Tiberium
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Template:Inappropriate person Image:Tiber.jpg In the computer game series Command & Conquer, Tiberium is the name given to an outcropping of (typically) green crystals, named after its discovery on the Tiber River in Italy in the late 20th Century where a meteor carrying the alien compound crashed, though according to some sources it was originally named after the Roman Emperor Tiberius (whose name derived from the Tiber River). It leeches metals out of the soil, concentrating them in crystals which can easily be collected and processed. The leeching process leaves the landscape depleted, however, leaving the ground underneath effectively useless for agriculture.
In-game, it is treated as a valuable resource.
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Tiberium Growth
Tiberium first appears as manhole-sized lumps of rock or soil. As these lumps expand, the top of the lump pulls away, to reveal immature crystal formations. As the patch of Tiberium grows, both the lump of rock and crystal grow rapidly. The typical Tiberium crystal is roughly 1 to 2 meters tall.
The color of the crystals is dependant on the amount and concentration of minerals that the Tiberium has leeched from the soil.
Tiberium Proliferation
Tiberium first reached Earth during a meteor shower in the 1990's. The first patch was discovered by Dr. Ignatio Mobius (although some would argue that it was actually Kane) by the Tiber river in Italy and has since spread all over the planet.
Tiberium can spread almost anywhere, with the rate of spread being influenced by soil density and ambient temperature. Only the polar caps show low levels of Tiberium infestation. Tiberium spreads through a variety of methods, depending on the local environment.
No matter how small, an isolated patch of Tiberium can spread to cover acres. The process is not entirely understood, but it is believed that underneath the surface, the rock lump shoots out tendrils in all directions, which grow into new rock lumps.
A more disturbing method of Tiberium growth is witnessed when the area Tiberium is in has any sort of foliage, such as trees or bushes. Through an unknown evolutionary process, Tiberium mutates these trees into "Blossom Trees", or Tiberium Ripariuses. These 'trees' are fleshy stalks with a large bulb at the top. The bulb regularly contracts and relaxes, releasing microscopic Tiberium crystals into the atmosphere. As long as there is a Blossom Tree in an area, Tiberium will constantly regrow around the tree. Most attempts at injuring or removing Blossom trees have been ineffective.
Tiberium Vinifera, the volatile blue-colored Tiberium variant, has its own specific form of spread. If a large enough patch of Vinifera grows to maturity, the rockish lumps surrounding the crystals will fall away, and the crystals will meld together into a massive blue crystal, roughly 10 meters high. These large Vinifera masses will inexplicably grow new Vinifera outcroppings, although much slower than a Blossom Tree.
Destroying a massive Vinifera outcropping is not recommended, as the destruction of the large crystal will simply cause it to shatter explosively. This explosive aspect will throw Vinifera deposits over the area.
By the 2040s, 20% of the Earth's surface (designated as 'Red Zones') has been rendered completely inhospitable to human life. A further 50% ('Yellow Zones') is severely afflicted, yet home to 80% of the world's population; whilst the remaining 30% ('Blue Zones') is relatively untouched. Much of GDI's efforts are focused toward the conversion of Yellow Zones into Blue Zones.
Health Risks of Tiberium Exposure
Outcroppings of Tiberium release odorless gasses as they appear. While Tiberium was originally considered harmless (and perhaps even beautiful due to its shimmering sparkles), these fumes will poison any human that ventures through it.
Long-term low-level exposure to Tiberium causes illness of various systems among both humans and animals. As the exact means by which Tiberium affects terrestrial biology are largely unknown, treatment is generally restricted to alleviating the symptoms rather than curing the cause. Unfortunately, this means that victims of Tiberium poisoning almost uniformly experience a gradual decline over a number of years until eventually succumbing to the effects. A research study funded by GDI that was conducted mid First Tiberian War produced the following statistics.
Respiratory ailments:
Human: 2,447,392
Livestock: 9,442,661
Reproductive ailments:
Human: 1,446,294
Livestock: 12,443,761
Immune system ailments:
Human: 14,681,994
Livestock: 29,337,224
Tiberium related deaths:
Human: 4,286,334
Livestock: 11,223,994
Long-term mid- to high-level exposure to Tiberium can result in effects that reveal an alarming aspect of the mineral/life-form: Tiberium is a mutagen. Humans and animals that have been exposed to Tiberium at these levels have experienced genetic mutation, involving physiological modification in a number of ways. These include the growth of Tiberium crystals on the skin of the individual, immunity from the effects of Tiberium poisoning and even (ironically) the ability to rapidly accelerate cellular regeneration when in the presence of Tiberium Riparius and Vinifera. The Forgotten (or Shiners) are a group of such 'mutants'.
