Special Containment Procedures

SCP-003 is to be maintained at a constant temperature of no less than 35°C and ideally kept above 100°C. No living multicellular organisms of Category IV or higher complexity may be allowed to come into contact with SCP-003.

Description

SCP-003 consists of two related components of separate origin, referred to as SCP-003-1 and SCP-003-2.

SCP-003-1 appears to be composed of chitin, hair, and nails of unknown biology, arranged in a configuration similar to that of a computer motherboard. Testing reveals SCP-003-1 to predate earliest known circuit boards by a factor of thousands of years. SCP-003-1 is considered sentient but not actively dangerous except under certain conditions.

SCP-003-1 was found on a stone tablet, SCP-003-2, on which it currently resides. The runes on SCP-003-2 are not part of any known language, and emit pale, flickering light patterns.

SCP-003-2 is controlled by a (non-biological) internal computer, the contents of which are mostly inaccessible without risk of damaging SCP-003-2. SCP-003-2 is capable of controlled emissions of radiation, including heat, light, and anomalous radiation types. SCP-003-2 contains an internal power source of an anomalous nature, which appears to have been losing power since several centuries before discovery.

It is considered probable that SCP-003-2 was created for the purpose of containing SCP-003-1. Partially interpreted data recovered from SCP-003-2 may refer to a past and/or potential future LK-class restructuring event caused by SCP-003-1.

SCP-003 was located by remote viewing team SRV-04 Beta. It appears possible that SRV-04 Beta was deliberately contacted by SCP-003-2. Other organizations have also been alerted to SCP-003's existence, possibly by similar means. Despite this activity, SCP-003-2 does not appear to be sentient, based on its lack of reaction to M03-Gloria analysis and procedures.

When SCP-003 drops below the temperature of 35°C, both components react.

First, SCP-003-1 enters a growth state characterized by an exponential increase in mass. This growth state consists of two stages. In both stages, SCP-003-1 partially fuels its growth by converting matter around it, starting with any surrounding inorganic material, including atmospheric elements, then nonliving organic material, including cells of dead skin, hair, chitin, enamel, keratin, and other biological materials.

The first stage is always the same. SCP-003-1 will first increase its mass, then take a form similar in shape to an ophiuroid (brittle star) of fifteen meters in diameter (including what appears to be a central processor of three meters in diameter). It will form sensory organs that appear to scan its surrounding environment, and will partially convert the area around it to an unidentified anomalous substance (SCP-003-2 seems immune from conversion).

The second stage describes a growth alteration which occurs when SCP-003 comes into contact with living organic material; SCP-003 appears to "template" itself off of the organic material, and will attempt communication with organisms that match its initial "template" or "templates".

In its second stage, SCP-003-1 may pause, slow or change its growth, and will also convert inorganic and nonliving organic elements into functionally similar structures while anomalously altering their physical makeup.

While growth is consistent in the first stage, in the second stage SCP-003-1's growth rate is diminished by 20-90% so long as SCP-003-1 remains in contact with living organic material. The percentage is determined by the complexity of the organism(s) in contact with SCP-003-1; SCP-003-1 appears to devote a large amount of processing power to analysis of living organic material.

During each of SCP-003-1's growth stages, SCP-003-2 releases bursts of radiation that temporarily inhibit SCP-003-1's growth, or reverse this growth when the temperature of SCP-003-1 rises above 100°C. Similar radiation emissions have been replicated or recorded via other anomalous means.

SCP-003-1's biology has been the subject of extensive study. Significant elements have been identified similar to SCP-███, SCP-1512, and SCP-2756, the latter two of which have no further confirmed connection with SCP-003-1 and no known connection with each other, and none of which are fully understood (technically, even less understood than SCP-003, thanks to the extensive cross-disciplinary research on the SCP-003 objects). To date, no convincing analysis has been put forward which satisfactorily explains SCP-003-1's connection to these SCP objects or others, nor its connection to modern technology beyond appearance (and potential mimicry via unknown mechanism).