Four stories of the conflict of human will and the limits of science and human understanding: 1. The Protein Winds... blast the Earth, triggering symptoms, visions, mass hallucinations. Are we being invaded or lectured? 2. Warm Dead... can see us, interact with us, without consequences. They remember their lives, but no longer are animated. They want to talk to us, to strike a bargain for immortality. Can mankind co-exist with a new species? 3. Something to be Proud Of: After the financial collapse, the second Korean War, and the discovery of life on Europa, ambitious people on the margins (and two man-made intelligences) search for purpose... 4. Inheritance... A dying scientist wants to pass on his knowledge to his son. Who doesn’t?