Organic Technology: Difference between revisions
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Often crosses over with [[Lego Genetics]] and is depicted as a [[Sculpted Physique]]. See [[Living Ship]] for one specific example. Compare [[Bio Augmentation]], which could be '''Organic Technology''' applied to the human body in new and fun ways. Contrast [[Mechanical Lifeforms]], which are organisms that happen to be mechanical in nature. Often creates the [[Womb Level]] in games. A [[Hive Caste System]] is based on using naturally evolved biology rather than technology made from biology. Applied to agriculture, the end result of this trope is often a [[Multipurpose Monocultured Crop]].
This is becoming [[wikipedia:Synthetic biology|an actual thing]]; in fact, it ''has'' been an actual thing [[Older Than They Think| for a long time]], as mules have been bred using man-made breeding process since 1000 BC, possibly long before then. Interestingly, [[Real Life]] synthetic biology ''seems'' to be going the reverse direction of this trope: making biology look more like chemistry and nanotechnology, rather than making technology more like biology. Whether we'll get our meaty [[I Want My Jetpack|jetpacks]] remains to be seen.
Not to be confused with [[Bamboo Technology]].
{{examples}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* in an episode of [[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]] an electabuzz is used to power a chain saw and in another episode pikachu's can be used to power [https://web.archive.org/web/20170510065614/http://treadmillus.com/ best treadmill].
* The eponymous 'robots' from ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' are actually semi-organic cyborgs {{spoiler|with their organic parts cloned from an alien creature.}}
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* Despite metallic technology being just as, if not more efficient than organic, the Vajra of ''[[Macross Frontier]]'' have very good reasons for using extremely advanced organic technology as ships: {{spoiler|the Vajra ''are'' the ships. Each drone, though stupid individually, are linked together by [[Subspace Ansible|fold quartz]], to form the entity known as Vajra, a massive [[Hive Mind]]. The Vajra (at least in the Milky Way) is not a species of individuals, but an individual spread out over a species. It makes sense for each cell of itself to wish to remain organic, but efficient.}}
* ''[[Brain Powerd]]'', which used "organic" more as a bizarre form of phlebotinum than anything else.
* ''[[One Piece]]''
**
** Many of Doctor Vegepunk's inventions, including [[Cyborg| the Pacifistas]] and artificially grown replicants of Devil Fruit. He has even turned his own brain into a giant supercomputer that is separate from his body, and has plans to turn it into a fantasy version of the internet!
** Many actual Devil Fruits give the user powers with machine-like themes. For instance, Baby-5's ''Buki Buki no Mi'' lets her change her body (in whole or in part) into any weapon, ancient or modern, her partner Buffalo ate the ''Guru Guru no Mi'' that lets him sprout functional rotory blades on his body (enabling him to act as a living prop plane, helicopter, turbine, or boat), while Capone Bege's ''Shiro Shiro no Mi'' has turned his body into a living fortress (that can hold a small army in miniaturized form) with artillery included, and can also change his legs into tank treads.
* [[Tenchi Muyo!|Jurai technology]] has a rare variation in being plant-based instead of animal-based, including spacecraft and log-shaped guardian robots.
** Justified by the fact that they have a very powerful patron goddess, who <s>got emo</s> decided to experiment and turned herself into a tree a while back. So, naturally, the seeds of the tree that is technically a deity grow into very, very powerful and useful plants. The trees that form the basis of Jurai technology are therefore technically lesser gods or at least demigods, though the Juraians themselves don't think of it that way. Which is a point of contention with one of their major rival nations, the theocratic Airai, who think Jurai doesn't deserve the blessing of gods they don't even worship.
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* ''[[Angel Sanctuary]]'': Part of Rosiel's [[Body Horror]]. To summarize, he's basically the [[G Gundam|Devil Gundam]] dolled up as the joint clone of [[White-Haired Pretty Boy|Sephiroth and Kuja]].
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* In [[Frank Miller]]'s miniseries ''[[Ronin (comics)|Ronin]]'', this form of technology plays a critical role.
* The 1990s [[Jim Shooter]] comic book ''[[Warriors of Plasm]]'' was about an extradimensional civilization which was entirely biotech-based.
* [[Fantastic Four]] villain the Mad Thinker is a master of robotics, and has built many androids using this process. For example, one of his earliest creations, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awesome_Android the Awesome Android], is a synthetic clone created using gorilla DNA and unstable molecules combined with a mechanical body and powerful microcomputer, a combination of a robot and "true" android.
