The enigmatic substance known as "ether" has fascinated scientists for centuries. We now believe that ether has always been present on Earth in small quantities. In such quantities ether is basically inert; however when ether is concentrated it can produce interesting physical phenomena. Increased quantities of atmospheric ether were a component in the disaster that brought the human race to the brink of extinction. It is also our main source of energy. This makes ether something of a double-edged sword.
The ether that is used as a power source is actually a crystalline structure that is created when particles of pure ether bond with matter. Different types of base matter result in different levels of energy output. The exact mechanism by which bonding occurs is unknown and we have not yet been able to duplicate the process in the laboratory.
There is a "chicken or the egg" problem surrounding ether and the disaster: was ether the cause of the explosion or did the explosion unleash the ether? Some have theorized that a meteor made of crystalline ether that crashed into the Earth. Still others have speculated that ether is a synthetic element that was used in an experimental weapon.
Precious little information is available about the disaster. All evidence seems to agree that there was an explosion somewhere in the desert of North America, releasing an as of yet unknown quantity of ether into the atmosphere. Widespread environmental destruction followed the explosion. Current estimates show that nearly 80% of all human life was extinguished in the first decade following the impact. Most of the survivors owe their lives to the ether powered shields developed by the Eden Corporation.
Given all of this, the most intriguing thing about ether is how little we know about it. Its appearance changed the way we lived forever, and yet our knowledge of it barely scratches the surface. It is my hope that as humanity ventures out to reclaim our world that we will find our answers.