First: Stealing Jade Progress Continues~
Progress on Stealing Jade’s first draft continues. I’m getting into the really meaty stuff now, and it’s a blast. I’m the kind of author who gets to know her characters as she writes them (and then they take over and things get… interesting), so a surprise for me is that it turns out Soren is kind of cheeky? 🤣
An example of this same phenomenon in Stealing Sand was Thierry’s obsession with trying every recipe in his food synthesizer—I didn’t plan that, he announced it as I was writing him.
Writing is fun. Weird, and sometimes a tad bit unsettling, but fun.
Real-Life Cyborgs
As a sci-fi author, I’m obsessed with thinking about the future (big shock, right?) and imagining where today’s cutting-edge trends might lead us.
When I write about cyborgs and human enhancements, I’m not just making things up. Many of the concepts I explore in my stories are already unfolding in real life. Take this week’s inspiration: Neil Harbisson, the first officially recognized cyborg according to Guinness World Records.
Born completely colorblind, Neil only saw the world in black and white. But he developed an extraordinary solution: an antenna permanently attached to his skull that detects light and translates it into sound. He literally “hears” color as musical notes, creating his own unique form of synesthesia.
He calls this device his “eyeborg”—and yes, I’m absolutely here for the puniness of it.
What’s even more incredible? His UK passport photo includes the antenna, making him the first person to be officially recognized as part-human, part-technology. Initially, officials rejected his photo, but they eventually acknowledged him as the world’s first official cyborg.
Mind. Blown.
Ethical Questions
His procedure was so controversial that he had to keep the doctors who did his surgery anonymous – multiple bioethical committees had rejected it.
On top of that, he and his partner have recieved death threats over the years from people who hate what they’re doing, because they think it’s unnatural or anti-God.
This article from the BBC was an interesting read about the situation.
The future~
Neil’s procedure was so controversial that the surgeons who performed it have remained anonymous, as multiple bioethics committees rejected the idea. He’s even received death threats from people who consider what he’s doing unnatural or anti-God.
(If you’re interested in learning more, I found this BBC article a fascinating read.)
The Future Awaits~
One interesting point raised in the article is the growing concern about who is driving these advancements. Spoiler: it’s not governments or democratic bodies. It’s a select few wealthy, elite organizations.
And that, dear readers, is fertile ground for both concern… and writing fodder. 😈
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