==
* This is at least one of the tech paths followed by the merged Muggle-Wizarding world in the future of the ''[[Worm]]/[[Harry Potter]]'' crossover ''[[A Wand for Skitter]]'', based on a visual message left for Voldemort to view just before the literal end of the world -- in the background of Taylor's taunting explanation of the former dark lord's fate, it shows humanity leaving Earth in living starships based on insects.
== [[Film]] ==
* The aliens in ''[[The Abyss]]'' can shape water with a thought and even seem to have based all their technology around it.
** Is it really possible to shape water underwater?
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* The aliens in ''[[Independence Day]]'' have biological [[Powered Armor]]. The rest of their tech appears to be purely inorganic though.
** In the novelization, it's revealed during the psychic communication with the captured alien that the "biological powered armor" is in fact an entirely different species that the apparently parasitic [[Big Bad]] aliens have harvested and [[Mobile Suit Human|turned into armor/utility apparatus]] and also that the material from which the alien fighters is made seems to have been grown like a tree or something.
* Eywa of ''[[Avatar (film)|Avatar]]'' either ''is'' this, or uses this to provide a comfortable standard of living for the "primitive" Na'vi.
* In the ''[[Cars]]'' series films, plant life is the only nature in their world that isn't shaped like a vehicle. It does, however, have car-related elements if you look very closely (the bark of the trees resemble tire treads, leaves have tire tread and VW logo-shaped veins, and flowers are shaped like either tailfins, head-and-taillights, or cooling fans). In other words, organic fuel.
== [[Literature]] ==
* Bio-rigged tech in ''[[Embassytown]]''. Literally everything produced by the [[Starfish Aliens|Ariekei]] falls in this category, weapons to farms to power plants. This becomes a problem when {{spoiler|the Ariekei become addicted to Ezra's voice, and the addiction spreads via the biological infrastructure of the city to infect everything they've built.}}
* The Edenists in ''[[The Night's Dawn Trilogy|Night's Dawn]]'' base most of their technology on living creatures; they have Living Ships, living space stations, and organic servitors. They aren't entirely organic though; most common technology is still inorganic/non-living (They use electric jeeps in their habitats), and their ships/stations use non-living technology (like fusion reactors) when using living versions would be impractical or impossible.
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** It also has ram skulls in it, and a mouse has set up a little nest. The skulls seem to make it work faster, and they have no idea ''what'' the mouse is for but it stops working when they take it out.
* ''[[A Simple Survey]]'' has a short story with a grotesque form of this: technology based on organs of human beings. Examples include: frying pans with artificial skin to measure heat (preventing food from being overcooked), ladles with lips to taste their contents, and cameras that use eyeballs to focus at long distances.
* In ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[Expanded Universe]] lore, there is Orbalisk armor. This Sith invention is
== [[Live
* ''[[Farscape]]'' had Moya, a living ship with all the amenities you would expect on a space ship and all the comforts of home, including larva-like creatures that replaced toothbrushes. And artificial gravity was provided by gravity ''bladders''.
** It should be noted that Leviathans are consistently described as "biomechanoid" rather than "organic" and they display very few of the common attributes of "organic technology".
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* The ''[[Lexx]]'' also worked in the same vein, with a weird intestine like thing that excreted disgusting looking (yet edible and apparently delicious) food and further adventures involving toliets ''with tongues''. (Repeat: [[Memetic Mutation|Do NOT want!]])
** Thodin's 'bug bomb' from episode 1 might count, and the Moths.
* Apparently, the Vorlons and the Shadows in ''[[Babylon 5]]'' both went this route, though given how far ahead of the rest of the races they are, this may just be a natural conclusion on the [[Technology Levels]] scale.
** It might also just be the case that a sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from not just magic, but organic technology as well- and idea which seems to have emerged with the modern nanotech craze, as well.
** It is the natural conclusion of [[Technology Levels]] in the ''Babylon 5'' verse. It has been mentioned countless times that this is what the other races - especially humans - are going for but failed at so far. The White Stars are superior because they are a hybrid of Minbari and organic Vorlon technology, same goes for the Special Omega destroyers with human and Shadow technology.
* The Wraith technology in ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'' relies on this. In fact it was said that because of the organic composition of their ships and general insufficient power utilization, if they had a significant power source their ships can "grow" and become near-unstoppable juggernauts. In the [[Grand Finale]], one of these ships adapted a ZPM (the magical power sources that Atlantis cannot seem to find enough of) and it became powerful enough to lay waste to any ship it came across. And at this point Earth ships were capable of going toe-to-toe with the ''Ori'' ships.
