Collective Knowledge

The Collective Knowledge is a property of Stenza neurobiology that, through an as-yet unknown mechanism, allows each individual both access to all empirical knowledge of the universe gathered by every other Stenza living or dead, and, almost exclusively among pups, a form of pseudo-telepathic communication with one another which is useful for coordinating acts of mischief.
Genes connected to the Collective have been found in Proto-Stenza remains dating back approximately two million years.

Manifestation

The Collective Knowledge, sometimes described as "telepathic Wikipedia" is a mental database easily accessible by all living Stenza which can provide them with data on all things known to Stenza-kind. This can allow an individual with the proper resources to recreate Infantry Drones or devise a scheme to shrink planets in order to put them into appropriately-sized stasis chambers. However, the entire construction is mental, making it just as fallible and subject to alteration as other forms of memory, and any time someone "looks up" something in the Collective, that act subtly reshapes the item in question. It is therefore possible to tell who accessed what and when, with enough skill and patience.
In pups the Collective manifests differently, although by what margin it is difficult to tell. Pups are constantly in a state of connection, uploading, accessing and trading data with one another. This ability is chiefly put to use to determine what there is to discover and experience, the best ways to cause trouble, and to coordinate raids on food stores. It also causes a particular social phenomenon: pups are considered credible UFO witnesses exclusively for their data collection abilities. If one notices something in the sky or in space, others are sure to follow, and soon enough data is gathered to make a determination on the object and its properties, allowing for potential identification. (Many "Space Brothers" derelicts were found this way.) Conversely, pups who pass over a strange sighting despite attempts to point it out to them contribute to the dismissal of the sighting as a misidentification of a mundane object.
The Collective grants the ability to experience memories of the world beyond the self, however recent or ancient. This has influenced everything from the study of history to cutting-edge science, the understanding of other species (especially those who lack this ability, whose minds are viewed as "tiny" no matter how intelligent the individual in question) to child rearing, and has had a presumably incalculable effect on the development of Stenza culture and language.
Although it is integral to Stenza biology and culture, the exact mechanisms which govern its various properties remain the subject of intense scientific scrutiny and debate. There is evidence to suggest that it is partially controlled by the hormone responses between pups and adult Stenza, although theories abound as to why. Studies of the minds of Isolation Sickness patients have revealed some insights, but nothing conclusive. Efforts to (non-invasively) analyze the minds of pups are ongoing, with several pups eager to take part in the scientific endeavor.

Type

Natural