From Vulcans to Tribbles: Best 'Star Trek' Species

From Romulans to The Borg, these are 'Star Trek's best alien species with the most interesting storylines.

Star Trek is bigger than ever right now. Thanks to the launch of the new streaming service Paramount+, Trekkies have been simply overwhelmed by the amount of new content at their disposal. The shows Discovery , Picard , Lower Decks, and Prodigy are all returning, and the prequel series Strange New Worlds is in active development. The franchise’s producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin have promised that there are many other new projects coming soon, and after years of delays, a new Star Trek movie is set to hit theaters on December 2023. The currently untitled fourth entry in the “Kelvin Timeline” series will be directed by WandaVision creator Matt Shakman .

It goes without saying that Star Trek is one of the most influential, iconic, and beloved media franchises in history. Between the various shows, films, books, comics, games, and tie-in material, Gene Rodenberry ’s landmark universe has one of the largest and most loyal fanbases ever. Rodenberry created an optimistic version of the future, where humanity had learned to co-exist with many alien species. In the franchise’s extensive history, these unique species have taken on in-depth cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Obsessive Star Trek fans have developed an Encyclopedic knowledge of their distinct characteristics. Star Trek is a massive property, and as a result there are subsections within the fandom that prefer different alien species of another based on what stories appeal to them. Some stories and films have featured different alien species more prominently than others. Narrowing down the greatest aliens is no easy task, but you can’t go wrong with these great species.

RELATED: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Teaser Reveals New Look at Celia Rose Gooding's Uhura

You wouldn’t have Star Trek without the success of The Original Series , and you wouldn’t have The Original Series without Spock. Although the competition is fierce, there may not be another Star Trek character that is as beloved as Leonard Nimoy ’s Mr. Spock. Half-Vulcan and half-human, the logical character has been appearing in great Star Trek stories since 1966. The Vulcan race has been developed around his iconic performance, but there are many other great Vulcan characters in the universe’s history. The savior Surak, Spock’s father Sarek, the Enterprise hero Tuvok, and the ambassador Soval are just a few of the best.

The Vulcans’ sister species the Romulans are almost the complete opposite of their philosophical counterparts. The Romulan culture is based on conflict, and throughout the franchise’s history, the two alien species have frequently come into conflict. Romulans first appeared in The Original Series episode “Balance of Terror,” and their empire inspired many of the greatest Star Trek villains ever, including Spock’s tormentor Nero, the powerful Paraetor Neral, and the Federation’s rival Commander Tomalak.

There aren’t many Star Trek villains as truly frightening as The Borg. First appearing in The Next Generation , the hivelike species assimilates all of its opponents into servants of “The Collective.” Patrick Stewart ’s Captain Picard meets his greatest challenge in the beloved two-part storyline “The Best of Both Worlds,” where he is captured and assimilated to the villainous creatures. Picard deals with the post-traumatic stress disorder of his experiences well into the future; he’s forced to face his old enemies again in the excellent 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact . With the phrase “Resistance Is Futile,” The Borg is synonymous with immediate danger.

The Klingon Empire is one of the most powerful bodies in the Star Trek universe. The warrior species has a culture entirely based on combat and trial, with a caste-like system that divides them by their different rank. Kirk, Spock, and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew face off against the Klingons many times throughout the run of The Original Series . However, The Next Generation proved that not all Klingons were villains. The Next Generation fleshed out the Klingon culture in a more empathetic way, and introduced the USS Enterprise-D ’s Klingon security officer Worf. Worf’s bravery and loyalty made him one of the most valuable assets to Captain Picard’s crew, and he returned as a major part of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ’s later seasons.

Cardassians

One of the most important new species introduced in The Next Generation was the Cardassians, who first appeared in the season four episode "The Wounded". Although the militaristic aliens were renowned for their brutality, unlike The Borg, each Cardassian character acted as an individual. The Cardassian species had developed their ruthless qualities as a result of many hardships, as their home planet had been ravaged by war and famine. The Cardassians kept their culture under strict authority, with a powerful surveillance system, dangerous police force, and strong nationalism within their military dictatorship. The Cardassians waged war against the Federation during Deep Space Nine when they joined the Dominion in an epic conflict.

