Ageness [eBook: #dystopian #apocalyptic #sciencefictionaudiobooks] - A Longevity / Age Engineering Science Fiction Play on our Imminent Ageless Dystopia by Blade Cort; Book 1 of 7 in the Predictable Paths series (complete, auto-narrated) Four billionaires conspire to control the distribution of new longevity tech, intending to expand their wealth throughout eternity and give access only to those who are most deserving. Mia Seis, a scientist responsible for the breakthrough aging-reversal discovery, stumbles unwittingly across their devious scheme. Her secretive, abusive billionaire boss presses her to find an injectable solution, yet he just placed a death mark on a co-worker who innocently suggested that this stunning, new capability should benefit all of humanity, not just the few. New friends suddenly appear and offer to protect her from a similar fate, but she's torn between hating her boss and loving her work. Will they convince Mia to leave in time? https://bladecort.com PREDICTABLE PATHS episodes, in sequential order: 1. AGENESS - A Longevity / Age Engineering Science Fiction Play on Our Imminent Ageless Dystopia ; Six Acts, Episodes -22 to -17 2. AMYGDALA HIJACK - A Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi Novel of Impending Dystopia (a Trilogy) 2.1 - Amygdala Hijack - The Waening, Part 1 of 3; Episodes 1 - 9 2.2 - Amygdala Hijack - The Warning, Part 2 of 3; Episodes 10 - 18 2.3 - Amygdala Hijack - The Wasting, Part 3 of 3; Episodes 19 - 28 3. THREE GUYS IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC BAR - A Longevity / Age Engineering and Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi Novella ; Episodes 47 - 54 4. INFINITY CURVE - Lamentations to Unseen Friends Across the Vastness of Space ; Episodes 56 - 78 5. PATH TO ENTROPY - An Apocalyptic Climax ; Episodes 79 - 93 6. SORD IN PROSPERITY - Hope Beyond the Apocalypse ; Episodes 118 - 159 7. DAISY THE DUMPSTER DOG - A Sordid Tale of Dystopian Hubris and Convenient Canine Rationalizations (But Not a Supreme Court Satire or Parody) ; Episodes 311 - 337

Three Guys in a Post-Apocalyptic Bar - A Longevity / Age Engineering and Genetic Engineering Science Fiction Novella by Blade Cort; Book 4 of 8 in the Predictable Paths series [eBook: #postapocalyptic #dystopian #googleaudiobooks] ________ It's 2054, 17 years after the Great Debacle that killed billions. Long-time high school wrestling buddies Sam and Ross sit in their favorite bar, embroiled in a pointless discussion about the new anti-aging treatments that are being offered to extend life for hundreds of years. Sam says it's foolish to even consider these therapies given the abysmal state of their post-Debacle world and the chaos they endured in the last few decades. Ross, however, is intrigued by the idea and longs for the chance to experience a longer life span. Suddenly, a stranger joins them, and they can’t help but suspect that he may be an undercover thug sent to hunt down radical types who speak against the budding oligarch-controlled state. The trio continues the conversation with derision and cussing, debating both sides of longevity technology and its impacts on human society. Will Sam and Ross get red-flagged for their aberrant opinions, and can anything useful arise from their squabbling? Probably not – but you never know. https://bladecort.com PREDICTABLE PATHS episodes, in sequential order: 1. AGENESS - A Longevity / Age Engineering Science Fiction Play on Our Imminent Ageless Dystopia ; Six Acts, Episodes -22 to -17 2. CLIMATIC - A Climate and Genetic Engineering Science Fiction Novel ; Episodes -16 to -2 3. AMYGDALA HIJACK - A Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi Novel of Impending Dystopia (a Trilogy) 3.1 - Amygdala Hijack - The Waening, Part 1 of 3; Episodes 1 - 9 3.2 - Amygdala Hijack - The Warning, Part 2 of 3; Episodes 10 - 18 3.3 - Amygdala Hijack - The Wasting, Part 3 of 3, Episodes 19 - 28 4. THREE GUYS IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC BAR - A Longevity / Age Engineering and Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi Novella ; Episodes 47 - 54 5. INFINITY CURVE - Lamentations to Unseen Friends Across the Vastness of Space ; Episodes 56 - 78 6. PATH TO ENTROPY - An Apocalyptic Climax ; Episodes 79 - 93 7. SORD IN PROSPERITY - Hope Beyond the Apocalypse ; Episodes 118 - 159 8. DAISY THE DUMPSTER DOG - A Sordid Tale of Dystopian Hubris and Convenient Canine Rationalizations (But Not a Supreme Court Satire or Parody) ; Episodes 311 - 337

