<P><B>Report on Crystal Structures from Dr. Danforth
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<P>As you know, Beeblequix and I have been studying the large blue crystals that have been discovered in various subterranean locations along the outskirts of Forum City. In addition to their unusual size and symmetry, what initially struck us as interesting was that these crystals actually glow. We tried to see wether the glowing was caused by radiation, or some sort of electrolysis. However, while the crystals do seem to have some connection with dampness or water, it now appears that our initial avenues of investigation were wrong.
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<P>Apparently the crystals aren't inorganic at all but are actually extremely complex biological colonies. The breakthrough happened when I cut open one of the crystals and noted that the inside of the crystal was honeycombed with an intricate network of small tunnels and round chambers. Not only that, but the glowing wasn't evenly dispersed across the crystal but was rather concentrated around these pockets and tunnels. Remarkably, the entire crystal appears to be made up of bioluminescent bacteria, organized in a manner somewhat similar to coral reefs. 
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<P>I now believed that the crystals are a bacterial colony that grows by excreting its waste into the hardened crystalline shell which surrounds the colony. The bacteria then carve out channels in the crystal which act like a primitive vasculatory system, with the bacteria at the base of the colony drawing in a gentle stream of water (and possibly air) into the colony which then flows up and through the crystal structure, and then back out, proving a source of nutrients for the rest of the structure. The value of the colony's bioluminesence is unclear at this time, though it may be useful in coordinating the growth and organization of the various bacteria that live within the colony.
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<P>Clearly this is a fascinating species that requires further investigation. 