Transferring Brain Information Is Now Possible just like WoD's "Coppertops"! (Information reported in February 2013's Nature.)

One of the core elements of World of Depleted’s D1 universe is how much it’s based on current technology set just a little farther into the future. One of the contested areas of this is in the form of the Coppertops, a group of specialized warriors and assassins with microchips embedded in their brains. These chips are specifically targeted for certain abilities, including operating micro-keyed weapons or vehicles, computer hacking, and, for some of the Severed Reaper clans, brain-to-brain communication. (The most recent example of this is being explored in the new “Croc Grahama, PI” series I’m personally writing, that deals with a protagonist who can communicate with another person via this method.)

While prior development had shown that brains can control outside computers, there had been little proof that we could actually create a chip that could cause one brain to be able to communicate with another. Well, in this month’s Nature, they have proven that this is not only possible, but already attainable. In a test at North Carolina’s Duke University, in which rats’ brains were wired to one another, it was found that one rat could effectively pass their “thoughts” on to the other rat as much as 70% of the time. (The test involved one rat seeing visual stimuli and making a choice based on that stimuli, and the second rat making choices based only on the mental input without any visual stimuli.)

But it’s not just in situations where one rat can be physically wired to another. They’ve developed a way to do it long distance. As the BBC reports:

‘One replication of the experiment successfully linked a rat at Duke with one at the University of Natal in Brazil. [Professor Miguel Nicolelis and his team at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina] foresees eventually extending the system to larger numbers of animals. “We are already building the setup… You could actually have millions of brains tackling the same problem and sharing a solution.”‘

As you can imagine, the concept is a staggering one, with many implications, which is why it’s one we’ve explored here at World of Depleted!

To read the full article reported at Nature go to: A Brain-to-Brain Interface for Real-Time Sharing of Sensorimotor Information

Sidhe "Banshee" Graham may look innocent, but 3/4 of this shattermind will beg to differ! (Model Featured: Leslie Jenkins)

As some of you know, we’re a bit behind on some of the new updates here at World of Depleted.  The transition between servers has taken a little longer than first anticipated, but we are getting very close to finishing that and re-releasing the contributor site.  It’s been completely revamped, so that you’ll now be able to create new characters and stories dynamically.  New creations will automatically enter the contributor Apocrypha section and you’ll help us choose the creations to Canonize!  Once we’ve found new high quality content through this process, it’ll enter the Canon of World of Depleted!

In case your curious to know what sorts of things you’ll be able to do with these characters and what sorts of access they’ll have, well, let us tell you, it’s pretty huge!  Your going to be able to create characters with new associations, participation in special groups with extra-human abilities, political affiliations, family members, special weaponry, and much more!  It will open the door to creation in ways you can’t imagine! 

You’ll also find a new original series that will be written by me personally, a dark Private Investigator serial set in the mean streets of New Barcelona, under the very shadow of the N.I.R.  PI Douglas “Croc” Graham is a deadly man with a deadly secret who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth of a mysterious woman with stormy eyes, even if he has to cross every Reaper, Bullet Timer, and Coppertop in the Imperial City to do it!  For those of you who were fans of Fred Koskin’s work, fear not, there are connections to characters within his stories, as well as ones from the Jenna and Gavin tales!

All this and more as 2013 unfolds!

Apocalyptic World created by Raiden X. (http://fanon.wikia.com/wiki/User:RaidenX)

Hey folks,

There is currently some temporary downtime with our contributor section as we update some new features and create a much more easily accessed way to contribute.  Amongst the things slated for the initial remodel will be the ability to easily post characters, story starters, and even stories directly through the interface!

Keep checking back as we look to have it up and running by Thanksgiving!

-Jeremy

Credit: Artwork by Bryan Christie Design. Image used in Science News; Vol. 182 #6.

Many people have found the notion that World of Depleted is built on–that a small series of attacks could lead to full breakdown of societal connectivity in the world over the course of a single year–to be impossible. 

However an interesting proof of the principles of World of Depleted was covered in Science News, based on a mathematical proof originating at the same time World of Depleted was being created.

