#the entire earth is sustained on a cycle of life and death

[umbralstars]

I think one of my favorite things about FF7 is how genuinely alien Gaia is. I think people gloss over how different this world is compared to ours and I don't just mean magic. Gaia doesn't have plate tectonics, or if it does it doesn't work the same as our world. The Lifestream isn't just a metaphysical space, it's a physical ocean under the crust of the Planet that acts of in a similar fashion to the mantle of Earth. The Lifestream can flow to the surface and tear apart the land or piece it back together in whatever way it sees fit. It can sink or create entire landmasses at random.

It can flow in ways to create a lush paradise or concentrate so heavily in areas they become borderline toxic. The Nibel Mountains (while I know part of their problem is there's been a reactor there for 40+ years; do remember Nibel is facing the same problem of ecological collapse the Midgar Wastes are, so that's why it looks Like That. Nibel is just lucky it had one little town instead of a giant city) are essentially Gaia's version of active volcanoes, just without the heat of magma and lava. The Lifestream is also so close that those mountains were intimately tied with the cycle of life and death in Nibel probably for generations. Rhadore, similarly, was a volcanic archipelago, and her people knew that well. Shinra? They refused to listen as they always do.

The Lifestream itself is also one of the most animist concepts I've ever seen in fiction. It is All Life. Everything upon Gaia is intimately woven into the fabric of the Lifestream; plants, animals, rocks, rivers, oceans, Everything. It contains all memories that have ever existed and will ever exist upon Gaia. The Lifestream is the movement of the waves, the rushing course of rivers, the memories of materia, the slopes of the mountains, the rustling of plants and leaves, it is the souls of all things, it is mortal and gods alike.

The world we see in FF7 proper is a fantasy world that is slowly being consumed by capitalism and a cyberpunk hellscpe (those are often the same things). It is a fantasy world that has forgotten what it once was, what it still is. It is about a people who have been utterly disconnected from the very river of life that created and sustains them.

And I just think that's neat.

[abyssal-author-and-artist]

I want to try my hand at a real Gravity Falls AU so here we go.

It's semi-based on the Undertale AU Reapertale (one of my all-time favorite Undertale AUs), but mostly I just took the concept, so you don't need to have an understanding of that AU to hopefully enjoy and understand this one.

So basically, the concept is every single member of the cast - or at least the main members - are mapped to a god. For example, Soos is the god of childhood, so his entire deal would be childlike innocence and he'd function sort of as a guardian for lost and hurt children, especially those with rocky family situations.

The gods and their functions would go as such:

Soos - God of Childhood, obviously, protects children and guides lost ones back to their families. Keeps the lonely and hurting ones company when they need it most. Is pretty much the same as he is in canon, lighthearted and good with kids but surprisingly mature at times. (Soos is pretty complex, I think!)

Wendy - God of Forestry. Not necessarily the god of lumberjacks, but definitely the god of forests and trees in general. She's strong and protective and basically exactly the same except she maintains the balance of all forests in addition to messing around with her friends.

Robbie - God of Earth. I almost went with Death but I think I can find someone else to fit Death a little better. Also, if his parents are undertakers, then yes they work with the dead, but I think it's more narratively compelling with him as Earth instead. Plus, the forest and the earth? That's pretty cool (until they break up over something petty as all gods do). He'd probably do stuff like tend to the earth, but I doubt that he'd have much to do compared to literally everyone else here.

Dipper - God of Space. There's a couple reasons for this. I really waffled back and forth on what to do for him and I almost caved to science or cryptids. I picked space for the obvious reason of the birthmark but also because if he's beefing with Robbie, then god damn it, he's going to be god of a narratively fitting thing. The earth and the sky fighting over the trees. It's stupid but I like it. Also space has great symbolic ties to the unknown, so he'd still be able to be super invested in the unknown and cryptids and stuff. His responsibilities would be stuff like managing heavenly bodies and regulating natural cycles.

Mabel - God of the World. Yes this makes Mabel kinda overpowered. Yes I wanted really bad for Mabel and Dipper to have some cool duality going on. No further questions. (Actually there are many further questions you may ask me any that you want my asks are open.) Her job is to maintain the world and everything on it, but it's pretty self-sustaining, so her duties are mostly just causing a rogue natural disaster every once in a while to keep the balance correct. The world is just chaotic enough that I think it still works.

Ford - God of Life. I wanted to go for a vibe with Stan and Ford, and it works best with Ford first on the list. His job is normal Life stuff - create people and animals to live out their natural lives on the planet (as managed by Mabel). He's Life for reasons that I... cannot explain but are there nonetheless.

Stan - God of Death. Stan's job is to kill people. Just like Dipper and Mabel, Stan and Ford are two halves of a pair. Two pieces to maintain the balance. Most of the reason he's Death is because I think it fits his vibe, somehow, and also because I like the thought of Death having to impersonate life. I just think it's neat.

McGucket - God of Science. He was almost God of Progress, but with Dipper and Ford being Space and Life respectively, someone needs to represent science, and McGucket fits the bill well enough. Funnily enough, McGucket acts as a literal muse to important people in scientific fields, giving them divine bouts of inspiration.

Bill - not a god! Well, not anymore. Most of his power has been sealed so he's functioning at about a third of his full power. He used to be some sort of supreme god, or king of gods, but he had some sort of falling. Think Zeus toppling the Titans, where Bill is the Titans and everyone else is the rest of the Greek Gods. Not a one to one, of course. Whatever gods defeated him are likely long dead or sealed, so they're not relevant to the plot and that's why Ford would get tricked by him. In a time past, he had all powers, but he's been reduced to weaker forms of mind magic.

I think that's all the major players, but for my sanity, here's a few more people quickly.

Tambry - God of Communication. Not sure she's relevant enough but I had a good idea for her.

Manly Dan - God of Fighting. Pretty obvious.

Filbrick Pines (Stans' dad) - can't think of something I'm satisfied with! He really doesn't have a lot.

Caryn Pines (Stans' mom) - God of Prophecy. Pretty obvious.

Love God - not relevant to anything at all but in case you were wondering, he's literally still a cherub. Nothing changes.

Gideon - God of Magic.

Bud Gleeful - not a god. You know how in Greek myth Zeus will have children with human women through various weird ways? Yeah, Bud Gleeful is the human woman. Whether that means he's trans masc or a part of his essence was stolen and mixed with divinity is up to you.

Pacifica - God of Change. This one needs a little explanation so basically it's because she's breaking the cycle of change. On a related note,

Pacifica's parents (can't remember their names) - dual gods of power. One seeks more money and the other seeks more beauty. They're totally tricksters who promise you power and then fuck you over.

Can't think of anything else right now but I will be posting design ideas next. And then I will try to put out as many fully drawn character designs as possible. (I'm starting with Dipper and then going from there, but I have ibis paint free trail so i can't draw much).

The AU would probably be called Divine Falls or something like that. That's probably what I'm going with, honestly. Plot will exist later right now it's just a cool idea

[most-definitely-human]

Logistics of food production in Angband

A worldbuilding detail that has bothered me for a while is how Morgoth created the vast amounts of food required to build and maintain his huge armies and captured thralls. Especially as a hallmark of his presence is the death of plant life, agriculture doesn't seem like his strong suit, and those under his control outside of this would have a pretty difficult time growing anything.

For quite a while after the Awakening of the elves, there was no light in Middle-earth but that of the stars, and even after the creation of the sun, Angband is situated in a horrible place for agriculture.

Any farmland to the south would surely be a key target for elves, even if his own forces didn't destroy it. To the north is frozen wasteland.