When exposed to very high concentrations of Tiberium, such as while passing through an area of dense Tiberium growth without protective apparatus, the short-term effects of Tiberium poisoning are immediately experienced by individuals. If an individual dies from such exposure, either because they lingered in the area of Tiberium growth for too long or because they were already in a weakened state of health before the exposure, irregular Tiberium mutation can sometimes result. Through a process that is both amazing and extremely disturbing, the Tiberium toxins that caused the death of the individual appear to re-animate the cells of the corpse and transform it into a blob of mobile, semi-intelligent human flesh called a 'visceroid'.
Tiberium as a terraforming agent
The most common belief currently on the nature of Tiberium is that the crystal is a terraforming agent of the alien race known as the Scrin. All evidence of the Scrin show that they are a Tiberium-based lifeform, with the ability to control Tiberium Mutations. Most obvious of these abilities is the Tacitus, a computer-like Scrin device that can control Tiberium mutation.
Because of this information, this is the assumed goals of Tiberium, from the Scrin point of view:
- Deposition - The Scrin seed the intended world with Tiberium.
- Exploration - Beings on the intended world discover Tiberium. Because of its valuable nature, these beings begin to use Tiberium a great deal, increasing the spread of Tiberium.
- Conflict - The mysterious crystal being valuable, beings on the planet begin to fight over them. This further spreads Tiberium growth, as Tiberium-fueled products will be deposited in areas Tiberium has not had a chance to expand to.
- Mutation - Tiberium forcefully mutates planetary flora and fauna, changing the environment into something more hospitable to Scrin colonization.
- Clean Up - Scrin invade after the intended planet is sufficiently mutated. Scrin now have the upper hand in defeating any resistance, as the Scrin hold greater knowledge of Tiberium.
Tiberium as Strip Mining
Certain trees turn into Tiberian Trees if they were in contact with the Tiberium.
In Tiberium Sun the Tiberium Trees were less "mutated" looking, they seemed much more well formed. Blue Tiberium Crystal Towers were also forming out of trees or piling up Blue Tiberium. Also, Tiberium had mutated vines to become Veins. Wild life and Humans to become mutated forms. We had a crashed Scrin space ship, and the Tacitus.
In FireStorm, Tiberiun Crystalized the ground into a green ground cover, and moss had been mutated into blue ground cover. Tiberian trees that were not mutated began to form out of the Tiberian Cover. I say not mutated because mutated trees spread Tiberium, these things seemed to be from another planet like Tiberium itself. New creatures seemed to be appearing all over the place, Weither they be mutated life form or just plain wierd. We had Cabal drop us a few hints about it all, and GDI found the 'cure'.
Now. Using this information, we think for a moment.
-1995 - Asteroid hits...
-From 95 to TS, we have: Wide Spread growth of Green and Blue Tiberium. Vein Holes form from local plants (presumably wild vine plants). Visceroids form from Tiberian Dawn and evolve even more by Tiberian Sun. Mutated humans who have not as drasticly mutated. Fiends who are either: mutated dogs/horses, or a whole new life form (I say whole new life because dogs arnt that big, they don't "spit" and they don't welcome every newcomer of their own species. Horses arn't aggressive territorily. Thus I think they are a whole new life form based off our dogs but not origionating from). Thats over 20 or 25 years if Im not mistaken?
Now, in under a year or two... We go from Tiberian Sun to FireStorm. We now have Tiberium Crystilazed Ground, Tiberium Mold, Alien Trees formed out of Tiberium or seeded by Kane/Cabal VIA information out of the Tacitus. These are not local trees mutated. Local trees mutated cause Tiberium to grow and spread by seeding. These don't, thus we must theorise that they are uniquely origional from local life forms. Tiberium also has formed the Floaters. I disagree that these are mutated Jellyfish, I theorize they are advanced Visceroids or like Fiends, that they created. Cabal seemed to have mention the creation of newer types of Tiberium Creatures.
In FireStorm they said that they had a year before Tiberium would be unstopable at all... well, the tacitus unlocked all the secrets of Tiberium. Well, as fast as they could read the Tacitus atleast.
Now. From Tiberian Sun to Command and Conquer 3: Tiberian Wars the Tiberium has been "cleaned" enough to prevent it taking over completely. However, there are hints that its not easy to contain if it already has a major foot hold (red zones) and that if it has a minor foot hold it takes a while (yellow zones) and that it can still come up from no where in safe areas (Blue Zones) but its usually contained quickly. So, this makes sense. They were able to use the Tacitus to prevent Tiberium taking over as fast... but it is a constant battle to slowly wipe it off the face of the planet.
