Chapter 104: Using molecular physics to harden the skin

As Sarah and Ian re-entered their cabin, the woman threw herself on the bed and threw a fist on the pillow. "That bastard!" she screamed. "Yes, the definition is correct" Ian muttered leaning against the door jamb. He wanted to come forward to comfort his fiancée, but from his experience he had learned that it was best not to get too close while she was really upset. Or he would have become her punching bag. Sarah continued to furiously punch the pillow. "Ugly son of a bitch! Damn capitalist asshole! How dare him? Naming an animal that I discovered! He's a piece of shit!" The last punch was so strong that the pillow opened at the sides, throwing out some feathers. Sarah deeply inspired and then threw herself on the mattress, sinking her head into what was her Punch Game Machine a few moments before. Seeing that his fiancée had finally vented her anger, Ian found the courage to step forward and sat down on the bed next to her. "I know he's an asshole" he said, stroking her hair. "But he has the knife on the handle side. You should accept its conditions" "Weren't you the one who opposed him and faced him in court?" Sarah murmured turning her head to look at him. "Yes, and I would do it again. But I don't want you to lose your special discovery" Ian replied. "The power is in the hands of people like him. This is your chance to make yourself a big name, and I don't want your value to be diminished. If you refuse, just as there will be people who will criticize Ludlow for arrogating the right to baptize the animal, in the university world there will be just as many nuisance wigs who will question your work using this excuse and discredit you. You know how it works in academia, especially with women. They may even go so far as to question that it was you who discovered the dinosaur. So it is better to surrender to the inevitable and save what can be saved". Ian seemed to hate himself saying those words, but showed no hesitation. "With or without your consent, Ludlow will baptize the animal this way, so you should almost take credit for it. After all, the name 'Spinosaurus ingens' is not so bad" "You say it just to appease me" Sarah grumbled "Got it. It's true, I hate it" Ian admitted. "It is clearly meant to be propaganda and grounded in consumerism and capitalism. But this is your discovery, and I don't want some guy full of money to take it away from you" Sarah finally got up and sat next to Ian, resting her head on his shoulder. "If science has to bow to such men, how can it still be called free?" "Has it ever been?" Ian murmured in a sad voice. "Ever since we humans invented it, science has had to bow to power, and in today's world it is the rich who hold power. As I have told you countless times, elections are just a hoax. You don't get elected if you don't have a sponsor to finance the advertising campaign, and to get it you have to promise him a certain political program that meets his wishes. Those with money are the ones who rule the world, even in what are called democracies" Sarah sighed, unable to reply. Although she didn't like to agree with him, she knew when her boyfriend's words were irrefutable. As she sank her head into Ian's chest the computer chirped. Sarah and Ian looked up and were surprised to see Alan Grant's number appear on the screen. Even though they had been in contact until then, they were always the ones who had called the professor; it was the first time the opposite had happened. "What happens?" Sarah murmured taking the computer and activating the video call. Alan's face appeared on the screen. "Alan! You don't catch us at a good time..." Ian tried to say, but professor Grant's response surprised him: "Who cares! Dr. Hardy, do you by any chance have something to measure electrical charges?" "The electrical charges?" Sarah was confused. "Well, maybe... I should ask Eddie about..." "Then go to him now! Get a suitable tool and then use it on the scale you have extracted!" Sarah and Ian were confused to say the least, but the professor Grant's face and tone were so out of breath they said nothing and ran to do what he asked. Fortunately Eddie had what they asked for. The three went down to the small laboratory that Sarah had set up in the hold, where the scale was, obviously taking the computer with the video call activated. Ian was tempted to turn it off to play a joke on Alan, but agreed that this wasn't the time. When everything was ready Eddie activated the instrument and measured the electrical charge of the scale. What he read surprised him! "But this is impossible!" he exclaimed. "It is very high! Yet we touched the scale... how did we not get electrocuted when we touched it?" "Because that's not an external charge! It works internally!" Alan exclaimed. "This is the confirmation. The scale has nothing special... because it is in fact a very normal scale! The secret of its hardness is hidden at the molecular level!" "At the molecular level?" Ian didn't understand. "Are you saying it's a question of chemistry?" "More of physics, actually... molecules are what dictate the hardness of anything. If they are too volatile then they form gases, while if they are static they form solids" Alan explained. "Normally in a solid the molecules are perfectly ordered, but there are gaps between them due to the relationship between positive and negative electric charge. But in this animal, the molecules that make up its scales are so close that they touch each other, making