[YeGoblynQueenne]

>> Scientists are thinking of shielding astronauts and space objects with a layer of this radiation-absorbing protective fungus.

This reminds me of Adam Stone's discovery in Cordwainer Smith's Scanners Live in Vain [1]:

SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT

Adam Stone has basically discovered that the radiation that causes the Great Pain of Space not only affects life, it is absorbed by it. So, surrounding yourself with other living creatures will prevent you from feeling the pain yourself. He eventually settles on building a shield out of live oysters, since they lack any central nervous system to experience pain with.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/ScannersLi...

END SPOILER ALERT

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanners_Live_in_Vain

[Method5440]

Interesting - how haven’t I heard about that story? I immediately thought about how Rick covers his outpost in screaming Mortys so that the galactic government can’t detect him. Morty pain as anti-Rick is a strange, appealing and disturbing thought... they’re effectively oysters soaking up the pain of the universe.

[Nursie]

Haha, yes that was the first thing that popped into my head too.

I remember thinkig how ridiculous (but entertaining) an idea that was, like many of his very unusual thoughts. Maybe not so crazy after all!

[RichardCA]

When I was in High School I had a teacher who taught a Literature of SF class.

Every single short story in the Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol. 1 was required reading.

I remain thankful to that teacher.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Science_Fiction_Hall_of_Fa...

[taneq]

Yes! Ever since I read that I’ve caught myself thinking of cosmic radiation as ‘the pain of space’.