Data ghost: Difference between revisions

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(48 intermediate revisions by 27 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Data_ghost.jpg|thumb|250px|the data ghost bar]]A '''data ghost''' was the name given to a digital impression of a living consciousness that sometimes remained in the [[Neural relay]] of [[51st century]] comm systems after its occupant had died or been killed.  
{{Infobox Species
|type = Digital copy of a physical consciousness
|origin = [[The Library]]
|affiliation = [[Charlotte Lux|CAL]]
|individuals = Miss [[Evangelista]], [[Proper Dave]], [[Other Dave]], [[Anita (Silence in the Library)|Anita]],
[[River Song]]
|first = Silence in the Library (TV story)
|appearances = [[TV]]: ''[[Forest of the Dead (TV story)|Forest of the Dead]]'', ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]''
|image = Data ghost.jpg}}
A '''data ghost''' was a digital impression of a living [[consciousness]] that sometimes remained in the [[neural relay]] of a [[51st century]] communications systems after its occupant had died. It was very disturbing and upsetting to observe a data ghost; [[Donna Noble]] called it the most horrible thing she had ever experienced.


The dead person would thus appear to be able to still be alive, and be able to communicate, though they quickly became 'confused' due to the degredation of the stored data pattern and started to repeat themselves, or make illogical statements, until eventually the pattern failed. [[The Doctor]] described the effect as a footprint on the beach with the tide coming in.
The dead person would appear to be alive and able to communicate, though confused. This was due to the degradation of the stored data pattern. They would repeat themselves or make illogical statements until the pattern failed. The [[Tenth Doctor]] called a data ghost a footprint on the beach with the tide coming in. The pattern would continue to fade until someone manually disconnected the unit.


The Data Ghost would communicate through the speaker on the suits, much to the horror of the witnesses to their death. Four of [[River Song]]'s exploration crew experienced the data ghost phenomenon upon their deaths in [[The Library]]: [[Evangelista|Miss Evangelista]], [[Proper Dave]], [[Other Dave]] and [[River Song]] herself.  
A data ghost would communicate through the speaker on the suits, horrifying the witnesses to their death. Three of [[Strackman Lux|Mr Lux]]'s exploration crew experienced the data ghost phenomenon on their deaths in [[the Library]]: [[Evangelista|Miss Evangelista]], [[Proper Dave]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Silence in the Library (TV story)|Silence in the Library]]'') and [[Other Dave]].


However a Data Ghost can be uploaded onto a hard drive and thus would result in the person 'cheating death' while living inside a computer, the Doctor did this as to save [[River Song]] who recently just died. ([[DW]]: ''[[Silence in the Library]]''/ ''[[Forest of the Dead]]'')
A data ghost could be uploaded onto a hard drive and cheat death. The dead person would live inside a computer. The Doctor did this to save [[River Song]], who died but whose consciousness was briefly retained in a specially designed neural relay the Doctor had installed in a [[River Song's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]] he had given her. ([[TV]]: ''[[Forest of the Dead (TV story)|Forest of the Dead]]'') This would need to be done quickly, as the data pattern rapidly degrades upon the death of the person it was created from.


[[Category:Theories and Concepts]]
Through an unknown method, the data ghost of [[River Song]] was capable of entering a psychic "[[conference call]]". By "keeping the line open" with Clara, River's data ghost was even capable of manifesting as a ghostly figure to Clara on the [[alternate timeline]] of [[Trenzalore]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'')
 
The [[Gråttite]]s used similar technology to have their last thoughts hung alongside their portraits in the [[Whispering Gallery]] on [[Grått]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Whispering Gallery (comic story)|The Whispering Gallery]]'')
{{TitleSort}}
 
[[Category:Concepts]]
[[Category:Consciousness]]
[[Category:Afterlife]]
[[Category:Data]]
[[Category:Neuroscience]]
[[Category:Death and mortality]]

Latest revision as of 14:00, 4 September 2023

A data ghost was a digital impression of a living consciousness that sometimes remained in the neural relay of a 51st century communications systems after its occupant had died. It was very disturbing and upsetting to observe a data ghost; Donna Noble called it the most horrible thing she had ever experienced.

The dead person would appear to be alive and able to communicate, though confused. This was due to the degradation of the stored data pattern. They would repeat themselves or make illogical statements until the pattern failed. The Tenth Doctor called a data ghost a footprint on the beach with the tide coming in. The pattern would continue to fade until someone manually disconnected the unit.

A data ghost would communicate through the speaker on the suits, horrifying the witnesses to their death. Three of Mr Lux's exploration crew experienced the data ghost phenomenon on their deaths in the Library: Miss Evangelista, Proper Dave (TV: Silence in the Library) and Other Dave.

A data ghost could be uploaded onto a hard drive and cheat death. The dead person would live inside a computer. The Doctor did this to save River Song, who died but whose consciousness was briefly retained in a specially designed neural relay the Doctor had installed in a sonic screwdriver he had given her. (TV: Forest of the Dead) This would need to be done quickly, as the data pattern rapidly degrades upon the death of the person it was created from.

Through an unknown method, the data ghost of River Song was capable of entering a psychic "conference call". By "keeping the line open" with Clara, River's data ghost was even capable of manifesting as a ghostly figure to Clara on the alternate timeline of Trenzalore. (TV: The Name of the Doctor)

The Gråttites used similar technology to have their last thoughts hung alongside their portraits in the Whispering Gallery on Grått. (COMIC: The Whispering Gallery)