Studyingsamples from a 65-million-year-old clay layer deposited during theextinction that killed the dinosaurs, geologist Gregory Nealediscovers an unremarkable appearing crystal. Assigned to identify it,his graduate student Christine Shelburne, hungering for more than aprofessional relationship with Greg, discovers that, although notradioactive, the object somehow generates heat, apparently limitlessand endless heat, source unknown and completely mysterious. Gregand Christine subject the object to increasingly sophisticated tests, but succeed in only lengthening its list of propertiesimpossible under known laws of physics.
Refusing to accept hiscolleagues' verdict that the object is of extraterrestrialmanufacture, Greg insists on enlisting the help of a state-of-the-artNational Laboratory. This work accidently triggers an even morebaffling property of the crystal, an ability to shift time. Finallyconvinced, Greg prepares to announce the discovery to the world, buthis delay forces him to battle a charismatic televangelist convincedSatan created the crystal to destroy religious faith and MADCAT, ashadowy government agency determined to control the crystal’sunfathomable power.
The Story Behind This Book
One of my favorite quotations is from Buckminster Fuller: "Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either way, the thought is staggering." It's a thought I fully agree with. I am of the opinion that most novels dealing with the existence of ETI treat the possibility in far too casually a manner. That's why I wrote Indistinguishable from God. I wanted to show one possible scenario of how the discovery of a genuine alien artifact could impact the major institutions of society. I think such a discovery might be the most profound event in all of human history. Have you ever wondered why, with all the claims of UFOs and contact with ETs, no one has ever submitted a real alien artifact? No, not a single one, not even the tiniest sliver. Wait, what's that I hear some of you saying? Such artifacts exist, only scientists refuse to recognize them, or the government hides them. I am aware of several objects people have claimed to be alien artifacts that were submitted for scientific tests. Always, every single one of them, without exception, turned out to be completely mundane objects of ordinary earthly materials. Why hasn't there been something far beyond our ability to explain, or even some exotic alloy, unknown on earth? Surely beings capable of traveling between star systems must have such materials. As a scientist, I say show me something like that, something we couldn't easily manufacture on earth, and I'll take your UFO claim seriously. As Carl Sagan was fond of saying, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." I also wrote this book to show how real science gets done. What sort of tests would be used? What sort of proof would be required? Real scientists are skeptics. They are not in the business of proving theories true. There real work is trying find the flaws in a theory, to disprove theories. That is exactly how the main character in this book proceeds. Does this mean the book has to be slow moving? Not at all. Read the comments from other science fiction authors, some of them also scientists. Give the book a chance and I think you'll find it to be well worth the price and your time.
