Nexus 02 - Crux (61 page)

Similarly, the crime for which Shiva was exiled, the deliberate release of a virus that genetically tweaked coral reefs to increase their odds of survival, is not so completely far-fetched. As oceans warm and grow more acidic, corals have a harder and harder time surviving. The best estimate is that, by 2100, roughly half of all coral species in existence today will go extinct. But, of course, there are some corals that thrive in extremely warm water or extremely acidic water. They’re able to because of various genes they carry that have evolved for those conditions. In 2012, two research projects set out to find the genes that allow some coral species to survive in warm waters. It’s not a large leap to imagine a similar project searching for acidity-survival genes. And from there, the idea of deliberately transplanting such genes into corals that are struggling becomes rather tempting. Of course, this would certainly constitute the release of a “GMO” into the wild, and it would be met with tremendous opposition. (A simpler, less controversial, path would be to transport coral “cuttings” from hardy species into areas where corals are dying. Of course, given the millions of square miles of coral reefs in the world’s oceans, that would also be incredibly more labor intensive.)

If you’re interested in more on human enhancement and particularly the frontiers of neuroscience, you may want to read my non-fiction book,
More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement
. If you’re interested in the impact of climate change and other natural resource challenges – and the science and technology to overcome those problems – you may like my other non-fiction book,
The Infinite Resource: The Power of Ideas on a Finite Planet.

And of course, if you enjoyed this book, the very nicest thing you can do for me is to let the world know, by telling your friends, by posting about it online, and by leaving a review of this book at Amazon or whatever sites you use to buy and discover books.

We live in the most interesting age humanity has ever seen. I can’t wait to see what happens next. I hope you’ll all join me on that adventure.

R.N.

ANGRY ROBOT

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Kill or cure

An Angry Robot paperback original 2013

Copyright © Ramez Naam 2013

Ramez Naam asserts the moral right to be

identified as the author of this work.

UK ISBN 978 0 85766 295 8

US ISBN 978 0 85766 296 5

Ebook ISBN 978 0 85766 297 2

Cover design by Argh! Oxford

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

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This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and

incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or

localities is entirely coincidental.

Contents

1. Half Title Page
   
2. PROLOGUE: JULY 2040
   
3. Symphonic
   
4. This Changes Everything
   
5. Home at Last
   
6. Darkness
   
7. OCTOBER 2040
   
8. Chapter 1: Taken
   
9. Chapter 2: On the Move
   
10. Chapter 3: Domestic Bliss
    
11. Chapter 4: Transitions
    
12. Chapter 5: Not quite a Hero
    
13. Chapter 6: Q & A
    
14. Chapter 7: Dreams and Nightmares
    
15. Chapter 8: A Good Life
    
16. Chapter 9: Consequences
    
17. Chapter 10: The Mission
    
18. Chapter 11: Clouds on the Horizon
    
19. Chapter 12: Potential
    
20. Chapter 13: Bo Tat
    
21. Chapter 14: Good Night, Shanghai
    
22. Chapter 15: Means, Motive, Opportunity
    
23. Chapter 16: Only Forward
    
24. Chapter 17: Surprise Encounter
    
25. Chapter 18: Friends
    
26. Chapter 19: The Long Goodbye
    
27. Chapter 20: Shutdown
    
28. Chapter 21: Regress
    
29. Chapter 22: Memories
    
30. Chapter 23: Cat and Mouse
    
31. Chapter 24: Angry Daddy
    
32. Chapter 25: Ambush
    
33. Chapter 26: Asian Travels
    
34. Chapter 27: Heaven
    
35. Chapter 28: The Family
    
36. Chapter 29: Neanderthals
    
37. Chapter 30: Bonding
    
38. Chapter 31: Stuck in a Moment
    
39. Chapter 32: Separation Anxiety
    
40. Chapter 33: Confrontation
    
41. Chapter 34: Most to Gain
    
42. Chapter 35: Last Words
    
43. Chapter 36: Gods and Monsters
    
44. Chapter 37: Preparations
    
45. Chapter 38: Information Extraction
    
46. Chapter 39: Where it Ends
    
47. Chapter 40: Hell
    
48. Chapter 41: Battle Royale
    
49. Chapter 42: Convergence
    
50. Chapter 43: Capture
    
51. Chapter 44: Phuket
    
52. Chapter 45: Never Let You Go
    
53. Chapter 46: Lo Prang
    
54. Chapter 47: New Horizons
    
55. Chapter 48: Access Denied
    
56. Chapter 49: Caged
    
57. Chapter 50: Detox
    
58. Chapter 51: Unknowns
    
59. Chapter 52: Sail Away
    
60. Chapter 53: Perspective
    
61. Chapter 54: Brother in Arms
    
62. Chapter 55: Old Flames
    
63. Chapter 56: En Route
    
64. Chapter 57: The Freedom Trail
    
65. Chapter 58: Alone Together
    
66. Chapter 59: Visions
    
67. Chapter 60: War Stories
    
68. Chapter 61: The Price of Freedom
    
69. Chapter 62: Up the Coast
    
70. Chapter 63: Decisions
    
71. Chapter 64: Storm Warnings
    
72. Chapter 65: A Matter of Principle
    
73. Chapter 66: Halting State
    
74. Chapter 67: Far from Home
    
75. Chapter 68: Escape
    
76. Chapter 69: The Plan
    
77. Chapter 70: Mission Eve
    
78. Chapter 71: Liberation
    
79. Chapter 72: Into the Storm
    
80. Chapter 73: Mother, Mother
    
81. Chapter 74: A Last Debate
    
82. Chapter 75: Sanctuary
    
83. Chapter 76: Prior Days
    
84. Chapter 77: End of the Road
    
85. Chapter 78: Truth Out
    
86. Chapter 79: Prelude to Violence
    
87. Chapter 80: Brave Girl
    
88. Chapter 81: Assault on Apyar Kyun
    
89. Chapter 82: Friendly Fire
    
90. Chapter 83: Daddy Dearest
    
91. Chapter 84: All Together Now
    
92. Chapter 85: Signal Strength
    
93. Chapter 86: Against the Tide
    
94. Chapter 87: Necessary Evil
    
95. EPILOGUE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 3RD, 2040
    
96. Chapter 88: Safe and Sound
    
97. Chapter 89: Two Scandals
    
98. Chapter 90: My Daughter, My Self
    
99. Acknowledgments
    
100. About the Author
     
101. The Science of Crux
     
102. Imprint