A Resubmission to Xenobiology by Clark et al.

Provided by S. R. Algernon

December 21, 2218

Dear Editors of Xenobiology:

We are writing in response to the latest round of reviewer comments on “The use of acoustic deterrents against macrofauna in the surface ice sheets of Europa: ecological and economic implications” by Clark and Hopkins. We appreciate the efficiency of Xenobiology’s updated Virtual Peer Review, and we note with thanks that your response time of 0.013 seconds is several orders of magnitude faster than the previous round of peer review.

We have tried to address the diversity of opinions from your archive of neuro-cognitive simulations. That being said, we feel that some reviewer concerns may not be relevant to Xenobiology’s primarily human and humanoid audience. We hope that the editors will keep this in mind when evaluating our changes to the manuscript.

"Based on Reviewer B’s comments on the 'shackles of terrestrial genomes' and the depiction of the Europan Worm as “a harmless addition to the Europan landscape” and “a triumph of adaptive nano-genetic engineering,” we suspect that Reviewer B may have a conflict of interest."

To read the rest of this story, check out the Mad Scientist Journal: Summer 2012 collection.

Selena Clark has a Ph.D. in Xenobiology and presently works at the Fulton Memorial Research Station. Her interests include collecting cryophilic molds, shivering, and updating her curriculum vitae.

Jason F. Hopkins has a M.A. in Planetary Ecology. His interests include skiing, griping, and attempting to locate his advisor.

The remaining authors need no introduction and reside within the Faculty-in-a-Box archive on Io.

S. R. Algernon studied fiction writing and biology, among other things, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His writing interests include sociological science fiction, Japanese science fiction, alternate histories and puzzle stories like Asimov used to write. He currently resides in Singapore.

Image credit: patrimonio / 123RF Stock Photo

Note that all individuals appearing in the story, except Newton and Galileo, are entirely fictional and any resemblance to any real person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.