Introduction: Welcome to the D-World
Welcome. My name is Alice, and I am a researcher at the Mirror-Image Life Research Institute in the D-World space colony. The world you are about to enter is my home, my laboratory, and my passion. To some, D-World is a luxury resort, a source of unparalleled new tastes and fragrances. To others, it is a monument to humanity’s scientific ambition. To me, and to my colleagues, it is a living ecosystem born from a fundamental question about the nature of life itself.
I’ve prepared this brief guide because the story of D-World is built on a few core scientific principles that are as elegant as they are profound. Understanding them will not only clarify the events that unfold but will also, I hope, allow you to feel the same sense of wonder, urgency, and ethical gravity that we live with every day. Please, think of this as a personal invitation. I want to share with you the science that underpins our lives, so you can fully appreciate the story of a world built in the mirror.
2.0 Keyword 1: Enantiomers – The Beginning of Everything
To truly understand D-World, we must begin with the simple, yet profound, concept of enantiomers. This principle of molecular “handedness” is the scientific bedrock upon which our entire reality—and its central conflicts—is built. It is the invisible law that separates our world from its mirror image.
2.1 The “Mirror” Law that Divides Life
Imagine your right and left hands. They are perfect mirror images of each other, yet they are not identical; you can never superimpose one perfectly onto the other. Many of the organic molecules that form the basis of life on Earth—like amino acids, the building blocks of proteins—exhibit this same property. We call these molecular mirror images enantiomers.
Life on Earth, for reasons we still don’t fully understand, evolved to exclusively use “left-handed” (L-form) amino acids. We call this form of life L-life. But what if a world existed that was built from the “right-handed” (D-form) versions? This is not just a theoretical exercise; it has tangible consequences. For example, L-glutamic acid is the source of the savory “umami” flavor, but its mirror image, D-glutamic acid, is tasteless.
This single, fundamental difference at the molecular level dictates everything from taste to biology. It begs a fascinating question: if two worlds, one L and one D, were to meet, could they truly interact?
Keyword 2: Mirror-Image Life – A New Ecosystem
Mirror-Image Life is a world-altering application of chirality biosciences. This technology is what makes D-World possible, a tangible reality that has unlocked both incredible opportunities and profound dangers. It is here that we move from a chemical curiosity to a new branch on the tree of life.
An Ecosystem that Redefines the Senses
Mirror-Image Life, or D-life, is life artificially created from D-form amino acids and other “right-handed” molecules. Here in D-World, we have built an entire, self-sustaining ecosystem based on this principle. The results are nothing short of miraculous.
Our friend Haruto, a writer from Earth, tried a simple Caprese salad made from our D-life mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, and described it as discovering “a new vector of taste and aroma.” We are exploring entirely new sensory territories.
However, creating a separate biology comes with immense risks. The immune systems of L-life forms, including our own, are unable to recognize pathogens made from D-form molecules. An infection from D-bacteria could be devastating. This is why our primary research and agricultural zone, the D3 Zone, is completely isolated from the L-life areas of our colony. This careful separation is essential for preventing a dangerous biological “contamination” between the two worlds.
Our work is part of a real-world scientific field known as synthetic biology. But by taking it to this scale, we have created more than just an experiment. We have created a new world. This naturally leads to the most challenging question of all: if we can apply this technology to plants and animals, what about humans?
It might be a door to hope, and simultaneously, Pandora’s Box that must never be opened.
Keyword 3: Artificial Humans – The Boundary of Life and Ethics
Now, finally, we turn to the ethically challenging topic of “artificial humans.” This is not merely a technical challenge; it is a crucial concept that forces us to confront the fundamental question: “What is a human being?”
A Forbidden Vessel for the Soul?
As of 2025, the artificial creation of human beings is prohibited on ethical grounds. However, please allow yourself to imagine just for a moment.
If human DNA could be freely edited, what should we do? Using gene-editing technology called CRISPR, we might be able to freely design characteristics and appearances, much like creating children known as “designer babies.” Naming a child may be a parental responsibility, as well as a right. But what if one could freely decide their appearance and characteristics, much like a novelist setting up a character in a story? Even if we resist going that far, what if we could correct all potential genetic problems a child might have before birth? If genes were edited too freely, the question of who the parents are might also arise. Or, in a world where science has advanced enough to create artificial life, would such things simply become ordinary?
Conclusion: To Deeply Savor the Story
Enantiomers, Mirror-Image Life, and the ethics of the Artificial Human. These are the three keys to unlocking the deeper layers of the world you are about to explore. As you read, you will see how these concepts shape not just our science and our food, but our politics, our fears, and our hopes.
As a researcher who has dedicated my life to this work, I ask you to look beyond the spectacle and see the human story underneath. It is a story of discovery, of compassion, and of the surprising ways in which life, in all its forms, finds a way to grow stronger. I invite you now to step through the looking glass and experience the story for yourself.
Or if you are an editor of a publisher, please drop me a line.