While many of the most memorable Star Trek aliens are antagonists, the Ferengei are thankfully a great source of comedic relief. The quirky schemers tended to have greedy attitudes, but they haven’t historically been that malicious in nature. The Ferengei were more of a constant annoyance to Captain Picard’s Enterprise crew throughout The Next Generation than a threat like The Borg, and they even proved to be allies a few times. The Ferengi bartender Quark and his brother Rom added a great humorous addition to Deep Space Nine , which otherwise is one of the franchise’s more serious shows.

We’re always going to have a little trouble with Tribbles. The cute, furry species made their debut in the fifteenth episode of The Original Series season two, and fans are still a little divided on whether the adorable creatures are some of Star Trek ’s weakest features or one of its greatest assets. These plushy little guys tend to multiple, and they do it fast , causing problems for multiple generations of Star Trek heroes. Tribbled popped up again in The Animated Series episode “More Trouble, More Tribbles,” the Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations,” and the Short Treks episode "The Trouble with Edward.” Amusingly, the Klingons considered the Tribbles to be their mortal enemies. Tribbles occasionally served a good purpose; in Star Trek Into Darkness , Bones is able to replicate Khan’s super blood in the Tribbles, thus saving Kirk’s life.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is upending canon for its new engineer

Carol Kane plays the the mysterious, hilarious chief engineer Pelia

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Carol Kane as chief engineer Pelia in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

As season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comes to Paramount Plus this week, most things about the show are the same. It’s still the Enterprise as helmed by Captain Pike , Kirk’s predecessor. It’s still a return to the episodic Trek formula of yesteryear. And it’s all the same cast — except for one.

With last season’s heartbreaking death of chief engineer Hemmer, there’s a space to fill on the Enterprise roster. And as it’s still a little too early for Montgomery “Scotty” Scott to show up, that role has fallen to an original character: chief engineer Pelia, played by legendary actor and comedian Carol Kane.

Given that she’s brand-new, there’s very little anybody knows about Pelia — but in the season premiere, “The Broken Circle,” she’s already upending everything we know about Star Trek’s alternate history of humanity.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the season premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.]

Ethan Peck as Spock, sitting in the captain’s chair on a darkened bridge in Strange New Worlds.

The usual sign that a character is human rather than one of Star Trek’s innumerable humanoid aliens is that they’re not wearing some kind of facial prosthetics. And you won’t find a pointed ear or ridged forehead anywhere in Kane’s show wardrobe. But, as “The Broken Circle” reveals, Pelia is definitely not human. The first hint we get is when she casually refers to being more than 100 years old. In the same scene, Uhura, the ship’s polyglot, takes note of Pelia’s accent and asks if she is “Lanthanite,” to which Pelia replies, “Guilty as charged.”

Which is very interesting, because there’s no analogous Star Trek species to that name. In the episode’s final scenes, Spock drops one more tantalizing, explosive line about Lanthanites in conversation with Pelia: “I’ve always been fascinated by your people. That you managed to live on Earth among other humans undetected until the 22nd century is remarkable.”

This is brand-new information for Star Trek canon, and it would mean that somewhere in the 2100s — a century that includes the founding of the Federation, the obsolescence of money, and the events of the Star Trek: Enterprise series — humanity discovered that there had been aliens living among them. And this is something that everybody in Star Trek has just... known this whole time, but not mentioned until now? Buck wild.

When Polygon spoke with Kane, the first thing we asked was how she’d reacted upon realizing her character was an alien who’d lived secretly among humans for potentially centuries.

“Just thrilled,” she replied, “because you can let your imagination run wild and it’ll work. Also, I like the fact that I get to be the one that knows the most — in my opinion. And I probably do,” she quipped, “because of the time I’ve been on the Earth and in space.”

