western Africa. Between these two populations, there are some differences, mainly that the "forest" form Emperors are larger and slightly more green tinged, while the "savannah" form Emperors are smaller and blacker. This paper from 1999 publishes the differences in sizes across these populations.

This paper unfortunately doesn't have an actual table with their precise measurements, and they only measure the prosoma and mesosoma (the "body") of the scorpions, but this still gives us valuable data. We can see from here the "Savannah" form scorpions they collected were between 47mm (1.9") to 67 (2.5") long, so assuming that the tail is about as long as the body, that gives us a range of about 96mm(3.8") - 130mm (5"). Ghana and Togo are both Savannah areas, so this is consistent with the Emperor sizes typically encountered in the US. "Forest" form scorpions though are 72mm (2.8") - 82mm (3.2"), which using the same assumption gives us a range of 144 (5.6") - 164mm (6.5"), which is consistent with the other measurements we know of so far. From this we can assume the holotype described by Koch in 1841 was a "Forest" form Emperor.

In 2010 Scorpions of the World was published, by Ronald Stockmann and Eric Ythier. They report the size range as "up to 200mm".

Then we have a paper published in 2011.

This paper has the largest range of size so far, saying they get up to 220mm (8.7").

He doesn't include a "material examined" section however (more on this later) and the Emperor he actually has a specific measurement of in the paper is only 115mm (4.5"). It's unclear if he has a specimen of a scorpion this big or if this is an estimate on how big they could potentially get.

Next up we have this paper, by Andrea Rossi in 2014.

https://archive.org/details/onychium-10-010-031

In this paper he reports Emperor scorpions as getting up to 230mm (9"), the largest estimate we have. Now what's important to look at is when a scientific paper comes out describing or redescribing the species, there will be a section called "material examined". This section tells everyone what specific specimens you looked at and where they're stored, so that other scientists can look at them again and compare them to your notes. So for the material examined on this paper, we can see he looked at one female emperor that was collected from Togo/Ghana in 2003, and that the specimen is at ARPC. He also looked at two male scorpions and two female scorpions collected in Liberia, from MHNG, and from a male without data from MSNB.

In this paper he includes this chart, which has the precise measurements of some of these specimens.

We can see that the specimen he chose to measure was the female Emperor from Ghana/Togo, stored at ARPC. The total length was 113mm (4.4"), and in the species description this is consistent with him saying the low range for their size is 115mm (4.5"). He also includes a picture of one of the males from MHNG, collected in Liberia.

This one was stated to be "about 180mm (7")". There is no other descriptions or measurements for any other specimen, so no information on which specimen he measured at 230mm (9"). My assumption is it's the one with no data from MSNB. Next up chronologically we have this paper, also published in 2014.

https://hamburg.leibniz-lib.de/en/forschung/journale/entomologische-mitteilungen/pdfs-publikationen/17-192-139.pdf

This paper doesn't have information specifically about the Emperor scorpion, but does state they get up to 180mm (7") and lists the total lengths of two of the specimens he looked at.

Then we have Andrea Rossi's next paper, published in 2015.

https://docslib.org/doc/3114192/clarification-of-the-type-locality-of-pandinus-ulderigoi-with-notes-on-the-scorpions-protected-by-cites-scorpiones-scorpionidae

Although this one doesn't give a stated size range for Emperor scorpions, we can see he used the same picture of the male Emperor from Liberia, states as being 180mm (7"). When we look at the material examined for this paper we find something interesting.

We can see he uses the 4 scorpions from Liberia from MHNG that he used in his last paper, and that one of these males is the one in the picture, and that he used a male specimen from the Ivory Coast from ARPC, but the male with no data from MSNB is no longer listed here.

https://bioone.org/journals/bulletin-of-the-american-museum-of-natural-history/volume-2016/issue-407/0003-0090-407.1.1/Redefinition-and-Systematic-Revision-of-the-East-African-Scorpion-Genus/10.1206/0003-0090-407.1.1.full

This paper published in 2016 criticizes a previous new species described in one of the earlier papers, and though he doesn't state a size range on Emperors, he does talk about their sizes and the differences in their sizes across their distribution.