My starting assumptions are that Angband is a) primarily underground and b) a relatively closed system, with little opportunity for trade for a significant stretch of its existence

Ideas under the cut, warning for cannibalism.

And yeah, cannibalism is the most immediately obvious source of food, but it isn't particularly sustainable, especially when captured elves seem to be the primary workforce. Even with a high mortality rate, it's a cycle of diminishing returns to sustain a population, before you even consider the amount of flesh required to raise dragons.

Breeding livestock has very much the same issue without plants- you very much need something at the bottom of the trophic pyramid to support the life above it, and this is not particularly easy to fulfil underground.

A lot of people, though, are presumably going to be producing a lot of waste. Coprophilous fungi and insect larvae could potentially in turn be used to feed pigs, which is still a stopgap measure but is at least recycling some nutrients. Again though, diminishing returns.

Given the volcanic nature of Thangorodrim, it is entirely possible for there to have been ecosystems similar to those found at hot springs or hydrothermal vents. These generally consist of invertebrate grazers feeding off cyanobacteria mats, which may in turn feed larger animals. Getting these to exist at a scale or growing quickly enough to support a population of large mammals rules these out to me as being viable as a primary food source though. The accumulation of heavy metals in tissues would also likely present an issue, as would reliably harvesting anything from such a hot, toxic environment for anything other than maiar.

A potential source of external food could be found if the tunnels of Angband extended all the way west to the sea, though this has its own issues. Given the ships of elves seeking help were regularly torn apart for even attempting to sail, I highly doubt orcs would have better odds if attempting to go out in fishing boats. Tidal fish traps could potentially be used to safely provide food, as could harvesting coastal shellfish and seaweeds.

Assuming the environment of the Helcaraxë is similar enough to our polar regions, seals could also be hunted. Given how quickly our industrialised society almost wiped them out in pursuit of fur and meat, I'm not sure how long those colonies would last under sustained pressure from hunters trying to feed a vast, multiplying army.

This leaves us with the final option I could think of...

Magic

Given the split nature of elves into Fëa and Hröa, I don't think it is unreasonable to suggest that elves may be capable of at least partially sustaining themselves through interaction of Fëa with external sources of energy. The Eldar, living under the Light of the Trees, were visibly changed and strengthened from this exposure.

Perhaps they could convert ambient energy into forms usable by bodies, like the radiosynthetic fungus growing in what's left of the basement of the Chernobyl reactor. Melkor poured a lot of himself into his creations, leaving a lasting presence.

Perhaps this is how orcs were created, elves born in captivity in those dark halls, with only the presence of a Valar for sustenance, gradually changing them into something new, better adapted for such a life.

If adult elves and orcs could be kept alive in this way, the other options for biomass become a lot more viable. Hell, it would expand it pretty significantly if there were fungi also capable of surviving in this way.

@outofangband what do you think?

[alienarthouse]

Like the land plants of Earth, the Mahweir species engages in what is known as the “alternation of generations”, but with four forms instead of two. Essentially, each generation of this species produces offspring that differs in form and reproductive type from its parents. This has lead to the Mahweir being mistaken as four different species, but the fact that this cycle will always take place, without fail, is solid evidence of it being one species. We discuss the forms below.

(A) Terreids

The first form in the generational cycle of the Mahweir is known as a Terreid. This form is completely sessile, often found growing on the forest floor or on the trunks of trees. They consist of a mycelial network that grows beneath the ground or bark, and a mushroom-like fruiting body. This is a sporomycete generation, reproducing asexually and folding up its cap to release spores into the air during reproduction. Terreids were often assumed to be a non-intelligent form of Mahweir, but recent discoveries have found them capable of understanding language and even performing rudimentary forms of communication through connection to their mycelial networks. This had led to a shift in treatment of Terreids, once farmed as though they were unintelligent fungi.

(B) Aereids

Germinated from the spores released by Terreids, Aereids make up the next generational cycle. Gases stored in their cell’s vacuoles make them remarkably light, allowing Aereids to live an entire life suspended in the air. They maneuver themselves using feather-like fronds covered in millions of near-microscopic mycelial threads, allowing them to almost swim through the oxygen-rich atmosphere. They are sexually-reproducing gametomycetes, reproducing by injecting their zygotes into arthropods native to their planet. Despite their simple appearance, Aereids are shockingly intelligent, and capable of living for decades. In Mahweir cultures, they often serve as scholars, philosophers, and spiritual leaders.

(C) Canneir

The Canneir make up the next link in the generational cycle of Mahweir, living a unique experience compared to other generations, and oftentimes even between Canneir individuals. This is due to their nature as parasites; they are formed when Aereids inject developing zygotes into the arthropod-like animals of their homeworld. There they germinate, feeding upon the still-living animal as they develop an extensive mycelial network they will eventually use to puppet the exoskeleton left behind. They are asexually reproducing sporomycetes, releasing an explosion of spores upon their death. Canneir can possess any number of different arthropods, including the Zisk—this is often a source of controversy among sophonts, but it is often cited that it was only through the cooperation of the Mahweir and the Zisk queen Skychaser, who let Canneir parasitize her drones, that either species was able to achieve space travel. Canneir can live from only a few years to many decades, depending on the their host’s body’s ability to sustain them.

(D) Mahweir

Confusingly, the last form in the generational cycle are known as Mahweir. The name for this form became the colloquial name for the species largely because, when first encountered by the UFW, this form made up the majority of the space-faring population. Formed from spores released after a Canneir’s death, Mahweir initially resemble a sort of crab, with a small, tangled body of mycelium and a chitinous pseudoskeleton to support it. To survive, Mahweir bond together, entangling their grasping tendrils to form one larger super-individual. This connection goes beyond the physical, though: by undergoing a quick and simple process to fuse certain tendrils, Mahweir are able to directly connect their minds to one another. This process is like unfolding a piece of your brain and linking directly to another person’s. Mahweir may spend the majority of their life as one super-individual, or may live in many as it suits their needs. A Mahweir maintains their individuality of consciousness throughout this process, though extended fusion with other individuals can result in a sharing of memories and personality. Mahweir “Great Minds” take advantage of this quirk of biology to maintain living libraries containing thousands of years of memory and knowledge, which Mahweir individuals are encouraged to visit many times throughout their lives to upload and download new information with the mind. Mahweir are sexually reproducing gametomycetes, reproducing with others in a super-individual and spreading the zygotes through the air from structures grown on their backs. These zygotes remain inert until conditions are correct, after which they develop into Terreids, beginning the cycle again.

Two extra notes:

Mahweir are native to the same planet as the Zisk, sharing a long and sometimes fraught history with the other species.

Modern Mahweir super-individuals increase their mobility, function, and comfort when off-planet by living in mech suits. I’ll get around to drawing these soon.

The arthropod depicted in the above chart is a Fairy Hopper. They are roughly about the size of a medium-to-large Earth dog, with large, useless wings. Fairy Hoppers are secondarily flightless, instead using them for mating displays. They are domesticated by Zisk consorts as show animals, and make a common host for Canneir due to their durability lending a longer lifespan.

[kovacs-of-courage]

Eclipse AU(Tldr at bottom of post_

So I made a modern-sort of percy jackson inspired AU for Linked Universe, I think it's fun to write! I hope other people enjoy it. Here's my weird rough summary. Willing to answer any and all questions!

The Chain are lost in time, trapped in an unending cycle of life and death. A familiar tale to the hero's spirit. In their last confrontation with the incarnations of demise, and the demons he commanded--the whole of reality went asunder, and the power of the gods shattered entirely.