Kane said she relishes playing an older character, not unlike the original series’ Dr. McCoy, who’s doing cool space stuff right alongside all the young folks. “I like that at my age, which is Pelia’s age, that I get to be on the ship and embraced by the other people, so I’m not solitary. I like that. I relate to that.”

Kane couldn’t tell us anything about Pelia or the Lanthanites that wasn’t already revealed in “The Broken Circle.” All we can say for now is that they appear to be a completely new addition to the galaxy of species that make up Star Trek canon, and that chief engineer Pelia has a friendly history with Spock’s mother, Amanda Grayson. There’s no telling when Strange New Worlds is planning to reveal more, but we, for one, eagerly await more answers about the aliens living among us.

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Star Trek: Who Are The Most Advanced Species?

Taking a deep dive into some of the most powerful races from the iconic science fiction franchise.

Star Trek has cemented itself over years as one of the cornerstones of science fiction in popular culture. New iterations into the franchise only add to its legacy. Alongside some incredible technology, some of which even changed the course of science today . The franchise's world-building is vibrant, and draws fans into the science fiction world.

The franchise features a plethora of wild and wacky aliens, all with their own unique designs, cultures, personalities, and beliefs. Some of these have been around as established space powers for longer than others. The Vulcans, for example, had a firm grasp over the galaxy before humans even managed to develop warp power . But of all these species that flesh out the Star Trek universe, who are the most advanced?

RELATED: Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best Data Episodes

Godlike Powers

The first race that come to mind are the Q. This race of near omnipotent space ‘gods’ seem to have near limitless powers. They have been around and have evolved for centuries, their culture and way of life reaching the final stages of what’s possible. As the reoccurring face of the Q states, it makes for a very boring existence. The Q continuum barely even talk anymore, every conversation and word having been uttered a million times already. They possess incredible power, able to snap their fingers and wipe out entire universes. They can change the timeline at will and manipulate time and space like it means nothing. They pose an interesting question, however, about what the term ‘advanced’ actually means. While they arguably far ahead in their physical, mental, and technological development, they are arguably so advanced they exist entirely on another plane. Their presence within the world of Star Trek often amounts to fleeting journeys ( often to teach or torment Picard ), and they are thus hard to compare to other species within the grounded universe.

The Douwd , on the other hand, are a species that exists in the moment. They still exist on the same plane of existence as the rest, but they pose another problem with defining advancement. They are, excluding the Q, the most powerful of all species shown in the franchise. However, this does not equate to advancement, due to their on-screen inability to control their power. Being an advanced race suggests an ability to use and understand the intricate and complex inner workings of the power they harness. The Douwd are more akin to a normal human from the 21st century being given the powers of a god. What they can do with the power is immense, but it doesn't on its own denote advancement. The Douwd that audiences meet is able to wipe out an entire race of beings with just a thought, but likely unable to recite this later, unable to fully control his power.

The Douwd and the Q show Star Trek ’s ability to create god-like beings with powers akin to magic. Potentially more interesting, though, is the portrayal of races that have developed advanced technology. Gadgets and gizmos that define the sci-fi genre are at the heart of the franchise.

Advanced Technology

One race of beings who show the trajectory of how far technology can be taken are the mysterious Breen. They were first introduced in TNG as somewhat of a writer's joke, mentioned multiple times but never shown on screen. This all changed when DS9 came along, and audiences got their first glimpse of these masked beings. They are aggressive and isolationist, never mixing with other cultures by choice unless it’s to attack them. Their joining the Founders in the Dominion war was uncharacteristic, although they conducted themselves true to form: ruthlessly.

The Breen are some of the galaxy’s most formidable warriors, and the fact they are shrouded in a thick veil of mystery only adds to the fear they conjure up in others. Nothing is known about their home world or even what they look like under their armor. All that is widely known is that they possess technology that can disable any ship with ease. Their shields and weapons are so advanced that nothing can stand a chance. The mighty Klingon empire , a race known for their battle power and their tact in war, couldn't even defeat them. They sent an entire fleet of ships into their territory only to have none of them return. There was not even a single transmission to inform others of their fate.

