 Item number SCP-408 Object Class Safe Special Containment Procedures The screen mesh aviary must be kept properly maintained by level 2 personnel, with backgrounds in biology or lepidoptery. Proper humidity must be maintained and recorded once per day, and backed up to site 17. 200 feeters filled with an aqueous sugar solution are to be maintained and refilled once per week. Description SCP-408 is a large mass of lepidoptera, taking the appearance of zebra butterflies when not camouflaged. SCP-408 acts as a single entity at all times, speculated to be a form of hive mind communication amongst the mass. When inactive, SCP-408 will take on the color, pattern, and even texture of its immediate surroundings, making them functionally invisible. When threatened, SCP-408 has been observed to take on the form and appearance of a number of threatening creatures as a defense method, including a pride of lions, a tyrannosaurus rex, and most notably, SCP-682. SCP-408 possesses the ability to communicate and reason, utilizing its ability to manipulate its color into words and sentences to reply to researchers. IQ tests administered to SCP-408 have evaluated its IQ to be 109, or slightly above average. However, when a part of the swarm is isolated, lower scores have been reported, resulting in a theory that SCP-408 shares its cognitive capacity amongst the entirety of the swarm. As of date expunged, SCP-408 prefers to be identified by its SCP number. SCP-408 was discovered and expunged, Brazil, after reports that locals and logging teams found their maps to be frequently inaccurate regarding the size of the rainforest. After reports of animal sightings not local to either the Brazilian rainforest and some not found on Earth at all, Foundation agents began an investigation resulting in the discovery of SCP-408. After learning it was intelligent, Dr. Poole, who accompanied the agents in the field, communicated with SCP-408 and convinced it to accompany him to Site-17, where their current habitat exists. Addendum 408A. Regarding SCP-408's knowledge of SCP-682, an investigation is underway regarding this leak of information. Incident 408A. Due to a failure by appropriate personnel to properly refill 408's feeders, the swarm took it upon itself to find sustenance by its own means. Taking the appearance of several level 1 personnel, SCP-408 convinced a passerby to open the door to the aviary, upon which they made an escape into the Site-17 facility. For the whole of the day, Site-17 personnel reported an alarming series of irregular events, ranging from color-changing walls to several dozen versions of SCP-529 walking down a hallway. Site-17 was placed on lockdown, and Delta-level alert when it appeared that 90% of the containment units had been breached. Dr. Kondraki, head of research for 408, had been out on assignment that day, and it wasn't until his return that the illusion had been revealed, and in short order, SCP-408 was returned to its aviary. Little damage was done, except to the faculty break room, which was left without proper sweeteners for the next week. Note. It may be just sugar water, but without it, 408 is prone to mischief, as we clearly saw yesterday. It's fortunate that it doesn't act maliciously, but think about others next time you slack off custodial duties. Think about yourself as well, as I will not tolerate having to use sweeten low in my morning coffee for very long. Dr. Kondraki. Addendum 408b Recent field testing has shown that SCP-408 can act as an effective form of active invisibility when ordered to. SCP-408 was able to conceal 5 level 2 personnel, and keep them undetected throughout the facility. Tests show the concealment to operate at 99.997% efficiency, and can be maintained for up to 5 hours without need for rest or recuperation. The option of lending SCP-408 to task forces for covert operations is pending approval. Addendum 408c During Incident 239b-CLEF Kondraki, which SCP-408 was heavily involved in, a number of corpses left by Dr. KLEF vanished in the aftermath of the event. Surveillance showed that at certain times, the entire swarm of SCP-408 would descend on the body, only to leave no trace of the corpse behind. Subsequent testing shows a proportional increase in IQ, although a lack of cooperation when questioned has shed no light on this development. Interview Log 408c Interviewer Dr. Sagai Interviewee SCP-408 Dr. Sagai is seated within the aviary, while SCP-408 hovers around a large feeding trough, filled with sugar water. Dr. Sagai, I'll start off with asking how you're recovering. You seem to have lost quite a bit of your mass after the SCP-531D termination. SCP-408 responds by uniformly creating words one after the other. SCP-408 Kondraki Where? Dr. Sagai, I'm his substitute for the interview, as he happens to be busy adjusting to his new promotion. Lots of paperwork, I'm told. A moment goes by. SCP-408 I… fine. Recover. Good. Food. Good. Dr. Sagai, how exactly do you replenish your numbers? SCP-408 comp… another pause. SCP-408. Decaded. Don't… know. Word. Dr. Sagai. Was