S01 E07 – THE RESET (PART 1)

Intro Music – Breathe, by Chill Carrier https://chillcarrier.bandcamp.com/ 

Voiceover: Manifestations is a podcast of the Ostium Network 

Voiceover: Time is not linear, but our story is. 

Please join us … on our journey. We, are Manifestations. 

Music becomes dramatic then fades out 

Background music is introspective and melancholic 

Alan – I can’t believe what I just read. A series of solar flares of immense size struck the Earth. The magnetic poles flipped. [stressed] 1.8 billion people died in the initial aftermath. Almost a quarter of the planet’s population. And over the next several hundred years, the population is estimated to have fallen by another 2.4 billion people. 

Alan – It’s like the disaster movie to beat all disaster movies. While I didn’t live through it, the devastation and death are more real and sobering to me than anything Hollywood has ever made. There’s a knot in the center of my torso and it’s hard to keep back the tears. Things have changed in ways I can’t even begin to understand. This could have easily been an extinction level event. 

Alan – As I continue to read the article on my phone, I see a map. The globe shown is recognizable, but only barely. Florida is mostly submerged. Much of the east coast and gulf states are under water as well. The west coast has a series of islands extending from Washington state down through Baja California. The area that is where San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco should be, is now a large bay. It’s the same on the other continents. Antarctica is shown with very little of its ice cap left intact. South America’s west coast looks mostly like I remember, but Brazil now has several large lakes. The path of the Amazon must have changed. 

Alan – I begin to scroll through the story, but it becomes hard to focus. [SOUND] And there’s a ringing in my ears. I see flashes of people and places that I don’t understand. 

Alan – I’m feeling better and continue reading. Martial Law was declared in the United States, as what was left of the government did their best to keep an organized society. Solar radiation increased after the flares. Sea levels rose quickly as ice caps melted. This fed the severe weather which was already unpredictable. 

Alan – Governments fell apart. Small pockets of people banded together. Some tried to keep a semblance of democracy. Others were lead by force. But mainly, it was survival at any cost. 

[Pause] 

Alan – Large western US cities, including the old city of San Francisco, were lost when the San Andreas and other faults underwent a series of large slips. It is believed that the Pacific plate shifted as much as half a foot per day over a 6 month period. The changes were not immediate, but they were not slow. 

Alan – The devastation was not isolated. Globally, earthquakes were common. Volcanoes became fiercely active causing a literal new dark age in parts of Europe and Asia. Changing weather patterns caused increased severe storms of all kinds. There were food shortages. And huge migrations as masses of people tried to move from the areas being hit hardest. Diseases once under control came back with a vengeance. 

Alan – How do I process this. How can I move forward knowing it. There are reasons we don’t know our future. 

Alan – So, in this future, things seem okay, relatively. We speak a blended language. But languages would have changed on its own. Society is extremely different. But the human race is still here. We’ve adapted. And eventually managed to advance. We didn’t let it end. 

[Pause] – music changes to a motivational/forward thinking tempo 

Alan – I need more info on “The Reset,” the start of this new era. What instigated it? 

Alan – The page I find says there is a stretch of time, where the historical records are incomplete. Hrmph. It’s not like keeping detailed records is a priority, when you’re just trying to survive. 

Alan – In approximately 2230, there were 7 groups in North America that had managed to broker a peace and begin rebuilding a society based on trade. They had to work together for all to survive. 

Alan – This spirit of cooperation was expanded when scientists from the San Andreas Commonwealth had several major breakthroughs. There were advances in water reclamation and waste recycling. But I’m interested in how they’re generating electricity. 

Alan – They discovered a way to capture solar power with 98% efficiency. It even has high energy output on cloudy days. A graph shows pre-Reset solar tech was at best, 24% efficient in the best weather conditions. The new process didn’t use traditional panels. It uses a rock-like substance that is grown, (grown?) specifically for this purpose. 

Alan – It says it’s a type of Carborundum Quartzite with highly structured patterns, Photovoltaic and Piezoelectric properties. The growth is organized by nanotechnology but is also controlled with organic compounds. As a result, its possible to “program” the shape that is grown. 

Alan – The raw materials for Solar Adobe are abundant. The carbon can come from many sources, even waste. Silicon and Oxygen are two of the most common elements in the Earth’s crust. This material is used to literally grow entire houses. 