Amygdala Hijack - The Waening (Part 1 of 3), Episodes 1 - 9 [eBook: #Dystopian, #Apocalyptic, #GeneticEngineering] ______________________ A golden obelisk crash lands on a Saskatchewan farm and warns of an impending alien invasion. Searching for silver linings, science podcaster Peter Scott and his small team use this ominous event to improve their sagging ratings. They capitalize on growing fears of invasion by interviewing experts with unorthodox solutions to defend Earth. But 2037 is no ordinary year. DNA is just another programming language, and CRISPR-centric body-altering tech is now a plaything for the masses. Humans are hybridizing at breakneck speed, sporting subdermal chips, animal traits, and flesh-metal integrations. While radical new tech spins off the rails, society convulses violently at the pace of change as biases and hatreds escalate between humans and hybrids. Conservatives vs. Progressives; Majorities vs. Minorities; Humans vs. Hybrids, and now Humanity vs. Aliens...where will it all end? Yet alien marauders and social disruptions aren't the only challenges. Shadowy forces are threatening to kill the podcast – or the team. Is there any hope of escaping their dire predicament? 5 Stars***** Imminent Future, or Imminent Extinction? A fascinating leap into the imminent future...when Genetic Engineering and Genetic Modification have advanced astronomically (Goodreads Review). https://bladecort.com PREDICTABLE PATHS episodes, in sequential order: 1. AGENESS - A Longevity / Age Engineering Science Fiction Play on Our Imminent Ageless Dystopia ; Six Acts, Episodes -22 to -17 2. CLIMATIC - A Climate and Genetic Engineering Science Fiction Novel ; Episodes -16 to -2 3. AMYGDALA HIJACK - A Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi Novel of Impending Dystopia (a Trilogy) 3.1 - Amygdala Hijack - The Waening, Part 1 of 3; Episodes 1 - 9 3.2 - Amygdala Hijack - The Warning, Part 2 of 3; Episodes 10 - 18 3.3 - Amygdala Hijack - The Wasting, Part 3 of 3, Episodes 19 - 28 4. THREE GUYS IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC BAR - A Longevity / Age Engineering and Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi Novella ; Episodes 47 - 54 5. INFINITY CURVE - Lamentations to Unseen Friends Across the Vastness of Space ; Episodes 56 - 78 6. PATH TO ENTROPY - An Apocalyptic Climax ; Episodes 79 - 93 7. SORD IN PROSPERITY - Hope Beyond the Apocalypse ; Episodes 118 - 159 8. DAISY THE DUMPSTER DOG - A Sordid Tale of Dystopian Hubris and Convenient Canine Rationalizations (But Not a Supreme Court Satire or Parody) ; Episodes 311 - 337

5 Stars***** "Imminent Future, or Imminent Extinction? A fascinating leap into the imminent future...when Genetic Engineering and Genetic Modification have advanced astronomically" (Goodreads Review/The Wasting (prior title)). A platinum-gold obelisk crash-lands on a Saskatchewan farm, warning of imminent alien invasion. Peter Scott, a science podcaster with ratings in decline, considers this a gift from heaven. He plans to reinvigorate the show's slumping popularity by interviewing a cast of edgy experts with brazen proposals to defend Earth from the anticipated invaders. But the planet has bigger issues than space marauders. That's because it's 2037, and DNA is just another programming language. Gene editing has vaulted society toward anarchy as humans rapidly hybridize, modifying their bodies with edited DNA, robotics, and computer interfaces. Add to that the constant existential threats from engineered microbes. Alien invasions, social disruptions, and pandemics are not the only concerns for Peter and team. Shadowy forces will stop at nothing to kill the podcast - or them. SAMPLES FROM A FEW EPISODES: 6 - THE WELCOMER: "I'm getting at the surprise factor and religion and this abundant human flaw called ethnocentrism. At no time did I ever preach that human beings are the exclusive sentient animals in