Lab Intern Accidentally Creates New Alien Species by Leaving Specimens Unsupervised

A new extraterrestrial species has been inadvertently created at the Goddard Space Flight Center after an intern placed two specimens in the same refrigerator before a holiday weekend, resulting in what the laboratory director is calling 'the most significant xenobiological discovery ever achieved through negligence.' The intern, identified only as 'Intern J,' was tasked with storing Specimens EC-7 (a Europa microbe) and MR-3 (a Martian extremophile) in separate containment refrigerators. Due to what Intern J's incident report describes as 'a vibes-based organizational system that I realize in retrospect was not optimal,' both specimens were placed in Refrigerator 4. When the laboratory reopened on Tuesday, Refrigerator 4 contained neither EC-7 nor MR-3. Instead, it contained a single organism approximately the size of a grapefruit that appeared to be humming. 'The specimens merged,' said laboratory director Dr. Helen Marcoux. 'Two organisms from different planets, separated by millions of years of evolution on different worlds, were placed in proximity and chose to combine. We don't have a biological framework for this. We have a refrigerator with a grapefruit-sized alien in it.' The new organism, formally designated EC7-MR3-Hybrid and informally designated 'Intern J's Mistake,' exhibits characteristics of both parent organisms: the photosynthetic capability of EC-7 and the radiation resistance of MR-3, combined with new properties including bioluminescence, a faint humming sound at 440 Hz (concert A), and what appears to be a preference for being near humans. 'It follows people,' said Dr. Marcoux. 'Not in a threatening way. It just sort of gravitates toward whoever is closest. When you leave the room, it dims slightly. When you come back, it brightens. I am uncomfortable describing an accidental hybrid alien as lonely, but it appears to be lonely.' Intern J has been both reprimanded for the containment breach and nominated for a research award for creating a new form of life. 'I'm going to put both on my resume,' Intern J said.