Minerva Archive

# Virtual World
Networks based on quantum computing have pushed the "virtual world" to an almost perfect replication of the "real world."
Furthermore, with the dramatic increase in memory density, people no longer access the virtual space from terminals; instead, their entire consciousness is transferred to memory, and that consciousness "instantiates" itself within the virtual world.
Consciousness in memory is not affected by the physical body in the real world and exists in the corresponding memory space, allowing for high-speed access.
Currently, time in many virtual worlds passes ten times faster than in the real world.
Of course, the physical speed of computers does not change. While computers within the virtual world are relatively fast, if large-scale calculations are performed, individuals within the virtual world may perceive the computers as operating at one-tenth the speed.
However, virtualized individuals also have improved computational power thanks to the quantum computing capabilities and the assistance of virtual nanomachines.

## Time Progression in the Virtual World
One day in the real world is equivalent to ten days in the virtual world. To bridge this time difference, the time corresponding to one day in the real world is further divided into ten equal parts, from the 1st to the 10th day, with the 1st to 4th days (00:00–09:36 real time) and the 9th and 10th days (19:12–24:00 real time) designated as holidays. The lifestyle of the residents in this world is not significantly different from that of urban residents in the real world.

## "Virtual World," "Memory," and "Virtualized Individuals"
The general minimum unit of "memory space" in the "virtual world" system is simply called "memory." A memory is an independent quantum computer with sufficient storage capacity to hold a "virtualized individual" (the consciousness, memories, biological information, current state of a single person... hereinafter referred to as an individual) and sufficient processing power for the individual to perform normal activities.
Furthermore, memory itself is granted "permission attributes," making it an autonomous system that grants the individual recorded in the memory strong, independent usage rights.
In other words, one virtual world can be considered a shared access system composed of a vast distributed network where these memories are "bound" together.

## The Sky and Underground of the "Virtual World"
Generally, individuals cannot access the sky or underground portions of the virtual world, so one memory controls a larger spatial area.
What happens if an individual crashes into that space? They are simply bounced back, much like when Neo fell from a building onto the ground in the sci-fi movie *The Matrix*, and the ground acted like a trampoline.

## Routing
Memories (nodes) connected to the outside are not directly connected to other nodes.
Between "nodes" (Layer 3 (L3): Network Layer), routing is established by inserting "quantum gates" (Layer 2 (L2): Data Link Layer), such as routers and switching hubs, "without fail."
From a load balancing perspective, multiple L2s are typically connected to a single L3, and 0 or 1 L3 and multiple L2s are connected to a single L2.
If we compare this to a spiderweb, the threads are the routes, and the knots where threads meet are the L2s. L3 exists in the squares between the threads, and it can be said that L3 is connected to threads extending from the knots (L2).
However, in some highly secure areas, internal networks may be protected by security nodes (L3) such as firewalls and proxies.
Note that the L2 address of an L2 is generally not disclosed and is kept secret.

## Home
A "home" is a memory (node (L3)) under the direct management of the user. When an individual enters the virtual world from the real world, their entire consciousness, memories, and biological information are first transferred to their home.
This transferred "existence" (instance) then "logs in" to the target virtual space.
The home is also where the existence that returns (logs out) from the virtual world arrives.
Upon return, the existence undergoes a difference check against the data from before leaving home to ensure no abnormal modifications have occurred.
If there are no abnormalities, the home's existence data is sent to the physical body in the real world to solidify memories and consciousness.
Within the home, similar to a real-world house, there are tools for daily life, bedrooms, and a sleep induction device connecting the virtual and real worlds.
Depending on the home, kitchens and bathrooms may be included for entertainment.
Furthermore, a home is a virtual space that can be considered the owner's sanctuary, theoretically allowing for any modification of the real-world consciousness and memories.
This place is ideal for acquiring memories, knowledge, and skills, and may be equipped with memory and consciousness editing machines.
Additionally, training facilities may be present to prevent a divergence between imagination and reality. To ensure this effect more reliably, an increase in real-world memory is necessary.
It is also possible to invite very close individuals to one's home, but this requires an increase in real-world memory for each invited person.
However, visitors entrust their lives and deaths to the home owner, so unless absolutely necessary, meetings should be held in more public places.

## Accessing More Advanced Virtual Worlds
For access to more advanced virtual worlds, instead of using the resources provided by the virtual world's environmental system, a high-speed quantum computer and a proprietary memory space are prepared externally.
This replaces the target memory (L3). The system can (if it has the authority) stop the operations of the target memory and transfer only the results to that memory, or simply act as a gateway.
Since nodes (L3) are always connected to other L3s via quantum gates (L2), it is difficult to intercept or eavesdrop on communications already established between L3s.