After that confrontation--the nine embodiments of the hero’s spirit suffered the same fate as their homeland--their souls washed away in caskets of golden tears and failed promises.

Hyrule was wiped away, wiped from the face of history and beyond. The goddesses had to begin their creation anew, without the baggage of those that caused it’s destruction in the first place.

Earth, modern earth, was created in it’s place--with a few key changes.

For all their efforts--the remains of their first creation leaked through, infecting the history of our earth like vile rot. The monsters were the first to make the breach, their combined hatred and inhuman will to survive holding their corrupted essences together through the transition.

There are stories of these creatures, often disregarded as exaggerated hyperbole by historians, or metaphors for natural disasters. 

They were not.

The Queen Gohma haunts the jungles of South America, legends of her urchin-like young making victims of unfortunate wanderers; sustaining her immortal lifespan in the depths of her hollowed tree.

Argorok terrorized the skies of medieval Europe, casting plumes of fire on the feudal armies that tried opposing it’s oppressive reign; her accompanying packs of gleeoks hunting ancient sailors in the atlantic.

And there were many, so many more monsters that endured the chaotic folding of time and space, the near-annihilation of any sense of self--as the mind and soul were put to battle against the last, drawn out gasps of their dying universe. The destruction was biblical, the return of gods seen only in legend--it’s a wonder that anything survived that cataclysm.

The chain suffered a similar fate--at first--their existence and histories torn apart atom by atom, their souls stretched paperthin as thought and reality blended together during the collapse of stars.

But they endured.

They tumbled through the new cosmos, the echoes of their shared spirit melding into the foundation of the universe--as immovable as gravity. When humanity came to prominence; the chain were there to follow. They were reborn, stripped of their memories, into a thousand different societies, and countless eras.

At times of crises and devastation; their nine courageous souls were reborn across the earth, their courage burning brighter than it had been before. They were prepared for the changing world, their skills old and new continuing with each reset.

There are some echoes of continuity, however, rules that their spirit must follow.

Twilight is related to time in some way, and they’re the two who meet again the most. 

Wind is always born in sea-faring communities, whether that be in the literal age of pirates, or as an early tribesmen at the dawn of civilization--rediscovering his aptitude for sailing.

And as the chain have been reborn, so too have many of Hyrule’s legends, their essences bleeding forth onto our realm. The memory of that primeval history scars our world, and fragments of every era hides under the bustling, nation-states of our modern age.

Some more aware than others.

Those with the blood of Hylia returned, bringing the memory of their goddess with them--thought to be eradicated. They possess no royal heritage, living as normal citizens, the zeldas being born nearby their links.

The sheikah bounced back quickly, as Impa(SS) managed to come out of the transition with her memories intact--assembling her fractured tribe during the stone ages. 

TLDR: Modern AU that’s sort of percy jackson in how Hyrule seeps over. Ancient things hidden in modern times, with the chain reborn worldwide.

[knowlimitations]

Time: The Illusion We Live By, and the Path to Reclaiming It

Time, as we know it, is a construct—a tool engineered by humanity, bound to our collective need for structure and order. But beneath this surface-level understanding of time lies a deeper truth: time itself, in its most rigid form, is an illusion. It is not a fixed, linear force, but a reflection of our limited perception of the world around us. And yet, we have allowed it to shape every aspect of our lives, to dictate the rhythms of our existence, to divide our days, months, and years into quantifiable units that no longer align with the natural cycles of the Earth, the moon, or our very bodies.

In the earliest days of human civilization, time was not measured in the way we understand it today. People lived by the seasons, by the movement of the stars, by the ebb and flow of the tides, by the planting and harvesting of crops. Their days were governed by the sun, their months by the moon, their years by the changing of the seasons. Time, in its most pure form, was cyclical, organic, and in harmony with the natural world.

However, as societies grew more complex, as the need for coordination and control over larger populations increased, the simple cycles of nature were replaced by something more rigid, more predictable—more controllable. The ancient Roman calendar, for instance, originally consisted of only ten months, leaving a significant portion of the year unaccounted for. It was a reflection of the Roman understanding of time: a simple cycle, tied to the solar year, but not yet codified into a fixed system.

It was Julius Caesar, in 46 BCE, who revolutionized the calendar, introducing the Julian Calendar, which incorporated twelve months to account for the entire solar cycle. This shift, however, was not just about aligning the calendar with the solar year; it was a strategic move, creating a system that could be manipulated for political and social control. The months of the year—like July (named after Julius Caesar) and August (named after Augustus)—were no longer merely markers of seasons, but of power. This calendar laid the groundwork for the system we use today, one that is so deeply ingrained in our consciousness that we rarely question it.

The Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582, refined the Julian system, making it more accurate in terms of aligning with the solar year, but it remained rooted in the same fundamental principles: a rigid, linear understanding of time. This calendar became the standard in much of the world, a reflection of our society’s growing obsession with efficiency, predictability, and control. But it is precisely this rigidity that has distanced us from the natural rhythms of the Earth and the cosmic cycles that govern our existence.

The Illusion of Linear Time

The construct of linear time—where one moment follows another in a straight line from past to present to future—has dominated the human experience for millennia. We divide our lives into hours, days, weeks, months, and years, with each unit a discrete marker on a timeline that appears unchanging, yet is always slipping away from us.

But time, in its most authentic form, is not linear. It is cyclical. It is fluid. It is ever-present, yet ever-changing. The idea that time is something to be measured, quantified, and controlled is, in essence, an illusion. We live in a world that is inherently cyclical—where the Earth spins on its axis, where the seasons turn, where the moon waxes and wanes, where life itself ebbs and flows. The linearity we impose on time distorts our relationship with the natural world, disconnecting us from the very cycles that sustain us.

Our lives are not neatly divided into discrete units. We are constantly moving between stages, experiencing moments of birth and death, growth and decay, expansion and contraction. Time is not something we are bound to; it is something we co-create. And yet, we have allowed ourselves to become slaves to a system that does not align with our true nature.

Reclaiming Time: A New Vision for the Future

If we are to move beyond the illusion of linear time, we must first reconnect with the natural cycles that govern our lives. We must return to a deeper understanding of time as an organic, fluid force—one that flows in harmony with the rhythms of the Earth and the cosmos. And in doing so, we can begin to imagine a new way of structuring our days, months, and years—one that is less rigid, less structured, and more intuitive.

Imagine a calendar that is no longer bound to the rigid structures of political power and artificial division. Instead, envision a system that honors the natural cycles of the Earth, the moon, and the stars—one that reflects the deep, cyclical nature of life itself. Such a calendar would be luni-solar, harmonizing the rhythms of both the sun and the moon, creating a system that respects both the solar year and the lunar month, as well as the subtle interactions between them.

In this new system, the year could be divided into 13 months, each containing 28 days, resulting in a total of 364 days. This would reflect the lunar cycle, with each month aligned with the phases of the moon, from new moon to full moon, and back again. The remaining day (or two, if accounting for leap years) could be left outside the months—an intercalary period, a time of reflection, rest, and recalibration, allowing the collective to pause and reconnect with the cycles of nature.

But the real beauty of this new calendar lies not in its structure, but in its essence: it is a return to intuitive time. Rather than being bound by the mechanical ticking of a clock, we would live in harmony with the ebb and flow of nature. We would structure our days not around arbitrary schedules, but around our innate rhythms—when to rest, when to act, when to reflect, and when to grow. The months themselves could be named after the characteristics of the Earth’s changing landscape, tied to the seasons, the elements, and the celestial cycles.