The Slavers are an honorable mention, as they originate outside official canon. It’s hard to talk about an advanced race that is long extinct, as the Slaver empire existed about a billion years ago. First mentioned in The Animated Series , it’s revealed that they were so advanced they had conquered the entire galaxy in a war ended up eradicating literally all life in the universe, even down to the smallest of microbes. Their power was so advanced that life had to re-evolve to get to where it is today. The only trace of their existence was stasis boxes containing clues and artifacts, one of which Kirk and his crew discover. Inside is a small, handheld weapon that contains incredible power despite its size. Sulu causes an explosion upon firing, and Spock says that it is more powerful than any weapon known to the Federation. It’s a staggering statement considering how small the weapon was, akin to a phaser . The technology contained within it far surpassed anything shown previously and since in the Star Trek universe.

MORE: Star Trek: What Was Founder's Disease?

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What Is A Lanhanite In Star Trek? (& How Long Do They Live For?)

  • Lanthanites, the new alien species introduced in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, are a long-lived race of humanoids.
  • Commander Pelia, the first Lanthanite seen in Star Trek, can pass for a human and has lived on Earth for a long time.
  • Pelia's age is hinted to be at least 2,500 years old, and she has a history of being an instructor at Starfleet Academy and training future Chief Engineers.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 introduced the Lanthanites, a new alien species, to Star Trek canon. Commander Pelia (Carol Kane), the new Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise, is the first Lanthanite seen in Star Trek . Pelia replaced the late Lieutenant Hemmer (Bruce Horak), who was a blind Aenar, as the head Engineer of the flagship of the United Federation of Planets.

Commander Pelia doesn't register as an alien at first, but the insightful and quirky engineer is indeed part of a new species in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The prequel series set years before Star Trek: The Original Series has no shortage of alien races aboard. Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) is half-Vulcan and Commander Una Chin-Riley AKA Number One (Rebecca Romijn) is an Illyrian , a race that culturally utilizes genetic engineering. Strange New Worlds has also included classic Star Trek alien antagonists like the reimagined Gorn, the Romulans, and the Klingons. But Pelia and the Lanthanites are something new to Star Trek and here's what we know about them so far.

Strange New Worlds Season 2 Cast Every New & Returning Star Trek Character

What is a lanthanite in star trek: strange new worlds (& how long do they live), pelia has lived on earth for a long time..

Lanthanites are a very long-lived race of humanoids. Commander Pelia can pass for a human and the only tell is her peculiar accent, which the Starship Enterprise's Communications Officer, Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), was able to identify as Lanthanite. Spock knew of a group of Lanthanites who lived on Earth incognito until the 22nd century, hinting that Pelia isn't alone on the Federation's homeworld and may have been part of that conclave. However , Lanthanites must be a Federation member race if Commander Pelia is allowed to serve in Starfleet .

Commander Una Chin-Riley faced court-martial for lying to Starfleet in Strange New Worlds season 2 because her own race, the genetically-engineered Illyrians, are not members of the Federation.

It's not clear if Lanthanites are a truly immortal species, but they are certainly very long-lived, if prone to the "boredom" inherent in seemingly living forever. Interestingly, Pelia is similar to Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) on Star Trek: The Next Generation . Guinan is El-Aurian, a race of "listeners" who are also extremely long-lived. Guinan was known to have lived on Earth since the 19th century, and she established her bar, Ten Forward, in the 20th century before she served on the USS Enterprise-D in the 24th century. However, Pelia claims she has lived on Earth far longer than Guinan.

How Old Is Commander Pelia In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Pelia claims she knew pythagoras..

Strange New World s season 2, episode 3 , "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" offered some major clues as to how old Commander Pelia is. Security Chief Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) was frustrated by Pelia storing archaeological contraband on the Starship Enterprise. When La'an and an alternate reality Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) time-traveled to the 21st century, they learned that "The Archaeology Department" Pelia oversaw was not a university or museum but a warehouse in Vermont where the Lanthanite stored her curios she collected over the centuries. Pelia also claimed she knew Pythagoras, who invented mathematics. Pythagoras lived from 570 BC to 490 BC, which would make Pelia at least 2,500 years old .

