Aperture Science

Aperture Science is an American research corporation whose laboratories and administration are located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Originally a shower curtain manufacturer, it evolved over the course of half a century into an experimental physics research institution and a bitter rival of Black Mesa. It is discussed in Half-Life 2: Episode Two and is the setting for the puzzle game Portal.

History


Aperture Science was founded by Cave Johnson around 1953. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower gave Aperture Science a contract stating that Aperture Science would provide all branches of the United States Military (save for the navy) with shower curtains.

From 1957 to 1976, the company was almost entirely dedicated to the development of shower curtains. In 1978, Cave Johnson contracted mercury poisoning while inventing a deadly rubber sheeting injected with mercury, which would be put into shower curtains that would be given to each member of the House Naval Appropriations committee. By 1979, both of Cave Johnson's kidneys had failed, and he had severe brain damage and "could not be convinced that time was not flowing backwards". While dying, Johnson created a 3-tier program which he thought would continue Aperture Science's success "far into the fast-approaching distant past."

The first tier was the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver, which would be used to interrupt the life-saving Heimlich maneuver. The second was the Take-A-Wish Foundation, which would take wishes from terminally ill children and award them to healthy (but wish deprived) adults. The third tier was, in Johnson's opinion, the least well thought out. It was described as "some kind of rip in the fabric of space", which, in Johnson's words, "would help with the shower curtains I guess". Soon after, Johnson expired.

In 1981, Aperture Science completed the first two tiers, and the announcement of this was accompanied by a lavish TV special. After a string of public disasters involving "very public" choking and sad children, the Aperture Science senior company officials were summoned before a Senate investigative committee. As the investigation continued, an engineer stated that some progress had been made with tier three. He referred to it as a 'man-sized ad-hoc quantum tunnel through physical space with possible applications as a shower curtain'. The committee was permanently recessed and Aperture was given an open-ended contract to continue work on the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver as well as the 'Portal' project.

From 1981 to 1985, work on the 'Portal' project continued. During this time, several Fatah personnel choked to death on lamb chunks despite their bodyguards' intervention, showing that the government had apparently put the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver to work.

In 1986, Aperture Science's rivalry with Black Mesa began (see below). Aperture Science heard that Black Mesa worked on portal technology similar to that which Aperture Science was working on. In response, Aperture Science began to develop the Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System (GLaDOS). In 1996, the disk operating part was completed and work began on the genetic lifeform area.

Several years later, the untested GLaDOS was activated in the Aperture Laboratories on the same day as Aperture Science's first bring-your-daughter-to-work-day. Aperture Science claimed that "In many ways, the initial test goes well".

Though not on the official website's history page, GLaDOS mentions they also had a Self Esteem Fund for Girls, to which you can donate one or all of your vital organs.

What happened next is open to speculation. All that is known for certain is that at some point after her activation GLaDOS became self-aware, flooded the Aperture Science Enrichment Center with a deadly neuro-toxin, and was subsequently fitted with a Morality Core. GLaDOS was still later able to wrestle control of the facility from its human occupants, and presumably either killed or imprisoned them. It is possible, however, that this lockdown and subsequent death of employees was due to the in-progress Combine invasion of Earth. A message from an unknown employee on the website mentions them being in lockdown for an unknown period of time. Also during this period, the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device was finally completed, but whether GLaDOS, Aperture Science, or a combination of the two accomplished this is not known.

At the time of the events depicted in Portal, the Aperture Science Enrichment Center seems to be long abandoned. Photos in the game, hints from GLaDOS that "the world has changed since Chell had last left the building", little is known about what is actually meant by "the last time".

The legend of the Borealis


The Borealis was an Aperture Science research ship that disappeared and took a chunk of its drydock with it and soon became a legend amongst the scientific community. Debate raged between Eli Vance and Isaac Kleiner over whether the mysterious technology within should be destroyed or used. Kleiner said he felt that the power could be used to destroy the Combine, but Eli seemed to suggest that he felt that trying to utilize the power could result in a repeat of the Black Mesa incident.

Aperture Science is likely to play an important role in Half-Life 2: Episode Three, as the Borealis will likely be a location in the game.

Rivalry with Black Mesa
Black Mesa and Aperture Science often competed directly for government funding, and Black Mesa won out nearly every time. Employees of Aperture Science were briefed on Black Mesa through slideshow presentations. Isaac Kleiner theorized that the disaster with the Borealis may have been caused by Aperture Science's rush for funding.

Known personnel

 * Cave Johnson (CEO, c. 1953 - c. 1979)
 * Chell (Test Subject)
 * The Ratman (Test Subject)
 * Test Subject #042 (Test Subject)
 * Test Subject #234 (Test Subject)

Known technology

 * GLaDOS
 * 1500 Megawatt Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button
 * Advanced Knee Replacement
 * The Borealis
 * Emergency Intelligence Incinerator
 * High Energy Pellet
 * Material Emancipation Grid
 * Military Android
 * Security Camera
 * Speaker System
 * Unstationary Scaffold
 * Vital Apparatus Vent
 * Weighted Storage Cube

Known weapons

 * Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device
 * Rocket Sentry
 * Sentry Gun

Behind the scenes
As with Black Mesa, the Aperture Science logo is directly based on the company's name, appearing as a stylized, partially closed aperture. An "aperture" is an adjustable opening in an optical instrument, such as a camera or telescope, that controls the amount of light passing through a lens or onto a mirror. An "aperture" can also refer to an opening. Since Aperture Science apparently never built lenses, the concept is rather related to their shower curtains, which are part of the entrance to a shower. This later, possibly ironically, applied to their teleportation / portal technology.

Trivia
The Aperture Science logo bears similarities with the Picasa and Jyske Bank logos.