In this new calendar, time is no longer an enemy to be conquered, but a companion to be honored. It is a tool for growth, for creativity, for connection. It flows, just as we do. There are no fixed lines, no deadlines, no rigid divisions. There is only the continuous cycle of life, a rhythm that we are a part of, not separate from.

The Invitation to Reconnect

As we continue to evolve, both individually and collectively, we are being invited to reclaim our relationship with time—to remember that we are not merely subjects of a clock, but participants in a vast, living process. Time is not something we "lose" or "spend." It is something we live—it is the very fabric of our existence, woven through our experiences, our choices, and our connections to one another and to the world around us.

We are moving beyond the limitations of the old, linear way of thinking. The future is one of expansion, where we live in harmony with the timeless nature of existence, where we honor the natural cycles, and where time is no longer something we control, but something we flow with.

This vision is not just a possibility for the future; it is a reminder of what has always been, beneath the surface of our constructed systems. It is time to remember who we are, and to step into a new relationship with time—one that is free, expansive, and deeply aligned with the cycles of the Earth, the moon, and the cosmos. A time that is, in essence, truly ours.

[yosef72]

The Disconnection Crisis: How Our Food, Our Minds, and Our World Have Been Severed from Their Natural Order

In a world that moves faster than ever, where convenience is king and efficiency is prioritized over wisdom, I can’t help but notice something deeply unsettling: we are disconnected. Not just from each other, but from something much larger—the natural intelligence of the world itself.

I’ve been reflecting on this in many ways, but it all started with a simple thought: What happens when we eat food that is no longer part of nature’s process? What happens when we consume plants that have been stripped of their ability to evolve, to reproduce, to participate in the living system that has sustained life on this planet for millions of years?

The more I explored this idea, the more I realized—this isn’t just about food. This is about everything.

The Silent Death of Evolution in Our Food

For most of human history, our relationship with food was one of deep interdependence. We cultivated plants, but they too evolved alongside us, adapting to changing climates, soil conditions, and unseen forces that shaped their chemistry.

Many ancient traditions believed that food wasn’t just physical sustenance—it was a spiritual and energetic bridge between humans and the greater intelligence of nature. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kabbalah, Indigenous teachings—they all spoke of plants carrying wisdom, energy, and properties beyond what science can yet measure.

But what happens when we interrupt that process?

• Seedless fruits that can no longer reproduce.

• Genetically modified crops that never experience natural selection.

• Monocultures that strip the soil of its microbiome, killing the very system that once gave plants their depth.

If a plant cannot evolve naturally, can it still carry the same benefits—nutritional, energetic, or even spiritual—as it once did?

Are we, in the pursuit of convenience, sterilizing not just our food but our connection to something greater?

A Broader Disconnection: What Happens When This Spreads Beyond Food?

The more I thought about this, the more I saw the same pattern repeating everywhere.

This isn’t just about food. This is about a fundamental shift in how humans interact with the world.

• We consume short-form content, quick headlines, and viral trends instead of deep wisdom and contemplation.

• We design our societies for immediate profits rather than for long-term sustainability.

• We prioritize artificial intelligence over natural intelligence—forgetting that the earth itself has been solving problems for billions of years.

The same way that a sterile, seedless fruit is cut off from the natural cycle of life, we are cutting ourselves off from our own natural cycles—of thought, of leadership, of wisdom, of connection.

What happens when an entire civilization is raised on food that no longer participates in the greater system of intelligence?

What happens when people’s minds are fed shallow, disconnected, artificial information in the same way their bodies are fed shallow, disconnected, artificial food?

Are we witnessing not just the loss of biodiversity in our crops, but the loss of intellectual, emotional, and spiritual diversity in human thought?

The Immaturity of Our Leaders and Our Systems

This brings me to something that has been gnawing at me for a long time: where are the adults in the room?

More and more, I look around at the political world, at the decisions being made, and I feel like we are living in a world that has lost its elders. Not in terms of age, but in terms of maturity, wisdom, and the ability to think beyond the next election cycle.

Why do so many leaders today seem incapable of depth, foresight, or genuine concern for the bigger picture?

I don’t think this is a coincidence.

• A society that eats nutrient-deficient food produces nutrient-deficient thought.

• A society that values speed over wisdom produces leaders who react rather than reflect.

• A society that disconnects from natural intelligence begins to create artificial intelligence to fill the gap.

I believe this disconnection is feeding into every aspect of human dysfunction today—our failing political systems, our inability to hold deep conversations, our constant state of distraction, our growing anxiety and sense of meaninglessness.

Because just like the plants we eat, we have been removed from the process that makes us whole.

How Do We Reconnect?

I don’t have all the answers, but I know this: reconnection has to start somewhere.

1. Reconnecting with Food

• Eat real, naturally grown, heirloom, non-sterile food.

• Grow something yourself, even if it’s just a small herb in your kitchen.

• Think about where your food comes from and what it has been through.

2. Reconnecting with Thought

• Read deeply, think slowly, and seek wisdom beyond the headlines.

• Engage in conversations that challenge you, not just confirm what you already believe.

• Slow down your consumption of information—treat it as nourishment, not entertainment.

3. Reconnecting with Natural Intelligence

• Spend time in places that haven’t been engineered by humans.

• Observe how nature organizes itself—without central control, yet in perfect harmony.

• Recognize that intelligence isn’t just about computers and data—it’s about life itself, evolving and adapting over millions of years.

4. Reconnecting with the Bigger Picture

• Recognize that everything is connected.

• Ask yourself: are we truly progressing, or are we just moving faster?

• Think beyond just what is convenient—start questioning what is right.

A Conversation That Needs to Be Had

I don’t want this to just be a blog post—I want this to be a conversation.

Do you feel this disconnection, too? Do you think the way we grow our food, the way we consume information, and the way we run our societies are all symptoms of the same problem?

And if so, how do we start reversing it?

Let’s talk. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Reblog, comment, or message me—let’s start making sense of this together.

[istariray23]

1st rain of May 2024

"As the sun-drenched days of summer give way to the first signs of rain after a prolonged drought, there is a transformative shift in the very fabric of the world around us. The dry, cracked earth eagerly drinks in the moisture, sending tendrils of life and vitality deep into the soil. Parched rivers and streams swell with newfound abundance, their once-depleted banks overflowing with the promise of sustenance and growth. Birds sing joyfully, leaves unfurl with renewed vigor, and the entire landscape is washed clean in a symphony of nature's rebirth. In this moment of transition from arid heat to cool showers, we are reminded of the resilience of the natural world and the enduring cycle of life, death, and rebirth that sustains us all. Let us embrace the first rain after so long with open arms and grateful hearts, celebrating the miracle of transformation and the endless possibilities that each new season brings. 🌦️🌿💧 #FromDroughtToDownpour" -iSTariray23

[loominggaia]

Agony Cradle + Wretch

Happy Halloween!

(lore under the cut)

Name: Agony Cradle

Class: Monster

PPL Category: 4 - Very dangerous and hostile to peoples.

Forger: Mankind's Disgrace

AGONY CRADLE

Agony cradles are fearsome monsters created by Mankind's Disgrace, the Divine of Hate. They resemble a tree-like stalk that's rooted into the ground, and on its other end is a cradle-shaped structure lined with long, sharp spires of bone. The cradle is full of hooked tendrils that the monster uses to ensnare its prey.

These monsters can replicate themselves using their roots. Each node in the root system can potentially grow into a new agony cradle if the right conditions are met. These monsters thrive in graveyards, hunting grounds, or wherever the earth has been soaked in blood. They are known to infest old battlefields in particular. They begin life as small sprouts, but will grow larger the more they consume.