its skin harder than steel despite being made of common organic matter" Sarah looked at the scale in surprise. "Are you saying that this scale is made up of super dense molecules?" "Exactly. My hypotesis is that those scales have a molecular structure that allows the positive and negative charges to balance so well that they pressurize" Alan replied. "I don't know what causes this mechanism, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works" Sarah walked over to the scale, looking intently at it. This was beyond any known concept of physics. Super dense matter could form in nature, of course, but only in extreme conditions, for example in the deepest areas of the ocean where the water pressure reached such levels that it turned into 'hot ice', that is, it became a solid not for via temperature but due to the force exerted on the H2O molecules. "But such an adaptation requires enormous amount of ener-" she stopped. "Of course! Some of the extra energy producted by the bacteria in the gut could be use for this! I don't know how it could work, but maybe..." Animals very often used chemistry and physics to their advantage, but this was the first time they were exploited in this way. It was completely uncharted territory by science! "I understand why we couldn't scratch it. If the molecules are very close it could become harder than steel, titanium and even diamond..." she murmured, touching the scale. "What chemical process can do such a thing?" "I have no idea" Alan replied. "My advice is to wait for the discovery to be made official and then contact a chemist. Or maybe even a hundred. Maybe they will be able to provide an answer... or maybe not. We may never be able to understand the mechanism that regulates this molecular structure, after all we are still stuck even on photosynthesis" Although scientists had a rough idea of how chlorophyll photosynthesis worked, no one had ever been able to understand its deeper details to the point that they could artificially reproduce the process. If this had been possible, human beings would have obtained a clean, infinite and very low cost source of energy. And photosynthesis was just one of countless examples of nature's unsolved mysteries. Life exploited chemical, physical and biological processes that were largely still lacking a complete explanation. It was therefore unlikely that humans would understand the secret of the dinosaur's molecular structure any time soon. "I'll try to do some microscopic analysis. I'm not an expert, but maybe I'll be able to figure out something that could help a chemist solve the mystery" Sarah said. "If you find anything, please inform me immediately" Alan said. "As soon as you return, I will immediately come and see you in person. By the way, when will you come back?" "In about a month. We're back already" Eddie replied. "We're going to Flagard City, in the Confederate States of Vinland" Alan was surprised at the destination. "What? Why are you going there?" "Ludlow bought the dinosaur. He wants to turn it into a Mega Beast Park attraction" Ian replied. In a short time he told the confused professor Grant the whole thing. When he finished, Alan was indignant. "That damn...! Argh. I don't even know how to define him!" he blew up. "Ah, but he will hear me. That bastard will hear me!" "Professor Grant, please don't go crazy" Sarah calmed him. "You know Ludlow has the power on the side of the handle" Alan gritted his teeth. "The more times go on, the more these damned billionaires are convinced they can do what they want" he roared. "Hammond would never have done such a thing...". A thought struck him: "Sure! Hammond! Maybe he can..." "Alan, I met him before leaving. He's an old man who no longer has any power" Ian stopped him immediately. "There is nothing he can do to help us. Let's forget this time; if Ludlow feels threatened by us, in all likelihood he will order his little dog to throw us to the fishes" "Roland isn't that kind of person" Sarah replied. "Maybe not him, but the same cannot be said of his minions. Or do you want me to believe that you trust Dieter?" Ian pointed out. "Ludlow could contact him privately and tell him to make us disappear by promising him money in return. That man is capable of anything" "Ian is right. If Ludlow gets too excited you will be in danger" Alan admitted, seeing the situation clearly. "For this time it is better to keep a low profile" Reluctantly, the other members of the group also nodded. Ludlow had already proved that he didn't have the slightest scruple about playing with human lives, and none of them cared about being thrown into the ocean. ********* Sobek almost jumped to hear his voice! It was really him! His favorite character of all the Jurassic Park franchise, in flesh and blood! The mythical paleontologist who hated children and felt a certain attraction for velociraptors: Alan Grant! He wondered how many protagonists had reincarnated on Eden. He wondered what happened to the dear Henry Wu... in a world where creating dinosaurs wasn't necessary, what would have he done? The thing that cheered him most about the conversation was finding out the travel times. He was happy that it would only be a month; since Eden was immensely larger than Earth, voyages by ship could take years if the destination was far enough away. One month was bearable. Even though he had been caught on purpose, he hated being in a cage. He couldn't even scratch his back, which freaked him out. But he could resist that torture for a month or so.