Houston, we have growth!

My, but these columns are actually starting to be interesting.

We have since stopped taking the covering off of the darkness column, so as not to skew the data. Nevertheless, there is still action happening in there. The saran wrap covering the column in bowing outward, suggesting that whatever is inside is producing gas. The plastic roof is colonized by marshy green films. It makes one wonder what will happen when they cover the wrap so completely that no more sunlight can reach the interior of the column…

The control looks like a little terrarium. Long, green, filamentous stalks are growing toward the roof of the column, and water is still condensing there. There is a distinct layer just beneath the surface that looks to be primarily water with some squishy freeloaders just hanging out in the moisture. On the sunlit side, there are two prominent bands of color, one red and the other green. The green band, just further up in the column is much wider than the red, three to four times wider. Seeping toward the base of the column in nonuniform points is a lighter brown layer. Though that may be merely a section of different soils, not mixed in well, we doubt it. These different sections certainly enjoy light but not so much the presence of oxygen. That at least is a comfort if ever someone lets these unearthly creatures free on the world.

Live long and prosper!

-Emily and Serena

Darkness Column

Mix Control