A synthetic alien virus, synthesized from an RNA code intercepted from a planet 600 light-years away, has effectively converted the global population into a synchronized collective consciousness in the television series Pluribus. This “hive mind” operates on the principle of “E pluribus unum”—out of many, one—leaving only 13 immune individuals, including the defiant novelist Carol Sturka, to resist absorption. The infected, known as “plurbs,” maintain a seamless shared reality, knowledge base, and value system through what appears to be an unconscious biological radio network.
The Biological Transmitter: How Humans Emit Radio Waves
In the Pluribus universe, the alien pathogen harnesses the human nervous system to function as a sophisticated electromagnetic transceiver. Radio waves are a segment of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum, characterized by the lowest frequencies and longest wavelengths. Unlike visible light or X-rays, these waves are uniquely suited for long-range communication. Physically, a radio wave is generated by accelerating an electric charge. While traditional radio stations use metal antennas to accelerate electrons, the “plurbs” likely utilize their internal neural circuitry. Although human “current” consists of charged ions rather than free electrons, the virus appears to have optimized this biological flow to induce detectable EM oscillations.
Calculating the Range of a Decentralized Mesh Network
The collective consciousness functions as a decentralized mesh network where every individual acts as both a transmitter and a relay. To determine the efficacy of this network, one must analyze the power output. A human body at rest generates approximately 80 watts of metabolic power. If the virus redirects 10 percent of this energy—8 watts—toward radio transmission, the range remains mathematically limited. Assuming the plurbs are “isotropic” transmitters, emitting energy equally in all directions, the signal intensity (I) diminishes according to the inverse square law: I = P / (4πr²).
Given a hypothetical minimum detection threshold of 1 microwatt per square meter, the maximum communication range for a single plurb reaches approximately 798 meters (roughly half a mile). While extreme sensitivity might extend this to 20 miles, the network relies heavily on density. Isolated individuals, such as astronauts in orbit or hikers in remote wilderness, would likely face significant synchronization lag or total disconnection from the hive.
Encoding Thought: AM, FM, and Digital Modulation
The series identifies 8,613 kHz as the specific frequency used for plurb-to-plurb communication. While humans cannot hear this frequency—our auditory range tops out at 20 kHz—the data is likely encoded using advanced modulation techniques. Traditional radio uses Amplitude Modulation (AM), where the height of the carrier wave is modified, or Frequency Modulation (FM), where the timing of the oscillations changes to carry audio signals.
However, a hive mind sharing complex thoughts and emotions would require the efficiency of digital values. By rapidly switching the signal power between “on” and “off” states (1s and 0s), the plurbs could transmit massive amounts of binary data. If the switching rate of these digital pulses falls below 15 kHz, an uninfected human with a standard radio receiver might hear the “sound” of the hive’s thoughts as a rhythmic, buzzing data stream.
Disrupting the Collective: The Faraday Cage Solution
For those seeking to sever the connection to the hive, physics offers a definitive solution: the Faraday cage. This metal enclosure does not merely block EM waves; it cancels them. Because metals contain free electrons, an incoming radio wave exerts force on these electrons, causing them to move and generate their own electromagnetic field. This induced field has an amplitude opposite to the incoming wave, effectively neutralizing it.
Implementing this defense is surprisingly simple. A Faraday cage does not require solid metal walls; a mesh, such as common chicken wire, is sufficient as long as the holes are significantly smaller than the signal’s wavelength. At 8.6 MHz, the wavelength of the plurb transmission is approximately 35 meters. Consequently, even coarse wire fencing could provide an impenetrable shield against the collective’s influence, offering a potential strategic advantage for the survivors in their fight for individuality.
