Filberfly

Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: All handling of SCP-XXXX must be performed in facilities of BSL-4. All researchers permitted to study SCP-XXXX must be either totally blind, or unable to see without external aid.

Description: SCP-XXXX is documented to be a unicellular rod-shaped organism of between 2 and 5 micrometers; this brief description is the only definitive information on the natural state of SCP-XXXX.

All researchers report that observation of SCP-XXXX with bright field microscopy show the cells begin to shudder rapidly (more movement than can be considered as brownian motion) as soon as observation begins; shuddering ceases in 15-30 seconds after beginning.
In all cases, researchers note that visual appearance of SCP-XXXX changes when first observed.

Analysis of, what was thought to be, SCP-XXXX, post-observation, reveals the cells to be of seemingly random cell type, and genetically identical to the researcher who performed the observation. Physical examinations of all researchers exposed to SCP-XXXX revealed the presence of tumor-like growths of SCP-XXXX in seemingly random locations throughout the body; further investigation deduced that the location of the growths corresponds with the type of tissue found in place of SCP-XXXX after observation. The first bout of physical examinations resulted in the death of 11 researchers, including the eminent Dr. [REDACTED], which were all caused by the sudden onset of septicaemia in all subjects. Further investigation found that all cases of septicaemia were caused by the presence of cellular bundles found where the SCP-XXXX clusters had been; it was soon deduced that SCP-XXXX had been transferred from the researchers to the medical staff by means of observation.

Studies by [REDACTED] et al. have confirmed that the size of the growths is proportional to the number of SCP-XXXX cells observed initially, though this is heavily affected by specific conditions. I.e.the anomalous effect is seemingly only active when a researcher is aware of observing the SCP; examining SCP-XXXX in broth (appearing as a turbid solution) does not activate the anomalous effect, but examining SCP-XXXX colonies on agar (white/yellow roughly-spherical blotches) has engaged the effect. All trialled methods of microscopy have engaged the effect, including scanning electron microscopy (despite the presence of a vacuum, and the fact that the pre-treatment for the samples should have resulted in total cell death).

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