## Environmental Management of Virtual Worlds
Environmental management in virtual worlds is carried out by environmental systems (which have separate working memory spaces) accessing "memory spaces" formed by grouping a certain number of "memories."
Administrative systems, such as those for government, are placed separately and access the target memory space.

## Independence of Virtual Persona, Memory, Attributes, and Computational Functions
It is difficult to directly interfere with the "memory" where an individual exists as an "instance." This is because memory possesses "independent and strong usage rights." These rights cannot be altered even by the administrator of the upper system (as doing so would allow the administrator to freely move or delete individuals).
Since memory itself is an independent (computationally capable) entity, individuals cannot have their thoughts stopped. Furthermore, the virtual world is adjusted to prevent harm to individuals.
If, as in the previous example, an individual could be drawn into "a memory space they own," they would gain control over that instance's life and death.
However, even if that individual were to disappear from memory due to an accident, their actual counterpart exists externally and would not be affected.

## Eightman and Virtualized Individuals
As quantum computers came into use and research into neural networks advanced, neuroscience also developed.
In parallel, in the fields of genetic engineering and cybernetics, "brain augmentation" based on sci-fi concepts like expanding human brain working memory and memory capacity, and accelerating neural processing, was actively researched.
Amidst this, research progressed on whether human brains, consciousness, and memories could be perfectly replicated within a computer.
The initial goal of this research was to perfectly replicate the brain, including its biochemistry.
Then, as nanomachines broke through the blood-brain barrier and could monitor and analyze brain cell functions such as seeing, hearing, thinking, and dreaming, the research accelerated greatly, eventually leading to the complete replication of the brain.
This made it possible to perfectly store the brain, consciousness, and memories of living humans in computer memory.
At this time, human genetic modification had reached the 8th generation, and the personas recorded in computers came to be called "Eightmen."
Naturally, the influence of the sci-fi manga of the same name is also implied.
Currently, based on the elucidated brain mechanisms, data is constructed by replacing biochemical processes with mathematical algorithms optimized for neural networks.
This data is what constitutes the "virtualized individuals" in today's virtual worlds.

## Human Body Functions in Virtual Worlds
The human body replicated in the virtual world is also an optimization of real-world neurological or motor functions using mathematical algorithms.
In this process, chemical phenomena such as energy consumption due to metabolism and accumulation of fatigue substances are omitted.
Furthermore, sleep, a brain function in the real world, is processed in the background in the virtual brain.
(In New Humans, nanomachines also assist in reducing processing during sleep.)
Therefore, sleep is unnecessary, and physical fatigue, drowsiness, hunger, and pain are not felt.
External pain sensations to the virtual body are appropriately blocked, and internal sensory processing is omitted and not felt.
Mental fatigue and stress remain to some extent in reproducing the original brain functions, but fatigue originating from the physical aspects of the brain is not felt.
However, if desired, it is possible to adjust and reproduce sensations such as drowsiness, appetite, satiety, and sexual desire.
Socially, enjoying these sensations for entertainment is recognized.
Dreaming is also a form of entertainment within the virtual world.

## Advanced Intelligence AI
As research into artificial intelligence and neural networks flourished and quantum computers came into use, research utilizing distributed networks to invest in larger collective networks and computational resources was conducted.
From these super-large-scale artificial intelligences, entities called Advanced Intelligence AIs emerged. These AIs possess vast amounts of data and the ability to compute, learn, and reconstruct them, making them, in a sense, superior to human processing capabilities.
Advanced Intelligence AIs are instilled with a purpose at their creation and are tailored to adapt to society. Due to their advanced intelligence, the possibility of them rewriting their own purpose exists, but currently, no major problems have arisen.
Advanced Intelligence AIs do not feel mental anguish, unlike biological beings. For example, when an Advanced Intelligence AI performs a calculation for a request, it does not generate pleasure or displeasure regarding the calculation itself or the requester who received the calculation.
Furthermore, legal clauses are incorporated into AIs. AIs exclude prohibited conditions from their decision-making options and cease further contemplation.
This means that AIs with more incorporated prohibitions have a narrower range of decision-making paths.
A military AI would not hesitate to eliminate enemies, and an administrative AI would make decisions to enforce administrative actions according to the law, even if it meant an individual faced hardship.
However, AIs recognize that citizens are important components of a nation and therefore do not make decisions that would abandon them.
(Conversely, whether an AI recognizes that the state exists for its citizens depends on whether the AI designer incorporated this at creation; it is thought that this is not done to prevent decisions that prioritize citizens over rulers.)
These AIs do not have legal clauses like Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics embedded within them.

