(I’ve already written this post once. Then hit the wrong button and poof! it were gone. [insert appropriate foul language here])
If you’ve read any science fiction (SF) and/or fantasy (F), you’ve probably read about evil spores or fungi or flora. Darkover had the flower spores that made everyone go into a mass orgy. Other novels have had fungi that gave consumers magic powers. I believe this theme is, like, way overdone.
So I’ve got this SF novel that I am working on. It’s the one with the sentient planet. I need a way for the planet to observe/feel/communicate with the critters, including the silly humans, that live on its skin. Since a planet has a large amount of skin, I feel there needs to be some other method for it to receive and respond to information.
The novel is about symbiosis vs parasitic. I am considering using critters, and perhaps plants, that have use electricity in some way such as for communication or to attract/catch prey. Since a planet has a magnetic field and, to some degree, an electric field, it would be not too large a leap for the planet to be able to speak and hear via that electricity. We humans are just “ugly bags of mostly water” and electric impulses. There are electric eels, electric rays, electric catfish, and, of course, the mundane lightning bug (aka firefly). Bats and some water mammals use sonar.
What do y’all think of this idea? Is it do-able?
I want the planet itself to be sentient, not some large mushroom spore. I want the planet to be aware of the critters that live on its skin.
Note:
I found a way cool site (via Wikipedia) for animalia research: Animal Diversity Web