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 was introduced on its real-world official website, ApertureScience.com, then featured in two games of The Orange Box: Portal, with the Aperture Laboratories as the game's main setting, and the Half-Life 2: Episode Two, where it is discussed near the end of the game. The Aperture Laboratories are also expected to be the main setting for Portal 2.

Cave Johnson era


In 1953, Aperture Science is founded by Cave Johnson, as a shower curtain manufacturer. The name "Aperture Science", seemingly random, is chosen "to make the curtains appear more hygienic". In 1956, the Eisenhower administration signs a contract with Aperture to manufacture shower curtains to all branches of the US Military, except the Navy. From 1957 to 1976, the company produces mostly shower curtains, eventually making Cave Johnson a billionaire.

In 1978, Cave Johnson is exposed to mercury while secretly developing a dangerous mercury-injected rubber sheeting from which he plans to manufacture seven deadly shower curtains to be given as gifts to each member of the House Naval Appropriations committee, likely because the decision of the Navy not getting its shower curtains from Aperture depended on that committee, and Johnson probably held a grudge against them for that. In 1979, both of Cave Johnson's kidneys fail. Brain damaged, dying, and incapable of realizing his time will come soon, he lays out a three tiered research and development program. The results, he says, will "guarantee the continued success of Aperture Science far into the fast-approaching distant past." What happens to Cave Johnson afterward is unknown, although it is surmised he dies.

The three tiers of this research and development program are:


 * Tier 1: The Heimlich Counter-Maneuver - "A reliable technique for interrupting the life-saving Heimlich Maneuver." In other words, insure choking.


 * Tier 2: The Take-A-Wish Foundation - "A charitable organization that will purchase wishes from the parents of terminally ill children and redistribute them to wish-deprived but otherwise healthy adults." It counters the real-life Make-A-Wish Foundation, designed to grant wishes to terminally ill children.


 * Tier 3: As said by Johnson when it was first laid lout: "Some kind of rip in the fabric of space... That would... Well, it'd be like, I don't know, something that would help with the shower curtains I guess. I haven't worked this idea out as much as the wish-taking one." This is what will become the "Portal" project, involving the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device and its creation of portals.

Post-Cave Johnson era


In 1981, Aperture engineers complete the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver and Take-A-Wish Foundation initiatives. The company announces products related to the research in a televised ceremony. These products become immediately wildly unpopular. After a string of very public choking and despondent sick child disasters, senior company officials are summoned before a Senate investigative committee. During these proceedings, an engineer mentions that some progress has been made on Tier 3, the "man-sized ad hoc quantum tunnel through physical space with possible applications as a shower curtain." The committee is quickly permanently recessed, and Aperture is granted an open-ended contract to secretly continue research on the 'Portal' and Heimlich Counter-Maneuver projects. From 1981 to 1985, work progresses on the 'Portal' project. During this time, several high ranking Fatah personnel choke to death on lamb chunks despite the intervention of their bodyguards, showing that the US government has apparently put the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver to work.

In 1986, word reaches Aperture Science management that Black Mesa is working on a similar portal technology. In response to this news, Aperture Science begins developing GLaDOS. In 1996, after a decade spent bringing the disk operating parts of GLaDOS to a state of more or less basic functionality, work begins on the Genetic Lifeform component. Several years later, the untested AI of GLaDOS is activated for the first time as one of the planned activities on Aperture's first annual bring-your-daughter-to-work day. This is a success.

Post-GLaDOS activation era
What happened from the late nineties onwards is open to speculation. All that is known for certain is that at some point after her activation GLaDOS becomes self-aware, floods the Aperture Science Enrichment Center with a deadly neuro-toxin, and is subsequently fitted with a Morality Core. GLaDOS is still later able to wrestle control of the facility from its human occupants, and presumably either kills or imprisons them. Also during or before this period, and at least before all Aperture employees disappear, the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device is finally completed.

It is possible, however, that the lockdown of the Aperture Laboratories and subsequent death of employees is due to the in-progress Combine invasion of Earth. The hacker message found on ApertureScience.com mentions them being in lockdown for an unknown period of time, and working on twenty year old equipment (though when this message was written is unknown).

At the time of the events depicted in Portal, the Aperture Science Enrichment Center seems to be long abandoned. GLaDOS hints to Chell that things have changed since the last time she left the building, and that what is going on out there will make her wish she were back in here. Little is known about what is actually meant by "the last time". The scribblings left by the Ratman also seem rather old, as well as a calendar named "The girls of Aperture Science", as old as 1982.

Other facts



 * Aperture Science owned a research ship, named Borealis. It 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 and Black Mesa were bitter rivals. They 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.


 * During Chell's tests, GLaDOS mentions a "self esteem fund for girls", to which one can donate one or all of their vital organs. This is likely true, as it is apparently said as one of GLaDOS' few automatic message.


 * As seen in the ASCII image revealed during the Portal ARG, Aperture Science is built on three pillars, apparently coined by Cave Johnson himself:


 * "Pillar one: Science without results is just witchcraft."
 * "Pillar two: Get results or you're fired."
 * "Pillar three: if you suspect a coworker of bein' a witch, report them immediately. I cannot stress that enough. Witchcraft will not be tolerated."

Known personnel



 * Cave Johnson (Founder and CEO, 1953 - 1979)
 * Doug Rattmann (programmer)
 * Chell (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
 * Aerial Faith Plate
 * The Borealis
 * Excursion Funnel
 * Emergency Intelligence Incinerator
 * High Energy Pellet
 * Material Emancipation Grid
 * Military Android
 * Paint
 * Party Escort Bot
 * Aperture Science Pipe Network
 * Pneumatic Diversity Vent
 * Personality Core
 * Projected Bridge
 * Weighted Pivot Cube
 * Radio
 * Security camera
 * Speaker System
 * Thermal Discouragement Beam
 * Two unnamed robots (Test Subjects)
 * Unstationary Scaffold
 * Vital Apparatus Vent
 * Weighted Storage Ball
 * Weighted Storage Ball Bucket
 * Weighted Storage Cube
 * Wheatley

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. However the name "Aperture Science" is likely random, as it was merely chosen for its shower curtains to appear "more hygienic". Of note is that Dog's unique eye is also an aperture.

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

List of appearances

 * ApertureScience.com
 * Portal
 * Half-Life 2: Episode Two
 * Portal ARG
 * Portal 2