* The Morthran from ''[[War of the Worlds (TV series)|War of the Worlds]]'' use a combination of crystals and organic technology. Note that the aliens of the first season (and of the movie) do not appear to use organic technology, though they do retain the reliance on crystals.
* Cylon Raiders in [[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|the rebooted ''
** The first glimpse of the interior of a Basestar was a horrible gooey gigeresque organic landing platform. Subsequent episodes revealed the "living areas" of the Basestars are more [[Crystal Spires and Togas]] - possibly because they're less distracting/revolting/expensive for the longer, more complex scenes set in them.
* ''[[Star Trek]]'' couldn't resist this one: Species 8472 seems to use entirely Organic Technology. In their introductory episode they made mention that the Breen species used partially organic systems in their ships.
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*** And it's implied in several episodes that the organic skin is flexible and coats an normal steel shell.
* Taelon ships and buildings on ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]'' are all grown out of an organic "bio-slurry".
* On an episode of the
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==▼
* ''[[Cthulhu Tech]]'' sees this with the [[Gratuitous German|Engels]], extra-large mecha that are more or less just massive creatures covered in enough machinery to conceal their monstrosity (somewhat). They tend to have a detrimental effect on the psyches of their pilots.<ref>Any resemblance to ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' is completely intentional, no doubt.</ref>▼
▲== Tabletop Games ==
▲* ''[[Cthulhu Tech]]'' sees this with the [[Gratuitous German|Engels]], extra-large mecha that are more or less just massive creatures covered in enough machinery to conceal their monstrosity (somewhat). They tend to have a detrimental effect on the psyches of their pilots.
* The Tyranids from the ''[[Warhammer 40,000]]'' universe epitomize the trope insofar as it relates to tools of warfare; their every military need, from weapons to starcraft, is met by complex interlocking creatures specially engineered for the purpose. Their 'technology' is not only suspiciously well-suited to its function, but suspiciously sadistic in its execution.
** Tyranid bio weapons are notably inferior individually to their non-organic counterparts though, and their space fleets are noted to be inferior to every other faction's. It is their single minded purpose and sheer numbers that make the Tyranids so deadly.
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** The Imperium also uses organic technology to some degree. Since they have a ban on artificial intelligence (after [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot|intelligent robots]] [[Turned Against Their Masters|turned on humanity]] and [[Robot War|nearly wiped them out]]) they use cybernetic slaves called servitors to perform menial tasks and some of the more advanced vehicles have either [[Wetware CPU|servitors hardwired to control weapons]] or Machine Spirits - it's not clear what it is.
*** Depending on the writer, Machine Spirits have been anything from intelligences formed from hundreds of years of a complex program slowly evolving, an inherence within Imperial computing technology, an actual CPU core housing a legitimate AI, inorganic AI modeled after animal behavior patterns, imprints left from [[Brain-Computer Interface]] or a collective of the fragmented minds of the controlling servitors. While Games Workshop has called each of these excused correct at various times, when you are talking about actual Imperial AI, you are referencing the Cortex. This is a very advanced fragment of [[Lost Technology]] which parts of the Mechanicus can still make very well and understand fairly well in comparison to most other things. It is a single, large, solid, crystalline mass which acts like a light-based computer. It is extremely powerful for its size, and can fairly accurately re-create the neurological structure of biological creatures (mammals, birds, pets, fish, humans). Its "firmware" and processing power are set by a combination of predetermined crystal growth patterns and in-growth manipulation (probably electroshock therapy).
* In ''[[TORG]]'' the Akashan Star Sphere or "Space Gods".
* ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]''
** Most of the illithids' evil creations are crafted from living tissue via psionic energy. Legends state they could teraform or even build entire worlds this way, and that grimlocks and kuo-toa were the result of these experiments. The brain golem is such a device, a hulking brute made of brains from various humanoid victims, the head being part of the Elder Brain.
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** ''[[Spelljammer]]'' features several [[Living Ship]]s and military biotechnology of elves and goblinoids back from the First Unhuman War, such as several transformed creatures, giant insect zombie [[Mini-Mecha]] and Witchlight Marauder as [[Horde of Alien Locusts|a weapon of mass destruction]]. Not coincidentally, this is why illithids are such a powerful force in Wildspace.
