An amazing collection of species from the future, changed irreparably due to climate change and the need to adapt to a new planet.
Via Time:
In his “Engineered Species” project, part of his recently released book Past Forward, Fournier explores how life itself tinkers with its own design, changing DNA to make species better, faster and stronger. Fournier took pictures of taxidermy specimens—stuffed and pinned animals—and brought them to animal geneticists to find how these species were evolving in real time as the environment, thanks largely to human action, keeps changing.
PANGOLIN [Pholidota supraclimatis]
Climate change-tolerant mammal • Better adaptation to climate change (i.e. increase of 2∘C). Nocturnal/diurnal animals.
A high keratin content (DM content of 45%) maintains a constant body temperature and controls homeostatis. Claw composition: non-metallic and metallic (Ir) components [1:7] for animal defense.
BEETLE [Oryctes transmissionus] Insect adapted to continuous tracking.
GPS receiver in the horn as integrated antenna. • Secretion of a two-layer ABS/Plexiglas material by the engineered animal. Accuracy of time signals (±10ns).
Head and thorax made with Al for short-wavelength transmissions in the ISM band from 2400-2480 MHz. Able to withstand accelerations of 12,000 g or about 118 km/s2. The L5 frequency band at 1.17645 GHz added. Animal for continuous tracking.
SPARROW [Passeridae megapixeliadeae] Bird with high visual acuity
Injection around 20000 engineered stem cells per eye using isolate fibroblast precursors from corneal stroma.
Critical visual angle : 0.35 arc-minute. Large format camera : 180 degrees.Resolution of the bird eye : 576 megapixels. f/ratio = 22.3/7 = 3.2
CORTINARIUS [Fungus aridus] Like-arid environment tolerant fungi
Injection of a genetically modified gene isolated from camel hump cells in spores. Reservoir of fatty tissue derived from lipoblasts within cap.
Metabolized tissue with a yield of approx. 0.1 of H2O for each 0.1 g of fat converted through reaction with O2from the air.
MONITOR LIZARD [Varanus imitabilis] Mimetic lizard
Glass mirrors on scales providing parabolic reflectors. Very low f/#s. With a ray depth of 48.
Secretion of a thin layer of aluminium by reduction from tetrahydroxoaluminate Al(OH)4–to metallic aluminum by microbial-bacterial processes. Agro-infiltration of engineered bacteria with surfactant Silwet L-77. Body for mimetic camouflage.
GREAT GREY OWL [Strix nebulosa] Predator-resistant feathers
Vision in pixels for delivering a fuller picture to the brain. Process of computer software memory. Engineered nerves cells and photoreceptor cells in the retina of the eye. Neither ears nor horns.
Embryogenesis modification. Tufts feather with a narrow band of wavelengths (305-320mm) to avoid predation.
Claw composition: non-metallic and metallic (106Cd) components [1:5] for defense.
