Synthetic Somatology

An Introduction to
Synthetic Somatology

Brought to you by Gemini Somatics and Dr. Edward Darmos

contact@geminisomatics.com

Clarification
In order to minimise the risk of confusion
and misinterpretation, we at Gemini
Somatics would like to make it clear that
synthetic somatology is in no way cloning,
nor is it truly analogous to cloning. At no
stage has this process been used to create
perfect copies of extant individuals – in fact,
Dr Darmos is adamant that while it may be
possible to create a genetically identical
person, it would be impossible to implant
them with an exact personality match,
thereby limiting the science to creating – at
best – an identical twin.
Furthermore, Gemini Somatics would like to
make it clear that at no point are fetal or
embryonic stem cells used in the
preparation or research into synthetic
somatology. All stem cells are pluripotent,
and harvested from adult volunteer donors.
History
The process of synthetic somatology was
developed and perfected by Dr Edward
Darmos, an eminent scientist with expertise
in a range of biological and medical
disciplines. The original drive to develop this
science was a thought experiment
contemplating the difficulties involved in
establishing remote colonies on potentially
habitable planets and moons. The ability to
establish such colonies throughout our own
solar system – and, potentially, the rest of
the galaxy1 – could provide the human race
1
A consideration supported by recent discoveries
such as Gliese 581g.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/29/ea
rth-like-planet-gliese-581g
Synthetic Somatology
with a brighter future, better able to adapt to
alien environments and conditions.
Assuming that relevant technologies
emerge enabling us to construct a vehicle
capable of traversing vast distances, the
major obstacle is, of course, ensuring that a
valid human colony can be established.
There are two possible methods of
establishing said colonies:
1. Send actual human colonists
2. Devise a way to artificially generate
a colony at the point of arrival
The first of these is problematic for the
establishment of extra-solar colonies, as the
distances involved require travel at close to
the speed of light in order to make the
endeavour relevant within a human lifespan,
and the pressures exerted upon a human
travelling at such speeds would prove
invariably fatal. Constructing an artificial
colony could be achieved through the use of
robotic drones, but would be necessarily
limited by the technology, making an actual
human colony the ideal.
Process
The first artificial genome was constructed
using the single-celled Mycoplasma
2
mycoides . Although simpler than a human
genome by a factor of many thousands, Dr
Darmos understood that a comparable
process could be achieved through the use
of advanced software and technologies. He
began by taking gene samples from several
thousand people, filtering out genetic
2
"Sizing up the 'synthetic cell'". Nature. May 2010.
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100520/full/ne
ws.2010.255.html.
contact@geminisomatics.com

defects and constructing a variety of
artificial genomes3 from the remaining
building blocks. In order to test for viability,
this DNA was implanted in human ova and
given to a surrogate. When a significant
proportion of these experimental eggs were
shown to be growing as normal, Dr Darmos
turned to the problem of scale: growing a
human to full adulthood, completely
circumventing physical and mental infancy,
childhood and adolescence.
The growth is initiated by introducing the
DNA into ‘blank’ pluripotent stem cells4,
which are fed into a matrix of collagen
microcarriers5 held in a large bioreactor6.
Under specific conditions and in the
presence of suitable nutrients, these cells
rapidly build a human body which is, in time,
capable of life, albeit only when the body is
‘activated’ with electrical bursts, much like a
defibrillator. Throughout growth, smaller,
focused electrical bursts promote muscular
growth and prevent atrophy of tissues.
Having established that it was possible to
grow an adult body in such a way, Dr
Darmos focused on a further problem:
creating a stable personality, complete with
a skill-set that would be useful to colonists
and crew. Initial experiments indicated that
constructing an adult human without
supplying a minimum of psychological
3
Non-identical to any genetic donor.
4
Cells taken from adult humans, capable of both
replication into further stem cells and specialisation
into other cellular types.
5
A three-dimensional protein structure used to hold
stem cells in place while they replicate and
specialise. In synthetic somatology, these are built to
resemble a human skeleton.
6
A device used to promote cell culture. Gemini
Somatics has developed a specialized variant of
NASA’s bioreactor designed to fulfil the
requirements of the collagen matrix needed to grow
an adult human.
Synthetic Somatology
preparation would likely lead to catatonia
and infantilism. He established that a
human requires a set of memories to
provide a stable basis for an adult
personality. These memories need not be
specific (and, in fact, would be close to
impossible to record and manage); they
needed only to be contextual – a set of
vague experiential memories, rather than
precise, detailed memories.
To this end, Dr Darmos established a
further branch of his research to ‘record
memories’ from across a broad cross-
section of human society. A great deal of
assistance in this was rendered by
cooperation with the scientists behind
DARPA’s Restorative Encoding Memory
Integration Neural Device program that has
proven so beneficial to veterans suffering
memory loss due to trauma.
Memories and personality traits are
recorded by having the donor enter an
artificially-induced REM state while awake.
This is comparable to being under hypnosis
or in a trance, and enables the researchers
to record brain wave activity, which can then
be broken apart, reassembled almost at
random, and induced in a late-stage artificial
human (growth complete; immediately post-
activation). Because it is recorded from a
REM state, this data is interpreted by the
human brain and adapted autonomously to
make sense of the information internally. At
this stage of research, it is impossible to
guarantee how the brain interprets the
information, but it has proved a reliable
method of creating an artificial personality
base.
Having thus proven that the growth of
completely artificial adult humans capable of
communication and a number of basic skills
is not only possible, but also practical, the
contact@geminisomatics.com