** The Daelkyr of ''[[Eberron]]'' are very fond of this. Many of their creations are still around and usable by players, though this has [[Brainwashed and Crazy|risks]]. Even in the current setting, a battletitan is a hybrid dinosaur created via nonmagical crossbreeding, although the specific technique is a jealously-guarded secret of the kingdoms who use them.
** ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon Magazine Annual #1]]'' detailed the potent Sul Armor a suit of armor that is made of still-living scarab-like insects that cover the body of the wearer. This armor is lighter than Leather Armor, but as strong as Chain Mail, can be put on or taken off in less than a minute, and very rarely, gives the owner powers of Regeneration, which the armor itself has. [[Power At A Price| This is not without risk, however]]. The scarabs might turn on the wearer and devour him, which they might do if the wearer takes 10 or more points of damage in a single hit (5% cumulative chance per hit) and the user also has to feed it daily (simply grain and water) and should he forget to do so, the chance increases by a cumulative 8% each time.
* ''[[Trinity Universe (game)|Trinity]]'' had humans and a number of other races use living "bio-tech." Humans still used it alongside hard-tech and it was considered superior for some applications and inferior for others. Some human nations rejected bio-tech entirely such as the Japanese because they had determined the original source of human bio-tech was of unknown Alien origin.
* ''[[GURPS]] Biotech'' is all about this when discussing high tech levels. Aside from the various new pieces of tech presented in the book (including a sentient sponge-brain-tree-Neo Christian house) the writers also suggest that one can simply treat advanced technology from other sourcebooks as being organic in origin.
* The Pentapods of ''[[2300 AD]]'', a ''[[Traveller]]'' spinoff, are big on Organic Technology, since their species evolved underwater and never had the option of using metal of fire in their industrial development.
* Several races of ''[[Talislanta]]'' use plant-based technologies, including the barge-forts of the Green Aeriads (with live viridia trees for masts) and the d'oko lily plants used as houses by the Green Men.
* This is one of approximately 9000 options for [[Humongous Mecha]] in one ''[[Mekton]]'' expansion.
* ''[[Call of Cthulhu (tabletop game)|Call of Cthulhu]]''. The Mi-Go regularly use organic-based tech, such as a creature that can dig through the earth and extract metals and minerals, and a variety of [[Fungus Humongous|giant fungi]] that maintain life support in an underground cavern.
* The ''Dark Conspiracy'' supplement ''Dark Tek'' had a number of Darkling biological devices, such as the Antidoter (neutralized poison in the body) and Facedancer (a living disguise mask).
* ''[[Paranoia (game)|Paranoia]]'' is better known for Corpore Metal bots and bot-wannabe cyborgs, but The Bot Abusers Manual inverted it with Corporganic, a bot secret society that went so far as to practice "orgcybing" (replacing bot limbs with organic parts). Yes, pretty much everyone else thought it was disgusting.
== [[Toys]] ==
* The [[Mechanical Lifeform|Matoran]] of [[Bionicle]] have small amounts organic tissue built into them.
** Additionally, the Toa Mahri's submarine (the Toa Terrain Crawler) could be compared to a giant hollow whale pimped out to look like a ship.
== [[Video Games]] ==▼
▲== Video Games ==
* Blizzard's ''[[StarCraft]]'' have the Zerg, an insectoid/mammalian/reptilian race controlled by a [[Hive Mind]] that treated its populace as disposable for the simple reason that they were the meat equivalent of robotic drones. They also had big gross living buildings. And living starships.
** While metal technology is connected with wires and cables to transfer electricity and information, Zerg buildings are connected with a mass blood vessels and muscle tissue called Creep to transfer nutrients and genetic code. Each building is less like an organism and more like an Organ, since they support the central Hatchery and will gradually shut down and die without creep to support them.
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* In ''[[Evolva]]'', the Parasite is able to create a good number of towers connected among them and a whole army from their ''tentacles''.
* In ''[[Septerra Core]]'', much of the Chosen's technology seems based on this. Their ships, armor, and even some weapons are grown from the bodies of specially cultivated Helgak, a highly diverse species native to the planet. The ships are partially alive in some cases. Maya's gun also has some organic components, which enables her weapon to actually grow its own ammunition, ostensibly granting it unlimited bullets.
* The Lightroots in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom]]''. These odd landmarks in the Depths have some connection to the Zonai Shrines, seemingly combining the [[Lost Technology]] of the Zonai with plant life. When Link activates one using his mechanical prostetic arm (also a product of Zonai technology) the Lightroot becomes a beacon that lights up a large area of the Depths, the light providing the same benefits as sunlight.
