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These plants remind me of the Cheshires from the book "The Windup Girl". Despite being scientifically impossible, the Cheshires illustrate unforeseen consequenc

These plants remind me of the Cheshires from the book "The Windup Girl". Despite being scientifically impossible, the Cheshires illustrate unforeseen consequences very well. They are genetically engineered cats that can blend exceptionally well into their surroundings, like an octopus. They were made as party favours for an young girl's birthday party, but escaped and out-bred/out-hunted domestic cats to become dominant across the world. There's a great critique of the lack of scientific rigour in Paolo Bacigalupi's novel, well worth a read if you like poor science being excoriated: https://www.nyrsf.com/2015/10/eric-schaller-the-problem-with-cheshires-where-paolo-bacigalupis-the-windup-girl-fails.html https://www.nyrsf.com/2015/10/eric-schaller-the-problem-with...

fbdab103 3y ago
Did himself no favors if the leading argument was that "20 years is too fast to replace a species." Like, fine? Call it a hundred and move onto a more damning critique. Only skimmed the rest, but several of them also seem to be making a lot of some off-hand flavor text. Is it perfect? No, but I enjoyed the novel quite a bit.
- boxed 3y ago
  As I remember it in the book, the genes were crispr-driven. Meaning ALL offspring got the new genes. So a modified cat having any offspring with a non-modified cat got these genes. So it's not really out-competing that determines the spread speed, it's outcompeting AND any and all interbreeding.
ildjarn 3y ago
I don’t look for scientific rigour in sci fi myself.
- Angostura 3y ago
  And yet it can be fun, if you find it.
  - TeMPOraL 3y ago
    There's a whole subgenre of maximally scientifically rigorous sci-fi, it's great fun.
    - arethuza 3y ago
      Sounds interesting, do you have some recommendations?
      - salad-tycoon 3y ago
        The Martian, is the most accessible and interesting “hard sci fi” I’ve read. The RC Bray narrated version is excellent (and I think delisted). Otherwise, that’s your search term. I’m interested in more recommendations too some times the story is lacking in this genre. Side note: very interesting writing process for the Martian, as I remember it, he developed it chapter by chapter with his readers who would critique it on his blog. Later books were not as good (after he was famous) but project Hail Mary was a turn around.
        arethuza 3y ago
        But doesn't The Martian have a well-known scientific inaccuracy around the actual physical effects of winds on Mars - which is kind of vital to the plot? NB I really like The Martian (and like SF in general).
        mnw21cam 3y ago
        Yes. The atmosphere is completely wrong. Ignore that and the rest is pretty good. As for recommendations, I'd say loads of the books by Arthur C. Clarke. Try "A fall of moondust".
        rini17 3y ago
        I was like...mkay the wind was one time plot device. Bigger issue is that he seemed to grow potatoes inside with no mention of lighting at all? That was major omission for me, grow lights require plenty of energy and thus waste heat.
TeMPOraL 3y ago
I remember that book; I think someone on HN suggested it when I asked for "biopunk" recommendations. It's definitely less bio than "Change Agent" by Daniel Suarez (which incidentally, IIRC, had more of genetically engineered animals for kids too) - but what I remember most about "The Windup Girl" is spring power. The book made me interested in mechanical energy storage and mechanical energy-based systems in general.
- bitcurious 3y ago
  You might enjoy reading about the spring drive watch movements Seiko makes.
dvh 3y ago
Meanwhile in real world we go completely opposite direction - degenerate munchkin cats
- nothercastle 3y ago
  The best kind of cat is mentally disabled. Just sits purrs and chases random things
- IntrepidWorm 3y ago
  im not sure I want a lithe hunter stalking through my house, marking every surface and attacking everything that breathes. I much prefer my dopey dander machines that sleep on my chest, flop around on the ground chasing the pocket lint they dug out of my trashcan, and superhero-leaping off their tree onto the couch to wake the other one with a screech. If I owned a farm and needed a ratter, I'd likely feel different.

fbdab103 3y ago

Did himself no favors if the leading argument was that "20 years is too fast to replace a species." Like, fine? Call it a hundred and move onto a more damning critique. Only skimmed the rest, but several of them also seem to be making a lot of some off-hand flavor text. Is it perfect? No, but I enjoyed the novel quite a bit.

boxed 3y ago
As I remember it in the book, the genes were crispr-driven. Meaning ALL offspring got the new genes. So a modified cat having any offspring with a non-modified cat got these genes. So it's not really out-competing that determines the spread speed, it's outcompeting AND any and all interbreeding.

ildjarn 3y ago

I don’t look for scientific rigour in sci fi myself.

Angostura 3y ago
And yet it can be fun, if you find it.
- TeMPOraL 3y ago
  There's a whole subgenre of maximally scientifically rigorous sci-fi, it's great fun.
  - arethuza 3y ago
    Sounds interesting, do you have some recommendations?
    - salad-tycoon 3y ago
      The Martian, is the most accessible and interesting “hard sci fi” I’ve read. The RC Bray narrated version is excellent (and I think delisted). Otherwise, that’s your search term. I’m interested in more recommendations too some times the story is lacking in this genre. Side note: very interesting writing process for the Martian, as I remember it, he developed it chapter by chapter with his readers who would critique it on his blog. Later books were not as good (after he was famous) but project Hail Mary was a turn around.
      - arethuza 3y ago
        But doesn't The Martian have a well-known scientific inaccuracy around the actual physical effects of winds on Mars - which is kind of vital to the plot? NB I really like The Martian (and like SF in general).
        mnw21cam 3y ago
        Yes. The atmosphere is completely wrong. Ignore that and the rest is pretty good. As for recommendations, I'd say loads of the books by Arthur C. Clarke. Try "A fall of moondust".
        rini17 3y ago
        I was like...mkay the wind was one time plot device. Bigger issue is that he seemed to grow potatoes inside with no mention of lighting at all? That was major omission for me, grow lights require plenty of energy and thus waste heat.

TeMPOraL 3y ago

I remember that book; I think someone on HN suggested it when I asked for "biopunk" recommendations. It's definitely less bio than "Change Agent" by Daniel Suarez (which incidentally, IIRC, had more of genetically engineered animals for kids too) - but what I remember most about "The Windup Girl" is spring power. The book made me interested in mechanical energy storage and mechanical energy-based systems in general.

bitcurious 3y ago
You might enjoy reading about the spring drive watch movements Seiko makes.

dvh 3y ago

Meanwhile in real world we go completely opposite direction - degenerate munchkin cats

nothercastle 3y ago
The best kind of cat is mentally disabled. Just sits purrs and chases random things
IntrepidWorm 3y ago
im not sure I want a lithe hunter stalking through my house, marking every surface and attacking everything that breathes. I much prefer my dopey dander machines that sleep on my chest, flop around on the ground chasing the pocket lint they dug out of my trashcan, and superhero-leaping off their tree onto the couch to wake the other one with a screech. If I owned a farm and needed a ratter, I'd likely feel different.