A Short Biological Speculation and Analysis of the Gyre Vacuum Organism
03 Sep 2021(Baron) Rigel Kynse
Baron Rigel Kynes (CMDR DELTATIDE404)Exobiological Specialist
April 21, 3307
Canonn Research
A Short Biological Speculation and Analysis of the Gyre Vacuum Organism
Introduction
The Gyre Tree and Pods are organisms that exist in the vacuum of space, in both Kepler's Crest, and Xibalba sectors. They occur in Notable Stellar Phenomena (NSPs), almost always lagrange clouds or within rings of a planet. Very little is known on the biology of these organisms, but in this paper we will be attempting to sum up what we do know and to speculate on their anatomy, ecology and reproduction.
Method
Biological data was collected using 1E research limpet controller and limpets, 0D wake scanner, 0D pulse wave scanner, and a discovery scanner mounted on a Krait Phantom (designation DE-07K Reefback). The data was collected during the XLF-5XY Khonsu, Comfy Canonn Cruise EDSM Expedition of 3307. The star system JONGOAE UX-L D7-0 2 is where data for the report was collected.
Anatomy
Gyre pod-
The composition of the gyre pod is made up of 8 processes. The larger area where these processes (limbs) meet will be referred to as the base and the opposing ends of the limbs, where they hold a orb will be referred to as the terminator (figure.1).
The limbs are tapered, the base of the limb is enlarged and it gradually gets smaller towards the terminator. The terminators of all 8 limbs come together and are gripping a semi ovular shaped orb (figure.2). Where the base of the limbs meet each other, they are each fused to 2 other limbs and this continues into a shape that is distinctly octagonal (figure.3).
There are 2 variants of the gyre pod. There is the Roseum gyre pod and the Aurarium gyre pod. These are indistinguishable in appearance.
The internal anatomy of the gyre pod is mostly unknown, but many samples have been collected and are currently being analyzed by Canonn and other research organizations.
Gyre tree-
The composition of the gyre tree is made up of 12 segmented processes that branch out, this gives the tree a distinct wheel shape. The center of the wheel will be referred to as the disk and the extending processes will be referred to as spokes (figure.4).
The spokes are segmented and have distinct ridges. The spoke bifurcates into 2 distinct limbs on the last segment of the spoke (figure.5). Occasionally the end of one of these limbs has a gyre pod attached to it.
There are 2 variants of the gyre tree. There is the Viridium gyre tree and the Aurarium gyre tree.
The disc of the gyre tree is 12 distinct segments that are connected with the spokes. These segments are distributed circularly, hence the disc. The segments also form a structure on either side of the organism (figure.6 and 7). At each of the segments there is a process that protrudes out 90 degrees to the rest of the tree. These processes are also heavily serrated. These 12 processes come together into a distinctly mouth shaped organ on both sides of the organism. However on one side of the tree these processes are pressed together, in other words the mouth is closed. On the other side the mouth is open and all processes are separated and not touching.
The internal anatomy of the gyre tree is a mystery as well. At present our equipment (limpets and conventional starship weapons) cannot penetrate the gyre tree. No samples, nor whole specimens known to the author have been taken as to present (date published).
Ecology and Reproduction
The ecology of vacuum organisms (organisms found outside of atmospheres) is mostly speculative and hypothetical. Many principles of ecology that apply to organisms that live on rocky bodys cannot be applied to vacuum organisms like the gyre pods and trees. For instance, most healthy organisms have a host of other symbiotic organisms, these organisms tend to make systems that stabilize their environments and make survivorship increase. The gyre tree and pods seem to exist in isolation from other organisms. This means we must apply a simplistic kind of ecological principle to the gyre, that of abiotic factors to have a better grasp of their biology.
A good place to start is their environment. The gyre is mostly found in lagrange clouds, these are clouds of minerals and gases that form at lagrange points in star systems. The abundance of minerals and gases in these clouds may give us a good image of the gyres' interaction with its environment. The most compelling hypothesis states that the gyre consumes and metabolizes the minerals and gases present in the lagrange cloud. The same reasoning can work with planetary rings of gas giants, especially if H2O is needed for the metabolism of the gyre. This would also imply that the gyres metabolism is very slow, due to how little gas and minerals would come into contact with the organism.