"The putatively diagnostic difference in total body length between P. camerounensis (95–110 mm) vs. P. imperator and P. roeseli (150–180 mm), largely meaningless given the small sample size, breaks down when the raw data presented by Lourenço (2014:147) are examined more closely. The specimen of P. roeseli from Kindia is cited as 115 mm in total length, the specimen of P. imperator from Notsé, 155 mm, and the specimen from Edéa, almost certainly referable to P. dictator, 163 mm. An assessment of size variation among the material examined for the present study suggests the existence of a north-south cline in body size, associated with an aridity gradient, across the entire range of P. imperator, such that individuals in the arid north, e.g., Mouvielo, Burkina Faso (NM 14004), are on average smaller than those in the humid south, e.g., Kakum National Park, Ghana (AMNH), rendering indistinct any populations thought to be “semi-distinct” based on the examination of a handful of specimens. The putatively diagnostic differences in hemispermatophore structure between P. imperator and P. roeseli described by Lourenço (2014: 147, 149), which cannot be discerned from the superficial illustrations presented, must also be disregarded given the lack of quantification and, especially, the small sample size (although unspecified, it may be concluded that only three hemispermatophores were examined, one from each putative species). Finally, in response to Lourenço’s (2014) comment regarding the need for molecular investigation, it may be noted that ongoing research has revealed low levels of genetic divergence between small-bodied and large-bodied populations of P. imperator from the rainforests and Sahel regions of West Africa, supporting the morphological evidence of a single panmictic population (L. Prendini, unpublished data)."

And finally, the last piece of information we have is from a 2023 paper.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374414518_A_new_species_of_Pandinus_Thorell_1876_from_the_Sahelian_wooded_steppes_of_Burkina_Faso_Scorpiones_Scorpionidae

This paper is especially good because it explicitly talks about the difference in sizes across the Emperor scorpions native range.

What else is interesting, is this paper cites them getting up to 230mm (9"), the number from the 2014 Rossi paper. But from the author's themselves, they explicitly looked at smaller "Savannah" form Emperors for this study and in the material examined we can see this is true and they also didn't examine the supposedly larger Emperors from either Liberia or the no data male Emperor from MSNB. They also don't state any particular measurement for the Emperors they study besides the one they noted was a "very small size".

This paper also has a very good map that confirms that Ghana and Togo are majority Savannah regions, and so typically have smaller Emperors than the ones found in Liberia or the Ivory Coast. Combined with the fact that most exports were done from Ghana and Togo, this explains the Emperors in the hobby that are much smaller than what their max size could be. In summary, I'm not sure where the CITIES proposal got 20cm (8"), though it was likely in one of the Vachon papers. This is also the number that gets cited most often and most sites seem to lead back to this specific paper if you go digging about where that number comes from. For example, most sites actually source their information from The Scorpion Files, an incredible scorpion resource that has a list of all describes species and frequently posts about new scorpion news.

https://www.ntnu.no/ub/scorpion-files/p_imperator.htm

The species page for Pandinus imperator, however, says they can get up to 20cm (8") and it's likely they're getting this number from the CITIES report. You can see they also cited the Casper 1985 paper that has them only measured up to 17cm (6.7"). The Gaban 1997 paper doesn't specify any sizes, neither does the Mahsberg 1990 paper, and I could not find the Rolf 1998 paper. Most other sites that discuss the maximum sizes of Emperor scorpions either reference this page or directly link back to the CITIES proposal. The CITIES proposal might've gotten these numbers from either The Biology of Scorpions Edited by Gary A. Polis 1990, who in turn got it from one of the Vachon sources, or gotten it from Vachon directly. Did Vachon actually record a 20cm (8") Emperor scorpion? Or is he in turn just quoting someone else's size range?

It should be noted that the largest specimen we know for sure physically exists is the 180mm (7") specimen from the Rossi papers, though it should also be noted it was initially described as being "about 180mm" before being changed to "180mm" in his second paper. The much more common range is between 160mm (6.2") - 170mm (6.7") for the larger "Forest" form Emperors, with the Emperors that are most likely to be found in the hobby being significantly smaller than that.

I went down this rabbit hole because I was interested in how information, especially scientific reporting, enters the public consciousness. From two sources that stated Emperors get up to 20cm (8") or 23cm (9") long, this is the thing that is often quoted for Emperor sizes in the general public, completely ignoring that if you look at the source material these number are dubious and even if such a specimen did exist, it would be an extreme outlier and only the larger population of "forest" Emperors would ever hope to reach these numbers. In researching this, I found several sites that even reported that Emperor scorpions get an "average of 7-8 inches", which is completely baseless. If you take the time to read through these articles, you will also see that scientific papers frequently disagree with each other, so taking one paper by itself to support a piece of information is also not getting the full picture. Scientists make mistakes, they have differing opinions on things that reflect in their work, and methods and materials can be faulty.

I hope this was an interesting read, and I hope you'll be more interested in tracking down sources in the future the next time you see a claim that seems unbelievable. As an aside, I would absolutely love to see any evidence of Emperor scorpions getting even to 180mm (7"), and if anyone has a specimen with measurements, or a picture taken next to a ruler, or can find a paper where they measure an Emperor to get these numbers I would be very grateful if you could link it to me.