Dr. Kondraki the one who taught you to speak? SCP-408. Yes. Teach a… lot. Dr. Sagai. He taught you, but how do you communicate with him? SCP-408. Don't… know. Word. Lost. In… space. Dr. Sagai. You lost the part that knew? SCP-408. Yes. I… forget. Until… return. Dr. Sagai. Next question then. What happened with SCP-091-ARC and you during the incident a few months ago? SCP-408. Pretty. Smell. Familiar. Long. Time. Dr. Sagai. You mean you'd smelled it before? SCP-408. Yes. Before. Long. Before. People. Dr. Sagai. Are you saying you predate human existence? No response from SCP-408. Dr. Sagai. Never mind. Doesn't matter. Last question. Dr. Sagai closes the interview questionnaire and sets it onto the ground. Dr. Sagai. What is the nature of your relationship with Dr. Kondraki? SCP-408. He… think. Right. Dr. Sagai. That's not what I meant. Log show that you're with him. Out of containment. Almost all of the time now. Dr. Kondraki has been breaching protocol by letting you out of containment. SCP-408. I… don't. Know. What? Dr. Sagai. You're going to admit this to me so I can bring it before oversight. Do you know what I was doing before that schmuck snatched me up as an assistant? I was head of research for the entire subhuman safe SCP sector. Now I'm interviewing a damn insect. I will have him thrown out. Oversight won't let him get away with this. SCP-408 proceeds to approximate a laugh, as described in the log as a caricatured face displayed by SCP-408. Dr. Sagai. Are you laughing at me? I'm about to have your little friend terminated, and you're having a chuckle. SCP-408 shifts to display a new image, which was presumed to be a live feed of Dr. Kondraki in his new office. Dr. Sagai. No. That's not possible. I read the damn logs. You can't do that. You can't do that. Dr. Sagai attempts to damage SCP-408. Guards later found Dr. Sagai huddled in a fetal position, displaying symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress syndrome. Item number SCP-478. Object Class. Euclid. Special Containment Procedures. Instances of SCP-478 are to be surgically recovered whole from victims before death. After recovery, they are to be kept in specialized vacuum-sealed lockers within BioSight 66. Instances of SCP-478 do not seem to be able to pass through solid matter, and thus may be held indefinitely unless damaged. Mildly affected victims may be treated in a normal civilian medical establishment by Foundation surgeons under the guise of orthodontic surgery. General sedation is to be administered as per normal surgery. Severely affected victims of SCP-478 are to be recovered by the nearest Foundation establishment and subsequently moved to BioSight 16 for study. Because of SCP-478's unique structure, infected individuals are not to be terminated prematurely. Victims deemed capable of full recovery may be treated for infection and released as above. Survivors are to be administered a class B amnesiac and false memories are to be planted. Victims deemed unsalvageable may be terminated. Description. SCP-478 are small entities of inconsistent size and shape that resemble a darkly colored butterfly or moth in flight. Wild instances have been encountered a number of times, but their elusive nature makes capture difficult. Extracted instances of SCP-478 do not seem to need to eat, sleep, breathe, or breed. After some testing with captured instances, it is understood that SCP-478 are somewhat predatory and normally prey exclusively on humans under the age of 25. Furthermore, SCP-478 most often seeks out individuals who have not yet shed all their deciduous teeth. SCP-478 will enter a victim's mouth while they sleep and attach onto the soft palate in the upper nasal cavity, usually blocking one nostril. The body's mucus production will increase, leading the victim, upon waking, to believe that they have developed a minor cold. From there, the victim's palate will begin to generate teeth in addition to the gingivas, gums, normal replacement of teeth. This growth process will begin at a rate several times faster than normal tooth growth and quickly increases in speed and severity. The palate's generation of new teeth will continue until the entire palate has been covered, proceeding down the victim's throat and esophagus. Over the course of two to four days, these teeth will completely saturate the stomach lining, then begin growing within the lungs and the subcutaneous layer of skin. Skeletal calcium will be leached away to provide material for the new teeth in an increasingly painful process. This growth will continue until the entire digestive tract has been saturated by dental tissue, after which SCP-478 will exit the victim's mouth and flee. Teeth within the stomach are exposed to the body's normal acid production, while teeth within the skin will group closely together, forming rigid masses of dental material underneath the surface. All teeth are normal beyond placement, containing a root, nerve, and enamel. It is unknown exactly how or why SCP-478 causes this explosive new growth of dental