Chapter 21: Research
In the large auditorium, Professor Crubbs stood on the lectern explaining her recent research.
"Our initial goal was to eradicate genetic deformities that led to dangerous diseases. In the process of trying to find the cure for Alzheimer's, we discovered some secrets about the so called Junk DNA.
These DNA have no effect on our bodies, however, we discovered that a certain kind of ethereal energy could stimulate these Junk DNA, which make up the vast percentage of our DNA to suddenly activate in curious ways that would effect our usual DNA. It was using this fact that CRISPR technology, the previous standard for modifying genes was heavily modified by us to implement this energy.
We aren't clear what exactly this energy is, but our physicist friends have been trying to understand the mechanics of it. Theoretical physicists suspect that this is an unusual roundabout evidence of Dark Energy, one of the elusive unsolved mysteries in physics. In essence, we are probably using Dark Energy as a method to cure ourselves of diseases.
In the process, we discovered that these Junk DNA and RNA were actually a treasure trove. While we haven't unlocked a lot of its secrets yet, we have observed an incredible phenomenon. Changing the absorption rate of Dark Energy in various complex patterns leads to incredible results.
For example, I'd like to show a demonstration of the kind of changes I'm talking about."
Professor Crubbs had a stone block placed in front of her as a prop for use during the lecture. Now she simply chopped on it. Suddenly a huge crack was heard and the stone split apart into two, stunning the entire audience into an uproar.
"Indeed. Manipulating certain Junk DNA actually led to a vast increase in my body's strength. These results have already been submitted for publishing and a patent on the technology has already been applied for. I believe this will lead to a new era for the human race. One of self improvement beyond just health." Professor Crubbs said.
When Red heard the lecture he suddenly had many revelations. Wasn't the metaphysical energy actually Dark Energy? The mysterious discrepancy that physicists attributed to the expansion of the universe? Would that mean that the cultivation of the ancients had already tapped into using Dark Energy to modify their bodies, just without understanding the mechanism.
"You can now ask questions." Professor Crubbs smiled as she knew she had succeeded in shocking the audience. For a minute the audience was silently ruminating about the consequences.
At that moment, a person raised a hand. It was Red. Professor Crubbs urged him to ask his question.
"Professor, have there been any tests done to confirm the variability of this Dark Energy as a function of geography? Is the absorption of this energy constant regardless of distance, or is it a function of the location and what are the potential factors which affect its density?" Red asked.
When Professor Crubbs heard the question, she was shocked. For a second she was even dumbfounded and even abandoned the mic, suddenly taking out a tablet and looking at the data furiously.
The audience was stunned. What just happened? Red continued standing there, waiting for an answer.
Five minutes of dumbfounded silence later, Professor Crubbs walked up to the mic. "Young man, thank you for your incredibly perceptive question! As a geneticist, I had only been considering the variations from that perspective and had ignored the possible external factors.
Your question went to the heart of the issue, and my three different labs have indeed reported different levels of energy absorption. Earlier I was thinking it might be attributable to experimental error, but your hypothesis could shed new light! The Dark Energy is actually not uniformly distributed!" She exclaimed, her voice getting even crazier.
After the lecture, the professor did not even wait. She straight up came to Red. "May I know your name, student?"
"I am Red Miles, an exchange student here. Nice to meet your professor Crubbs." Red introduced himself politely.
"Red, would you like to intern at my lab?" Crubbs directly asked him.
"Um, I am only a high school student. I don't think I am knowledgeable enough to be an intern, moreover my academic abilities aren't that high." Red replied.
"I want to hire you for your insights. Either way, give me your contact details. Think about my offer." Crubbs said before walking away.
Red turned serious. He didn't want to attract too much attention at this moment. He was already entangled with MI7 and he had his own Divine Thief's Manuscript. He was interested in the mechanism, but he didn't want to be at the center of it.
Yui looked at Red. "You don't want to intern at her lab?"
Red shook his head. "This kind of research is too explosive. I have a feeling that professor Crubbs is going to end up in a vortex of the power play between powerful forces around the world."
Yui raised an eye. "You mean... like what happened with the longevity treatments by Doctor Jia in the previous decade?"
Red nodded. Approximately eight years ago, a chinese scientist Jia Hongyu had developed a variant treatment based on Crubbs research that rapidly increased lifespan directly by 100 years. The following scramble had almost led to a war between countries and the world had come to the brink of a nuclear disaster.
In the process Jia Hongyu had disappeared and his entire lab was destroyed. The countries of the world suddenly decided to unite into a planetary federation and news about the longevity treatment remained elusive, but conspiracy theories that the treatments were being monopolized by world leaders began growing.
Yui sighed. "You made the right call. This is indeed a dangerous event. Actually... the formation of the world government has reasons beyond just the longevity treatments."
Red nodded. "You seem to know a lot about this. But it is best you don't tell me if it is sensitive information. I don't want you to get into trouble because of me."
Yui looked at Red with a grateful look. She suddenly felt that Red was such a caring and thoughtful person. She nodded and didn't talk any further about it.
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