“What is it that makes us human? Is it evolution? Our rise to the top of the proverbial food chain? Perhaps it’s our perpetually advancing technology, or our ability to adapt to new environments and adverse conditions, or perhaps it’s something else entirely. What about the composition of human consciousness? Why do we think the way we do? How do our mental functions and capacities shape us as a species? Do we reason because we are human or are we human because we reason?
These questions, ladies and gentlemen, are questions that we at ARK Industries are asking every day as we push forward in our understanding of the human condition and what shapes it. That is why our primary focus here at ARK is both technological and biological in nature. Although our name was changed in the late 2030’s, we initially started out as the Advanced Research Institute for the Technological and Biological Evolution of Humanity. Certainly a lengthy name, though it outlined our ambitions with transparency and accuracy.
Our top priority has been, is, and always will be to help humanity evolve as a species. Our efforts will utilize technological advancement, as well as our understanding of biology and psychology, to elevate the human mind, body, and perhaps even soul-”
“Sorry to interrupt you Chairman, but did you just say ‘soul’?”
“Yes, I did. You see there is still much that we as a species don’t yet understand about ourselves. One such mystery is the existence and substance of a human soul, and therefore it is one of our duties to not only discover it, but to also study it once we know where to look.”
“Can we please hold off on the existential questions and get to the reason why you brought us all here? I mean the amount you’re asking us to invest isn’t a small sum of money. From my own accounts you requested nearly one hundred eighty million dollars, which is practically ten times the amount you requested before. So please enlighten us as to why you need so much money, if you don’t mind.”
The Chairman’s jaw tightened into a forced smile as he continued to cater to his audience’s ignorance. “I was approaching the topic gradually, but I see that you have all grown tired of formalities. The reason we have asked you all for such large contributions is that we’ve recently made a discovery. Under the surface of Antarctica, at a depth of about five kilometers, we discovered a previously unknown life form, a creature that our limited science has no record of. One thing, however, is abundantly clear: this creature is far more biologically advanced then we could possibly imagine.
Our latest estimates of its age indicate that it roamed the earth sometime between the early Paleocene and the late Eocene periods, some 66 to 30 million years ago. Now, you might be wondering some fossil warrants so much attention, but the situation is not that simple.” Barely able to contain the tremors of excitement stirring in his chest, the Chairman announced with a booming voice, “The reason Ark needs the support of our investors is that this being is still alive!”
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The echo of the Chairman’s announcement was instantly lost in the cacophony of disbelief and skepticism that erupted from the previously unimpressed audience.
“What are you talking about?“
“But that’s just not possible! No creature can remain alive for 30 million years, it’s scientifically proven.”
“I have to agree with my colleagues. Are you certain your equipment hasn’t failed or broken down at all?”
“Ladies and gentlemen, please settle yourselves. I completely understand your concerns, but I can assure you beyond a shadow of a doubt that the creature is still alive, and our dating techniques have thrice confirmed its age. The only complication that we have encountered is our lack of the necessary equipment for performing a dissection on the creature. We haven’t been able to penetrate its skin or even open its mouth to study it closer.
In fact, the initial reason that we suspected it to be a living organism at all, and not some collection of sediment, is that the material covering it is entirely organic. Not only that, we confirmed its animation by observing the signs of vital function, thanks to the use of both x-rays and ultra sound. However, neither method has given us an accurate enough picture of how its anatomy operates, since the material coating is virtually impenetrable even for our scanners.
The only other thing I can tell you is that this creature seems to be producing a form of energy that we’ve never seen before. It’s almost as if its body serves as some kind of biological reactor. Now, while we’ve been busy researching this energy, our attention has been thoroughly captured by the lifespan of the organism itself. Even from the miniscule amount of data we have gathered so far, we suspect that the creature may very well be immortal. This is why we need your money: to build a facility where we can study this marvel in secret.
We hope to use the data gathered from our studies to acquire the so-called elixir of immortality, and of course our investors will be among a very select few to receive this gift once it is perfected. Unlocking the key to this creature’s immortality could be the single largest step in human evolution since we crawled from primordial soup.” The Chairman grinned at the gallery of astonished faces before him, all of whom were now opening their chequebooks. “Any further questions?”
Would like to thank my insanely awesome editor Ruan for making this a hundred times better than it was before. Man can he work some magic.