Entrance to SCP-238.
Item #: SCP-238
Object Class: Safe Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Provisional Site-16 has been built around the entrance to SCP-238.
To prevent discovery of SCP-238's true nature, Foundation agents have been implanted into geological research facilities around the world to falsify relevant data.
Description: SCP-238 is an underground facility composed entirely of bone and tissue, over twenty miles beneath the Earth's surface, and spanning several thousand kilometers. The only known entrance into SCP-238 is an eight-meter-wide opening on the island of Shmidta, north of Russia. As far as has been explored, SCP-238 consists entirely of wide corridors and occasional large chambers.
SCP-238 is the Earth, an immense, living organism.
SCP-238's biology, despite its immense size, shows some similarities to common animals. This includes a skeletal structure, neurological functions, and reproductive abilities. All of SCP-238's biological components are deep beneath its crust, with the exception of a single opening on the island of Shmidta. The crust of SCP-238 is non-biological and non-anomalous, and is believe to be the result of gravitational pull on nearby matter.
Currently, studies are underway to glean further information on SCP-238's properties. Below are some of the theories and research gathered by SCP-238's research team. As full research into SCP-238 has only recently begun, all findings below are completely preliminary, and do not represent a thorough or complete study of the organism.
Structure: SCP-238's structure is similar to non-anomalous organisms, albeit on a much larger scale.
The set of corridors previously explored were determined to serve a dual functions both a support structure, similar to a skeleton, and a transport system for nutrients, akin to blood vessels. SCP-238, rather than possessing one or two organs for each major function, possesses numerous smaller organs, spread out across its entire body. This is likely due to its immense size, hindering the ability and effectiveness of a single large organ.
Within SCP-238, multiple species of anomalous organisms have been found, including instances of SCP-1013. These organisms are a form of defense system within SCP-238's body, similarly to antibodies in an animal's.
It has yet to be determined what functions as SCP-238's hearts or brains, if they exist. Multiple theories have been posited, including the brain consisting of some form of hive mind, or the heart receiving energy from a non-organic core. The prevailing theory, to account for seismic data and the three-dimensional radial symmetry of SCP-238, is that the heart and brain are both located at its core.
Diet: There is strong evidence that other, similar organisms to SCP-238 exist; this is further evidenced by SCP-238's ability to reproduce (see Reproduction), which implies the existence of other planetary organisms like itself. The hypothesis suggests that SCP-238 will consume a similar organism every few million or even billion years, before entering a dormant state. SCP-238 is currently in a dormant state, and has remained as such for at leas the past several million years.
Behavior: As mentioned above, it appears that SCP-238 remains in a dormant state of hibernation during the vast majority of its lifespan. Bodily functions and signs of life have not been detected from it previously as a result, which is why SCP-238's discovery went unknown for so long.
The development of life on SCP-238 appears to have been independent of its own design, and was simply a byproduct of favorable circumstances, including location and size. However, the existence of microorganisms within SCP-238 suggests that life may have evolved from such entities.
Mapping of SCP-238's "skeleton" has found a structure that may allow for a portion of SCP-238 to open up, similarly to jaws. This is more than likely the method by which SCP-238 ingests other organisms. Additionally, the original opening into SCP-238 has been determined to be an orifice for birthing, which has been contracted and is presently unused.
SCP-238's level of intelligence, if it exists, has not been determined. It may simply react to basic stimuli, although the scarcity of food in its vicinity suggests that it would likely require some form of basic intelligence to actively search for nutrition.
Reproduction: Geological investigations have shown a second body located within SCP-238, similarly proportioned to the object; the predominating theory is that SCP-238 is with child1. Due to the lack of genitalia or other sexual organs on SCP-238, aside from the birthing orifice, it likely reproduces asexually.
Ecology: The theory that SCP-238 is with child, as well as other factors, suggest the existence of other SCP-238-like organisms. It is unknown how SCP-238 factors into the general environment of such organisms, and research is further hindered by the lack of other similar organisms. Considering that SCP-238 likely eats other members of its own species, there may be some form of predator/prey hierarchy.
Addendum 238.1: On 06/18/2029, Foundation personnel detected slight movement from SCP-238, slowly pushing it out of orbit. Resources were employed to deliver misinformation to astronomical organizations and similar groups. However, SCP-238's movement will inevitably be noticed, and a state of emergency has been declared, in the imminent event of an LK-Class "Lifted Veil" scenario.
As SCP-238 only moves for feeding or similar stimuli, observation of deep space was conducted to locate any similar organisms. While no entities were discovered in the direction of SCP-238's movement, the investigation located an exoplanet roughly 25 light-years away from SCP-238, which was designated SCP-238-1.
Analysis of SCP-238-1 found that despite being over five times the size of SCP-238, it is indeed structured similarly, and more than likely of the same species. Furthermore, SCP-238-1 is accelerating towards SCP-238, and despite SCP-238's retreat, will likely reach it in less than 200 years.