Item #: SCP-CN-1616
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: Captured instances of SCP-CN-1616 are to be contained in a Low-Threat Biological Containment Chamber at Site-CN-71. To prevent SCP-CN-1616 instances from escaping, plant-aroma-based insecticide is to be placed surrounding the containment chamber. With the exception of the minimum number of instances necessary to ensure the continued survival of the colony, all other SCP-CN-1616 instances may be disposed of by incineration. In addition, Class D personnel or other Foundation personnel who have signed the relevant waiver are to be used to feed the SCP-CN-1616 colony three times a day by consuming food products containing ginger within the containment chamber. Mobile Task Force 丙申-03 ("Roach Avengers") is to be assigned to Guangdong Province and the surrounding areas to search for and capture any possible instances of SCP-CN-1616 in the wild. Personnel outside the Foundation who have come into contact with SCP-CN-1616 are to be administered Class B amnestics. All information relating to SCP-CN-1616 on online or traditional media are to be deleted. Currently, management of the SCP-CN-1616 anomaly has been entrusted to Dr. Chen Shu, of Site-CN-71's Biology Department.
Description: SCP-CN-1616 is a type of insect possessing anomalous properties. Genetic analysis of specimens indicates that 96% of the anomaly's genome matches that of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana), 3% matches that of ginger (Zingiber officinale), and 1% is of unknown origin. SCP-CN-1616's external appearance and life cycle are identical to those of non-anomalous American cockroaches; however, they present certain anomalous behaviors:
SCP-CN-1616 instances are capable of absorbing any mechanical energy applied to their bodies through an unknown mechanism, with an efficiency rate of over 87%. Observation of instances shows that SCP-CN-1616 instances prefer to obtain the energy required to survive by absorbing mechanical energy and converting it to chemical energy, rather than consuming food typically preferred by non-anomalous American cockroaches. As a result of this property, SCP-CN-1616 can typically survive physical attacks. Testing has shown that attempting to crush SCP-CN-1616 instances with a physical object requires an average of 217.6 strikes.
In addition, SCP-CN-1616 displays a certain degree of resistance to heat. Testing has shown that SCP-CN-1616 instances are capable of surviving heat of up to 160 °C, allowing it to consume products that have been placed in hot environments without risk of death. Of note is that SCP-CN-1616's resistance to cold is identical to that of non-anomalous American cockroaches, and thus frozen insecticides remain effective on SCP-CN-1616 instances.
While SCP-CN-1616 instances can survive solely on mechanical energy, it is thought that its activity also requires [6]-gingerol as a supplement. When SCP-CN-1616 attempts to obtain [6]-gingerol, instead of seeking out plants of the ginger family or harvested ginger, it typically seeks out human-prepared food using ginger as an ingredient (typically as a spice). Upon coming into contact with such dishes, the object will typically camouflage itself as one of the other ingredients in the dish (if present) and attempt to consume the [6]-gingerol present in the dish. If at this time a human subject is consuming the dish, they may mistake SCP-CN-1616 for another ingredient in the dish and begin to chew on it. At this point, SCP-CN-1616 will absorb the mechanical energy from the subject's teeth and convert the [6]-gingerol it has consumed into an anomalous compound (designated SCP-CN-1616-1, formal name [6]-allogingerol). SCP-CN-1616-1 has a pungency measuring 270 times that of 6-gingerol on the Scoville organoleptic test, and contains 100 times the chemical energy of [6]-gingerol; it is thought that SCP-CN-1616-1 is SCP-CN-1616's primary means of storing energy. After an SCP-CN-1616 instnacde has absorbed sufficient mechanical energy from the human subject's chewing, it will release some of the produced SCP-CN-1616-1. The majority of human subjects will then gag and spit out SCP-CN-1616; however, approximately 23% of subjects will endure the spice and proceed to chew and consume SCP-CN-1616.
Another feature of SCP-CN-1616 is its extremely low resistance to pesticides relative to non-anomalous American cockroaches. Observation has shown that in addition to ordinary organophosphorus, organochlorine, pyrethrin, and carbamate insecticides, biological aromas such as menthol and limonene are also capable of stimulating SCP-CN-1616 instances to the point of death. At the same time, breeding experiments have shown that SCP-CN-1616's genome, especially sections relating to chemical resistance, is particularly resistant to mutations. This has caused colonies of SCP-CN-1616 to appear noticeably weak. In addition, as households in the coastal areas of Guangdong, where the anomaly is primarily distributed, typically use such insecticides to remove and kill cockroaches, SCP-CN-1616 colonies in the wild typically do not attempt to gain sustenance from human-prepared dishes.
Addendum 1: Discovery
SCP-CN-1616 was discovered while the Foundation was tracking a package delivered by GpExpress Ltd., likely on behalf of the Group of Interest "Japan Organisms Improvement and Creation Laboratory" (JOICL). This package was to be delivered to No. ███, Tower ██, ██████████ Community, ██████ Road, █████ District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, P.R. China. As nobody was present to receive the package, the GpExpress courier left the package outside the door. The Foundation immediately collected the package after the GpExpress courier exited the premises. However, due to the nearby residents' pest control practices, some of the SCP-CN-1616 instances in the package had already died. Dr. Chen Shu of Site-CN-71's Biology Department later indicated that he had worked on creating the SCP-CN-1616 anomaly during his time at JOICL. Following discussion, management of the anomaly was handed to Dr. Chen.
Addendum 2: Document CN-1616-01
The following document was sent by the Group of Interest "Schistosoma Protection Institute" (SPI) three months after SCP-CN-1616 was contained.
RICPI Executive Committee
Species No.: 33020190114027
Species Name: Chinese pseudoginger (Pseudozingiber sinensis)
Protection Level: Rare, Hunted
Distribution: This species is primarily present in Guangdong Province, China, and in small numbers in surrounding provinces.
Overview: This species is of order Blattodea, family Blattidae, genus Pseudozingiber; its external appearance and life cycle are similar to those of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). It possesses the ability to absorb mechanical energy applied to it, and typically obtains the energy it requires from camouflaging itself as part of a dish containing ginger and enticing a human to chew on it.
Research History: This species was first officially described in 2019. Due to its extremely low resistance to chemical pesticides and human hunting in order to produce ginger flavoring, the species is thought to be endangered.
Protection Measures: Ensure that living specimens' environments do not contain any insecticides or insect-repelling aroma compounds. Provide sustenance three times a day by having a human consume food containing ginger in its habitat.
Important Notes: We have noticed some people possess resistance to the ginger-flavored substance produced by the species. Personnel providing sustenance to living specimens are to be vetted prior to entering the habitat.
MTF-丙申-03 immediately began investigating areas throughout Guangdong Province in accordance with the document's statement that "SCP-CN-1616 is being hunted". For results, see Addendum 3.
Addendum 3: Investigation Report CN-1616-01
Investigation has revealed that residents in Guangdong Province and the surrounding areas have been capturing SCP-CN-1616 instances to produce ginger flavoring for sale. Further inspection revealed that 17% of ginger flavoring on the market contained DNA originating from SCP-CN-1616. As of this writing, the Foundation has recalled and retrieved all SCP-CN-1616-based flavoring sold on the ordinary market, and relevant civilians have been amnesticized. However, according to one SCP-CN-1616 hunter, the vast majority of SCP-CN-1616-based food products have been bought by Ambrose Restaurants; the Foundation has not been able to determine the location of these products.
« SCP-CN-1615 | SCP-CN-1616 | SCP-CN-1617 »