Laura Rikono is known inside the Colony as Aethalope. If you’re not yet a member, join us now.

Laura Rikono lives in Malaysian North Borneo, where she edits academic texts, collects tropical fevers, and strives to be an interesting tutor. She was once a marine scientist, fishmonger, fisheries observer, and fish caretaker, but then she met a Kadazandusun man who wooed her with fishing trips off a wild beach beneath a lilac mountain. They settled down and had three children, who turned out to be far more interesting than fish. Her stories are fantasy grounded in the natural sciences with a touch of the surreal.

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A disintegrating plastic bag floats in a beautiful blue sea

Future Abstract: Crisp and Squish

SATIRE ALERT: This Future Abstract is entirely fictional and should not be taken as actual scientific research. No plastic was consumed in the making of...
Photo by Ray Harrington on Unsplash

The Moon vs. Brian Cox

Of the many jobs I’ve juggled, my latest presents a unique challenge. Sabah, in Malaysian North Borneo, is popular with Korean tourists. Five hours south...
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The Unexpected Pantomime

Deep in tribal territory in Jharkhand, India, three schools — one by a road, one in a forest, and one on a hill — hosted...
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Of Straw-Stacks and Sisters

Ten minutes before I left the house, my boss called. “The science class is cancelled today. Take Jisoo and Jennie instead. They need adjective practice.”...