"Sanctioned by the United Nations, the Global Defense Initiative has one goal: to eliminate multi-national terrorism in an effort to preserve freedom."

"The Brotherhood of Nod, an ancient and secret society, maintains strong ties with most global terrorist organizations. Commanded by this man, known only as Kane, Nod's long-term goals are unknown. However, recent activities include: expansionary behaviour into disenfranchised nations, high-volume investment in global trade markets, and aggressive manipulation of international mass-media."

"These efforts are suspected to be funded by Nod's access to vast Tiberium deposits. Tiberium continues to confound the scientific community, soaking up ground minerals and soil nutrients like a sponge. The end result of this unique leeching process is the creation of the formation of Tiberium crystals, rich in minerals and available for collection at the minimum of mining expense."

"Tiberium is named after the river Tiber in Italy where it was first discovered. There are now more than 200 areas of the Earth affected by Tiberium deposits. Tiberium appears to be spreading by means of conveyance unknown. We now know that not only does Tiberium leech elements from the soil, but it appears to also leech vital nutrients from all plantlife. Human contact with Tiberium is extremely toxic and often fatal. Exposure should be avoided."

"Molecularly, Tiberium is a non-carbon-based element, that appears to have strong ferrous qualities, with non-resonating reversible energy! Which has a tendency to disrupt carbon-based molecular structures, with inconsequent and unequal positrons orbiting on the first, second and ninth quadrings! The possibilities of Tiberium... are limitless!"

Tiberium is a dense "dynamic proton lattice" held together by exotic heavy particles. When Tiberium comes into contact with other matter, the heavy particles randomly collide with the nuclei of the target matter, smashing it to pieces (in the case of smaller nuclei) or incrementally knocking off protons or neutrons (in the case of heavier nuclei). Tiberium captures a fraction of the protons that are ejected during this collision process and incorporates them into its own structure, thus transmuting matter into more Tiberium. Whenever one of the heavy particles—a muon hoặc tauon—collides with an atomic nucleus, fission occurs, which results in the production of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation as well as other forms of electromagnetic radiation (like infra-red). During the transmutation process, nuclei that Tiberium has come into contact with may be changed into nuclei with different (usually fewer) numbers of protons or neutrons.

— Mike Verdu, Living with Tiberium

"Tiberium is a new life form. Quite simply put, it seems to be adapting to Earth's terrain, foliage and environment to suit its own alien nature. If this is the case, ladies and gentlemen, we are facing a killer beyond that of our most turbulent nightmares. It is not an exaggeration to state that the future of the entire planet may be in jeopardy. May God have mercy on our souls."