by Dana Richard Freeman
Shortly after researchers at the University of Wisconsin completed the sequencing of the 4.6Mb genome of the common bacteria called Escherichia coli — found in the lower GI tract of humans and the cause of severe illness if ingested in the upper GI tract through contaminated water or food poisoning — in September, 1997, the Mitumba project was hurriedly conceived by those now housed on site: construction of the facility began in October of 1997 deep in the Mitumba Mountain range of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On the assumption that mapping of the human genome would soon begin, the scientists at Mitumba Mountain were given the role of monitoring the progress of this endeavor. Unknown to all but a handful of the world’s most brilliant scientists and their leaders, the role of this particular facility — the most advanced of its kind ever to be built — was to carefully monitor worldwide progress in the mapping of the human genome. Their identities have been kept anonymous for security reasons.
“They must never be allowed to find this out!”
The speaker was scientist E who was just finishing her lunch when she and her fellow scientist G were joined by one of the project’s three leaders. All decisions about the work being done on site had to be approved by all three leaders. No one leader alone could amass the power to determine the direction the project would take. More often than not, all three agreed since they came from the same region, grew up together and even received the same training together. Two of them made up the original, fact-finding counsel. When it was obvious that a project of this nature was necessary to absolutely ensure their survival and those that they governed, the third leader was added.
“Who is the ‘they’ and what must they never find out ?” asked Leader A as she set her tray down on the table where E and G were having their lunch-time discussion.
“Good morning Leader A,” replied E, a little flustered at first. She was surprised to find one of the project Leaders sitting down to join them for lunch. The food service area was small, but unspoken protocol usually dictated separate seating.
“Good morning E, good morning G,” replied A cordially, adjusting her seat and arranging the food on her tray. “May I repeat, what must they…”
“No need to repeat madam Leader,” E interrupted politely as she glanced over at G hoping for some sign of approval or encouragement. G merely glanced back as he waited for E to explain what she had meant to the now more than curious Leader seated at their table. “We were just discussing that we’ve become aware of information that has led us to believe that certain projects now being conducted around the world are rapidly progressing towards a crisis level of discovery.”
“Crisis level of discovery? Those are your words, E?” asked A, as she glanced first at G and then back to E, her voice barely masking the devil’s advocate tone she so often displayed when it came to discussions involving a crisis. While the role of the facility and its occupants was primarily to monitor crises, rarely did they warrant such nervous conversation as E and G seemed to be having.
“Mine and those of my colleagues, Madam Leader,” replied E, glancing over at G and then back to Leader A somewhat sheepishly. Leader A’s presence was clearly unnerving her.
“We feel we have a 93% confidence level on this,” continued G. “D, E and H and myself all agree that we are 93% certain. F puts the confidence level at a slightly higher 94.6%. After we all check our calculations, we plan to present our conclusions to the council.”
“How close do you want your calculations to be before the situation reaches that ‘crisis level of discovery‘ you seem fearful of?” asked A.
The two scientists looked at each other. The question was a critical one. They both knew that A was asking them whether or not their revised calculations would raise their original estimate or lower it. G was the first to speak.
“Since the average of our calculations presently hovers around 93.8% confidence, we’re hoping to raise that to at least 94.3%,” answered E.
“Meaning, of course that your level of confidence would increase to somewhere around 94% as opposed to lowering F‘s a few decimal points.” observed A.
E knew that Leader A was a brilliant mathematician. A was the one leader who had taken the extra training in math offered in addition to her extended training in Anatomy and Physiology. The other two also had extended training, B in Anthropology and C in Human Relations. Rather than the backgrounds of the three leaders being similarly renaissance in nature, it was decided early on that they would each specialize in areas of knowledge that would be needed should they decide that the project be moved to the ultimate phase they called “proactive intervention.” Several times in the past, it was necessary to reluctantly intervene in the affairs of men “proactively.” Progress in the world of science and technology being what it is, they all knew the day would come when intervention would be a necessity, they just weren’t sure how soon and in what form it would come. From Newton to the astounding events that initiated the space race, four hundred years had passed. From the first space flight to the landing on the moon, only ten years passed. The Mitumba leaders had to know where the most current scientific trends were headed.
“Exactly,” answered E, as she finished the last of her banana mash fondue, one of the food service‘s better concoctions.
“Will the findings be ready for presentation next Tuesday at the weekly project conference?” asked A.
“We hope sooner,” responded G as he started to collect the remains of his lunch, “but most definitely by Tuesday.”
“Excellent,” said A, “and I assume I will find out the ‘what’ that you sounded so imminent about? Obviously, I already know the ‘they’ you are talking about.”
E and G nodded in agreement. After all, one of functions of their particular group was to monitor DNA sequencing of the human genome. Leader A had to be aware that a crisis point was looming on the horizon. It may mean that they would eventually have to emerge from the confines of their mountain hideout and confront the world.
“Well, if there is nothing more,” A said with a sigh of resignation, “I think my lunch is getting cold and that fondue dessert looked awfully inviting.”
E and G took the signal that they were dismissed and headed back to their stations hoping they had planted a positive seed in the mind of A on the direction that the project must take . She would definitely influence the other two for the next step, one in which they hoped their conclusions would prevail.
***
“This weekly meeting will come to order.”