* ''[[MSF High]]'': Thanks to their past as terraforming nanobots, the Legion embody this. They're very good at it, too.▼
* The [[All Trolls Are Different|Troll technology]] in ''[[Homestuck]]'' is largely this. For example, [[The Cracker|Sollux's]] computer servers are basically giant alien beehives.▼
* ''[[Quentyn Quinn, Space Ranger]]''points out the [https://web.archive.org/web/20120619085953/http://www.rhjunior.com/QQSR/00076.html major flaws] of Organic Technology vs Hard Technology here.▼
* In ''[[A Mad Tea Party]]'', Earth's genetically engineered super-soldiers have organic weapons to use against alien robots.▼
==
* ''[[Mortasheen]]'' has a class of robots called Biomecha that are based on this. [[Word of God]] says that this is because the artist cannot draw machine parts to save his life.▼
* ''[[SCP Foundation]]'':
** SCP-2273, Major Alexei Belitrov, a [[Soviet Superscience|Super Soldier]] from an alternate version of Earth, who wears [[Powered Armor]] that was constructed via this method.
** Pretty much every [[Body Horror]] monstrosity created by the Sarkist cults was created this way.
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* Whether or not the bots from ''Tranformers [[Beast Wars]]'' qualify is up to a great amount of confusion. However, the Maximals became explicitly techno-organic technology in ''[[Beast Machines]]''.
** The Vok in ''[[Beast Wars]]'' seem to utilise this. Series writer Larry [[Di Tillio]] even proposed the bits of tech ''were'' the Vok themselves. Their third season depiction as giant floating skulls shattered this, though.
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* Any device in [[The Flintstones]] that's not made out of rock is one sort of creature or another.
* Everything in the Cobra-La hideout in ''[[G.I. Joe]]: The Movie'' is alive, even the things that aren't "technology" per se, like bridges.
* The Bugs in the ''[[Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles]]'' cartoon (a mix of the movie and the book) use bio weapons and [[Living Ship|living ships]] to attack the human planets.
* In the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' short “Easy Peckin’s”, after seeing that the Fox hasn’t learned his lesson after failing to raid the henhouse four times, George the rooster decides to discourage him. He takes out an [[Acme Products| Acme Junior Explosive Kit]], mixes up some chemicals, and then mixes the result with corn mash. Then he feeds it to a hen; she lays an egg, which he takes, then throws into the Fox’s den, and… KABOOM!
▲* [[MSF High]]: Thanks to their past as terraforming nanobots, the Legion embody this. They're very good at it, too.
▲* The [[All Trolls Are Different|Troll technology]] in ''[[Homestuck]]'' is largely this. For example, [[The Cracker|Sollux's]] computer servers are basically giant alien beehives.
▲* ''[[Quentyn Quinn, Space Ranger]]''points out the [https://web.archive.org/web/20120619085953/http://www.rhjunior.com/QQSR/00076.html major flaws] of Organic Technology vs Hard Technology here.
▲* In ''[[A Mad Tea Party]]'', Earth's genetically engineered super-soldiers have organic weapons to use against alien robots.
▲== Web Original ==
▲* ''[[Mortasheen]]'' has a class of robots called Biomecha that are based on this. [[Word of God]] says that this is because the artist cannot draw machine parts to save his life.
== [[Real Life]] ==
* Mankind: Agriculture? Cattle breeding? Genetic engineering? Grafting? ''Medical'' Grafting? In vitro fertilization? We're quite big on organic technology ourselves.
** [http://rootbridges.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post.html Living Bridges].
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** [[Richard Dawkins]] calls this "the extended phenotype." Basically, the way they build their nests or hives is determined by the genome, hence there is little difference between it and, say, their feelers. Then there's some debate if a beehive or ant nest as a whole can be considered a living being, similar to the cell colony with some inorganic material in between that we call human.
* [http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/29/bacteria-computer-is-good-at-math-even-those-pesky-story-proble/ A friggin bacteria computer.]
* The polymer composite described [http://science.howstuffworks.com/self-healing-spacecraft.htm here] might lead to real life organic ships. (
* Evolutionary software (which uses selection principles to reprogram its own design engine) is often used to engineer computer chips and other components. These speed design time (let it do it itself) but cost a lot of computing power and typically aren't as efficient as those designed by hand.
** That's more [[Mechanical Lifeforms]] though.
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