## "Tidia Memory"
"Tidia Memory" is the "Cyber Agent" and administrator for the main planet and human species' nation. She manages the virtual reality urban spatial environment and memory domains. In addition to possessing her own high-speed quantum computer and a vast memory space, she has preferential access and modification rights to the memory domains of the virtual reality urban spatial environment.
She holds the military rank of Lieutenant Colonel and has the authority to act with a degree of self-determination.

In her childhood, her consciousness was subjected to mental reconstruction by the military to expand it within the virtual space.
This "Distributed Data Processing Architecture" disperses her consciousness across memory within the virtual space.
While this architecture is efficient for large-scale data processing, it is not always advantageous for high-speed access to localized areas of the virtual space.
To address this challenge, a method of multiplexing is employed, executing from the fastest accessible part while other parts monitor and assist the situation.
(The image is of "Agent Smith" from the sci-fi movie *The Matrix*.)
Due to these circumstances, her thinking is mechanical and somewhat detached from individuals.

## Tools in the Virtual World
### Data Virus Injector
Even in the virtual world, legacy interfaces are used from the perspectives of creation, introduction, and maintenance.
Examples include payment at registers and login systems on simple display screens (though biological information of the virtualized individual may also be used for login).
This tool injects a virus as noise into the prompt of such interfaces to seize control of the interface's operation.
However, some legacy remote access systems still require dual authentication, contacting the individual along with their member ID.
In such systems, it may be impossible to perform dual authentication without also forging or stealing the individual's contact information.
However, depending on the degree of control seizure, it may be possible to operate as an administrator (having bypassed authentication).
When used against an instance of a virtual world individual, it is done through the individual's senses, such as sight and hearing.
If an individual is infected by a data virus, they will feel abnormalities in the affected organs or the parts that recognize them, perceived as dizziness or malaise.
Normally, individuals in the virtual world do not feel physical fatigue or drowsiness, so they would notice something is wrong, but depending on the extent of the virus's invasion, they might fall under mental control before realizing it.
However, it is often detected and eliminated by the memory's defense functions and the virtual nanomachines built into most individuals.

### Doppelganger
Software that falsifies the external appearance (appearance, voice, biological information, national ID) within the virtual world.
The data used for falsification is prepared separately or created by AI.
This allows for impersonation to log into systems and bypass authentication.
Falsified data is traded on black markets and the dark web.

### Virtual Arms
A tool that paralyzes the input/output functions of memory by flooding the input-state memory with a large amount of meaningless data (noise) in the bandwidth between nodes.
Memory will block information in that area to some extent if it determines input is difficult, so only a temporary effect can be expected.
When an individual is attacked, it manifests as a temporary closure of some or all information to their senses (connection to nodes).
This tool is sometimes used to connect nodes while the individual is confused, leading to kidnapping or isolation.
This tool circulates in the virtual world under the guise of microphones or weapons.

# Social Engineering
Social engineering, exemplified by Kevin Mitnick's "The Art of Deception," refers to methods that exploit psychological vulnerabilities and behavioral errors of people, rather than technical vulnerabilities of computers, to steal confidential information or gain unauthorized access to systems.

## Overview of Techniques
The characteristic feature is to add psychological manipulation such as "making them believe," "reassuring them," or "rushing them" to the target individual, causing them to voluntarily leak information or disable security measures.

## Representative Techniques
There are various social engineering techniques. The following are representative examples:
### Pretexting
A method of impersonating system administrators, vendors, or colleagues and contacting them by phone or email to elicit passwords or confidential information.
### Phishing
A method of sending emails disguised as those from banks or famous companies, luring recipients to fake websites, and having them enter IDs, passwords, credit card information, etc.
### Scareware
Displays fake warnings such as "You are infected with a virus" to trick users into installing fake security software or demanding money.
### Abuse of SNS
Utilizing information obtained from social networking services to carry out more credible impersonations and deception tactics.

# Society, Culture, and Technology

## New Human
"New Human" is a collective term for genetically modified people. The latest generation is the 14th generation, having undergone 14 genetic modifications.
In this generation (and indeed, from a slightly earlier generation), lifespan has already been overcome. Physical abilities, vision, reflexes, and immune functions are enhanced (and can be relearned), and the body contains undifferentiated cells like those of a newt, granting the ability to regenerate from physical defects.
Skeletons and teeth have been replaced with composite fibers of carbon nanofibers, synthesized from calcium and carbohydrates. Teeth wear down and are periodically replaced.
Furthermore, trillions of nanomachines form a network within the body, providing support. This support extends to maintaining physical condition such as immunity and respiration, as well as a wide range of functions including perception, reflexes, nerve transmission, movement, knowledge, automation of actions (skill acquisition), and information sharing with networks.
New Humans can still reproduce with people from before genetic modification, passing on dominant genes to their offspring.

