Novians (Species)

Homo Novus (lat. "New Man), or Novians, is a genetically engineered strain of humanity that first appeared in its most basic form when Theo Bell's mind was reengineered to have an increase in efficiency and activity. In 2016, the first true Homo Novus began to appear through Bell's development of a new series of gene-mod drugs. By 2020 there will be roughly 31,000 Homo Novus on Earth, most of them in the US and Canada, with a few about Europe and the far East. By 2027, 95% of all humans had become Homo Novi. Homo Novi were the axiom of human evolution, at least until the creation of the Avatars. The last 5% of humanity that refused to ascend to Novihood become dead weight (they were ill suited to these types of jobs in any case as they could not keep up, nor in most instances even comprehend current technology), and as a result, removed.

Below is an over view of the most common version of homo-novus, there are specialized examples as well, most notably the Astartes ("stars"), super soldier homo novi (which is actually a misnomer, a more accurate description would be "homo novi bred for war".)

History
In 2007, Theo Bell became the first human to receive a gene-mod drug. This treatment increased his mental capacity by 180%; however he was not the first Homo Novus. His further research into genetic modification led to the creation of the first true Homo Novus in the mid 2010s. Genetic modification remained illegal in 38 US states during these early periods, and 10 states outlawed the presence of people who have received gene-mod treatments.

True Novi are no longer conceived via "natural" means, all are "vat babies" and are gestated in Artificial Wombs (maturation chambers). Gestation is strictly monitored and controlled. Each Maturation Chamber modifies the genetic structure of the fetus, as well as add the necessary cybernetic/bio-synthetic devices. Novi that want to be come parents must receive dispensation from the government in accordance with population projections and other factors. Novi parents donate genetic samples which are spliced together to form a viable "transhuman" embryo. The entire process is accomplished via Maturation Chambers, which gestate the developing embryo. The the sound of both parents heart beat is transmitted into each Chamber (via the parents synaptic transceiver) the entire time the embryo is in the chamber. Embryos spend a total of 40 weeks in a Maturation Chamber. Cloning is a social taboo in many social and cultural circles and only in special circumstances allowed by law. Ultra Soldiers tend to be cloned often, and the taboo against cloning doesn't apply to the US.

Special Note; while Astartes and Novus are conceived and gestated in the same manner, no Novi is allowed to raise an Astarte. All Astartes are raised amongst their own and only breed as required.

This had a dramatic effect on women, who no longer have to suffer through child birth. It also allows a far greater control on population numbers, preventing such things as over population. Many females undergo a procedure that halts their menstruation completely (as it is no longer necessary for conception).

Intelligence
Homo Novi have an area of brain capacity of 260%. They are capable of reading books as fast as they can turn and look at the pages, and can commit data to memory far more efficiently than their Homo Sapient cousins. Most Homo Novi have an adult IQ between 300-325, and by 2020, almost all of them had risen to the highest wage earning or policy making positions in the world. All Novi have eidetic memory, including "instant recall". All are also polyglots, capable of learning and speaking many languages.

All Novi have at least three micro Encephlon's (combination of microcomputer and expert system) implanted into their cerebrum. This allows a Novus' brain to access to all internal memory stores and functions, as well as providing a brain/AI interface. Integrated into the system is a synaptic transceiver, which facilitates a wireless connection to computers and allows the host to access Full Immersion Virtual Reality and grants Virtual Telepathy. The addition of multiple Encephlon's gives all Novi the ability to multi-task in an unprecedented manner.

Novi have an enlarged and enhanced Reticular formation granting a heightened perception bordering on ESP. This hyper awareness allows no detail to escape the notice of a Novus. They can deduce intimate and accurate information about their surroundings with only a brief scan. Hyper awareness also manifests as a finely tuned intuition and heightened risk sense. This enhancement also modulates the feeling of pain, allowing the host to vary the level of pain they "feel", though the total absence of pain is not capable of being achieved (a safety measure for the host).

Brain enhancements involves the growth of additional nervous tissue, convolutions and gyri, particularly in the frontal lobes. Mnemonic enhancer increases the grey matter in the hippocampus region, grants increased short and long term memory. Activity in the Corpus Callosum has been drastically increased allowing the three (left, right hemisphere's and enlarged reticular formation now counting as a third hemisphere) hemisphere's of the brain to act as one. Trauma Damper, implanted at the base of the Thalamus, near the mid brain this small cluster of specialized receptor's help the host mitigate fatigue, pain or physical trauma. Upon receiving sensory information of trauma the damper triggers the release of concentrated endorphins and enkephalin's.