These monsters feed on the bodies of peoples and beasts. They will spit out other monsters, which cannot nourish them. They are ambush-hunters that ensnare any prey that happens to get too close, and they are known to lure this prey using other prey.

When an empty agony cradle ensnares a person or animal, it hooks hundreds of tendrils into them. These tendrils deliver nutrients to the victim to keep them alive throughout their natural lifespan, but also deliver pain. The victim's constant screams lure people and animals alike towards the agony cradle, which snatches them up and consumes them.

The monster's lure will age and eventually die with time. When this victim is near death, the agony cradle replaces it with a new victim and then consumes it, beginning the cycle again. Especially large agony cradles may support multiple lures at once, generating more noise and attracting more prey.

WRETCH

When a creature becomes ensnared by an agony cradle and is used to lure prey, they are simply known as "agony lures". Wretches are a specific type of agony lure facilitated by the Cult of the Crescent, a faction which worships the Divine of Hate.

Wretches were deliberately placed in agony cradles as infants. Their mouths were sewn shut to silence their screams, for their cradles are not wild specimens that rely on ambush feeding, but rather farmed by cultists, who don't care for all the noise. The cultists tend to these monsters by feeding them sacrifices regularly. Meanwhile the wretch's misery is harvested into crystals, and these crystals are used to forge powerful weapons for Disgrace's evil army.

Most wretches spend their entire lives suffering in these cursed cradles, knowing nothing but pain and despair. When they grow old and die, the cultists simply replace them with another infant, and the crystals are charged with yet another lifetime of misery.

On rare occasions, wretches have been known to escape their cradles. They can also be deliberately set free. Either way, there isn't much relief to be had for them outside. After so much time in the cradle, their sewn mouths fuse shut and their bodies have become as grotesquely twisted as their minds.

Their long existence in the cradle has conditioned wretches to feed through their skin. They sustain themselves by bathing in blood and viscera. They may attempt to attack people and animals to feed, but given their frail conditions, they aren't much of a threat.

Crescent Cultists sometimes pull wretches from their cradles and use them for slave labor. A steady supply of blood keeps these poor souls docile, and the threat of being thrown back into their cradles keeps them obedient to their cruel masters.

CULTURE

Agony cradles are one of the most feared and loathed monsters on Looming Gaia. Thankfully, they are quite rare outside of Crescent Cult territory. In the wild, they are most often encountered at old, abandoned sites like mass graves, or deep in the wilderness, feeding primarily on animals and stray adventurers. On occasion, they are known to sprout around slaughterhouses.

Juvenile specimens are harmless to all but small animals and easily killed with fire. But unless their roots are dug up, more specimens may sprout in the future. Mature agony cradles are extremely dangerous, as they can ensnare anything that gets within their reach. The length of their tendrils is about twice length of their cradles, so larger specimens can have quite a long reach. Untangling a victim from these tendrils is a surgical procedure that can cause great injury if not done carefully.

Many souls have suffered in the clutches of these terrible monsters, but their fearsome reputation only motivates people to eradicate them more.

TRIVIA

-The world's largest known agony cradle was discovered on an ancient battlefield in the Serkel Desert. An adult roc was ensnared in its cradle, presumably luring other rocs and megafauna into the monster's clutches.

-Agony cradles can survive in a variety of conditions, including underwater. However, they will die with prolonged exposure to extreme heat or freezing temperatures. They can also die from direct flame, starvation, and physical damage.

-If this monster's cradle is destroyed but its roots are left in the ground, a new specimen may grow in its place. One way to prevent this is to dig up all the roots and destroy them. Alternatively, the roots can be left in the ground and magic rituals can be used to purify the area of blood and dark energy. The roots will remain dormant so long as the area is not tainted again.

-Adult wretches have developed an astronomically high pain tolerance, both physical and mental. This allows them to wield cursed weapons and objects that most peoples cannot.

-Some wretches are so physically twisted that they lose all mobility, even becoming blind and deaf in some cases. Others fair much better, and may even be fit enough to put up a fight. In desperate situations, the Cult of the Crescent has been known to arm them and send them into battle.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[identityquest]

decided to repurpose my oc final victim bc 1) i got a narrative they could fit into and 2) always wanted one of them gayass helmet head characters

The Final Victim was the last commissioned pilot in a series of interstellar travelers called "Star Runners." At the time the narrative would take place, there'd be approximately 30 Runners in total. All the Runners are the same species and from the same planet.

The Star Runners' home planet was an Earth-like one in a small, out-of-the-way system near the edge of the galaxy. It was home to uncountable unique cultures and societies, which were plagued with international conflict. However, it was still a beautiful and prosperous planet, and it was quickly approaching a true space age.

For reasons unknown, the sun their planet orbited suddenly soured. It rapidly cycled closer to death and began threatening to nova, imperiling all life on the planet, the planet itself, and the entire solar system. The people of the planet had next to no recourse; they hadn't yet gained true reliable interstellar flight, nor where they capable of quickly constructing ships large enough to house any significant number of people. Instead, they focused all their resources, energy, and research into one objective: calling for help.

Countries previously at war came together to focus on two things: developing sustained ultrafast interstellar flight, and constructing as many small vessels capable of this flight as they could. These single man starships would be sent out into the universe to find other, more advanced civilizations, and beg them for help. They were allowed to offer anything in exchange for said help, so long as it meant the planet and its people would be saved.

These messengers were the Star Runners. Each Runner's vessel could support life in deep space for up to a year, and was capable of working both on- and off-planet. The true marvel were their engines, capable of propelling the vessel and its pilot hundreds of light years in a near instant. Each time a vessel was completed, a pilot was quickly chosen, and then sent off in a new direction. Nearly 100 Runners in total were sent before the last, the Final Victim, volunteered.

There was no guarantee the runners would find help in the short time they had. There was no guarantee they'd find anyone in the direction they were sent; their planet was pre-contact. Many simply disappeared, never heard from again. Others did accomplish their initial goal: making contact. They were astonished to find that the universe was full of advanced, space-faring peoples, some even in their own galaxy. They begged these people for aid, but none ever came. Time and time again they were turned away, shunned, or outright ignored.

At the end of the year their ships were made to last, each Star Runner attempted to return home. Those who survived the trip were greeted with cataclysm. There was nothing left; shortly after the Final Victim left home, their star went nova unpredictably. Nothing was left but ruins.

The remaining Star Runners found another, eventually. They decided to leave again, use what little time they had left to explore the universe and spread the memory of their people. None expected to live long, running low on supplies, air, and their vessels ready to break at any moment.

Fate was cruel to the ones left behind. None of the remaining Star Runners succumbed to exposure. They lived longer than they expected, than they should have. Weeks turned to months and then years, and soon centuries and eons passed. They still travel, keeping in touch with one another when they can. But they're not quite the same as they used to be, twisted by pain and spite and the grudges they hold against those who could have helped but didn't. Those who don't keep in touch twist further, eventually succumbing to madness and wreaking havoc across the cosmos with strange powers the others swear they shouldn't have.

They won't ever forgive what happened to their people. But other than that they're pretty cool, pretty chill. They're kinda like if a malevolent ghost rolled up to the bar at the edge of town every so often and no one blinked, and even played pool with said ghost. God save anyone they have a grudge against, though.