Now, another question is this. Surface Tiberium and obviously Water Tiberium based life and crystals have been harvested, shot dead, processed, experimented on, and "cured". If Tiberium converts matter into Tiberium over time... its been what, 50 years or so since Tiberian Dawn and Command and Conquer 3: Tiberian Wars... What has happened to the interior of the Earth in this time? I doubt EA has thought of this, however, if they have... bravo! Now, the question is:
What sort of process would the interior of the Earth have? Molten Tiberium? Ultra rare Tiberium? One giant blue core?
One must think about this. We have spent lots of time above ground, but rarely mention what has happened to the sea. However, not one mention of the interior of the planet! That has had MORE than enough time to really turn to Tiberium state, completely uninterupted.
If humans had never harvested Tiberium, and never attempted to cure it (Many attempts before Tiberian Sun: Fire Storm) then the majority of the surface possibly would have been 60%, 39% Yellow Zone, and 1 or less % Blue Zone in the Artic by Tiberian Sun's date. Take the rapid growth of uninteruption, and apply to the interior of the planet. Tiberium likes it warm, yes? Warmer it is, faster the growth... the Interior of the Earth is warm. Warm enough for Tiberium to be Liquid state! Thus allowing it to seep to the core, or errupt through volcanos and seed the planet even more! GDI is no where near done if you think about it! It has also been proposed recently that Tiberian Veins come from the center (or near center) of the earth. This makes a great deal of sence when you compare a vein to vine and an organism to a plant.
Now... Life forms infested with Tiberium. When they die or are 'processed' for Tiberium, they give out the resources. Tiberium Crystals, Plants, Mutants, all of it have all the resources of the Earth locked into one little process. As GDI and Nod found out, Tiberium can be processed easily and when done right, all the resources are available. I mean, you don't have to mine for Carbon forms, You don't have to hunt for Gold. Its all in Tiberium to some %. Why, think, if Humans had never figured out the process... and Earth would have been over-ran with Tiberium...
The entire Planet would be one big Tiberium clump that could be processed with a single proceedure to yield all the resources that make up Earth! Including Tiberium Gas Atmosphere, Tiberium Gas is the Gas form of Tiberium. Thus it too can be processed for all our atmospheric gasses.
What does this mean? Overwhelming evidence that Tiberium is NOT Terraforming Earth. It is a Strip Mining operation! We are the resources to the Scrin! They seed the worlds across the Galaxy with Tiberium, then harvest the worlds as we harvest a Tiberium field! Simple as that. Terraforming would make no sense, why would Scrin want to live here if the humans could mutate and retain their free will? If Visceroids would attack them? If Veins would eat them? They don't want to live here. They want to eat the world for resources just like we have! One simple process needed, not hundreds of different refineries! Tiberian Gases, Veins, Crystals, Liquids, everthing is harvestable and then refined with 4 definded procedures.
That is what Tiberium is, if you look at it logically. Now, C&C 3 fits perfectly into what I have said above, they are in the cure state of things, attempting to cure it best they can and contain it... only time will tell us what the out come is, however!
Tiberium's chemical properties
"Molecularly, it is a non-carbon-based compound which appears to have strong ferrous qualities with non-resonating reversible energy. It has a tendency to disrupt carbon-based molecular structures with inconsequent in unequal positrons orbiting on the first, second and ninth quark rings." -Dr Ignatio Mobius
"...The significance of the heavy particles within Tiberium's crystal lattice is that they are the key to the matter transmutation process - Tiberium's most interesting property. Because of the high mass and energy of these particles, when Tiberium comes into contact with other matter, the particles at the boundaries of its lattice randomly collide with the nuclei of the target matter, smashing it to pieces (in the case of smaller nuclei), or incrementally knocking protons or neutrons off (in the case of heavier nuclei). Somehow, the Tiberium is able to capture a fraction of the protons and/or neutrons that are ejected during this collision process and incorporate them into its own structure, thus growing. Whenever a muon or tauon collides with an atomic nucleus, fission occurs, which results in the random production of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, as well as other forms of electromagnetic radiation (such as infrared). During the transmutation process, nuclei that Tiberium has come into contact with may be changed into nuclei with different (usually fewer) numbers of protons or neutrons. The result is a complete elemental transformation."-The C&C Science Bible (EALA)
Crystal
- Phosphorus: 42.5%
- Iron: 32.5%
- Calcium: 15.25%
- Copper: 5.75%
- Silica: 2.5%
- Unknown: 1.5%
Harmful Gases
Varieties of Tiberium
- Tiberium Riparius - Color: Green. Considered 'immature' Tiberium, this variant of Tiberium has a lower level of leeched minerals.
