SCP-473

Item #: SCP-473

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-473 is contained in a specially built habitat at the Harp Seal Research Facility in Kamchatka, Russia. The habitat forces SCP-473 to surface from the water at 5 m/s. It is suspended from the ceiling of a large underground cavern by a series of cables and pulleys.

The facility has been fitted with electric lights and heating, both of which are powered by gas-fired generators. The temperature of the water is controlled by two large solar panel arrays covering the roof of the facility. The capacity of these panels is sufficient to provide power for all but two days of the year. Waterflow into the habitat is controlled by two main pumps; one runs 24 hours a day and the other runs around-the-clock during summers and when it rains heavily.

SCP-473's room is constructed from steel piping so as to maintain its rate of operation while preventing bending failures or corrosion from atmospheric moisture leaks. The piping is held together using high strength bolts, complete with washers and gaskets where necessary. After maintenance, SCP-473 can be tested for several hours before power is lost due to evaporation. The room has no windows, except for an opening in the ceiling large enough for humans to pass through to access the elevator shaft leading down to the habitat itself.

Any equipment used in SCP-473's containment must be made out of non-magnetic materials, including steel, aluminum, titanium and (for magnetic parts) iridium alloy or platinum—these are susceptible to electromagnetism. All electrical components must have a coating of iridium to prevent magnetic pick-up by SCP-473's emissions.

Description: SCP-473 is a male harp seal, an endangered species of marine mammal sometimes referred to as "sea canaries." SCP-473 weighs around 100 kg and measures 120 cm in length, excluding the tail. Its skin varies in color from light gray to dark gray with white markings on its face, back and underside.

SCP-473 regularly emits high frequency radio waves (50–300 MHz), which are classified as "Harps" due to their identical frequency and matching behavior to human hearing of the same range. The tone produced by SCP-473's vocalizations is extremely loud and will cause permanent hearing loss if one is exposed to it for prolonged periods. The sound also appears to have a psychological effect on humans who are exposed to it; researchers have reported feelings of intense nausea, dizziness and a change in breathing pattern.

The radio emission from SCP-473 has a range of 100 m, after which it degrades in intensity over time until it stops altogether unless it is inside water. When underwater, the signal persists for hours before turning off. The exact mechanism by which this occurs is unclear; at present all attempts to have SCP-473 emit underwater have been unsuccessful, including exposure in sealed canisters alive and dead.1

SCP-473 constantly quivers, generating a broadband electric field up to 200 V/m with a strength of 0.5–1kV/m; this discharge seems to be localized around the head and base of the tail, as well as between the eyes (which are located on the forehead). This discharge causes damage in electrical equipment when operated within three meters of SCP-473, but standing further away does not affect them.

SCP-473 is capable of performing complex dance routines which involve its tail moving through the water at speeds of up to 8 m/s while emitting large amounts of radio waves, which are picked up by other seals they encounter while performing these dances—the exact mechanisms involved remain unknown at present, but appear related to motion sensing sensors and possibly neural networks similar to those found in humans.

Addendum: SCP-473 was discovered on June 14, 1814, after a Russian whaling ship, the "Ilya Muromets", encountered a large pod of harp seals (approximately 16,000) in the Bering Sea. The men on the ship caught it in nets and killed it for meat, but due to its size they were unable to bring it back to their base at Petropavlovsk and left it to drift until June 19.

On this day it was spotted by a member of the crew, who reported seeing a large creature swimming near his boat. He described it as looking like a "grey dog" with a "long thick body". The creature is said to have followed the boat for two days before returning to the sea.

Found on June 21, 1814, the carcass was taken down to the shore and laid out to dry. It was kept for several days before being given to Nikolai Rezanov, a local hunter, who dissected it and took measurements. Rezanov reported that the animal appeared to be male and perfectly healthy before being attacked and devoured by a group of killer whales (orcas), which is believed to be the cause of its death.

The carcass was received, stored and later studied by Russian scientists until 1917; at no time did they ever report any unusual behavior or effects attributed to SCP-473\'s radio emissions.