tissue. Addendum Historical Note Documentation recovered from Foundation raids on the dental laboratory of Dr. Rasmund Yelkov, implicate SCP-478 as a primary source of the phenomenon observed in SCP-1994. Investigation into Dr. Yelkov's ability to communicate and capture instances of SCP-478 is ongoing. Item Number SCP-532 Object Class Ketter Special Containment Procedures Standard biohazard containment procedures are to be followed for all research samples of SCP-532. Samples are to be kept at a constant temperature of minus 8 degrees celsius. Any personnel encountering instances of SCP-532 outside of Foundation custody are to evacuate all outdoor areas immediately and contact Dr. Rasmund Yelkov. Description SCP-532 is a pathogenic bacteria, most similar in composition to pseudomonas or isohabitans. SCP-532 shows an increased tolerance for low temperatures, showing peak reproductive rates at negative 25 degrees celsius. The full tolerance range of SCP-532 is approximately negative 52 degrees celsius to negative 5 degrees celsius. Furthermore, SCP-532 shows several mechanisms in order to cope with high temperatures. Several small flagella line the cell membrane, allowing SCP-532 to be carried by air currents into the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere. Due to a lack of energy source, SCP-532 will enter into a state of hibernation for an indefinite amount of time while in the atmosphere. SCP-532 will leave its hibernating state once it detects warm air currents coming from the troposphere. SCP-532 will then retract several of its flagella and descend into the troposphere. The heat provided by the troposphere generally causes several instances of SCP-532 to turn into a clump, similar in view to a snowflake. If the heat provided by the troposphere is above 0 degrees celsius, SCP-532 will typically die before reaching the Earth's surface. Instances of SCP-532 reaching any inorganic material or non-exothermic organism will spread their flagella and be carried by air currents back into the upper stratosphere. SCP-532 is coated in a chemical that reacts with the lipids of an exothermic organism's cell membranes to create an endothermic reaction. This simultaneously kills nearby tissue and provides a suitable temperature for SCP-532 to reproduce. Victims of SCP-532 describe this in a similar manner to the cold felt when a snowflake makes contact with human skin. SCP-532 shows a tendency to break down and ingest the dermis and will not enter the body until the surrounding dermis has been covered. SCP-532 will then enter the bloodstream, causing major damage to the circulatory system due to the freezing and subsequent crystallization of water molecules. Typically, the victim will die of blood loss. Following the death of a host victim, SCP-532 will migrate back into the upper stratosphere. SCP-532 shows a 98% mortality rate, if left untreated, 100% if SCP-532 is caught on the tongue. Treatment of victims of SCP-532 may be conducted through exposure to water heated to 20 degrees Celsius or more. However, this results in massive tissue damage to affected areas. Extreme cases of SCP-532 infection may require amputation of affected limbs. Item Number SCP-553 Object Class Safe Special Containment Procedures The primary colony of SCP-553 is to be kept in the cave system they were discovered in, located in China. Coordination with the Chinese Ministry of State Security has resulted in the surrounding area being declared a munitions testing range and off limits to non-military personnel. Foundation agents have further encouraged local folklore, which indicates that the cave system is inhabited by demons in order to discourage casual exploration. A Chinese Foundation security force is stationed on site and will monitor the status of the colony. 125 instances of SCP-553 have been transported to Site 37 for observation and experimentation. They are kept in an 8 meter by 17 meter by 5 meter steel walled room, whose interior replicates conditions in their originating cave system. Native cave flora and fauna are to be maintained in sufficient quantities to provide the appropriate nutritional needs of SCP-553. Multiple IR and night vision cameras have been installed in order to provide full coverage of the interior, as well as numerous passive acoustic sensors. Any personnel entering the chamber must only use the designated path and be wearing full body protection, as laid out in Document 553-0942 Alpha. Effective 0601 2000, a decontamination airlock has been installed, and all rooms and hallways adjoining SCP-553's chamber are to be equipped with high strength UV lamps, as well as a humidity level of 50% or less. Industrial dehumidifiers are to be on hand in the case of containment breach. Description SCP-553 is a colony of approximately 140,000 winged organisms, superficially resembling butterflies. They possess a silicone-based biochemistry, and are composed primarily of calcium and silicate compounds. The body of a member of the species is mostly calcite, with some of the internal organs