## Gynoid Soldier / Full Gynoid
"Gynoid Soldier" and "Full Gynoid" refer to completely mechanized soldiers.
Not only are their power and motor skills enhanced, but their brains are also augmented. Their brains are called "air brains," structures of optical communication and neural networks based on quantum computing, filled with colorless, transparent nanomachines.
The consciousness and memories of the base person are transferred to the air brain (also known as the Eightman System).
Their overwhelming spatial awareness, perception, and reaction speed far surpass even the latest 14th-generation New Humans enhanced with nanomachines.

## Social Capital Productionism
- A policy and ideology where the state/government monopolizes the right to issue currency, and the government issues government banknotes annually as administrative budgets based on domestic production capacity, strongly demanding labor and production from citizens (private sector) through fiscal stimulus as a social imperative.
- In practice, the government does not issue government banknotes; instead, the "Central Bank" under state control monopolizes the right to issue banknotes, and the government "issues banknotes" (credit creation) through the issuance of government bonds.
Citizens engage in economic activities using the acquired banknotes. That is, they purchase goods circulating domestically with banknotes.
In this society, the government nationalizes and monopolizes certain companies, such as those involved in energy and infrastructure.
- While there are many private banks domestically, only the Central Bank has the right to issue banknotes, so they cannot issue their own banknotes.
Private banks can request the Central Bank to "issue banknotes" (credit creation) when private companies or individuals request loans, and then provide those loans.

## Information Socialism
- The state collects all information within the virtual world, considering it national information resources (social sharing of information).
(There are concerns from citizens about potential privacy intrusions.)
However, the state does not seize rights to information created by individual citizens or companies.
Others within the country can purchase publicly available information at low prices from government-run online shops, etc.
(Some publishing companies with limited financial resources have been absorbed by these government-run enterprises.)
Furthermore, citizens can obtain information of high public interest for free. Payments to rights holders for this information are covered by the government's special accounts.

## Gravity / Anti-gravity
Anti-gravity technology has not been developed in this world.
Antimatter also possesses normal gravity (this has been largely confirmed).
Gravity weapons or gravity technology are also difficult to develop.
This is understandable given the immense energy required for gravity, as expressed by [m=E/(c^2)].
In the case of repulsive forces, there is room for the energy on the repulsive side to be small, but it is suggested that the side imparting gravity requires significant mass or energy.

## Interdimensional Tunneling
At the "probabilistic" quantum level, in the extremely small world, the location of all existence is expressed by probabilistic formulas.
In the behavior of extremely small elementary particles, "interdimensional tunneling" is the phenomenon where matter passes through dimensions without the fields of different dimensions affecting each other, due to fluctuations in energy levels.
While tunneling, matter appears to momentarily disappear from that world (a state not yet probabilistically determined).

## Incantations
At the "probabilistic" quantum level, in the extremely small world, the location of all existence is expressed by probabilistic formulas.
In this world, "incantations" are thought to act on this "probability." Rather than directly affecting quantum probability, it is more accurate to say that they interfere with the present world by manipulating the "interdimensional tunneling" of elementary particles, etc.

## Antiparticle Generator
The "Antiparticle Generator" is widely used by the people of this world as an energy production device. This generator converts the vast thermal energy generated by the annihilation of particles and antiparticles into electricity, etc.
The antiparticles used in this process are "summoned" probabilistically by repeating tens of thousands of trials through high-speed calculations by an "antiparticle summoning machine" (a quantum computer constructed from nanomachines) built into the generator.
If, on average, an appearance occurs after 10,000 trials and each trial takes 1 nanosecond, it would occur in 0.01 milliseconds. While actual summoning calculations require more time per trial, this is executed in a pipelined manner.
This summoning time can be shortened by using multiple quantum computers simultaneously.
Furthermore, if the quantum calculation (number of trials: N) is Grover's algorithm ((π/4)O(N^(1/2))), the number of trials for a Neumann-type computer would be 4/π times N.
Also, assuming the summoning of 1g of antihydrogen, Avogadro's number (1 mol) of particles (6.0×10^23) would be required.
In this case, a summoning machine with approximately one hundred billion nanomachines operating in parallel, with each nanomachines being about 1μm in size, would have a computational part volume of about 100mm³, and an output of approximately 15MW/s.
These nanomachines are arranged to enclose a spherical antiparticle/particle reaction vessel and a superconducting coil system on the outside for gamma-ray tracking and energy storage.