Amusingly, Pelia didn't know anything about engineering when La'an and Kirk encountered her in the 21st century.

In history more recent to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' 23rd century, Pelia joined Starfleet after the Vulcans made First Contact with Earth as she saw humanity becoming a spacefaring race with the advent of Starfleet in the 22nd century. Pelia devoted herself to studying engineering and warp travel, and the Lanthanite became an instructor at Starfleet Academy. Among her students who later joined the USS Enterprise were Hemmer and Una Chin-Riley, neither of whom Pelia was particularly impressed with. Strange New Worlds season 2 's finale, "Hegemony," established that Pelia also trained Lt. Montgomery Scott AKA Scotty (Martin Quinn), the Starship Enterprise's future Chief Engineer when James T. Kirk (William Shatner) becomes Captain.

Will Pelia Stay As Chief Engineer In Strange New Worlds Season 3?

Scotty joining the enterprise makes pelia's fans nervous..

Scotty's surprise appearance in Strange New Worlds season 2's finale naturally creates the question of how long Commander Pelia will remain aboard the USS Enterprise as Chief Engineer. Scotty (James Doohan) is a Star Trek: The Original Series icon as Chief Engineer, after all. However, in Strange New Worlds , Scotty is still a young Lieutenant. Lt. Scott can take his first steps as a "miracle worker" if he can conjure a way for Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the Enterprise to defeat the Gorn.

Carol Kane has been a delightfully offbeat addition to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , but it's natural to wonder how long she will remain on the show. Kane is a legend of stage and screen, but unlike Whoopi Goldberg, who has appeared for decades as Guinan, Carol is not a lifelong fan of Star Trek . Still, Strange New Worlds has already killed off one Chief Engineer, Lt. Hemmer, and Scotty may still be too green to slide into the Chief Engineer role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. It might be better for the overall Star Trek franchise if Pelia chooses to step down from the Enterprise of her own volition at some point. And, because there's no evident limit to how long a Lanthanite can live, Carol Kane could potentially reprise Pelia in other Star Trek series no matter how far in the future they are set.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Franchise(s) Star Trek

What Is A Lanhanite In Star Trek? (& How Long Do They Live For?)

December 1, 2018

Star Trek Biology Explored in the New Book Live Long and Evolve  

One common activity on Star Trek was to boldly get busy

By Steve Mirsky

star trek species that live forever

Matt Collins

If you're like me, you've watched a lot of Star Trek . If you're even more like me, you'll read the new book Live Long and Evolve: What Star Trek Can Teach Us about Evolution, Genetics, and Life on Other Worlds , by Mohamed A. F. Noor, professor of biology at Duke University and editor in chief of the journal Evolution .

And being like me, you will turn immediately to Chapter 5: “Sex, Reproduction, and the Making of New Species.” Because ever since you first saw Captain Kirk canoodle with a series of apparently female, apparently humanoid organisms you've been like, “I gotta check the Statutes of Alpha III to see if that's kosher.”

Closely related species do get it on and can even beget offspring. A horse and a donkey can produce a mule. A lion and a tiger can produce a liger. A polar bear and a grizzly can produce a pizzly. But a human being and anything not a human being can produce a court appearance.

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Still, humans bonk nonhumans regularly (by which I mean often—though I don't know about the actual ways and means) in Roddenberryland. “Given that interspecies mating is uncommon on Earth, it appears unusually common among the humanoid species depicted in the various Star Trek series,” Noor writes. “Indeed,” he continues, “attraction to members of other humanoid species does not seem noticeably weaker in any of the five series than attraction to members of one's own species.”

So I called Noor and asked him what's with all the outer-spacey interspecies mating? “It's interesting the way the Star Trek series depicts it,” he responded. “They make it seem as though different species are no different from human ethnic groups or something like that, where, oh, this person is slightly exotic and therefore attractive. And that's not what you expect if you're looking at an actually different species. If we go to the zoo and we see a chimpanzee, we're not attracted to it any more than it is attracted to us.”

