009 || [audio]
[Mutters wryly:] Well, Hodgins would be ecstatic over this one if he was here, at least. Those critters are everywhere.
The Ten Plagues of Egypt were caused by changes in the natural environment. Not a mythical, supernatural being called God.
Plague one, water turning into blood. Probably caused by an outbreak of a toxic algal bloom due to elevated temperatures.
Plague of frogs was likely caused by there being no fish alive -- because the dyno-flagellate algae of plague one dissolved them into the water -- to eat the frog spawn, which resulted in a much larger number than normal surviving to reach maturity. The species of "bufo" toads also produce a massive number of spawn in a single laying, hence the population explosion.
The toads ingested a lethal dose of the toxins released by the algae, hence there were no toads left to eat the insects, resulting in the plague of lice.
The plague of flies was probably related to the death of the frogs. Researchers have been able to specify them as the stable fly.
The fifth plague could have been blue tongue for the cattle, and African horse sickness for the horses. Both are spread by the midge coolacoidees, which would be an ideal candidate for the lice of plague three.
Plague six was boils and blains, which could have been Glanders, an infection caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei. It is carried by the stable fly, which only has a range of one mile, and was probably infected from the sick animals into people from plague five.
Plague seven was a massive, localized hailstorm. The fires may have been caused by large hailstones accompanied by ball lightnings that sometimes appear during severe, dramatic storms.
Plague eight was an explosion of the locust population, mobilized by the winds of the hailstorm and the fires.
Plague nine was a massive, dense sandstorm that likely caused the prevailing darkness.
Plague ten, the death of the firstborn was caused by the grain being harvested and stored when wet, and covered in locust droppings. The grain storage pits were then covered with sand which made them hot and humid, ideal for growing bacteria. A specific mould that grows on cellulose and produces mycotoxins on its spores, which causes hemorrhaging of the lungs when ingested. Killing only the first born was likely due to a combination of spoiled food and cultural factors. Firstly, it only effected the top part of the grain store, and the most important people of the society were served first. Egyptian firstborn were given an extra helping of the best food, as they were culturally thought of as the most important thing that the family possessed. This resulted in only the first born Egyptians being given a lethal dose of the toxins. At the same time, the Israelites were using different practices for food preparation that didn't concentrate the infected grain into lethal doses. This resulted in no deaths among them.
Referring to the last one of the plagues: I do not know what the City's definition of a firstborn will be, if this occurrence does indeed escalate to that scenario. There are so many questions. Obviously, only children in the family are automatically firstborns. Doesn't the myth only concern firstborn sons, though? Are females exempted? If they aren't, what about siblings whom are not in the City? I have an older brother, but he is not here - does that make me the firstborn of my family? And hey, what about those in general whom do not even believe in the existence of the Judeo-Christian God of Earth in the first place? [The following is added in a disgruntled mutter:] This whole thing is ludicrous.
Be that as it may, I, for one, am not touching any lamb just because the City decided to re-enact antiquated biblical stories. I don't even eat meat, much less make meat dead.
[There's a quiet hmph that sounds decidedly annoyed, and the feed cuts off.]
The Ten Plagues of Egypt were caused by changes in the natural environment. Not a mythical, supernatural being called God.
Plague one, water turning into blood. Probably caused by an outbreak of a toxic algal bloom due to elevated temperatures.
Plague of frogs was likely caused by there being no fish alive -- because the dyno-flagellate algae of plague one dissolved them into the water -- to eat the frog spawn, which resulted in a much larger number than normal surviving to reach maturity. The species of "bufo" toads also produce a massive number of spawn in a single laying, hence the population explosion.
The toads ingested a lethal dose of the toxins released by the algae, hence there were no toads left to eat the insects, resulting in the plague of lice.
The plague of flies was probably related to the death of the frogs. Researchers have been able to specify them as the stable fly.
The fifth plague could have been blue tongue for the cattle, and African horse sickness for the horses. Both are spread by the midge coolacoidees, which would be an ideal candidate for the lice of plague three.
Plague six was boils and blains, which could have been Glanders, an infection caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei. It is carried by the stable fly, which only has a range of one mile, and was probably infected from the sick animals into people from plague five.
Plague seven was a massive, localized hailstorm. The fires may have been caused by large hailstones accompanied by ball lightnings that sometimes appear during severe, dramatic storms.
Plague eight was an explosion of the locust population, mobilized by the winds of the hailstorm and the fires.
Plague nine was a massive, dense sandstorm that likely caused the prevailing darkness.
Plague ten, the death of the firstborn was caused by the grain being harvested and stored when wet, and covered in locust droppings. The grain storage pits were then covered with sand which made them hot and humid, ideal for growing bacteria. A specific mould that grows on cellulose and produces mycotoxins on its spores, which causes hemorrhaging of the lungs when ingested. Killing only the first born was likely due to a combination of spoiled food and cultural factors. Firstly, it only effected the top part of the grain store, and the most important people of the society were served first. Egyptian firstborn were given an extra helping of the best food, as they were culturally thought of as the most important thing that the family possessed. This resulted in only the first born Egyptians being given a lethal dose of the toxins. At the same time, the Israelites were using different practices for food preparation that didn't concentrate the infected grain into lethal doses. This resulted in no deaths among them.
Referring to the last one of the plagues: I do not know what the City's definition of a firstborn will be, if this occurrence does indeed escalate to that scenario. There are so many questions. Obviously, only children in the family are automatically firstborns. Doesn't the myth only concern firstborn sons, though? Are females exempted? If they aren't, what about siblings whom are not in the City? I have an older brother, but he is not here - does that make me the firstborn of my family? And hey, what about those in general whom do not even believe in the existence of the Judeo-Christian God of Earth in the first place? [The following is added in a disgruntled mutter:] This whole thing is ludicrous.
Be that as it may, I, for one, am not touching any lamb just because the City decided to re-enact antiquated biblical stories. I don't even eat meat, much less make meat dead.
[There's a quiet hmph that sounds decidedly annoyed, and the feed cuts off.]