Leader B had to raise her voice only slightly above the quiet murmur of conversations that permeated the room. Several of the scientists were engaged in validating the final touches on what they were going to share as well as trying to decide who would present the findings of each team. As the moderator of this week’s conference of findings, Leader B would be responsible for the decorum. All eyes were on her and her two colleagues. A nodded to B to signal that the meeting should begin. B glanced over at C who, out of respect for A and B, nodded his ascent with a slightly lowered glance. The youngest member of the leader team and the only male leader since the passing away of the original C two years ago, he always deferred.
“G, as head scientist of the genetics group, has your team selected a spokesperson?” asked B.
“I shall present,” said H as he rose to address the conference.
“Very well, proceed,” replied B with a wave of her hand in H’s direction.
“Distinguished leaders and fellow scientists,” he began. “As you know, we have been monitoring the progress of the world’s scientists in their collective attempts to decode the entire human genome. This effort began almost immediately after the first meeting was held at the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1985 to address the idea of DNA sequencing. In September, 1997, a mere twelve years later, scientists at the University of Wisconsin successfully sequenced the E. coli genome at The Institute for Genomic Research, rather uncomfortably known as TIGR. Construction of the Mitumba facility where we now live and work, began the very next month. We have been chosen among all of our scientists to monitor the progress of the human genome project and subsequently to keep you, our leaders, informed.”
H paused to allow everyone present to absorb his summary of the history of the Mitumba project.
“Go on,” interjected C, taking this opportunity to remind all present of his status as a leader.
“Thank you, Leader C,” H answered. “Since September 1997, progress in mapping the entire human genome proceeded slowly. Scientists around the world applied what they had learned in the sequencing of E. coli and other micro-organisms. Soon they progressed to, and subsequently mapped, the entire genome of one of their favorite genetic subjects, Drosophila melanagaster, the common fruit fly. As of today, more than half of the human genome has been mapped.”
“Is there a harm,” asked A, “in them knowing the entire genome, H?”
“The simple answer to that question is actually no,” H replied.
The three leaders first looked at each other and then their notes as if they had misunderstood the gravity of this information as suggested in the agenda proposed by the scientists present. The most important subject, known as a Level 5,was always discussed first. Surely, in light of the H’s answer to A’s question, the completion of the sequencing of the entire human genome did not merit the level of concern it seems the scientists were giving it. Human progress always brought with it some degree of concern by all. Fortunately, this progress was always influenced by this group and groups like it around the world in the direction of harmless advances. Human progress must always be advanced in less threatening venues in the minds of all the members of this team and those they represented. The leaders seemed to believe that this newest endeavor could not possibly be as critical as the scientists were suggesting.
“May we respectfully inquire, then,” asked C, “as to the nature of the Level 5 attribution for this information?”
“In the minds of all human beings is the drive to progress,” continued H. “Once a goal is achieved, their curiosity is rarely satisfied. As the mapping of the complete human genome approaches, they will want to go further. A group of scientists has already proposed a list of organisms whose genomes they would like to sequence next. First on their list is the chicken. As a major food source they would like to know the DNA sequence of a chicken so they can engineer chickens that would have more meat and be quicker and easier to produce.”
H paused once again to let that information sink in. Leader A then played right into his hand.
“There are obviously others on that list,” A replied, her voice wavering, partly out of curiosity, partly out of concern for the apparent theatrics of H.
“There are,” answered H. “A recent entry on the Gene Recognition and Analysis Internet Link, or GRAIL outlined the list. It confirms that not all scientists will work on the chicken.“
The room was so silent one could hear the proverbial twig drop.
“We can assume,” H continued, “that scientists have done a ‘pick and choose’ of their favorite guinea pigs and have already proceeded with their individual sequencing projects.”
“For years,” interrupted B, “they have not known of us and our work. Is there any possibility in all of this that their work may lead to their finding out about us? About this facility?”
“We feel the answer to that question, unfortunately, is a resounding… yes,” interjected F.
“We have monitored their progress for years without detection.” B continued. “We have diverted their progress every time in ways that practically ensured 100% of the time that they would never find us or even come close to discovering us. Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall both worked right on our doorstep and never had the least inkling that this project existed. How can this be any different?”
Finally D, the lead scientist, rose to speak as she glanced at H for an okay to proceed. She was the expert on interpreting DNA sequencing among species.
“Distinguished Leaders, they may not have to find our doorstep as you refer to it. When one sequences the DNA of enough closely related species, one not only can observe their similarities and differences, but one can with an almost 97% level of confidence determine a timeline of change, as well, in those species”
“You’re talking evolution?” asked Leader B.
“Exactly,” answered D.
“What organisms are on this list?” asked A, her voice rising in anticipation of a worst case scenario.
“Chimpanzees.” answered D. “With a high degree of confidence, the humans can determine the chronology of a species closely related to chimpanzees.”
“Oh my god,” gasped A, “if what you say is correct, then, rather than their mistaken conclusion that humans descended from us, they’ll discover…”
“… that we descended from them.” D finished. Looking down at her notes, she could do nothing but shuffle the pages. Every inch of fur on her slight body bristled as she slowly slumped back in her seat.
About the Author
A retired science teacher of 39 years, Dana uses knowledge of the sciences to fashion stories “…with a twist.” The endings take one where they might not have expected to go.
©2009 Dana Richard Freeman
