Instead of a big explosion, and then nothing for fourteen years, human-scale monsters, from around the size of a dog, to around the size of an elephant, materialize and attack human settlements throughout the period between Second Impact and the arrival of the Third Angel. The monsters, generally called 'youma' or 'majuu' in Japan, appear to be physically impossible, like an M. C. Escher drawing brought to life, and are highly resistant, sometimes even immune, to normal weapons. The press, public, and not-in-the-know government officials (the vast majority, in other words) very much wanted to know what was going on. As a result, metaphysical biology, and related sciences like <a href='https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Dark_energy' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>dark energy</a> physics and quantum engineering, are well-known, to the point that kids do science projects on them, while the actual truth of the matter remains hidden, because the people who know that part are pretending they really don't know.
Interestingly, people born (not conceived, but born) after Second Impact often have the ability to 'induce macro-scale quantum events' (cast spells, in other words - quantum events may or may not be involved, but its the closest match the scientists could find to what they've observed) in seconds or less, simply using brain-wave modulation, assisted by the occasional mnemonic trigger or focus (words, gestures, symbols, et cetra), and many have other strange talents, as well. Those born before, OTOH, mostly have to put a lot of effort and calculation into it, taking long minutes to hours in a prepared location with specialized (often bizarre) equipment. (In <a href='http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>GURPS</a> terms, they use an alternative form of magic - called Ritual Magic in 3e, Path/Book Magic in 4e - and anyone born after SI is likely to have all three levels of Path/Book Adept (Ritual Adept in 3e), while very few born before SI have even one level of that advantage - though a sufficiently determined mage could eventually develop it through long practice. For those who don't know, each level of adept removes or greatly reduces the need for one of the three basic requirements (called 'ritual elements', which creates some confusion) of a magical ritual - time is reduced from minutes or hours to 1d seconds, and the need for a ritually prepared space and ritual-specific material components are removed entirely, though any of these can be used to gain a bonus to skill.)
To clarify, dark energy physics (a name the press and religious groups love to harp on), when focused on the question of where energy that has no apparent source comes from, is one of several theoretical sciences that seek to explain why these things are possible at all (none of which has yet come up with a satisfactory theory that fits everything the majuu have been observed to do, nor everything a skilled quantum engineer can accomplish - partly due to SEELE suppressing important information, and recruiting or killing (mostly killing) any scientist who gets to close). Metaphysical biology studies how living things interact with these effects, such as the creation of fields of Absolute Territory, reshaping and/or adding strange powers to living things, or mixing up elixirs like some RPG alchemist. Quantum engineering is the study of how to, as far as most non-scientists are concerned, design and cast spells - most scientists use rather different terminology, as seen above, but it hasn't caught on with the ignorant masses.
Ikari Shinji is an excellent quantum engineer, and an above average metaphysical biologist for his age. Soryu Asuka Langley has a degree in metaphysical biology, and is an OK quantum engineer. Rei appears to be the normal one in that regard, having fairly average grades in both, apart from a talent for astral projection, which she indulges in when bored and off-duty.
I've been imagining Ritsuko as a brilliant metaphysical biologist, and a highly skilled quantum engineer, but a quirky one (as she was born before SI, she has a harder time casting spells, but she knows more than the kids do).
Interestingly, people born (not conceived, but born) after Second Impact often have the ability to 'induce macro-scale quantum events' (cast spells, in other words - quantum events may or may not be involved, but its the closest match the scientists could find to what they've observed) in seconds or less, simply using brain-wave modulation, assisted by the occasional mnemonic trigger or focus (words, gestures, symbols, et cetra), and many have other strange talents, as well. Those born before, OTOH, mostly have to put a lot of effort and calculation into it, taking long minutes to hours in a prepared location with specialized (often bizarre) equipment. (In <a href='http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>GURPS</a> terms, they use an alternative form of magic - called Ritual Magic in 3e, Path/Book Magic in 4e - and anyone born after SI is likely to have all three levels of Path/Book Adept (Ritual Adept in 3e), while very few born before SI have even one level of that advantage - though a sufficiently determined mage could eventually develop it through long practice. For those who don't know, each level of adept removes or greatly reduces the need for one of the three basic requirements (called 'ritual elements', which creates some confusion) of a magical ritual - time is reduced from minutes or hours to 1d seconds, and the need for a ritually prepared space and ritual-specific material components are removed entirely, though any of these can be used to gain a bonus to skill.)
To clarify, dark energy physics (a name the press and religious groups love to harp on), when focused on the question of where energy that has no apparent source comes from, is one of several theoretical sciences that seek to explain why these things are possible at all (none of which has yet come up with a satisfactory theory that fits everything the majuu have been observed to do, nor everything a skilled quantum engineer can accomplish - partly due to SEELE suppressing important information, and recruiting or killing (mostly killing) any scientist who gets to close). Metaphysical biology studies how living things interact with these effects, such as the creation of fields of Absolute Territory, reshaping and/or adding strange powers to living things, or mixing up elixirs like some RPG alchemist. Quantum engineering is the study of how to, as far as most non-scientists are concerned, design and cast spells - most scientists use rather different terminology, as seen above, but it hasn't caught on with the ignorant masses.
Ikari Shinji is an excellent quantum engineer, and an above average metaphysical biologist for his age. Soryu Asuka Langley has a degree in metaphysical biology, and is an OK quantum engineer. Rei appears to be the normal one in that regard, having fairly average grades in both, apart from a talent for astral projection, which she indulges in when bored and off-duty.
I've been imagining Ritsuko as a brilliant metaphysical biologist, and a highly skilled quantum engineer, but a quirky one (as she was born before SI, she has a harder time casting spells, but she knows more than the kids do).