RVen-Science-Projects

	DOCTORAL THESIS PAPER Project Name Borg nanoprobes - Sentient Possibilities Registration Date: 239307.15 Assigned Science Officer: Merrick R’Ven Target Purpose/Problem/Question : Borg nanoprobes and do they have the ability to achieve true sentience if given the correct stimulus and what the ultimate capabilities of the nanoprobes may be.
		SCIENCE PROJECT
	INFORMATION Background Information: from 239303 - 239304.The USS Darwin A. scanned a Borg energy signature in Sector PR-E4 in the Delta Quadrant and went to investigate. Subsequent analysis revealed that a Borg sphere had crashed on the planet and lost contact with the collective. One or more of the now disconnected Borg drones on the planet built a machine out of different parts of the ship and with it was able to modify their own nanoprobes. It has been presumed that this was in an attempt to reconnect with the Borg. Soon after those nanoprobes achieved sentience and left their hosts and it was at this point that the Darwin arrived. During the investigation it was speculated that the machine had been the singular author of the Nanoprobe’s sentience. However further examination has shown that there may have been other factors involved. Which leaves the questions: How was sentience achieved? Is it reproducible? What other things are possible with Nanoprobes? Procedure: using our data from the Machine itself, scans from the Darwin as well as the aggregated tricorder scans from those on the surface/Sensors/Scans from the planet and a thorough examination of a machine that was made with the idea of modifying Borg Nanorpobes. Analysis: -- Notes on how they achieve this? That is largely unknown. Fragmentary memory stores have found evidence of an ion storm of only partially known properties that I believe had an unintended effect on the nanoprobes. In addition a machine built by ExBorg, and I presume with some sort of scientific and engineering background, in a presumed effort to reconnect with the Borg, but instead it broke the nanoprobe’s built in drive to serve the collective. I believe that the ion storm and the machine work in concert to achieve this and that neither of these two events alone could have achieved it. Subsequently the nanoprobes began to think, learn and adapt on their own Conclusion/Discussion/Summary: I would postulate that standard Borg nanoprobes hover on the boundaries of what we consider life and non-life. Most scientists agree that life is the ability to (1) Consume fuel & Derive energy from it, (2) Grow, (3) Adapt to surroundings, and (4) Reproduce Borg nanoprobes are, at the time of this writing, the most sophisticated and flexible of all the nanoprobes so far tested. They are capable of acting and reacting to a variety of situations under a host of conditions. They are able to act alone or in concert to convert a subject into a Borg in a very short period of time. They can coopt cells, rewrite cellular functions and even take over for them. They can produce more of themselves, give and take direction, they can take in energy from the host or convert food for their host. In essence they are they appear to cover the basic precepts of life. However they do it under the will of something much greater, which relegates them to something akin to sophisticated autonomous tools. Nevertheless as we know from studying Commander Data, the holographic Doctor, the Excomps and a host of other examples, programing can become sophisticated enough that tools can become sentient individuals. The nanprobes, once freed from their shackles displayed independent thought on a communal scale, showed a cognizance and self awareness. They learned language and communicated. They showed fear, remorse, and had a desire to live on their own. Is this possible for all Nanoprobes? Possibly, even likely Is it reproducible? At the moment the ability to do so is not possible. The secondary component is still unknown. Moral question: Should we attempt to do so? It would in one act create a whole new life form composed of nanoprobes whose aims are totally unknown. It would also in effect disconnect their Borg hosts from the collective making them individuals again. Yet they would now be bereft of the immunities granted them by the nanorpobes. Without this they would quickly suffer from the debilitating effects of diseases and the deadly rection of their own body’s rejection of the Borg implants still in their systems. This would in effect end the lives of those who are no longer themselves Borg in a cruel and inhuman manner Additionally we would not know the long term effect of such a weapon on any non-Borg in the same region. I would not recommend it.
	TIMELINE OF PROJECT SD 239308.13: Text Here (Log Here/Forum Debate Link here)
	SCIENCE OFFICER'S NOTES Science Officer: Science Assessment: S.D. 239308.13 Science Project Condition: Bad/Average/Good Notes: