A lot of my readers often want to know how much of my stories are fact, and how much is fiction. The Rowen is no exception, with some far-fetched concepts, as well as some that are grounded in reality.
Tunguska
Tunguska is a real place and the explosion a real event that occurred in the Eastern Siberia area of Russia during the early morning hours on June 30, 1908 when a huge explosion laid waste to nearly 830 square miles of forest, leveling an estimated 80 million trees like toothpicks. It broke windows and knocked people off their feet even hundreds of miles away from the center of the explosion.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a column of bright, bluish light across the sky and then about 10 minutes later they saw another flash and heard what they reported as something similar to artillery fire. The timing and length of the reported events vary depending on the witnesses’ location, many did not see the explosion, but the overall information remains fairly consistent.
Studies estimate the power of the explosion was 1,000 times greater than the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of WWII and seismic stations all over Europe recorded a shock wave equal to an earthquake of about 5.0 on the Richter scale. Also, changes in atmospheric pressure were also noted as far away as Great Britain. For several nights following the explosion, the night skies throughout Asia and Europe had a ‘glow’ to them. Dust particles suspended in the air decreased visibility for several months afterward.
Many theories of what happened have been presented over the years, and over 1,000 research papers have been written on the event. Theories range from that of a huge meteorite impact, to volcanic activity, to subterranean ancient alien outposts.
If you are interested in knowing more about the Tunguska site, here are some interesting links:
http://youtu.be/qbtYEkTj3hs – VIDEO: Ancient radioactive metal dome cauldrons by aliens in the Valley of Death in Siberia, Russia. (Runs about six minutes).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSA7KkhiDy4 – VIDEO: Big Bang in Tunguska – Documentary on the mysterious 1908 event – Full. (Runs about 50 minutes).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event – The Tunguska event
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1628806.stm – Mystery space blast ‘solved’
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/esp_ciencia_tunguska09a.htm – The Tunguska Explosion
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2008/30jun_tunguska/ – The Tunguska Impact
https://youtu.be/hrGlZ10O7nM – VIDEO: UFO SECRET- TUNGUSKA – The Russian Roswell – FEATURE. (Runs about 51 minutes).
The White House tunnels
Are there really tunnels under the White House? Is there really a secret Metro line designed strictly for Presidential use?
Let’s face it, when it comes to government secrets and conspiracies, we love them! So, it is no surprise that there are all kinds of suppositions about Presidential ‘secret’ escape routes and such.
There is a plethora of information about secret tunnels in many cities on the Internet. However, many of them truly do exist, including in Washington, D.C.
There is an electric subway system in use that connects the United States Capitol to the office buildings of the House and Senate. Use of this system is restricted and requires proper identification. Public access is usually restricted to escorted access during Capitol Complex tours. See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol_subway_system
Harrison Gray Dyar, an entomologist for the Smithsonian Institute during the early 1900’s, really did dig tunnels from under his home in Washington, D.C. as a hobby. There is no record that any of them ever connected to the White House or the Smithsonian. See:
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/10665/hidden-tunnels-bugs-and-bigamy/
There is at least one first-hand report of tunnels between the White House and its neighbor the Treasury building. A Banking Analyst by the name of Michael Slarve, reported seeing them during the time he was in the building. See:
https://www.quora.com/Are-there-tunnels-under-Washington-D-C
In a 2011 news article, the British newspaper Daily Mail published an article about the massive construction project underway at the White House. It was officially a four-year project to upgrade the underground utilities that serve the White House and make them accessible via underground tunnel.
In the article, Daily Mail reported that there is a 50-yard tunnel running between the Oval Office and the basement in the East Wing that was built during the Reagan administration. It was meant to help guard the President in the event of a terrorist attack.
Daily Mail also mentioned there are rumors of a tunnel between the White House and the Blair House across the street on Pennsylvania Avenue, but did not confirm if this is true. See:
Note: The next bit comes from a parody website and its contents are not real. It is interesting to visit though.
https://whitehouse.gov1.info/tunnel/
On this website, it is suggested that there are all kinds of secret tunnels and bunkers throughout Washington, D. C. and exclusively used by the President and his staff.
It suggests there is a trap door under the Oval Office desk that leads to an underground command bunker under the West Wing with a tunnel to another command bunker under the East Wing.
The parody continues the tunnel story with a ‘secret tunnel system’ started by President Eisenhower that connects the White House to the Eisenhower Office Building, bunkers under the Blair House and VP Residence at the Naval Observatory, a hotel close to the White House, the Capitol Building, and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, with plans to expand it to include the Pentagon, Camp David, Raven Rock Mountain Complex, and several other locations.
Airforce One and the Boeing 747
Airforce One is the call sign of any airplane carrying the President of the United States. Currently there are two 747 Jets available for use by the President. Whichever one he is on uses the call sign “Airforce One”.
Airforce One is not a typical 747 Jet and has had many classified modifications made for the safety and protection of the President. A few of the modifications that are known is that it carries defense technology and systems that can scramble the infrared guidance systems of missiles, can jam radar signals, and launch counter-measure flares that confuse heat-seeking missiles when released.
So, the questions remain: can a 747 fly on one engine, can a 747 glide or does it just fall out of the sky, and can it be landed without any power at all?
The following websites have varying amounts of information on those subjects, but to answer the questions; yes, a 747 can fly on one engine. Yes, a 747 can glide without any engines for over 100 miles, depending on altitude and environmental factors. And yes, a 747 can be landed without power, but it may require setting down without landing gear or flaps because the loss of power affects the hydraulic systems that control the gear and flight controls.
Also, although fuel dumping is not a common practice, some aircraft do have the ability to dump fuel to lighten their loads in the case of an emergency landing. This is necessary in some instances when a plane is landing sooner than expected and has not burned enough fuel to lighten its weight enough to meet the structural needs of the plane … many planes can take-off with much heavier loads than they can land with and maintain the structural integrity of the craft.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/air-force-one
http://www.businessinsider.com/features-of-air-force-one-2015-3
Deadstick landing
http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=736419
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadstick_landing
Fuel Dumping
http://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/planes-dump-fuel-before-landing.htm
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_dumping
Raven Rock Mountain Complex aka RRMC
The Raven Rock Mountain Complex is a real nuclear bunker built deep underground in the mountains near Waynesboro, Pennsylvania that serves as an emergency operations center for the United States military.
The planning for a protected site near Washington, D. C. began in 1948 during the Cold War, and the Raven Rock facility was built during the 1950’s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raven_Rock_Mountain_Complex
http://fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/c3i/raven_rock.htm
http://publicintelligence.net/raven-rock-mountain-complex-site-r/
http://whitehouse.gov1.info/raven-rock/index.html
Note: The last site is a parody website and its contents are not real. It is however, fun to look at and can spark the imagination.
The Deep Sleep and Reanimation
As you have probably guessed, this one is all imagination. However, the idea is based in part on cryonics, liquid breathing, and the fact that some people who have drown in exceptionally cold water have been revived successfully even after several hours have passed.
For the book, here is how it works.
A person is placed in a pod and hooked up to an IV. An anesthetic is released through the IV making the person unconscious. A special fluid, like the one that has been developed for divers to ‘breath’ at great depth to avoid decompression dives, is released to fill the pod and the person inhales it. In the 8th Cycle, this fluid gets very, very cold without becoming solid.
Another drug is administered that stops the heart. Then the blood is removed from the body via the IV and stored frozen in a container inside the lining of the pod. A chemical “blood” is then put back into the body that also will not freeze at extreme temperatures. It is slowly circulated throughout the body while it is in Deep Sleep. The temperature of the liquid in the pod is extremely cold, like cryogenics.
This “blood” is what keeps the muscles strong and joints flexible so that the person can wake up refreshed and fully functional. There is a mild electrical stimulation to the brain through tiny electrodes that penetrate the skull at the temples to keep the brain alive through the sleep and ready to function when the person awakens.
When coming out of the Deep Sleep, the process is reversed. The liquid and the person’s real blood are warmed, the electrical stimulation strengthens, and when the liquid in the pod reaches the right temperature, the chemical blood is removed from the body and the person’s real blood is returned.
The heart is restarted through electrical and chemical stimulation, brain wave stimulation increases, the liquid in the pod drains and is suctioned clear of the lungs.
Once the pod detects the person breathing, a final stimulate is applied bringing the person back to consciousness as the pod opens.
Cryonics, Liquid Breathing, and Reanimation
Cryonics is a real science that looks to preserving bodies and brains for revival with advanced technology that they hope will develop in the future.
There are currently more than 250 people in the United States who have entered cryogenic preservation although when and if revival will be possible is unknown. There is also the theory that in the future it may be possible to scan a preserved brain and upload it to a computer.
There are currently four cryogenic preservation facilities worldwide with three of them being in the United States and one in Russia. Alcor Life Extension Foundation, a non-profit organization located in Scottsdale, Arizona has established itself as the world leader in the cryonics field including preservation, research, and technology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcor_Life_Extension_Foundation
http://zidbits.com/2011/02/can-a-human-be-frozen-and-brought-back-to-life/
Liquid Breathing
There have been some experiments with human deep-sea divers breathing an oxygen-rich liquid (called perfluorocarbon) instead of the usual SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) air that requires decompression stops on ascent to the surface to prevent a build-up of nitrogen bubbles in the blood, which causes a sickness known as the bends. The liquid breathing technique in diving is still in its infancy and is rarely used, due to lack of investment funding for further development.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_breathing
Reanimation
I am sure you have guessed this one, it’s all my imagination.
Heat rays
Microwave beams for crowd control
Spyders, flies and mosquitos
http://www.teqzy.com/technology/10-futuristic-weapons-that-will-change-modern-warfare/5
HYBRID INSECTS
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is a division of the United States Department of Defense, has developed a part insect, part machine that they call the Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems program. Basically, DARPA take an insect at the metamorphosis stage of development and then insert a controlling mechanical device. This allows them to fly the developed insect into tightly controlled spaces for surveillance purposes. This literally allows them to bug the enemy. It’s kind of spooky when you start to think about the domestic “big brother” applications.
Have you been reading The Rossler Foundation Mysteries?
