Item #: SCP-074
Object Class: Euclid/Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Security Clearance Level B is required to access Containment Cell C44 (henceforth referred to herein as CC-C44). Temperatures within CC-C44 must stay below 5 degrees Celsius. SCP-074 is to remain sealed inside of CC-C44 at all times. If removed from CC-C44, or internal temperature of CC-C44 climbs above 5 degrees Celsius, all unprotected personnel are to evacuate the area and follow Decontamination Procedure 11. In the event of total power failure, or the failure of CC-C44's environmental controls, the section of the facility is to be locked down and flooded with cryogenic gas. Any personnel exhibiting any of the symptoms detailed in Dr. █████'s report (Attached, 074-02) are to be sedated, and quarantined for a period of no less than 1 week.
Description: Item consists of a large metal cube, with several grated openings. Inside is a cat-sized organism resembling a large wood louse, which usually remains tightly curled into an armored ball that emits low levels of radiation. When exposed to temperatures of over 5 degrees Celsius, the creature uncurls, revealing a flexible appendage tipped with a rounded orb. This orb, when exposed, emits massive doses of the same radiation, exponentially proportional to the temperature. The radiation in large amounts is excessively lethal; however, in lower doses it has other effects - see below.
The artifact was recovered inside a van by bomb disposal units. Upon breaking the makeshift seals on the van's doors and discovering what appeared to be a complex electronic item connected to a large metal box, they attempted to perform a detonate-in-place using a magnesium device. It is presumed from examination of the wreckage that upon triggering the device, the high temperatures caused a massive release of radiation - destroying the van with its makeshift containment and exposing the item. All humans within a 1-km radius were killed. SCP recovery team dispatched with anti-radiation equipment successfully acquired the object. Testing was performed to determine precise temperature threshold with numerous casualties. Incident was reported to the public as a toxic gas spill.
Moved to Storage 1 Facility, ███ ██th 2004 from the custody of the ███████ Police Department. All surviving civilians were detained and all bodies and records destroyed, with the exception of a single fragment (Attached, 074-01) documenting the initial discovery, kept for possible clues as to the object's previous possessor, assumed dead.
Incident #██-███: While inspecting the refrigeration system used in CC-C44, a technician accidentally disturbed a control valve, reducing pressure within the system. Furthermore, the temperature sensors inside CC-C44 had been damaged by radiation. This caused the temperature to rise to just 7 degrees. SCP monitors, at the onset of symptoms, immediately were able to restore the system, and initiated termination protocols. 34 staff were lost, but containment was restored. Worryingly, the various destruction methods attempted, including lethal gas, vacuum, and laser incineration, had no effect on the organism. Additional redundant protocols added, and a cryogenic emergency control system installed.
Addendum 074-01
Excerpt from (officer)'s report, detailing the initial discovery of SCP-074: "…I came up on the vehicle that ████ reported seeing, an early 90's Ford Aerostar van, sure enough, the license plates had been removed. The doors and windows of the van had been sealed shut with duct tape, and the word 'RUN' was painted on the driver's side of the van in red spray paint. through the window I could see a box attached to electrical wires running into the steering column, and something weird inside of an old glass Coca-Cola bottle. I called in for a bomb disposal team, and remained on site until they arrived." - (officer) '███████ Police Dept. Report █████' █:████ ███ ██th, 2004
Addendum 074-02
Excerpt from Dr. █████'s report, detailing symptoms experienced by personnel exposed to SCP-074 in temperatures above freezing: "Personnel exposed to 074 for anything more than a few seconds experienced apparent burns on various parts of their bodies. Closer examination of these "burns" resulted in the discovery of what appears to be an implosion of the skin. Dissection of affected areas resulted in the discovery of what appears to be egg sacs. Personnel quarantined are said to continually ask for water, regardless of whether they are given any. Of personnel quarantined after contact with 074, most die within five days from injuries caused by the violent bursting of these sacs. The intervals between burstings is unpredictable, and they may either explode simultaneously or over the course of many days. Each sac holds 2 to 5 small organisms, which may be propelled as far as three meters from the subject. The creatures bear resemblance to 074, but die upon contact with the outside air after several seconds. Other personnel live, and the eggs inside them apparently do not hatch. It is unknown whether this signifies that the organisms within the sacs have been neutralized. I recommend all surviving personnel exhibiting signs of infestation have all affected areas of skin removed and destroyed, and be tested for internal contamination. If such is not possible or prudent, or internal contamination is confirmed, immediate termination and incineration of the subject should be practiced, as it is possible that these organisms could successfully hatch under the right circumstances."
Item #: SCP-074
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-074 is to be kept in standard large-animal containment facilities, behind two layers of polarized glass. SCP-074 is never to be exposed to natural sunlight, moonlight, or starlight, or to any form of artificial ultraviolet light. Except during approved testing, the temperature in SCP-074's containment facility must never rise above 25 degrees Celsius; SCP-074's temperature is to be monitored at all times, and coolant tanks are to be set to release 200 L of water in the event of power failure.