[deepspacedukat]

No Stone Unturned

Not gonna lie, this one took a fair bit of thought. I’ve never written this particular kink before, so here’s hoping this is half-decent! Enjoy!

Day 24: Cuckolding

SoC prompt list here. SoC Masterlist here. Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Koval (ST:DS9) x Romulan!Reader, Unnames Romulan OMC x Romulan!Reader

[A/N: This is smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Cuckolding, mild threats, sex as a bargaining chip, exhibitionism, voyeurism, masturbation, one relationship is previous, the other is current/established, ALL ACTS ARE CONSENSUAL.

~*~

“I’m disappointed,” a cold voice called from the shadows of our hotel room. My husband and I had checked in earlier under assumed names. We’d only stepped out for a quiet dinner, and when we came back...that was the first thing we heard. “Given our history together, I would have thought you’d know better places to hide than this. But then again...”

He stepped into the meager light permeating the space, and we found ourselves looking at none other than the Chairman of the Tal Shiar.

“...No one can hide from us.” Koval’s words were a threat, a promise, and a death sentence all wrapped in one. We had tried to run after a deal fell through, yet here we were, cornered by the man who would likely slit our throats. “You’ve been such loyal contacts for so many years. What changed? Why did you do it?”

“We didn’t betray Romulus, we would never,” my husband’s voice croaked, and despite his fear, I knew he was speaking the truth. We hadn’t betrayed our people, but one of our own contacts had. We’d come out here to find proof and had been partially successful in doing so, but we weren’t ready to present it to Koval yet. “If you’ll just let us explain–”

The Chairman held up a single gloved hand, and my husband’s voice fell away as if he’d been muted like a computer monitor. I couldn’t blame him. I felt as if my own tongue had suddenly evaporated.

“Yes, I’m aware of your search efforts. Did you think you were being subtle or evasive for a single moment?”

“Th-Then...” I hadn’t meant to start talking but once Koval’s eyes snapped over at the sound of my voice, I forced myself to continue. “Then you know we’re innocent?”

“Of course I do, or I’d have killed you both by now,” he said taking a few slow, measured steps toward us, stopping in front of me in particular. I dropped my gaze to his boots, but he quickly tilted my head up again with a tight grip on my chin. “What I want to know is why neither of you trusted me enough to explain the situation to me. I want to know why, after all our years of business, you did not even consider the idea that I might listen to you.”

His eyes pierced right into my soul, and I felt more ashamed than I ever had in my entire life. Koval was right. We’d known him for nearly fifteen years. He’d trusted us with sensitive information and tasks before. There was no reason to think the worst, and yet...we’d panicked. We’d allowed our fear to rule us instead of our minds. What fools we’d been!

“Have I not protected you before?”

“Of course you have,” I breathed, and his grip on my chin loosened a fraction as he flicked his eyes over to my husband.

“Have I not ensured your safety even on the most dangerous missions?”

“You have, Dhaemnasi.”

“Then why?” Koval asked looking back at me. “Why make me chase you all the way out here? All you have done is make yourselves appear guilty of a crime which I can easily prove that you did not commit.”

“We were afraid.” The words sounded feeble, even to my own ears, but they were the truth.

“And are you afraid now?”

“Only that we have irreparably damaged our amicable relationship with you, Dhaemnasi,” my husband murmured, and I nodded my head in agreement. Koval lifted an eyebrow as he turned away and strode to a small sofa at the side of the room.

“Oh, I’m certain we will find a way for you to prove your loyalty once more,” he said taking a seat as elegant as you please and looking over at us. “For others, I would be much harsher, but for the two of you...I’m quite open to suggestions.”

Glancing at my husband, my gaze met his. I could see that he and I were on the same page. We’d discussed this eventuality, even if it had seemed unlikely at the time.

“I believe we have a potential solution,” I called as I walked slowly toward the Chairman lounging in our hotel room’s living space. “We would be willing to offer thirty percent more casework than before as well as some additional...personal services.”

The gleam in his eyes told me he knew exactly what I meant, but the practiced tilt of his head made him seem as though he was quite ignorant of the implications my words held. His hand lay on the armrest at his left side, and with deliberately slow movements, I reached out and brushed my fingertips lightly over his knuckles.

