It’s covered in the later Frank Herbert books via a trail of various, disparate clues. The worms were created by mankind to produce spice (and are possibly genetically engineered post-humans) and then seeded onto Arrakis with the intent of turning it into a dedicated spice-production planet. Spice and the worms were never natural.
Yes, either man made or possibly alien made. Leto II confirmed that ancient wandering humans brought the worms to Dune.
My theory is that human beings are used as spice spreaders by the semi sentient drug. Find spice, get addicted, then try and make more spice by taking worms (trout) to a new planet. Thus humans are unwittingly part of the reproductive cycle.
That’s in interesting theory and does make sense given Frank Herberts ecological themes. My theory, that the worms are derived from humans genetically, is largely circumstantial, but the books have such strong post-humanism themes that it also fits. The way spice affects and mutates humans specifically (like guild navigators), the need for non-computer solutions following the Butlerian Jihad and the use by mentats, the fact that worms and spice have never been found anywhere else, the way Tleilaxu use and manipulate humans and create “biological technology” and the mystery of their origins, etc. I also think that one of the risks that Paul & Leto II foresaw was not only the destruction of humanity through death, but through genetic corruption that results in any remaining humans completely losing their humanity.
Yes, the Tleilaxu went way too far. It is really strange that Leto II’s Golden Path “steered into” genetic manipulation so hard that it basically created aliens. He anticipated the new species of Tleilaxu facedancer Kwisatz Haderachs, insane space amazons, and cat people, then rather than stopping them he just figured it would all sort itself out.
It’s covered in the later Frank Herbert books via a trail of various, disparate clues. The worms were created by mankind to produce spice (and are possibly genetically engineered post-humans) and then seeded onto Arrakis with the intent of turning it into a dedicated spice-production planet. Spice and the worms were never natural.
Are you sure you’re thinking worms and not tleilaxu axlotl tanks that produce spice later in the timeline?
Yes, the worms. I think Leto II even states it matter-of-fact in God Emperor, but I’d have to find the exact quote.
Yes, either man made or possibly alien made. Leto II confirmed that ancient wandering humans brought the worms to Dune.
My theory is that human beings are used as spice spreaders by the semi sentient drug. Find spice, get addicted, then try and make more spice by taking worms (trout) to a new planet. Thus humans are unwittingly part of the reproductive cycle.
That’s in interesting theory and does make sense given Frank Herberts ecological themes. My theory, that the worms are derived from humans genetically, is largely circumstantial, but the books have such strong post-humanism themes that it also fits. The way spice affects and mutates humans specifically (like guild navigators), the need for non-computer solutions following the Butlerian Jihad and the use by mentats, the fact that worms and spice have never been found anywhere else, the way Tleilaxu use and manipulate humans and create “biological technology” and the mystery of their origins, etc. I also think that one of the risks that Paul & Leto II foresaw was not only the destruction of humanity through death, but through genetic corruption that results in any remaining humans completely losing their humanity.
Yes, the Tleilaxu went way too far. It is really strange that Leto II’s Golden Path “steered into” genetic manipulation so hard that it basically created aliens. He anticipated the new species of Tleilaxu facedancer Kwisatz Haderachs, insane space amazons, and cat people, then rather than stopping them he just figured it would all sort itself out.
I love GE, my favorite book of the series by far, don’t remember that.
Lot of ominous implications, but I never got that they were human in any way.
If they were it should have bled in through the Reverend mother process, unless it was somehow only keyed to males??