The rare earth element race described in this novel is not fiction—it is the defining geopolitical competition of our generation. While the characters and specific events are imaginary, the underlying science, technology, and strategic tensions are disturbingly real.

China controls over 90% of global rare earth processing capacity. The United States has launched multi-billion dollar initiatives to break free of this dependence. India is racing to establish itself as a third pole in this competition. These elements—with names like dysprosium, terbium, and neodymium—power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles to advanced weapons systems.

The technology described herein—lanthanide-binding peptides, neural nanobots, electromagnetic neural influence—is based on actual scientific research published in peer-reviewed journals. Whether such technologies have been weaponized remains, officially, unknown.

What is certain is this: whoever controls rare earth elements controls the future.

Welcome to the new Gold Rush.

— Umakant Rath

February 2026