- Tiberium Vinifera - Color: Blue. This is the more potent and highly explosive variant of Tiberium. "Blue Tiberium" leeches minerals from the soil in greater concentrations, making it far more potent and therefore valuable. Vinifera crystals are much more dangerous than Riparius, and large beds of Vinifera are known to explode if struck by lightning or by explosive ordinance. This type of Tiberium grows slower than Riparius.
- Tiberium Spore (also known as Blossom) Tree - A mutated tree that puffs out spores that make new green or blue Tiberium. There are two varieties that are named after the associated Tiberium color that they produce.
- Tiberium Cruentus - A massive blue crystal form of Tiberium that functions like a spore tree but rather than spreading Tiberium Riparius, it spreads Tiberium Vinifera. It spreads slower than a spore tree and is highly volatile.
- Unknown Strain - This new strain of Tiberium appears similar to Cruentus, but it has yet to spread any type of Tiberium. It is believed that this variation may spread a red form of Tiberium in the future.
- Tiberium Veins - A mouth in a hole marks the heart of this creature. It grows veins outward, which hold a solid form of Tiberium Gas. When attacked, the monster releases the gas, poisoning its assailants. The veins also attack anything larger than a human that treads upon them. Veins grow much faster than Tiberium crystals. If left alone, Tiberium Veins can demolish buildings instantly. The brotherhood of NOD deploys specialized "Weedeaters" to harvest Tiberium Veins where they are deposited at a Tiberium Waste Facility to be processed into a toxic mulch for use as a Payload Component on their Chemical Missiles.
- Tiberium Algae - Tiberium colonies that extended from either Riparius or Vinfera on the seafloor to the surface by strands. The Tiberium poisons and clogs waterways. By the time of the second Tiberian War, most of the oceans have been covered by this unhelpful variant of Tiberium which makes sea travel by ship impossible. Unlike land-based types, this form of Tiberium does not leech any units.
- Tiberium Flora - Generic plants which have been mutated but do not serve to proliferate Tiberium.
- Tiberium "Creep" - A sludge/moss form of Tiberium in blue and green variations which slow down travel. Tiberium Fauna always grow on the green variation and Tiberium Flora has been seen growing on the blue variation and terran soil.
- Tiberium Gas - This is a dangerous form of Tiberium which forms toxic clouds. Often observed being emitted by 'Veinhole Monsters' and Tiberium Floaters. Extremely poisonous and can damage vehicles and structures after prolonged exposure. Kills infantry, mutants and most cyborgs almost instantly.
Tiberian Mutations
- Visceroid - Originally discovered during the first Tiberian War, Visceroids were originally reddish-purple spheres of flesh, which defended itself by shooting out sprays of Tiberium gas. Currently, most visceroids are pinkish-colored wads of flesh, which strike at enemies with pseudopodia. Visceroids are 'created' when Tiberium concentration has reached saturation in an organic body. The change is nearly instantaneous. Immature Visceroids are smaller and tend to be non-hostile. When two or more of these visceroids merge, however, they become extremely dangerous. It is believed that in the new Tiberian Ecology, these life forms are the White Blood Cells.
- Mutant Humans - As Tiberium spread closer and closer to populated areas, many people began suffering from varying degrees of Tiberium mutation. Many of these unfortunate people have Tiberium crystals in their flesh, and will some day no longer be human. Most of these Mutants consider themselves "The Forgotten", as many civilians were ignored by GDI (and studied by Nod) during the first Tiberian War.
- Cyborg Humans - Nod's experiments into human-Tiberium mutation has yielded a variety of mutant cyborg soldiers. These special troops can pass through Tiberium fields with impunity, and will actually benefit from prolonged exposure to the crystals.
- Tiberian Fiend - The 'fiend' is a horse-sized animal, resembling a terran dog. The flesh is blackish or red, and the back is covered with Tiberium Crystals. Fiends can fling these crystals at enemies, causing both damage as well as Tiberium poisoning. Often, they bury themselves in Tiberium fields (the Tiberium on their backs concealing them) and lay in wait to attack Tiberium Harvesters. Fiends also have great burrowing ability. They do react to perceived acts of kindness, and The Forgotten have been able to actually "tame" a significant number of them for use as watchdogs.
- Tiberian Floater - Looks like a big floating jellyfish. Can build up an electric charge in its tentacles and can release Tiberium gas to propel itself and hover it through the air.
External link
- PCNC Encyclopedia- More info on Tiberium