If this hypothesis is valid then it seems obvious that lagrange clouds or planetary rings are necessary for the gyre survival. But how does the gyre remain or locate the necessary environment? It has no means of propulsion that are known. An interesting solution to this actually comes from analyzing an earthborn kingdom of life, that of fungi. Fungi use an abundance of spores that are spread over a large area in hopes that a few will find a suitable environment, it is possible that the gyre does this as well. For this hypothesis to be considered we must accept that the gyre pods are a juvenile form of the gyre tree (there are no observances of a pod becoming a tree). The gyre tree has been observed producing gyre pods, it stands to reason that pods become trees and that completes the gyres’ life cycle (I will introduce an alternative hypothesis later). The production of pods by the gyre tree and its spin could account for the spread of gyres. If even one pod that was ejected by the rotation of its parent tree finds its way to suitable habitat (ring or cloud) it may be capable of colonizing that location on its own and creating a new “gyre forest”. Referring back to fungi, the gyre pod may be the equivalent of a fungal spore.
One interesting aside to point out is that even though the gyre seems to not interact with any other organism naturally, the gyre pod seems to have a defense mechanism. If the pod is approached by an external presence it projects what are known as “spores” (no way related to spores previously mentioned) that cause corrosive damage. Why would it have a defense mechanism if it has no natural predators? These spores are activated by proximity (CMDR Crimshadow) but this is not the only factor that triggers the spores. It was found on this expedition that the gyre spores only become corrosive when exposed to conventional star ship lights. A strange evolutionary trait, perhaps there is something we are not seeing.
Another hypothesis I would like to propose is the use of the orb of the juvenile gyre. Perhaps this is some kind of gamete. It is absent in the adult form so perhaps it is released and interacts with other adult gyre organisms. This could be a useful form of gene transfer and keeping populations healthy. This assumes that the gyre organism even reproduces sexually or performs some kind of gene transfer, so this is pure speculation of morphological purpose.
Discussion
The biology of the gyre organism may be shared with other known vacuum organisms as well as even be related. It is easy to imagine givin the age of the galaxy that a group of vacuum organisms could distribute themselves around the galaxy and speciate into organisms like the gyre. There are many things about this subject that would make compelling areas of study for other researchers. Perhaps even constructing a speculative family tree of vacuum organisms based on anatomy and distribution.
A valid argument that should be mentioned is that the gyre pod and tree have different numbers of limbs, and in fact not even the same multiples of limbs. How can a juvenile form with 8 limbs morph into an adult with 12 limbs? I would like to propose an alternative hypothesis to resolve this dilemma and maybe others, we are missing a phase of the gyres' lifecycle. Perhaps there is a form that we do not see and perhaps this form is grown from the gyre pods. Where is this form? This form could have ftl capability and perhaps even exist in witch space. This would account for the distribution in space of the gyre as well as the number of limbs difference. The life cycle would go like this, pod(juvenile form)>ftl(mobile form)>tree(reproductive form). This idea is not completely my own CMDR Kate Balthazar originally came up with the hypothesis that space molluscs may have ftl capability.
There is another hypothesis that a member of Canonn has introduced that I thought was interesting and deserved a place in this paper. One idea that CMDR Crimshadow briefly suggests in his vid on the gyre pods and trees is that both forms resemble the thargoid race (or at least their organic ships). He explains that the tree looks like the perfect structure for a thargoid vessel interceptor to be constructed like a space dry dock for thargoid. As well as the octagonal shape of the gyre pod resemblance to the thargoid vessel shape. An interesting detail that he pointed out to support this is that the corrosive effect of the pods is quite similar to thargoid weaponry. I would like to add (purely as conjecture) that this may be the ftl form I spoke of, making these breeding grounds perhaps for thargoid vessels like an organic factory.
The speculations stated throughout the paper are the hypothesis that I find most compelling. Many other factors and unknown observations may in time spread light on the gyre organism.
Citations
Canonn. (2019, October 21). Gyre trees And GYRE PODS. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://canonn.science/codex/gyre-trees-and-gyre-pods/
Crimshadow. (2019, October 06). Gyre pods & Gyre trees - Elite Dangerous CODEX. Retrieved April 22, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPcGD_swTcc
Figures and Original Format:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gU0EUhGXSABo4aNTmPhSNxuGLfyRhAHUsdoDJXNEnX0/edit?usp=sharing