composed of a material similar to quartz, with piezoelectric properties. This silicate impurity adds rigidity to the creature, giving it a rating from 3.5 to 4.5 on the Moe's hardness scale. Although they continue to grow throughout their observed lifespan, the growth rate slows considerably once they have entered their adult stage. The average observed wingspan of an adult is 2.3 centimeters. The life cycle is notable in that it appears more closely related to crystal growth than standard biological growth. The creature starts out as a crystal seed, rather than an egg. Adult instances deposit them on stalactites, and they hatch approximately 12 days later. The larval stage appears as anthodites, and leech minerals from the stalactite using a weak acid. They move extremely slowly, approximately 5 centimeters per day, and leave distinctive tracks behind them as they progress. These tracks can be used to discriminate between genuine anthodites and SCP-553. The larval stage lasts approximately 70 days, at which point it becomes stationary and begins to grow its wings. During the transition from the larval to the adult stage, the wings of an instance of SCP-553 grow rapidly, becoming fully formed in less than 9 hours, at which point the adult will detach from the stalactite. Through an unknown process, SCP-553 maintains a relatively stable population, with eggs only being laid when an adult dies. The population transplanted to containment has stabilized at 137, give or take 2. Members of SCP-553 primarily rely on a form of echolocation to sense their surroundings. They do this by creating a variety of ultra-high-pitched tones, via scraping and striking their legs together, and appear to use their wings as a mobile array to detect reflected sound. Additionally, they appear to have a variety of chemo sensors in their foot pads, allowing them to determine the mineral composition of the surfaces they land on. Adult instances of SCP-553 primarily feed by scraping fungus and lichen from the cavern floor, and, to a lesser extent, leaching minerals from stalagmites, using a similar acid as used by the larval stage. Note, adults have never been observed to feed from stalactites. It is hypothesized that this is an adaptation to preserve foodstock for the larval stage. When any adult instance of SCP-553 suffers significant damage, it produces a unique sonar signature, which alerts all other nearby adults to the presence of danger. Adults will swarm the perceived source of danger, and proceed to attack it by attempting to slice it with their wings. The wings of SCP-553 members have an average thickness of 5 millimeters, where they attach to the body, and taper rapidly to an average thickness of 0.05 millimeters with sharp, beveled edges. In testing, individual lacerations as deep as 1 centimeter have been measured. However, deeper lacerations usually result in some portion of the wing structure breaking off in the inflicted wound. These fragments typically continue to fracture in the wound due to mechanical stresses. The circulatory fluid of SCP-553 reacts with most carbon-based tissues in a necrotizing fashion, resulting in significant post-traumatic infections. Incident 553-4 Gamma On 05-21-2011 instances of SCP-553 escaped their containment chamber due to an improperly sealed access door. They reacted to recapture attempts as an attack, and retaliated. SCP-553 displayed a high degree of pattern recognition and target analysis, and quickly focused their attacks on the exposed fleshy parts of the containment personnel, particularly the throat and face. The nine immediate fatalities received, on average, 10 wounds greater than 1 centimeter. It is currently hypothesized that these were caused by multiple slashes on the same wound site. The secondary necrotic infections caused by SCP-553 wounds resulted in a further eight deaths. Twelve instances were successfully recaptured and returned to containment, and the remaining dead instances were retained for autopsy, structural analysis, and chemical analysis of their circulatory fluid. Item Number SCP-556 Object Class Euclid Special Containment Procedures SCP-556 is stored in a secure hangar at site. No materials containing any ink, dye, or paint may enter the red zone established in a 50 meter radius around SCP-556. In the case of a runoff incident from accidental introduction of raw material into SCP-556, the containment area must be locked down for a minimum of 48 hours pending reevaluation of SCP-556 via remote exploration. Personnel working within the red zone of SCP-556 must be paired at all times, and any missing personnel are to be reported immediately. Description SCP-556 is the recovered wreckage of Varig cargo flight PPVLU, a Boeing 707-32-3C that crashed approximately 320 kilometers east northeast of Tokyo, Japan, on January 30th, 1979. At the time, the aircraft was carrying 153 paintings when a Foundation listening post picked up an anomalous Mayday signal from the flight. Officially, the aircraft disappeared without a trace, and no wreckage was ever