In fact, depending on what fictional history of the Trek universe you subscribe to, a human being and a Vulcan or a Klingon never had a common ancestor and are the result of amazingly high-fidelity convergent evolution. Or an exceedingly ancient species (represented by the “Humanoid Progenitor” in The Next Generation episode “The Chase”) seeded the universe to force evolution to come up with all of us different types of bilaterally symmetrical, upright-walking intelligent space travelers. Which means Trek humans and the other species with which they're bumping uglies (we don't know how ugly) have no evolutionary relationship at all or that the relationship is far more distant than the one between us and chimps.

But we'll grant the Trek writers a certain license so that they can include romance in their story lines—and because there's only so much you can do to make human actors look like alien species you'd never meet for coffee.

(For some anatomically intriguing interspecies mating, see the best of all the Star Trek movies, namely Galaxy Quest , which is not really part of the franchise, in particular the scene in which Tony Shalhoub makes out with Missi Pyle, who starts caressing him with tentacles. To which Sam Rockwell echoes my earlier concerns when he says, “Oh, that's not right.”)

If you assume a relatively close degree of genetic similarity among these humanoid species, “the interspecies mating is not so crazy,” Noor noted. “Rather than humans and chimps being the analogy, it's more like humans and Neandertals.” And when Noor says “humans,” it's shorthand for us modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens . Plenty of other human species have existed, including the one categorized by some researchers as Homo neanderthalensis , a fully separate species, and by others as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis , just another subspecies. However you slice it, we know that saps and thals mixed it up—you've got Neandertal genes in your pool.

So here's to the Trek universe's interspecies residents, including B'Elanna Torres (Klingon-human), Deanna Troi (Betazoid-human) and, of course, Mr. Spock (Vulcan-human). As Kirk said at one of Spock's funerals, “Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most [Shatner pause] human.” Which Spock would have found deeply insulting.

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Published Apr 28, 2020

The 7 Strangest Real-Life Species Named After Star Trek Characters

Seek out new life – inspired by names from the Federation and beyond

Star Trek species

StarTrek.com | Shutterstock/siro46/friendly.label/Bodor Tivadar

From Ferengi to Flaxian, Vulcan via Vidiian, and Klingon through to Cardassian, Star Trek has beamed the universe’s most memorable species onto screens. However, fans needn’t travel outside the Alpha Quadrant to make first contact with aliens from the show! Well, at least species named after aliens from Star Trek .

Ever since Gene Roddenberry’s seminal sci-fi series blasted off in 1969, scientists across Earth have been naming newly-discovered species after the franchise’s characters and cast. Which animals share names with Star Trek ’s most beloved and why? We’ve energized the etymology behind seven real-life Star Trek species into one handy databank below.

Ledella spocki (named after Mr. Spock)

Star Trek: The Original Series

StarTrek.com

At first, naming a mussel after Leonard Nimoy’s Science Officer may seem highly illogical. However, when tasked to title a newly-discovered mollusk in 2014, Spanish researchers led by Dr. Diniz Viegas opted to pay homage to Spock. The reason? They noted the shape of the mussel's valves resembled the pointed ears of Star Trek ’s most famous human-Vulcan hybrid.

Don’t expect to find one easily, though. There are very few spocki on Earth, with the mollusks only found in Campos Basin, a region off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, while small in numbers, there are no signs the species could die out soon. Expect them to live long and prosper for generations to come.

Phanuromyia odo (named after Odo)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Gruesome. Terrifying. Remarkable. However you want to describe Phanuromyia odo , there’s one key thing you should know about these wasps: they lay eggs inside the larvae of other insects, the hatching baby bug eating through its host from the inside out.

But although terrible in nature, these species are perfect in name. After being discovered in 2017, they were labeled Phanuromyia odo , the ‘Odo’ a tribute to the shape-shifting Changeling of the same name from Deep Space Nine (played by René Auberjonois).

