Bark Mound Analysis Project (BMAP): A Summary
23 May 2021Worldbuilder92
Bark Mounds are one of several different types of xenobiological entities which have been discovered to exist within our galaxy; others include "Anemones”, Umbrella Molluscs, and of course, the Thargoids. They are commonly found on airless planetary bodies across the galaxy, from the Witch's Head Nebula all the way to the Colonia Region. Recently, many more xenobiological research groups have formed to study these various phenomena. But how much do we really know about them?Contemporary Pilot's Federation reports list bark mounds as “a species of Fungal Life that...resemble tall conical spires and bear various growths that can be harvested for materials.” They generally appear in vast groups which grow in a circular area, and root themselves deep in the ground with only a hardened, bark-like surface exposed. When I first stumbled on bark mounds myself, I was incredibly curious about the life forms - in particular, how did they sustain themselves? Their label as a “fungal life form” suggests that they may live in similar ways to fungi found on Earth. However, most Earth fungi are decomposers - that is, they grow on decaying matter and break it down further to recycle the nutrients left. Since bark mounds commonly live on airless worlds, this clearly cannot be the case. So what else could they be doing?
Upon performing my own extensive research on them, I came to two possibilities regarding bark mound nourishment: photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. I resolved to test whether or not Bark Mounds were capable of photosynthesis; however, without the proper equipment to take and study samples, I was unable to directly confirm if it could be done. Instead, I opted to confirm it by charting. With the help of several other pilots in the OCSN, I recorded bark mound sites across several star systems, and made note of the conditions of each planetoid they were found on. We then compiled these results together to look for correlations and patterns. As it so happened, though, the photosynthesis hypothesis was disproved. It seems that bark mounds are not plants.
I published the paper, and as mentioned in the last entry received next to no interest from Canonn. However, in the effort of obtaining a more thorough study as well as a more accurate and detailed sample base, I will be revisiting this topic to prepare and publish a follow-up paper within the next couple of years, hopefully.