[jade-of-mourning]

hey. I’m back. you probably didn’t miss me LOL, but I saw your response to my ask and I got really excited 😭

okay so I actually sent the ask about posting to ao3 with the avatar mako concept in mind cuz I love making my non-avatar faves the avatar,,, and then I noticed you said asks about hcs and stuff are welcome so⁉️⁉️

I would love to hear more about the avatar mako au if you’re willing (that summary has me SO pumped btw)

and if it’s not too much of a bother, would you mind an ask about a little blurb idea I had but don’t really know how to write? I appreciate the word vomit response btw it makes me feel appreciated!! as you can probably tell I do a little word vomit when I get excited so. lol. love when my insanity is reciprocated :]

-🐌

welcome back anon! it's lovely to hear from you again <3

ah yes i too am a fan of reading non-avatar!avatar aus; they're so fun! also ty for enabling to talk about my au gfsjhjbhkfsdgjh i'll word vomit beneath the cut lol

and finally, yes! feel free to send it in :) i'd be happy to help if i can, though no guarantees </3

the au starts about four years prior to when book 1 takes place in lok, so mako, bolin, and asami are all aged down four years while the equalist revolution is not yet on the horizon — though i'm keeping the aid kids roughly the same age as they were, just because i want to play off their dynamic :P

in the context of Why No Avatar Korra, aang's temporary death during the crossroads of destiny led the avatar spirit to pass onto a water tribe child — until aang promptly un-died and raava returned, with a small part of her spirit left in the other to sustain their survival. (kind of playing off the avatar!yue theory and some of those theories floating around from book 1's airing lol.) so basically when aang died 54 years later, raava was unable to move on to the next avatar immediately, so she waited in a sort of suspended stasis until the not-avatar passed and the cycle returned at earth. i'm not sure how much i'll actually explore this in the fic, if at all, but yeah here's the explanation.

so mako is technically the earth avatar, but his firebending visibly pulled up first so he was just assumed to be a firebender. fast forward, dead parents & pre-canon sort of plays out as i tend to headcanon it, including lots of casual Bad Things and Horrible Trauma-Inducing Circumstances. however, as mako gets older he starts to realize that there might be a slight issue in that he can bend both fire and earth.

okayyy… okay this is fine. it's probably because his parents are from both nations. (he breaks into the library to verify that no, dual benders do not exist even in mixed families.) he doesn't know what the triple threats would do to him if they found out — would they exploit him further, or would they straight up kill him? he keeps it a secret from everyone, including bolin, because for all that he loves bolin considerably more than he loves life itself, bolin is also largely terrible at keeping secrets and this isn't something anyone can ever know. he doesn't practice any of the other elements, sticking to firebending exclusively, so aside from this added weight of such a heavy secret on his shoulders, up to fourteen it all goes the same.

(some casual Bad Things include, but are not limited to: the horrors of industrial age 1920s child homelessness, recruitment into the gang, lightningbending, and being trained specifically by zolt for intimidation factor and potential takeover. there's an unfortunate amount of child abuse and exploitation going on there.)

and then he's at a transaction with the triple threats when they get busted by the police, including lin beifong herself. mako is very much a fighter and very good at it, in that despite having not been trained properly, he's still vicious and entirely desperate due to his determination to stick around for bolin. he will bite your head off if he feels backed into a corner and will do whatever it takes to come out on the other side. his rage at the world has yet to subside after six years on the streets at age fourteen. he has zero chill and has no slowly coming sense of stability that he's on the cusp of gaining around his introduction in canon. he is both way worse and way better at repressing his feelings here than he is at eighteen, but that'll probably get explored in the fic, so i'll leave it here. anyway this is where lightning-happy mako slips up and accidentally earthbends directly at the Chief; and where most officers would've probably just let it slide under the assumption that they were going crazy, lin beifong does not do crazy.

so this is where the fic starts, as you probably read from the first draft snippet. a lot of set up that will probably never come up, at least not so explicitly like this, but it'll probably write itself in somehow. going on, we've got some air island arrival shenanigans, where mako first tries denial, realizes that it's not going to work, and outwardly verbally acquiesces with the whole fine-you-caught-me-i'll-be-the-avatar bullshit. internally, he is calculating the price of the artifacts in the room and the chances of him grabbing bolin from headquarters and the two of them bailing it out of the city with the sold-artifacts' profit.

so the question is, why would mako run when he's being offered the opportunity to have some semblance of safety and comfort for the first time in his life?

because mako, disbeliever of pacifism, is convinced that tenzin is going to kill him once he realizes that it isn't worth the effort trying to domesticate this violent street kid who's experienced an unbelievable amount of trauma and has a learned, deep-set cynicism for the world — if it's even possible at all. that tenzin will quickly come to deem that the world may as well wait another decade-plus for a better avatar. mako's selfish and even if he knows that his death would enable an actually competent avatar that would acutally help the world to be reborn, he refuses to leave bolin alone (even if a small part of him knows that if it weren't for bolin, him being so very tired so very often probably would've just allowed this path to happen). that's a major-minor plot point.

i'll leave it at that for now before i just write out my entire outline in this post :P but yeah, it'll feature mako learning to care for the world again, plus some quality mako & jinora friendship, bolin acquiring a mother figure in pema, and a peculiar mako & asami relationship after events in which, and i quote from my outline chapter summary, "Mako discovers that trying to steal from Rich Girl Asami Sato is a bad idea."

[artforsimps]

Do vegans think we’ll just make a big grave yard for animals that died at old age? Do they think we’ll rip up forests and dig individual graves for each animal on earth with a head stone? They’d love that. They already don’t have a problem with habitats and rainforests being ruined for agave and whatever vegan “alternative” is popular. They don’t even bother with the cruelty of humanity being abused to produce their almond milk and raw sugar and chocolate

When do we stop farming? We make enough food to feed everyone on earth as is the only thing stopping us is the price. When we stop farming animals there won’t be leather that will last decades compared to fast fashion coats that rip within a single year of ownership. We won’t have wool either. What will they feed their precious rescue animals? Or should they be let loose to rip up some wild animals for fun? Loose dogs probably cause more harm to farm animals than the fucking butcher. A dog will get in the pen running around ripping out fur until they find one weak enough that they can tear into. They won’t even eat it. It’s entertaining for pets. The farmer is forced to kill the dog so it won’t get loose again because the owner won’t discipline it. Sure the dairy industry has its faults it produces green house gases and there are bad farmers but the same goes for the vegan food industry. who’s going to root for the vegan calling for the starvation of species and supports pets which literally kills hundreds of animals a year. When should vegans stop the death of animals? It’s part of a natural cycle. We’re born, we work, we eat, we die and mushrooms eat us. Animals are born they make milk they have kids they die we eat them then we die. Our pets eat meat and they can’t eat anything other than that and live off of it. Eating vegetables would make them slowly starve to death. A pet would eat their dead owner out of desperation we can’t just feed them every dead person on earth they’d get sick and die. By regulation and rules around raising and eventual humane slaughter we reduce suffering. Meat is a way of life.

Don’t even get me started on how vegans appropriate cultural foods as alternatives or hop onto whatever knew food is cool and claiming they invented it or how exclusionary it is for people with allergies or eating disorders or the fat phobia and entitled-ness or the wealth gap from how expensive their appropriation makes everyday food.

Mug you wnat to reduce harm to animals raise them yourself so you aren’t the one creating a demand for abuse or sorce your products through your own research. If you wnat happy chicken eggs raid happy chickens they’ll lay as much eggs as they are wel taken care of. Take. A class on how to butcher humanely without drawing it out. Use every part of the animal. Leather can last shears longer than plastic. Sheeting wool in the summer prevent heatstroke on sheep and creates sustainable clothing or even wall insulation. Milk can make cheese and butter to use as fat in cooking just like animal fat can be used kn cooking without needing to grow large plots of land for oil. Properly rendered tallow can moisturize the skin and be used for soap. Tools made form bone get stronger with age. Thousands of cultures have used bone tools for centuries for a reason. Plastic lasts for ever but breaks in a week. Bones are found thousands of years after the animal dies just imagine how long it could last after being processed into a tool. We have tools named after the use of bone as a material form how will it works like bone folders. If you want to be sustainable be sustainable but don’t creat an entire hierarchy of something as important as food to feel good about yourselves. It’s behind pay walls, it’s inaccessible to people with multiple allergies or eating disorders. Grandma and grandpa can’t raise a hoe and sow corn to survive winter. Don’t tell people they should starve because they can’t afford to and aren’t physically able to reach your “moral” high ground.