the universe. In fact, I don't know if any of my brethren ever stated that either. If you put your feet in God's shoes, to speak metaphorically, why in heaven's name would you make such a dad-blasted amazing array of planets and galaxies, and not do the same as what you did here?" "It just doesn't make sense to go to all that work if you only wanted one experiment. He could have done that in one solar system and not have gone to the trouble of making the rest." 9 - EUGENIE DRIVER: "No, you're missing my point, Peter, so I'll repeat. What we encounter will be far beyond our mentality. This implies we must move to a new level of thought, of existence, of who and what defines the essential nature of humanity." "I'm arguing that we do as the bacteria did - we rapidly evolve ourselves in a period of severe species threat to enable new defensive capabilities. We should not be reticent or timid, considering the challenge, and we should explore every possibility to advance genetic and cognitive acceleration in human beings, across the board, via these expansive capabilities." 10 - CONTROL FREAK: "It's the perfect foil, son, the perfect foil. Any two-bit history professor in this town will tell you that the one-way road to the heart of being controlled is to hand your faith and fear to someone else, to hope and pray that somebody else will soon resolve your troubles if you'd just give them your mind and treasure." "I honestly can't imagine a better way to do this. In fact, I'm somewhat perturbed that I didn't conceive of the guise myself, then I could be sure to have gotten the word out beforehand that it might happen." "What you see on the streets these days, the anarchy that's bubbling up, we saw that in spades, or at least smaller spades, during those recent populist times. You pour in a mixture of upset and disenfranchisement, victimhood, greed, fear, bombast, entitlement - and a minority group or country or religion you can poke your sword at to chastise and blame such as our varint friends - and now you painted yourself a pretty picture for control." "This is a well-honed model that has proven successful in shredding any decency and progress in human society. It's the nectar of the autocrats, whether they veil their rhetoric behind a fascist flag of order and control or socialist flag of a righteous outcome for everyone."

In the restless heart of Austin, Texas, where suffocating heat darkly complements the stifling societal pressures of 2034, Rose Rulapaugh—besieged by life's harsh realities—struggles to find her place. Shattered dreams line her path: a high school pregnancy ending in tragedy and a promising education never pursued. Jobless, languishing, and living in the family's rented duplex the last five years, the burdens are multiplying. Her mom's medical condition is deteriorating, and her younger brother Jack is tripping down the father's path of irresponsibility. A hurricane sets off local tornados, destroying the duplex and swamping Austin with millions of coastal immigrants. Rose is forced to quickly find shelter for her and her dog. By a stroke of luck, she encounters Tyren, a genetic engineering postdoc student working a secret project. Tyren provides lodging in his converted garage while promising to help Rose achieve her dream of genetically resurrecting an ancient Shasta Ground Sloth. Rose's native skepticism is on high alert. Nothing could be that easy. She wonders if Tyren's generosity is from the heart, or if he's expecting 'recompense' that she's unable to provide given her difficult past and restrictive reproductive laws. As she expects, every silver lining has its clouds. Dr. Amy Lee, Tyren's boss, offers her a no-questions-asked job at a genetics company. She then chastises Rose for exposing critical projects and potentially releasing virulent pathogens. And, despite Rose's best efforts to avoid it, she and Tyren might be getting closer. Too close. Can Rose find meaning and purpose as she navigates her existential future in a city bursting at the seams from global warming? Will she be forced to choose between succumbing to life's relentless grind or embarking on a transformative quest for personal identity, agency, and even redemption?