Alan – A single family home can be grown in 8 to 10 days. It’s generally grown over an open metal or wooden frame which is completely surrounded during the growth. Taller buildings might use a mix of endoskeleton and exoskeleton, especially in areas still seismically active. 

Alan – It is naturally, a greyish-black color with minor iridescent properties, although additives can be used to change the appearance. It is used to construct roads and even the phone I’m holding is made from it. The entire surface absorbs light and converts it to electricity. Coupled with improved batteries for storage, they solved our reliance on fossil fuels. This allowed us to create cheap housing and clean energy, at the same time. Each home creates more power than it can use, which allows us to focus on things like clean water and food for everyone. 

Alan – My eye catches a link to an article called, “Natural Formations.” As I read through, it has an almost conspiracy theory tone, compared to the scientific entry I just read. This says there are old structures around the world made from a similar substance. One that stands out is Tiahuanacu. It says one of the largest blocks in its construction was 131 metric tons, and it was actually grown in a similar way to Solar Adobe. I’m not going to let my imagination get away from me. Like I said, this was not part of the original document. 

[Pause] 

Alan – Getting back on topic. The 7 territories came together to form the NAC, the North American Cooperative. It included what was Canada, the USA, Mexico, and parts of Central America not under water. The article goes on to tell how the NAC contacted other areas around the world to share the new technology. Shortwave radio was used where possible. Larger, ocean going ships were being used on a limited basis for trade, so envoys were sent out with them. 

Alan – With only one exception, the technology sharing went well. Areas in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and most of South America welcomed the information. The Amazon Coalition, a feudal dictatorship, took the technology but killed the envoys. They were at war with the South American Free States and did not want the tech shared with their rival. The war ended in less than a month. The varied Amazonian soldiers rebelled and joined some civilians which rose up and fought from within the Coalition. The feudal lords couldn’t maintain control and were defeated. This allowed The South American Free States to start reforming the entire continent with the new technology. 

Alan – Solar Adobe is credited with starting a New Enlightenment. It has been incorporated in all facets of life. From farming to computers. From schools to transportation. 

Alan – The story of the sharing of the technology, makes it seem like most people around the world were already moving past differences. Those differences that are used to separate us. It reminds me of a song, Entre Nous, by Rush. “The spaces in between • leave room • for you and I to grow.” Yeah, I’m a big Rush fan. 

Alan – A wide range of topics are actually non-topics because of the way they’re handled better. Mental health and physical challenges, thoughts on gender — All have moved past the limits of the old patriarchy. Alan – It makes sense healthcare is different when the doctors aren’t focused on paying for school or worrying about how their patients will pay them. There are so many links to other articles regarding the rights of a person and their body. 

Alan – A side article about religion really catches my eye. Apparently there are areas in Europe which have outlawed organized religion. North and South America are not restricted. Freedom of religion is still intact here. It is clear, however, that the role of religion is firmly removed from how the government is structured. A government, which seems to be Democratic. There are elections, but I also see mention of local councils which seem to have a lot of power. States rights? I could probably spend a year or two learning about Civics in this future. 

Alan – One thing is clear. There are areas where people are looked down on for following what it calls, “the old ways.” 

Outro music – Sunshine, by Cobycracker https://cobycracker.bandcamp.com/ 

Voiceover: Manifestations Season 1, The Reset, was written, acted, and produced by Dwayne Farver. With input and help from Alex C. Telander. 

Our intro music is Breathe, by Chill Carrier 

https://chillcarrier.bandcamp.com/ https://www.chillcarrier.de/ The music heard here is Sunshine, by Cobycracker https://cobycracker.bandcamp.com/ Also heard in the episode was Beth’s Theme, by Myuu 

https://myuu.bandcamp.com/ http://www.thedarkpiano.com/ And, Moving On, by Chill Carrier 

https://chillcarrier.bandcamp.com/ https://www.chillcarrier.de/ You can find them at bandcamp.com 

Sound effects are from freesound.org (none this episode) 

Links to the music and transcripts can be found in the show notes 

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Is the future ever what we expect? Alan is going to discover that hope can be found, even in the most unlikely circumstances. The surprise at the end of this episode is only the beginning. Alan is about to discover just how much has changed. 

As long as we have access to the temporal feed, we will transmit more of our story each Wednesday and Saturday. We hope you join us. 

Music fades