Fortunately, the killer wasp can’t morph into a human, pen or chair like its Star Trek namesake, but researchers from Ohio State University marveled at the bug’s “variable morphology” – the huge differences in appearance between each member of the species. In fact, at first scientists thought they had discovered two different parasitoids. The truth: they had just stumbled on one bug with Changeling-like qualities.

Annuntidiogenes worfi (named after Lieutenant Worf)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

You get no Federation credits for guessing why this hermit crab fossil ended up being named after Lieutenant Worf (played by Michael Dorn). After noticing the “wrinkled ornament” on its front, Spanish paleontologist Dr. Fraaije couldn’t resist naming the mid-Cretaceous creature after everyone’s favorite Klingon (sorry, Duras).

Sadly, Worfi – a member of the Annuntidiogenes family – is now extinct, having lived 105.3 to 94.3 million years ago. But although gone, it’s certainly not forgotten, the crab now forever part of Star Trek history – and the House of Mogh.

Agra dax (named after Jadzia Dax)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Holding degrees in exoarchaeology, exobiology and zoology, we think Deep Space Nine ’s Jadzia Dax would be proud to share a name with this ground beetle. Why? American entomologist Professor Terry Erwin – the so-called ‘beetle’ man who has written over 270 papers, books, and monographs on insects – has declared the Agra dax to be his favorite bug of all time. In fact, his car even sports a personalized license plate reading ‘AGRA DAX’.

Erwin – who named the species himself – says the beetle’s beauty mirrors that of Dax actress Terry Farrell. Although not exactly attractive by human standards – the bug is metallic green with black antennal segments – insect specialists worldwide regard it as one of the most striking beetles in the universe.

Conus tribblei (named after The Original Series’ Tribbles)

Star Trek: The Original Series

The real trouble with Conus tribblei : it’s venomous. And predatory – anyone handling these small sea snails are advised to take great care not to be stung by the Asian mollusks.

In fact, these shelled creatures are so dangerous you’re probably asking why they’re named after Tribbles, the adorable cuddly aliens that swarmed the U.S.S. Enterprise in the show’s original run. The answer lies with Dr. Jerry Walls, one of the researchers who first discovered the species in 1977. Following the tradition of scientists naming mollusks after their cats, Walls christened the snails after his fluffy feline Tribbles, called so after the hairy Star Trek aliens.

Once fully explained, it’s a name few Star Trek fans would find ‘tribble’ with.

The ‘Klingon Newt’

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Although you’d want to avoid comparing a Klingon to a six-to-seven-centimeter-long newt to their face, the World Wildlife Fund named one such animal after the proud race of warriors in 2015. Discovered in Thailand in 2015, the Tylototriton anguliceps amphibian is distinguished by its ridged head, leading scientists to dub it the ‘Klingon Newt’.

But while resembling the most fearsome fighters in the Beta Quadrant, the new newts lack the numbers of the Klingon empire. These species are under real threat of extinction due to pesticide use and deforestation, according to their discoverer, Dr. Porrawee Pomchote. However, despite the challenges ahead, Pomchote is confident the species will live to fight another day, with numbers rising in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Meenoplus roddenberryi (named after Gene Roddenberry)

Star Trek - Gene Roddenberry

This creature hailing from the Canary Islands is named after, of course, Gene Roddenberry. But at first it might not be clear why: the tiny pale-brown cave-dwelling insect appears to have little in common with the visionary creator of the Star Trek franchise.

However, there is meaning behind the moniker. As the scientist who discovered the bug, Professor Hannelore Hoch from Germany’s Museum für Naturkunde, the Enterprise ’s mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and to boldly go where no man has gone before “applies as much to space as it does to biospeleology”.

In the paper outlining her discovery, Hoch adds: “Roddenberry was fascinated by the exploration of the unknown, and we are sure he would be delighted about the discovery of this new life form.”

So would we, Hoch. So would we.

Thomas Ling (he/him) is a senior writer for the UK’s Radio Times magazine. Thomas specializes in sci-fi features. You can find him on Twitter @ThomasaLing

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Star Trek characters

Michael Dorn (right) played the Klingon Worf in the Star Trek franchise.