final stage of development is to ensure that
the genetic information, memories and skills
are of the highest quality and relevant to the
colonial mission.
Genetic Assessment
Gemini Somatics has established an
assessment unit to take genetic samples
from a targeted group of individuals, who
are chosen for the promise of their genetic
profile. Such individuals include research
scientists, medical professionals,
sportsmen, soldiers, entrepreneurs, and so
on: figures that, by virtue of their
achievements and physical strengths, are
marked out as a probable source of
valuable genetic information.
No individual is forced to submit a genetic
sample, although a small number have
been offered financial remuneration on the
grounds that it is believed that their genetic
data is of the greatest value.
Following the sampling process, this genetic
information is examined for known flaws7
that could be removed, extremely useful
sequences that can be propagated, and
common combinations that imply a genetic
superiority or inferiority.
Once a complete set of the finest genes
humanity has to offer is assembled, we will
be able to consider the first phase of extra-
solar colonization feasible.
7 8
Such as congenital defects, susceptibility to disease
or psychological weakness, diabetes, and so on.
Synthetic Somatology
Engrammatic Database
More nebulous by far is the endeavour to
gather a useful range of waking-state REM
responses. As it is still impossible to
establish what any given REM sequence is
comprised of, a double approach has been
taken, focusing on a combination of biology
and psychology.
Individuals with a high level of genetic
similarity and a very low level of
psychological similarity are recorded,
comparing their REM output. This provides
a control group, whose REM outputs are
used to identify the probability that a
particular sequence in the output was
‘standard-issue’, regardless of whether
beneficial or negative. For the most part,
this has proven extremely successful in
eliminating a susceptibility to psychological
conditions, but unreliable in terms of
assessing a susceptibility to trauma,
emotional fluctuations and the like. In order
to balance this, the Engrammatic Database
Unit has taken samples from people
suffering from specific psychological
disorders – specifically blunted affect and
anhedonia8 – in order to minimise the risk of
other, more detrimental conditions, such as
schizophrenia, manic depression, and so
on, by including specific sequences in later
imprinting.
While it proved entirely possible to
randomise the composition of the engrams,
certain that it would provide an adequate
base for the artificially-grown human, the
Engrammatic Database Unit has identified
the need for specific skill-sets to be
preserved for implantation. In such
instances, a whole, unmodified REM output
is retained to be overlaid alongside the
Conditions that reduce an individual’s ability to
have an emotional response to situations.
contact@geminisomatics.com
 Synthetic Somatology
baseline engrams, resulting in a satisfactory
level of skill-retention in a genetically-
compatible artificial human9. Thus the
distinction between a specialised build and
a generic build has arisen.

A specialised build is deliberately

constructed from the very beginning to fulfil
a set role in the colonial society. If there is a
need for a chemical engineer, for instance,
automated systems identify a suitable
genetic sequence (providing a minimum
level of higher brain function, ability to
conceive of abstract concepts, etc.) and
later use the whole REM output from an
actual chemical engineer.

A generic build receives much less

attention, but could be prepared much more
swiftly than a specialised build, as a few
safeguards in the genetic assembly and
personality imprinting are checked against
and completed without much effort from the
systems.

The Future of Synthetic Somatology

We are currently entering phase 2 of our

human clinical trials. We are pleased to
announce our partnership with the Clinical
Research Association to conduct these
trials. If you would like to find out more
about this, or volunteer to take part, please
visit www.clinicalresearch-association.com
to register your interest now.

9
For instance, using a complete, unmodified engram
from a cardiologist would be almost wholly
ineffectual in a human grown with a genetic profile
more suited to a farmer – the brain would be
incapable of correctly interpreting the fine detail
motor responses of surgery.

contact@geminisomatics.com