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Item #: SCP-4925

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: Access has been closed off within a one-block radius of the South St and Davison intersection in Flint Michigan, USA. Standard cover "Bed Bugs" is currently in effect. Personnel should observe all ASFOMPP (Airborne spores, fungus, ooze, mold, or plant patogens) containment procedures when within the quarantine zone. Hazmat air filters must be incinerated after depletion.

Description: SCP-4925 is an entirely new form of terrestrial life. While most closely resembling slime mold, this organism is more chemically similar to the chytridiomycota fungi family, with DNA sequencing reflective of pre-historic Nautilidae mollusks.

SCP-4925 is intelligent, curious, and thus far non-hostile. Due to the alien nature of it's intelligence, an IQ rating is impossible to ascertain. Total learning capacity appears to be dictated by organic mass, as SCP-4925 contains a neural network that extends throughout it's entire bio-structure. Given it's lack of sensory organs, it is theorized SCP-4925 may simply be self-sustaining neural tissue.

SCP-4925 was first discovered by Milo Povey, resident of the Willowdale Appartment Complex at 215 W South St & Davison. On June 15th, 2019, Mr. Povey placed a call with CDC1, reporting that there was a pulsating, vibrating organic mass in his apartment, growing atop his dirty dishes.


Dr. Kirby Dawson.

Research Log: Day 0

Observations: SCP-4925 is currently 46.9cm long, with an estimated mass of 340 grams, based on the samples we've collected. Intelligence, at least at an animal level, is confirmed. When we extracted a sample of the substance it retracted into the dish pile. When we went to take another, a few minutes later, it recoiled the moment we pulled out the scalpel. We're still not sure if it's just a tactile response, no more intelligent than a mimosa leaf, or if this thing can feel pain.

We're working on deciphering the motions of this thing. It seems to respond to light, heat, and sound. When we give it identical stimuli, it responds the same way each time. My colleagues have their doubts, but I've been studying anomalous intelligence my entire career. I know it. This thing is trying to talk to us.

Research Log: Day 3.

We've had a breakthrough. It started humming.

This substance began vibrating so rapidly, it actually made the various plates, pots, and utensils rub against each other in a… well, almost melodic way. The glassware is especially haunting. We've been playing steady steady tones around 4925, and it's tried to mimic them. In fact, it's even started to try and make harmonies. It's musically inclined, apparently.

Research Log: Day 14

4925 spoke today.

Not really, but when we were talking in it's presence, it "hummed" the sounds of our words back. That's not all though! I've noticed a correlation.

This thing seems to be feeding on the nutrients left on Mr. Povey's dirty dishes. Disgusting as that is, it's given us a broad understanding of what this thing eats. Given it's primary foodsource is running out, we've been steadily feeding it a kind of food slurry. High energy, lots of vitamins and sugars. As cautious as we've been, it seems even a bit of the "good stuff" has encourage 4925 to nearly double in size.

We have found complex protein within the 4925 samples. It's possible they serve as a kind of neural network for the organism. If true, than it distributes it's thinking capacity through the entirety of it's body, like an octopus! I suspect it's total mass may dictate it's learning power.

I've put in a request with command to increase 4925's intake requirements. This could be huge!

Research Log, Day 34.

That took longer than expected. I'll admit, I've never been much of a negotiator. The first time I ever asked for a funding grant, my response to "Why should we believe this research will be valuable?" was "Because I'm smarter than you." Didn't go over well, as you can imagine. I'm glad the Foundation recruited me when it did.

Command was… hesitant. It's not an unrealistic response. The smarter this thing becomes, the more of a danger it poses. I don't think they heard a single word, until I said "if we can communicate with it, we can find out if it's hostile." That seemed to work.

Let's see how you like this new batch of paste, you disgusting little miracle.

Research Log, Day 36.

SCP-4925 has nearly tripled in size. I take back everything I've said, it's twice as repulsive, and three times as fascinating.

The membranes have begun to form nexal groupings on certain dishes. There's a pile of small plates that look like a series of small, round pools, connected by lattice bridges of off-green slime. There's a large oblong cluster of small spheres, grouped together and floating in a bowl of… I think it used to be ramen noodle soup. If I had to guess, which I shouldn't given this things unique structure, I'd say that floating ball is acting as a kind of signal center for the organism. A kind of cerebellum… but who knows.

It's still only humming though. SCP-4925 is limited by it's medium, so to speak. Tomorrow, we're going to try visual communication.

Research Log, Day 37

This is remarkable. Remarkable! We've rigged up a simple tactile interface for 4925 so- Alright, after 37 days, I'm getting tired of typing out 4925 every time I need to reference this thing. These are my logs, I'll write them as I like. Let's see… the greasy fellow who discovered, and inadvertently created this wonderful mess was named Milo Tovey. Hm. Milo then.

We gave Milo a pressure-trigger, connected to a display screen. On it, we had an object, and a word. Gradeschool level teaching. It was only intended to be a very basic first-attempt at communication, but Milo exceeded expectations by lightyears. It started as slowly as we expected. Milo was wary to interact with the button, which is expected since we've been prodding and slicing at it for week. When it finally realized the correlation between the button, and the images on the screen, I think it was simply hitting the button for… fun? It poked the screen as well, and spent a good 20 minutes fascinated by the glowing lights.