The burst of pleasure that flowed between us served to steal his breath and mine. Accustomed to touching only my husband in such an intimate manner since we got together, I couldn’t help the guilt prodding at the back of my mind. He’d agreed to this though. We both had. Both of us were aware of Koval’s...tastes, so we decided that if this option had come to fruition, I would attempt to pique his interest as I had so many times before my husband and I were together. He hadn’t slapped me or shoved me aside yet, so I assumed that continuing probably wouldn’t get me killed.

As my fingertips skimmed up the back of his hand to his wrist, my breathing picked up and my eyes met his. His irises seemed darker than before.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” Koval stated gently, giving me an easy way out. Yet another mercy that I didn’t deserve.

“If you want me to stop, I will, but I think you know that I am not opposed to this.” My fingers paused in their path, but I didn’t remove them from his skin. A soft, pulsing hum flowed from his mind to mine - a question of some sort. If he was testing my sincerity, he’d find no flaws. I was entirely serious. After a long moment of silence, Koval stood, towering over me.

“Stopping wasn’t what I had in mind, however, I know that you and your husband are quite devoted to one another. I was the one who introduced you, after all.”

“We are, but we’re also honest with one another,” the significance of what I was implying made him glance between us. “Yes, he knows.”

My husband certainly did know everything. He knew that Koval and I had been involved long before he introduced us, that the Chairman and I had been intimate more times than we could count.

He also knew that if it hadn’t been for him, Koval would likely have taken me as his wife. The Chairman and I may have been an imperfect match, but the passion had never been absent - it still wasn’t after all this time. Even as I straddled his lap atop our hotel bed, my husband settled into a chair to observe what we had been before he entered my life.

Wasting no time once we were nude, Koval moved me easily onto all fours on the bed and thrust into me in one long stroke. A moan escaped me at the familiar, burning stretch. One of his hands gripped my hair, pulling my head up far enough for him to growl in my ear as my eyes met my husband’s.

“There is nowhere you could’ve hidden from me.” The tent in my husband’s trousers looked almost painful as Koval began to fuck me with all the fervor of our pent-up desire. “You know I would’ve left no stone unturned. Where you go I will always follow, e’lev, even to the ends of the universe.”

What might have sounded like a hollow promise to anyone else was, in truth, a solemn guarantee. Though I may not be Koval’s lover anymore, he’d promised me that I’d always have his protection. A sliver of residual guilt over the way we’d been reunited snaked through my abdomen, forcing the breath from my lungs.

The Chairman had felt it, I knew he had. Bending over me, he released my hair, opting instead for wrapping his arms comfortingly around my torso.

“Stop thinking. Allow yourself to feel instead,” he murmured scraping his teeth over the crook of my neck. And I did. With my husband touching himself to the sight of another man fucking his wife, I allowed myself to become lost in sensation.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani​ @android-boyfriends​ @attention-bajoranworkers​ @bigblissandlove1​ @darkmattervibes​ @emilie786​ @horta-in-charge​ @live-logs-and-proper​ @slutty-slutty-vulcans​ @starrynightgardens​ @toebeans-mcgee​

[ghostbunny-mars]

I can't think of anything smart to say so more soc AU bullshit

Ienaga is a Healer, that's what she studied, but also mostly self-taught herself to be a Tailor. She runs a mildy suspicious hotel somewhere in Ketterdam, but she is also called upon by whatever gang she currently allies herself with as an emergency doctor, when actual professionals cant be contacted. Shes not unwilling to use her tailor powers on others either. She'll take you to a suspicious side room in her hotel, but desperate times call for desperate measures right? (Mfs will do anything for gender affirmation) She probably continues to be a cannibal.

Edogai is a durast who works in taxidermy. He uses his abilities to make his works better in more efficient ways. He works for the 7th, and in exchange they give him a supply of... materials. Though he would work for them purely because of Tsurumi, no other return needed. Since false skins wouldn't be super important here, he can probably make an assortment of other chemicals and materials as a durast. So he's the one making all the inventions like Wylan.

Yuusaku I think would have been a grisha. What type of grisha isn't too important because he still wouldn't have killed, but I think he would be an inferni for the sake of symbolism. I don't know if there are flag bearers in the second or first army so the fire I think would be a nice way to keep the symbolism of being a guiding light in battle except more literally now. The second army and the first don't really like each other but I think it's fun if Yuusaku is some sort of exception, or at least very well liked by the other grisha.

Mishima I for some reason really like, even though he had like 4 seconds of screentime. He is not grisha, but he is an excellent tracker. I think it would be funny if he was treated a bit like a K-9 in Ketterdam. He can track down people very easily and knows many shortcuts to use in a chase.

But Usami is the actual attack dog in the form of being the most brutal. I think he's definitely one of the most feared members because of how cruel he can be. He's the one who takes the most dirty jobs, and he enjoys them.