Build a fucking homestead and leave us alone

[elmalo8291]

Narrative of Global Environmental Projects

Whale Fall Terraforming: Reviving Life from the Depths

In the deep, cold abyss of the oceans, the death of a giant is not the end. It is a catalyst, a moment of profound transformation that sparks new life. The phenomenon known as "whale fall" — when a sperm whale or other large marine creature dies and its carcass sinks to the ocean floor — creates a rich ecosystem, a world teeming with new life, as scavengers, bacteria, and other life forms break down the organic material, giving rise to new food chains.

The Vision: Whale fall terraforming would harness the power of this natural process to regenerate marine ecosystems. By cloning sperm whales and intentionally encouraging their natural death and fall, humanity could guide and amplify this process, encouraging coral reefs to regrow and marine biodiversity to flourish. Over time, this could lead to the creation of vast, thriving undersea gardens, full of life and vitality. Each whale fall could be seen as the birth of a new cycle of ecological growth, fostering not just marine life, but the global environment.

Goals:

Clone sperm whales in sustainable numbers to ensure the regenerative process of whale falls continues across our oceans.

Create marine sanctuaries where whale falls can be protected and encouraged.

Restore coral reefs by using the nutrients and microbial life fostered by these whale falls.

Develop marine ecosystems that encourage biodiversity, while providing stable and sustainable fishing grounds.

---

Refreezing the Ice Caps: A Path to Global Cooling

The melting of the polar ice caps is one of the most visible signs of climate change. Rising temperatures threaten the delicate balance of our global ecosystems, displacing entire communities, and exacerbating extreme weather conditions. Refreezing the ice caps represents a daring, yet potentially transformative solution to reversing some of the damage already done.

The Vision: By developing advanced technologies to refreeze the polar ice caps, we could mitigate the effects of global warming, restoring the cooling effects of the ice sheets, while also helping stabilize sea levels and weather patterns. This process would involve utilizing a combination of geoengineering techniques, from atmospheric cooling to the restoration of albedo (the Earth's reflectivity), and even artificial ice-making techniques.

Key Strategies:

Reflective Aerosols: Spraying a fine mist of reflective aerosols into the atmosphere could mimic the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions, reflecting sunlight and cooling the planet’s surface. This could be used to slow the melting of the ice sheets.

Ice Regeneration Projects: Use specialized drones and machines to deposit ice-forming chemicals over the polar regions, encouraging the creation of new ice sheets.

Ocean Currents and Heat Redistribution: Use the same principles behind ocean thermohaline circulation to reintroduce cold water to the poles, stimulating ice growth.

Renewable Energy Solutions: Harness solar and wind energy to power large-scale geoengineering operations that work with natural systems to refreeze the ice caps.

Goals:

Stop the catastrophic rise in global sea levels.

Restore Arctic and Antarctic ecosystems.

Reduce the intensity of weather patterns that have been destabilized by the loss of polar ice.

Regain the Earth's natural cooling mechanisms, reversing the warming trends.

---

A Unified Global Approach: Collaboration Across Borders

To succeed in these ambitious projects, global cooperation is essential. These environmental interventions cannot be achieved through isolated efforts; they demand a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach involving governments, environmental organizations, scientists, and the private sector. Humanity must come together in a coordinated effort to restore the planet, not just for future generations, but for the survival of all life on Earth.

A Global Vision for a Balanced Planet:

Collaboration: Nations must collaborate across political, social, and economic boundaries to implement large-scale environmental restoration projects.

Sustainability: While these projects focus on large-scale recovery, sustainability is the key. Long-term ecological stability must be the core goal, ensuring that these changes are permanent and beneficial to all species.

Innovative Solutions: The focus on high-tech, futuristic solutions — from artificial intelligence to bioengineering — must be balanced with a deep respect for the natural systems already in place. Combining cutting-edge technology with a deep respect for nature will be the key to success.

---

In Conclusion: These global projects — whale fall terraforming and refreezing the ice caps — represent more than just a hope for the future; they embody humanity's drive to reverse the damage we've inflicted on our planet and restore balance. By utilizing both natural phenomena and advanced technologies, we have the potential to create a world that is sustainable, thriving, and resilient to the changes we face. Through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to long-term solutions, we can heal our planet and ensure the survival of its ecosystems for generations to come.

The future is not lost — it is in our hands to reshape and protect it.

Geoengineering is a broad term used to describe the deliberate modification of Earth's environment, primarily to counteract the negative effects of climate change. It encompasses a variety of techniques aimed at altering the planet's climate, atmosphere, or ecosystems on a large scale. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of global geoengineering:

1. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)

These techniques focus on removing CO2 from the atmosphere and either storing it underground, in oceans, or converting it into useful products. The goal is to reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to mitigate global warming.

Afforestation and Reforestation: Planting trees and restoring forests to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. Forests naturally act as carbon sinks, capturing and storing carbon through photosynthesis.

Direct Air Capture (DAC): Machines that filter CO2 directly from the air, concentrating it in liquid or solid form, which can then be stored underground (geological sequestration) or used for other purposes (e.g., carbon-neutral fuels).

Ocean Fertilization: Adding nutrients like iron to the ocean to stimulate the growth of plankton, which absorbs CO2. When the plankton die, they sink to the ocean floor, taking the captured CO2 with them.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): Growing biomass (e.g., crops, trees), which captures CO2 as it grows, and then using this biomass for energy production, with the resulting CO2 emissions captured and stored underground.

2. Solar Radiation Management (SRM)

These methods aim to reflect a portion of the incoming solar radiation back into space, reducing the Earth’s temperature.

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI): Injecting reflective particles (such as sulfur dioxide) into the upper atmosphere to mimic the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions, which reflect sunlight and lower global temperatures.

Marine Cloud Brightening: Spraying sea water into the atmosphere to increase the reflectivity of clouds, making them more reflective and thus reducing the amount of sunlight reaching Earth.

Space-based Solar Reflectors: Placing mirrors or other reflective objects in space to reflect sunlight away from the Earth. This concept, though still speculative, could involve huge satellites or other structures to shield the planet from excess solar radiation.

3. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)

While related to carbon dioxide removal, this specific subfield focuses not just on capturing CO2 but also on finding ways to use or store it in a manner that prevents it from re-entering the atmosphere.

Geological Storage: Pumping CO2 deep underground into depleted oil or gas reservoirs or other stable geological formations.

Utilization: Converting captured CO2 into useful products, such as synthetic fuels, carbonates for building materials, or even chemicals.

4. Ocean-based Geoengineering

Ocean ecosystems play a critical role in regulating Earth's climate. Several techniques propose manipulating oceanic processes to absorb more carbon or cool the planet.

Alkalinization of Oceans: Adding alkaline substances to the ocean to increase the ability of seawater to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. This could involve spreading minerals like lime on the ocean's surface to enhance the natural process of CO2 sequestration.

Ocean Circulation Manipulation: Changing ocean currents or upwelling to increase the capacity of oceans to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. For example, promoting the mixing of deep ocean water, which can carry more CO2.