Synaptic Transceiver (Virtual Telepathy)
The Synaptic Transceiver consists of two parts, the Transceiver itself and the various antennae and transmitters. The antennas are built into the skull and are not visible to the naked eye. This implant automatically connects to any available (and compatible) network (World-Wide-Web-Infinity on Earth, this network covers the entire planet, the WWWI or simply Web-Infinity is a LEO [500km orbit] satellite based network that is maintained by the entire Earth Homogamy), Singularity with a neural interface, or Drone device. The S.T. is interfaced with the hosts Encephlon's and facilitates the brain to computer communication. Safety interlocks prevent brain damage from dangerous feed back. Personal firewalls (a 3 tiered Firewall set up) prevents unauthorized access. Optimal range is 750km, with rapid degradation of transmission/reception strength after 1000km. Through the use of booster relays/repeaters that range can be virtually unlimited, with boosters placed within 700km of each other across Earth.

Virtual Telepathy has had a profound impact on all Novi. It allows individual minds to form a Gestalt, or communal consciousness. The Gestalt allows the sharing of thought on a level never before achieved by Humanity.

Education
Novi benefit from the most advanced education system ever developed by humanity. By age 35 all Novi have achieved multiple PhD/Prof in several fields of study. The educational standard by which Novi are judged by has also been raised, far exceeding anything their predecessors were capable of achieving. Full Immersion Virtual Reality (FIVR) is used extensively through out the educational process. No physical schools exist, students don't have to travel to school, rather they can log in via virtual telepathy and correspond over the internet.

Strength
Homo Sapiens has a grand total of 629 muscles, and Homo Novi has 3,200. Physically Novi do not look different to the average human, other then having extreme muscle definition. These muscles are layered and are much more tightly strung, creating a far stronger muscular structure. The average adult Homo Novus can lift upwards of 800 pounds (362kg) while standing, and can bench press over 1000 pounds (453kg) Homo Novi can run at an average speed of 58 miles per hour (93km/h), and the fastest person ever recorded was able to achieve a speed of 74 miles per hour (119km/h), making Homo Novus the fastest land animal on Earth. Increased endurance allows Novi to maintain an average jogging speed (around 20km/h) for extended periods of time. The Unique musculature, combined with the orthoskin enhancement has led many to discover that the species itself can withstand small arms fire at close range only receiving flesh wounds, or at worst, damaged muscles.

Novi heal at an incredible rate. An Auto-doc (one part of the Encephlon is dedicated to function as an auto-doc) monitors the hosts medical condition and if the host takes physical damage nanites (as the host's "white blood" cells have been replaced with nanites) "heal" the host.

Novus blood is significantly different to their Sapiens cousins, and consists of nanites (that function like the white blood cells) and a synthetic haemoglobin that is capable of carrying twice the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Small units are implanted throughout the body which regulate the host's body temperature. These implants allow for a significant increase in activity levels and a far broader environmental temperature tolerance. This BTR combined with Novi musculature is the reason they can achieve such high running speeds.

Skeleton
Homo Novus have a skeleton of roughly the same number of bones as humans. Homo Novi lack wisdom teeth, and there has been an addition of a dedicated spinal column cage and enhanced skull structure that grants increased protection for the spine and brain. A Homo Novus skeleton is ten times as strong as a standard Human skeleton. Homo Novus skeletal structures have been tested to withstand the force of an SUV at 60 mph without being damaged. Comprised of larger amounts of Carbon nano-tubing and Titanium, along with a more efficient Calcium drive, Homo Novus have sometimes been rumored to be indestructible.

Eye Sight/Hearing/Olfactory
Homo Novus eyes appear almost identical to those of traditional humans, however many will notice how they are usually much darker shades of the colours of average humans. This is the result of Homo Novi's ability to see deeper into the Ultraviolet and Infrared spectrums. Homo Novus is capable of seeing at night with as much clarity as during the day, without risking damage to their eyes. Homo Novus eyes are also far more complex in that they are able to see clearly up to a 1000 ft away. This eye sight ability was extracted and modified from most birds of prey.

The eyes may be replaced with bio-synthetic implants, duplicating the appearance of human eyes but offering greatly enhanced acuity. The implants have the following enhancements; Display Link (allowing data to be displayed in the field of vision), Range Finder (up to 5000 m range +/- .1 mm accuracy), Flash Compensation (advanced rapid polarization), Visual Magnification (up to 30 x magnification), Underwater Vision (inclusion of a second transparent eye lid), Low-light/Infrared/UV vision. Acuity has been rated at 6/.2 (can clearly read all the standard vision test chart at 180m) Vision now spans parts of the near IR (~1050 nm) through to near UV (200 nm) spectrum.

