ACRES. Lorna’s place of employment, the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, is a real facility, located in a remote location alongside the Mississippi River. It’s not open to the public, but you can read many details about the staff’s wonderful efforts to preserve endangered species on the Internet. They do indeed have a “frozen zoo,” where genetic material is stored in an effort to help sustain and protect this fragile heritage. And the researchers there have been doing cutting-edge work into cloning as a means of preservation. Of course, all the characters depicted in this book are fictitious, and I’ve taken great liberties in regard to the floor plan of the actual facility.
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL. The claims concerning animal intelligence, especially in regard to parrots, may sound farfetched, but they are based on facts. A great book in which to read about this subject is The Parrot Who Owns Me by Joanna Burger. You’ll be amazed. Also the hunting habits of jaguars are based on real science, and all the details about the human-animal bond discussed in this novel are true (and we’re learning more and more about this astounding connection every year).
GENETICS. All the chromosomal details are accurate, including the fact that geneticists have discovered old pieces of viral code in our junk DNA. But what about “genetic throwbacks”? Is such a thing possible? If you have any doubts, check out this article about a snake born in China with a fully functional reptilian leg growing out of its side: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6187320/Snake-with-foot-found-in-China.html
FRACTALS. This subject fascinates me. And I’ve barely scratched the surface in this book about the subject. Fractals are found everywhere, and to better visualize and to understand the full extent, go seek out a PBS Nova special titled “Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimension.” Also, the details regarding the power and growth of “fractal antennas” are real.
ALL THINGS BRAINY. It’s true that all animals—including humans—have strange magnetite crystals seeded throughout their brains. Scientists believe that they are still used for migration in birds—but why do we have them? I had to explore this further. As to Jack’s blood-borne illness, I based his infection on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease). This scourge is caused by a self-replicating protein called a prion. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and triggers madness. Of course, I just juiced up that protein for this novel. Also it’s a small detail but true: the human brain does continually produce about twelve watts of electricity, enough to power a flashlight.
THINGS THAT GO BOOM. All of the weapons depicted in this book are real, including flechette mines and Gar’s wicked AA-12 combat shotgun. To witness the latter in action, there are many videos on YouTube.
WAR ROOM. The JASONS are a real think tank who advise the military. They did indeed produce a paper recommending that the U.S. military invest greater resources into “human performance modifications.” They suggested further research into drugs, genetics, and the neurological fusion of cybernetic computers, all in order to manipulate the human brain and produce better soldiers. Also, the abuses related about private defense contractors are real and currently under investigation. Similarly, these corporations have been moving into scientific circles, including establishing labs outside the United States to circumvent laws and oversight.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. If you couldn’t tell, I love New Orleans. I’ve visited the city at least a dozen times—both before and after Katrina. I tried to be as true to as many details as possible. I’ve visited alligator farms, toured the bayou by airboat and canoe, walked on floating islands, and talked to people about their lives. Cajuns have a rich and colorful culture, and I tried to capture it all as best I could.
So go visit New Orleans. Have Sunday brunch at Commander’s Palace. Enjoy beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe du Monde. Take some of the great tours offered (to the Garden District, to Oak Alley Plantation, or my personal favorite, a ghost tour at night). Stop by the Garden District Book Shop (one of my favorite places to browse). Take a ride on a St. Charles streetcar. Have your palm read by candlelight in Jackson Square. And don’t forget to visit the Audubon Zoo . . . throw Elvis a marshmallow for me. Lastly, don’t miss a chance to experience one of America’s premier landscapes: the swamps and bayous of the Mississippi River delta. Who knows what you might discover out there, hidden beneath the shroud of Spanish moss and towering cypresses?
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James Rollins, Altar of Eden
(Series: # )
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