5. Soil-based Geoengineering

These techniques focus on enhancing soil's ability to store carbon or increase its fertility and stability.

Biochar: Producing charcoal from organic material and burying it in soil, where it can stay for centuries, thus removing carbon from the atmosphere and improving soil fertility.

Managed Rotational Grazing: Using livestock to manage the health of grasslands, which can increase the soil’s ability to store carbon through a process called "carbon sequestration."

6. Weather Modification

These techniques are focused on directly influencing local or regional weather patterns to reduce climate change impacts, including temperature, rainfall patterns, and storm severity.

Cloud Seeding: Introducing chemicals into clouds to enhance precipitation, reduce hail, or mitigate droughts.

Hurricane Modification: A more controversial and speculative area, this involves attempting to weaken or redirect hurricanes by using aerosols, particles, or other mechanisms to influence their formation and intensity.

7. Ecological and Agricultural Geoengineering

These practices aim to enhance natural processes or improve agriculture's ability to sequester carbon, protect biodiversity, and restore ecosystems.

Genetically Engineered Crops: Developing crops that are more efficient at absorbing CO2, require less water, or are more resistant to climate change-related stresses.

Restoration of Wetlands: Wetlands are powerful carbon sinks. Restoring and expanding wetlands can sequester large amounts of carbon while also improving biodiversity and water quality.

8. Global Climate Governance and Regulation

Geoengineering presents complex ethical, political, and governance challenges, including:

Global Governance: Decisions regarding geoengineering need to be made on an international level. A global framework or treaty could be established to regulate and monitor geoengineering activities. International organizations like the UN or national governments would need to oversee the implementation of geoengineering solutions.

Ethical Concerns: Many geoengineering methods, particularly solar radiation management, come with significant risks, including unintended environmental consequences, changes to weather patterns, and effects on biodiversity. The ethics of manipulating the planet's climate and the potential for geopolitical conflicts must be carefully considered.

Public Perception and Transparency: There is often public resistance to geoengineering techniques, particularly those that involve large-scale manipulation of the environment. Transparent communication, scientific research, and long-term monitoring are critical to maintaining public trust and ensuring accountability.

Costs and Challenges of Global Geoengineering

Financial Costs: The financial costs of geoengineering methods vary widely depending on the technique. For example:

Afforestation and reforestation: Costs may range from $10 to $50 per ton of CO2 sequestered, but the scale required could reach into the hundreds of billions of dollars globally.

Direct Air Capture: The cost of DAC is currently high, around $600 per ton of CO2 removed, but could decrease with technological advancements.

Solar Radiation Management: SRM methods, such as stratospheric aerosol injection, could be relatively cheap in comparison, but the long-term costs of unintended consequences could be significant.

Technical Challenges: Many geoengineering techniques are still in the experimental phase, and scaling them to a global level will require major advances in technology and infrastructure. Additionally, many methods come with risks and uncertainties, including the potential for unintended consequences on global ecosystems, weather systems, or human societies.

Geopolitical and Social Implications: Geoengineering could lead to geopolitical tensions, particularly if countries with significant resources or technological capabilities control these technologies. Questions about who gets to decide when and how geoengineering is used, and how benefits or risks are distributed, will require international cooperation and agreements.

Environmental Risks: While geoengineering may provide short-term solutions, it may not address the underlying causes of climate change. Moreover, many of these techniques may have unintended side effects. For example, solar radiation management could disrupt weather patterns, or ocean fertilization could harm marine ecosystems.

Conclusion

Geoengineering offers potential solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, but it also raises numerous technical, ethical, environmental, and political concerns. Successful global implementation of geoengineering would require careful consideration of the risks and rewards, international cooperation, and significant investment in research and development. It is essential to proceed with caution, ensuring that the focus remains on reducing emissions and improving sustainability while considering geoengineering only as a supplementary tool to combat climate change.

[xartus]

Thing about the cosmic deities is that, they exist and function completely without us, and have forever, and will forever, and some speak to us and some don't and some choose when and where.

The sun; the manifestation of growth, exists eternal

The moon; the manifestation of the arcane, exists eternal

The Earth; the manifestation of life, exists eternal

Do They hear our prayers? It doesn't matter, they sustain the cosmos, and we exist within them regardless

Does the Undying Life, the Path to Death, the Bridge, the Dying-and Rising of the Cycles, do They hear us? Perhaps, certainly entire religions are built around Them. But are They a *they*, or a function? An already existant, preconfigured mechanism of the cosmos? A road instead of a warden upon one?

[africantraveltour]

How Beneficial Exploring The Serengeti Calving Season Can Be?

In the heart of East Africa lies a natural wonder that captivates both wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists alike - the Serengeti. Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and extraordinary wildlife, the Serengeti National Park hosts two remarkable events that define the rhythm of life in this iconic ecosystem - the Calving Season and the Great Migration. In this article, you can embark on a journey to explore the wonders of nature as witnessed during these two awe-inspiring phenomena.

The Serengeti Calving Season unfolds annually in the southern plains of the park. This period marks the beginning of a new life cycle as thousands of wildebeest, zebras, and other herbivores gather to give birth. The timing is not arbitrary; it is synchronized with the onset of the region's short rains, ensuring an abundance of nutritious grass for new-borns.

Serengeti Calving Season

Explore The Beauty Of Great Migration For Memorable Experience

The plains come alive with the sounds of hooves and the cries of young animals taking their first steps. Predators are drawn to the spectacle, creating a delicate balance between life and survival. The Serengeti's Calving Season is not just a visual spectacle; it is a testament to the resilience of nature and the intricate web of life that sustains the entire ecosystem.

The Serengeti Great Migration is a phenomenon that has earned its place as one of the most astonishing natural events on Earth. This annual journey involves millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles as they traverse the Serengeti and the adjacent Masai Mara in search of fresh pastures and water sources. Migration is a perpetual cycle dictated by the availability of resources and the changing seasons.

Starting in the southern Serengeti, the herds move in a clockwise direction, crossing rivers and vast plains, facing challenges such as predators and unpredictable weather. The Great Migration is not merely a spectacle; it is a dynamic force that shapes the landscape and sustains the Serengeti's delicate ecosystem.

Both the Calving Season and the Great Migration hold immense significance in the realm of conservation and ecotourism. The Serengeti's ecosystem is a fragile balance, and these events emphasize the interconnectedness of its various inhabitants. Conservation efforts are crucial to preserving the Serengeti's biodiversity, ensuring the survival of these iconic species for generations to come.

Moreover, the awe-inspiring nature of the Calving Season and the Great Migration attracts ecotourists from around the globe. Responsible tourism practices contribute to the local economy and fund conservation initiatives, fostering a sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife.

The Serengeti's Calving Season and the Great Migration are not merely events; they are nature's timeless ballet, showcasing the intricate dance of life, death, and renewal. As you witness the ebb and flow of these cycles, you can gain a deeper appreciation for the delicate balance that sustains the Serengeti. These natural wonders serve as a reminder of the profound interconnectedness of all living beings and the imperative to protect and preserve the treasures that the Serengeti holds for current and future generations. Adventure lovers should always go for the best tour packages that can help them capture great memories for life. Go ahead! And give yourself the best experience and enjoy the beauty and essence of the Serengeti great migration and the calving season without delays.

Author’s Bio:

Now, it's time to explore the beauty of the renowned Serengeti Calving Season, Serengeti's great Migration for the best experience. The African Travel Tour is the ultimate platform if you want to go for the best experience and create memories for life.

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"aging and dying is unnatural" boy do I have news for you about how evolution and the ecosystem work