A group of scientists funded by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency was exploring network theory in 2009 into 2010 and they found that behaviors shifted radically when networks were interconnected:

In their analysis of connected networks, the researchers found a type of mathematical behavior that couldn’t have been predicted from knowledge of single networks. When a node is removed from a single network, the failure tends to propagate gradually, the network coming apart bit by bit by bit. But removing nodes in a network of networks means the breakdown can occur abruptly. As nodes go offline, the system initially appears to be working properly. But all of a sudden, a threshold is reached. Lose one more node and — poof — the whole thing falls to pieces.

Although the concepts explored have especial focus on computer systems, they also note that it’s almost identical in the organic world:

A series of CNN news clips posted on YouTube highlight the vulnerability of interdependent systems. In what Wolf Blitzer repeatedly reminds the viewer is only an “exercise,” former U.S. government officials convene to respond to a simulated cyberattack. The War of the Worlds–esque report begins with a Russian computer infecting a smartphone with a virus. After jumping to other smartphones, the bug makes its way into U.S. computers. From there it crashes communication networks, which in turn take out power stations. The ensuing blackout shuts down transportation networks. Each failure leads to yet more failures as the effects of a single infection bounce back and forth between systems. Having no control over the Russian computer system and no authority to shut down smartphones, the U.S. government is powerless.

Obviously, this lends a great deal of credence to how a very small number of attacks could lead to 90% casualties in the course of a single year, as religious networks impact justice networks impact food networks impact medical networks!

The viability of the World of Depleted thesis helps remind us all to plan for the future and look to the hope that can be found even in dark times!

To read the entire article, go to: When Networks Network.

DarkestGoth Girl: Natalie Free

We’re extremely excited to announce that World of Depleted has just worked out an arrangement with the group of Dark Dreamers who run DarkestGoth Magazine.  The new online magazine, which is slated to launch next month, is the first magazine to explore the lifestyle of living as a Goth, rather than just passing fads that are popular within that community.  This exploration of the driving forces that lead people to the Gothic lifestyle uncovers a truly insightful community that appreciate the hard reality and explosive creativity found within the World of Depleted!

Folks who’d like to preview the magazine ahead of time can check out the DarkestGoth Blogspot !

For those who take advantage of this offer, you’ll receive a separate and unique clue from Gavin Hesterdale about his whereabouts and adventures in between seasons one and two. That’s right! Each DVD sold will have a separate clue so, if you buy 20, you’ll have 20 different clues!

Besides helping to encourage new content from the World of Depleted, you’ll be getting a smorgasboard of great digital extras:

-3 Special Uncompressed Tracks from the Soundtrack, including two custom Remasters from Oakwood Sound Design
-The Original Sonic Sketches for Skeletons of Depleted MP3 Collection (these were the actual tracks created by David Todd Singleton that the score was sculpted around, so this gets you into the raw original mindset before the 2012 final CD)
-30 HQ Behind-the-Scenes Day 419 photos suitable for printing and framing (HR .JPG)
-3 High Rez 300 dpi T-Shirt designs (including two designs that are in both color and black and white) that are suitable for reverse printing (HR .JPG)
-10 1600×1200 HR Computer Backgrounds (HR ..JPG)
-Special Flash Video Collection of:

–Early Rough Cut of the Ending
–Color Grading Comparisons of key scenes
–4 In-Depth Interviews, including lead actress Kat Carney (Jenna Whitmore), lead actor Eric Henninger (Nash Fitch), and armorer Gabe Kinerknecht.
–Gavin Spy Video of Jenna Whitmore Prior to the Fall

-Special Writing Collection featuring:

–Day 419 Shooting Script (PDF)
–2 “Day of the Attacks” news radio scripts (PDF)
–Full Blood of Martyrs Short Script (PDF)
–The Official Day 419 Novella (both PDF and EPUB, for smart devices)
–The Official Day 419 Epilogue (PDF)

All this for only $17.49!

But hurry, as  the 50% off pricing ends on May 15th, 2012!

It was a great interview and I really enjoyed chatting with the next group of storytellers to come out of Baylor. We chatted about the types of stories we explore, what sort of interaction contributors can expect to have, and the interesting connections between the Post-Apocalyptic and Gothic subcultures in Depleted.