Alphaherpesviruses are a fascinating group of DNA viruses that includes important human pathogens such as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, and varicella-zoster virus (VZV): the causative agents of cold sores, genital ulcerous disease, and chickenpox/shingles, respectively. A key attribute of these viruses is their ability to establish lifelong latent infection in the peripheral nervous system of the host. Such persistence requires subversion of the host's immune system and intrinsic antiviral defense mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms of the immune evasion and what triggers viral reactivation is a major challenge for today's researchers. This has prompted enormous research efforts into understanding the molecular and cellular biology of these viruses. This up-to-date and comprehensive volume aims to distill the most important research in this area providing a timely overview of the field. Topics covered include: transcriptional regulation, DNA replication, translational control, virus entry and capsid assembly, the role of microRNAs in infection and oncolytic vectors for cancer therapy. In addition there is coverage of virus-host interactions, including apoptosis, subversion of host protein quality control and DNA damage response pathways, autophagy, establishment and reactivation from latency, interferon responses, immunity and vaccine development. Essential reading for everyone working with alphaherpesviruses and of interest to all virologists working on latent infections.

Rick has but one objective before he dies - to secretly broadcast a bright, momentous laser signal to warn unseen aliens how to avoid humanity's tragic decline. But it's 2075, and time is running out. Post-apocalyptic Earth is ruled by tech-enriched oligarchs who monitor nearly every human activity - and they don't like being embarrassed. SAMPLES FROM A FEW CHAPTERS: 58 - UNSEEN FRIENDS: "Please forgive the lack of excitement that you might otherwise find in an action novel. This is not an interesting story or adventure, unless you consider the birth and death of a sentient species such a thing. An adventure develops a plot line and does character development, tying you emotionally to the protagonists and antagonists." "To your misfortune, I'm the driest character on the planet and a Stoic to boot, so I am riled nominally by the emotions of humankind. In my life, emotions are for the careless. Emotions are food for the ruthless. Thus, don't look for much excitement in what I impart." "It's sad we weren't granted emotions once our psyches were capable of tolerating them. Instead, humans are birthed with emotions first and foremost. By some effort, a few humans grow to manage them. Too few. I hope your species is different and more disciplined." 59 - ON THE NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGS: "We became oxen and our nose rings were the devices we used, knotted to the information ropes that tugged at us. This constant assault on the senses ensured that we'd miss the larger purpose of our existence." "Over time, those sources were managed by fewer and fewer control entities, and finally the oligarchs. Humans became products of those entities, tools and chattel for the profit of others. Our brains were sponges, and we were too enamored with the continuous supply of content, sponging it up feed by feed, to recognize what was happening to us." 60 - ON UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES: "We had no agreed upon plan for managing ourselves as a species. You might think it's impossible to attain such a thing in any sentient society, particularly one as fractionalized and disparate as ours. But I think not. I believe people can agree on a few very simple tenets, rules, and ethical constructs. There are so few. In fact, some are encoded into the old Constitution, the poor thing, as it inhales its last gasps of air." "Some rules and norms exist there that transcend human differences, that we could have gotten everybody to agree upon. The same goes for holy books and other teachings. If I count them, I'd say there are no more than a dozen basic tenets. Surely we might have gotten everyone to agree on twelve tenets." 63 - ON OUR ASSUMED PRIMACY: "This assumed primacy percolated throughout our societies. As we became more science-oriented, some began to wonder how we could be the only sentient beings in the universe, but that required a fair understanding of our solar system, galaxies, and the universe at large. This idea grew roots within the last few centuries, but that tiny seedling of curiosity was already overshadowed by the massive forest of long-established primacy." "Our assumed primacy was an outgrowth of our belief that we were special in God's eyes. Interestingly, we encoded our religious texts such that they would not allow other societies to exist in other places in God's universe. We believed God was unique to us and we held a special position above all creatures in the vastness of infinity. To consider otherwise would have extricated us from our prime position as an entitled collection of beings guided by the invisible hand of God."