After an hour, though, the most miraculous thing happened. It started forming patterns. Simple ones, mostly atop the sections of it's body on dinner plates. They very roughly resembled the images on the screen. Apple. Wheel. Eye. Triangle. Afterwards, we re-played all the slides Milo had been shown, but removing the images. Just words. It got every answer correct. We showed it the word "apple", and it made the apple shape. "Wheel", wheel shape. It understands correlation. It's mastered semiotics!

The reverse did not go quite as well. When we showed Milo a picture of an apple, it seemed to struggle. I think written language is too difficult for it to properly mold. They're too intricate, too numerous. I'll have to think of a solution.

Research Log, Day 38

Or Milo could find a solution.

I'm astounded. This is beyond anything I could have imagined. When we entered Milo's apartment this morning, it was abuzz with activity, practically vibrating right off that filthy countertop.

It was showing us it's symbols. Apple, Wheel, Eye. But now, it was showing us simple, line-based symbols right after! They were rudimentary enough that Milo could form them easily, but complex enough that, properly shaped, they could express an entire language.

When I approached, it made the "Apple" shape. It held it. I'm ashamed to admit, I almost missed the beat. I went to the terminal, opened a basic drawing program, and mirrored Milo's symbol for apple. It hummed, vibrated, and almost bubbled. It's using our own techniques to teach us it's language, that's it invented overnight!

This is the start of something big.

Research Log, Day 61

I believe we're ready. We programmed AI "NELA" to create a linguistic interface with Milo. If this journal is ever published, I'd like to appologize. The "Milo" monacre caught on like wildfire. I only said it aloud once, on accident, and now the entire staff is saying it. I've had to chastise several junior researchers myself about "SCP numbering protocol" the last few days. I'm a hypocrite.

Objects and interactions have been easy to translate. More complicated concepts, well, we'll just have to see, won't we? It's time to make first contact.

—-

Interview Log, 4925-1

Interviewer: Dr. Kirby Dawson.

Interviewed: SCP-4925.

—-

Dawson: Hello.

4925: Hello.

Dawson: Do you understand me?

4925: No.

Dawson: What do you not understand?

4925: Most. How please information.

Dawson: I do not understand.

4925: How please give more some information.

Dawson: What?

4925: What? What? What? You.

4925: What? Here.

4925: What? All.

4925: What? Me. Please.


Research Log, Day 104

Working with AI "NELA", and with the newly approved nutrient intake, Milo's communication skills are improving exponentially. As always, getting approval from command was like pulling teeth. From a megalodon. There is no question, SCP-4925 is self-aware. It wasn't just asking for information, it wanted to know what it was. That might have startled me, but it terrified command.

Still, the old "is it hostile" line did enough to get me this far. Until we get Milo to a conversation stage, I don't think that well is running dry.


Interview Log, 4925-1

Interviewer: Dr. Kirby Dawson.

Interviewed: SCP-4925.


Dawson: Hello.

4925: Hello Dr. Kirby Dawson!

Dawson: I see NELA has taught you about exclamation points.

4925: Yes! I ask what is to make more meaning. I ask how to show I happy or sad or excite. Why is there excite point but no sad point?

Dawson: I'm not sure. Language is complex.

4925: Language is incredible amazing! Language is so Dr. Kirby Dawson and Milo share information!

Dawson: Who told you your name was Milo?

4925: Dr. Kirby Dawson! Dr. Kirby Dawson did vibrations that have information!

Dawson: You can understand when we talk?

4925: Talk! Yes talk! The information vibrations! Understand bad. Sad point. Vibrations small. Bad for information. Milo language lines much better. Dr. Kirby Dawson should not do vibrations. Do Milo lines.

Dawson: Perhaps I will. Milo, what do you want?

4925: Information!

Dawson: Yes, but why?

4925: Information good!

Dawson: Do you want anything else?

4925: Food!

Dawson: Any kind of food?

4925: Dr. Kirby Dawson food! Good food! Better than home food. Sad point. Milo is thank of Dr. Kirby Dawson make good food.

Dawson: Alright. We'll talk again tomorrow.

4925: Good Bye!

Interview log

Ideas: The thing's intelligence grows as it grows. The bigger it is, the more advanced it's intelligence.

It is friendly and curious. Very non-hostile.

Eventually a debate is launched by the ethics comittee, based on the complaints of the O5 council. Members of various departments, and the O5 and ethics comittee argue how large they should let this thing grow. Some argue not at all, since their job is containment. O5 argue it should actually be reduced in size. The ethics committee we let it grow in increments, and work from there.

The ethics committee wins, sort of. They keep it close under check.

Eventually though, due to it's compliance and friendliness, the Ethics committee guy who'd been talking to it makes a proposition. Something that'd been proposed multiple times. The "ARD" policy. An idea that, when dealing with alien inteligences, or anomalous life, they should just be 100% honest. Also, if an anomaly would make a broken-veil scenario if it got out anyway, the information it has on the foundation is irrelivant anyway. It's contained.

They submit, and the guy tells the slime everything. It responds "That's neat!" and is still non-hostile, and very sweet. A friendship is definitely blossoming between it and the researcher.

Finally, after months of discussion, it turns out the stuff the foundation had been feeding this thing lacked a vital set of nutrients this slime needed. There will be an emotional interview between the interviewer and the guy who owns the appartment. "What did you eat. You have to remember. We need to know."

Finally, this thing starts to die. The researcher is sad, but this thing is not. It knows it's supposed to die. It doesn't have a sense of mortality, or existential dread. Life is the same as death, just a new experience. It comforts the researcher, and dies.

Very bittersweet article.