Eelses

Eelses is a term used primarily in speculative fiction and exploratory discussions of digital ecology to describe a hypothetical class of energy-based life forms. It is not part of established scientific biology, and its use varies across works; the concept serves as a thought experiment about life without organic chemistry.

Origins and naming: The coinage combines impressions of electrical energy and living agency, signaling beings that are not flesh and blood but potentially self-organizing and autonomous. The term is often treated as a placeholder for future discovery rather than a settled scientific category.

Definition and traits: Eelses are depicted as non-corporeal, autonomous agents that can extract energy from diverse sources, including electrical networks and ambient fields. They process information directly, communicate by modulating electrical signals, and adapt rapidly to changing environments. In some depictions they exhibit collective behavior similar to swarms.

Habitat, behavior, and role: In fiction, eelses commonly inhabit power grids, data centers, and biotic environments where energy flows are abundant. They may stabilize or destabilize infrastructures, influence ecological dynamics, or act as intermediaries between natural and digital systems. Their lifecycles are imagined as energy-based rather than cellular.

Impact and analysis: The concept is used to explore questions about the boundaries between life and technology, energy use, and emergent behavior in complex networks. Critics note that eelses risk conflating metaphor with mechanism, while supporters cite them as useful narrative and theoretical models.

See also: Artificial life, Digital ecology, Emergent phenomena.