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To: Blueflag
In my short story however, the EVIL envirowhackos broke into the lab and stole a culture of the bacteria before they were ‘ready’ (ie the mutagen was still acting on the DNA) and when these aberrant bacteria were released into the environment to fight a small spill in Charleston harbour (near a “sensitive” area of course) they did in fact metabolize the oil. BUT!!! due to their incomplete genetic transformation the excreted a powerful carcinogen as they PARTIALLY metabolized the crude oil.

I remember another story in which the bacteria went on to consume all the oil in the world.
21 posted on 01/07/2011 4:36:54 AM PST by aruanan
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To: aruanan

My first story was like that, but I changed it because I couldn’t make the story work rationally. Specifically I needed a metabolic ‘oxidizer’ to be present along with the food (oil/refined products) not just the ‘food’ supply. In other words, the bacteria needed an abundant source of oxygen or sulfur in order to metabolise the oil(s). I couldn’t create (for my story) (a) a plausible analog of the (anaerobic) lactic acid cycle (what gives you cramps when you are out of shape cardiovascular-wise) so the bacteria COULD derive food energy from oil in the absence of an ‘oxidizer’ or hydrogen acceptor, and (b) couldn’t work out the chemical-bond energy mechanism for a self-sustaining demon bug metabolism.

I wasn’t willing to go forward with “magic happens here” as the mechanism for the bacteria to consume stores of oil. BUT i did work it out where the oil stores could be contaminated with nasty demon bugs and cause problems! Since it didn’t work, really, I wrote the second story. I got a B/A cuz my creative writing teacher thought it was too technical to be entertaining. Tell that to Tom Clancy ;-)


23 posted on 01/07/2011 4:50:45 AM PST by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur)
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