discovered. Foundation assets were able to recover SCP-556 mostly intact, at a depth of 0.5 meters, on 0.979, and transported the wreckage to site where it remains today. The exterior of SCP-556 has sustained extensive damage, consistent with a high-speed impact into water, followed by exposure at crush depth. Despite this, the interior of SCP-556 is mostly intact, and was in fact discovered dry at time of recovery, and 86% covered by a layer of paint. Spectroscopic and chemical analysis has shown this layer to be a mixture of the paint on the paintings, carried by PPVLU on its last flight, with traces of human DNA. The paint forms a continuous, static scene, depicting a large industrial complex in which several human figures are being data-expunged. At time of discovery, no physical remains of the cargo or the six crew members could be found. An initial survey showed that the painted scene contained 68 uniquely identifiable individuals, of which several have shown incredible similarities to descriptions and photographs of the missing crew. Addendum 556-1, translated excerpt from the damaged cockpit voice recorder, CVR, recovered from SCP-556. R, unintelligible, coming up from the cargo hold, unintelligible. M, unintelligible, got unintelligible, closed the unintelligible. R, unintelligible, unintelligible, screaming. R, unintelligible, mayday, this is unintelligible, going down near unintelligible, mayday, mayday, mayday, unintelligible, screaming, cut off. End of transcript, loss of onboard power. Addendum 556-2, on 1980, an attempt to transfer the paint from the interior of SCP-556 to another medium was made. SCP-556 subsequently data expunged, within a 200 meter radius. Subsequent analysis now shows 217 unique individuals within the scene, and coverage of the cabin walls has increased to 91%. Further attempts to remove the paint have been suspended, pending further investigation into the incident. Addendum 556-3, on 1990, a Class D maintenance worker with extensive tattoos over 46% of his body, accidentally walked within the red zone of SCP-556, and was immediately data expunged. Current figure count within SCP-556 now stands at 218, with paint over 92% of the cabin walls. Class D personnel must now be screened for body tattoos before being allowed within SCP-556's containment area. Item number, SCP-569. Object Class, Euclid. Special containment procedures. SCP-569 are currently held at Bio-Research Site 66. Contained instances of SCP-569 are to be sealed within 1 meter cubed steel crates, and immersed in ice water baths, when not under research. If containment is breached, aggressive instances are to be neutralized through application of aerosolized liquid nitrogen. Passive instances are to be herded back into a containment crate, and returned to containment. Personnel injured by SCP-569 may be treated via amputation of affected surfaces. Severely affected personnel are to be terminated. Matter produced by agitated instances of SCP-569 is to be ground into powder, and utilized in site construction. Description. SCP-569 appear to be a collection of 46 animate, disembodied, floating human heads. All instances are identical, resembling a bald man in his late 40s. Analysis reveals that SCP-569 are sculpted from silicauga marble. No further anomalous materials are present. SCP-569 will usually congregate into a loose swarm and float aimlessly at a mean height of 10 meters. Individuals will randomly shift between several identical expressions, ranging from apparent joy to considerable distress. No pattern probable cause for these shifts may be found. They are hypothesized to be simply random. In addition, instances of SCP-569 appear to react to temperature variances. Temperatures below 4 degrees centigrade render them inert. If an instance of SCP-569 is assaulted by a human, a sudden movement is perceived in its direct field of vision, or a sufficiently sudden loud noise occurs in the immediate vicinity, the affected instances will transform into an aggravated state and attempt to destroy the source of aggression or noise. This transformation involves said instance seemingly dissolving into the shape of a human skull, then launching a colorful material spray in the general direction of its target. This material will rapidly harden into colored marble, coating the target in a heavy sharp shell. This marble produced from SCP-569 is chemically similar to the normal silicauga marble that SCP-569 consists of, but contains simple pigmentation to lend to its various hues. In addition, the colored portions are fused, solid sheets of marble, no seams, cracks, or similar structural flaws are present after setting. SCP-569 will continue launching this material at its target until the target has been completely covered. Material will fuse at the molecular level to the target's surface. At this point, the instance will revert to its calm state and resume aimlessly floating. Addendum, Cross-Testing. Due to recent developments, proposals regarding cross-experimentation with SCP-2860 have been suspended.