In the event of containment breach, all personnel within a 200-meter radius of SCP-074 are to placed in quarantine for 96 hours, during which they are not to be exposed to natural sunlight, moonlight, or starlight, or any form of artificial ultraviolet light. Personnel manifesting symptoms as described in document 074-24-IBN are to be offered euthanasia.
All instances of SCP-074-2 are to be surgically neutered.
SCP-074 is to be given 500 grams of pesticide-free leaf mulch and wood chips every three days, heat-treated to kill any foreign organisms.
Description: SCP-074 is a large creature which has been tentatively identified as belonging to the order Isopoda, commonly known as a "wood louse". Despite appearing to be the size of a small car, SCP-074's gravitational mass is only ██ grams.
Aside from its abnormal size, SCP-074 differs from other isopod organisms in that it does not appear to have a marsupium for storing its fertilized eggs; this is significant due to what appears to be its method of reproduction. SCP-074's ovipositor [DATA EXPUNGED] and pulsates with a steady glow. When exposed to ultraviolet light at intensities approaching normal sunlight, or when its temperature passes 30 degrees Celsius, the ovipositor becomes visibly engorged and begins twitching spasmodically and [DATA EXPUNGED] originally thought to be a form of non-ionizing radiation, but which has since been identified as "coherent wavepackets" of the probability of one of SCP-074's eggs "reifying" (spontaneously coming into existence) [see document 074-V17].
The wavepackets preferentially reify upon intersection with mammalian tissue at a constant temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, but have been shown to remain capable of reification within tissue at temperatures as low as 15 degrees Celsius; organisms whose tissue has supported wavepacket reification are parasitized by SCP-074 larvae (collectively known as SCP-074-2), leading to [DATA EXPUNGED] as many as thirty-five (35) separate larvae [DATA EXPUNGED] when the host is exposed to ultraviolet light at intensities approaching natural daylight [DATA EXPUNGED] the size of a human fist [DATA EXPUNGED] despite the parent organism being preferentially a detritivore.
No wavepackets have been detected at distances greater than 98m from SCP-074 [see appendix 074-GK11 for instructions on modifying a standard-issue Geiger counter for the detection of SCP-074's wavepackets], leading to the hypothesis that wavepackets which do not encounter a host organism will decohere. Cadaver experiments indicate that SCP-074-2 is anaerobic, and will actively burrow within its host to avoid contact with oxygen.
Item #: SCP-074
Object Class: Euclid
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| Still shot from SCP-074 enclosure. |
Special Containment Procedures: A colony of SCP-074 is to be kept on a Fagus sylvatica log contained within a 2x2x1m enclosure constructed of a rebar frame covered in two layers of cow hide located within Bio-Containment Unit-24. Every three days, 500g of sterilized leaf mulch and wood chips are to be introduced into the enclosure by means of designated feeding assembly.
Sealed HDPE traps containing sheets of bark immersed in formaldehyde are to be placed in areas suspect of SCP-074 presence, if confirmed, wild populations of SCP-074 are to be regulated using airborne chemical agents (see documentation for Procedure 15-Wormwood). A research project regarding modified Bacillus thuringiensis producing toxins effective against SCP-074 is underway.
Description: SCP-074 is a species of woodlouse resembling Oniscus asellus, encountered in the ████ █████ region of Slovak Republic; however, it demonstrates a number of anomalous properties.
Despite a size similar to O. asellus specimens, instances of SCP-074 appear to have a mass of between 0.03-0.04 micrograms - approximately ten million times less than O. asellus.
Asides from its abnormal size, SCP-074 mainly differs from O. asellus by means of its anomalous ethology. When disturbed, specimens of SCP-074 appear to [DATA EXPUNGED] originally thought to be a form of non-ionizing radiation, but which has since been identified as "coherent wavepackets" (further on SCP-074-1) equivalent to instances of SCP-074, emitted in a random direction. SCP-074-1 passes through most known materials, however, they decohere with a half-life equivalent to approximately 130m travelled.
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| Subcutaneous infection in A███ N██████ resulting from SCP-074-1 exposure. Instances of SCP-074 visible through skin. |
Coherent SCP-074-1 travelling through tree bark and cambium, and certain forms of decaying vegetable matter tend to cause live instances of SCP-074 to re-appear with a probability increasing with thickness of material. However, a similar effect tends to occur during travel through the skin and subcutaneous tissues of most birds and mammals. SCP-074 is unsuited to life in animal tissues and promptly dies in such conditions, the remains causing a characteristic pattern of inflammation often resulting in heavy scarring, nicknamed švábie vredy by the local population.
It is hypothesized that this behaviour might be a form of eusociality, as the resulting pain discourages higher species from entering SCP-074 habitats.