Electro-reception and magneto-reception, (sensor implants cover the epidermis, undetectable to the naked eye) sensor data is routed through to the display link allowing the Novi to visualize electric fields, magnetic fields, perceive magnetic north, determine altitude and location (to a degree). The electrical field detection range in a gaseous atmosphere is 100m, while a liquid atmosphere is 1000m.

The ears are replaced with bio-synthetic implants, duplicating the appearance of human ears but offering greatly enhanced hearing. The implants have the following enhancements; Broadband Amplifier, High/Low Frequency Amplifier, Dampener, and Select-sound Filter. The ear is capable of resolving sounds from 10hz to 200khz and is capable of passive echolocation. The Dampener protects the host from intense/excessively loud sounds. Select-sound filter allows the host to select-out up to 10 distinct sounds.

Olfactory booster, specialized clusters of small receptors set into the nasal passages and the back of the mouth drastically increase the sense of smell, as well as a slight boost to taste. These boosters have high-level safety cut-offs which prevents discomfort and distraction from particularly intense odors. In effect the sense of smell and to a smaller degree the sense of taste can be "switched off" if required. The number of scent receptors has been increased to 300million and the portion of the brain that is devoted to analyzing smells has been increased in size and function. A gas spectrometer has also been included in the main sinus chamber, used to provide chemical analysis of all incoming atmosphere. A chemical database is included in one of the hosts' Encephlons.

Sexuality
Homo Novi are no more different sexually than average humans. There are male and female Homo Novi, they breed the same, they are aroused the same. However most who become Homo Novi opt for certain enhancements to their sex organs. Mainly for size.

Skin
Homo Novi flesh is extremely resilient to extreme UV rays, radiation, heat and cold. Designed to appear as normal human flesh, Homo Novi skin is much more tightly knit and damage resistant. Novi skin exposure limit to radiation is 80 sieverts of radiation (10x what Sapiens can survive)

Orthoskin bio-enhancement weaves energy diffusing material under the skin that gives the recipient the equivalent to personal armour. Grafts of sythagen (strengthened and reinforced collagen-protein derivative), flextin (a synthetic and more resilient form of elastin protein) and flakes of modified and laced cartilage. Once implanted Orthoskin grows like normal skin. As an added bonus Orthoskin does not scar.

Over many generations skin color has been blended to the tan Homo Novus know as the average skin color, though there are certainly other skin colouring.

Racial Note
Novi is a unified race, and consists of a single race. All Novi display features of a mix of all the major Sapiens racial types. Novi no longer suffer from the burden of racial tensions that has so plagued their ancestors, not as much anyway.

Metabolism
Homo Novi metabolic system is higher than that of an average human. While they do not produce excess heat at a higher rate, they do require a somewhat larger level of food consumption, similar to a thin human teenager.

Suprathyriod gland, this bio synthetic organ supersedes the host's original gland and basically super charges the host. Strength, reaction and endurance are all enhanced.

Growth
Physically, Homo Novi don't grow any faster than average humans. They reach sexual maturity between 7 and 10, and conclude puberty at between 30-35. Homo Novi however mentally develop much faster than normal humans. By age 3 they are on par with most humans in high school. They learn to walk and talk almost immediately, and can be potty trained much faster.

They are not considered an adult until they reach the age of 35. The adults' average height are 215cm, and their average weight are 150kg, though there is a slight variation between male (slightly larger) and female.

Safe Environmental Ranges
Atmospheric temperature range from -170° Celsius to 119.85° Celsius

Homo Novus are capable of enduring 20G while still being able to maintain significant activity levels. Any higher than that would result in slower activity.

Life Expectancy
With extended life medical intervention, Homo Novi can effectively live forever. Yearly nanite baths are required to keep the immortality. Without extended life treatment the average life expectancy is over 121 years.

Extended Life
This procedure has been implemented through out Novi society, and is available to all Novi. Extended Life Procedure is a systemic rejuvenation process; nanites perform a complete genetic cleanse, repair all cell's telomeres, and flush the body of any residual contamination left from the Novus' own filtration processes, effectively halting the natural aging effect. Extended Life is initiated at age 35 for Novi and requires yearly nanite baths to maintain the procedure. Novi on Extended Life maintain a youthful appearance and physique.

If the procedure is ever halted Novi resume aging at a normal rate.