What ‘Star Trek’ May Have Right—and Wrong—About Alien Life

Will we ever salute Vulcans or cuddle tribbles? An astrobiologist explores the latest thinking on the forms alien life might really take.

Over an illustrious 50-year history, Star Trek TV shows and movies have introduced audiences to some of the most famous fictional aliens. Be they Klingons, Cardassians, Vulcans, or tribbles, the Trek universe abounds with distinct and diverse extraterrestrials.

For now, such exotic civilizations remain in the realm of science fiction. But scientists have plenty of ideas about what real alien life might be like, and what our chances are of ever discovering whether we are alone in the universe .

In the past few decades, scientists have developed exquisitely sensitive equipment to search for other habitable worlds and to hunt for greetings from across the cosmos. To date, astronomers have found more than 3,500 planets beyond our solar system, and they calculate that many more remain undiscovered. (See how aliens might contact us using giant laser doodles .)

Even more exciting, we’ve found handfuls of planets that seem to be in the so-called habitable zone —the region around a star where the temperature is just right for liquid water to exist on a planetary surface. Water is a key ingredient for life as we know it, and its presence seems to have driven biological development right from the start.

“The fact that on Earth life emerged quickly just after conditions became habitable suggests that this could happen often in other systems, too,” says Daniel Apai , an astronomy and astrobiology researcher at the University of Arizona and the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

“Life persisted for about four billion years on Earth and survived a variety of planetary challenges, suggesting that it is very difficult to ‘sterilize’ a planet once it’s taken a foothold,” he adds. “So chances are good that life is relatively common in the galaxy.”

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Spreading Seeds

If we ever do find aliens, would they be anything like the beings that populate Star Trek ? While the show writers have imagined some highly unique creatures, from non-corporeal energy beings to intelligent clouds, most aliens encountered by the Enterprise crew have been carbon-based life-forms that are all too often humanoid.

The striking similarity between humans and the show’s most famous aliens, including Romulans, Vulcans, and Andorians, has been a point of contention with many fans over the years. In Star Trek: The Next Generation , the franchise writers attempted to explain this convenient lack of biological diversity using a real scientific theory called panspermia .

the character Kirk, from Star Trek, holding tribbles

Captain Kirk deals with troublesome tribbles in Star Trek.

Proponents of this theory argue that life on Earth may have been seeded by hardy microbes—or at least, by raw ingredients such as amino acids—that traveled here via comets or asteroids. While there’s no direct evidence to back up this claim, missions such as the Rosetta orbiter have found the building blocks of life on comets, and we know tough organisms such as tardigrades can survive unprotected in space.

Scientists also believe early Earth was bombarded by meteors, which could have delivered a “starter kit” for life from elsewhere in the galaxy.

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Building on the panspermia concept, Star Trek suggested that an ancient humanoid life-form intentionally seeded worlds around the Milky Way, creating new species that assumed their basic shape. While each of these species may have split off on its own evolutionary path, they are all essentially long-lost relatives. (Find out how Star Trek is right about almost everything .)

While there is a case for panspermia, chances are slim that we will encounter humanoid life-forms in the real universe, Apai argues. Some theories suggest that local environmental conditions and evolutionary events left to chance will most likely shape the future of any life-form, making it totally unique.

“While there are examples for parallel evolution in the terrestrial biosphere—for example, similar eyes evolving in very different, unrelated species—it seems unlikely to me that we would encounter alien life that would be humanoid,” says Apai.

It’s a Small Galaxy?

Instead, given the only example we have, some researchers suggest that the most common form of life across the galaxy may be what’s most abundant here on Earth: microbes.

“On Earth, it took only a relatively brief period for life to emerge and reach the capability to photosynthesize, but it took billions of years for complex animals to emerge, and intelligence and technical civilization have only been present for about 0.000001 percent of Earth’s past,” says Apai. In other words, our planet’s history has been dominated by a wide array of microscopic life.

There’s also a good chance that the basic molecular building blocks we see on our world will be common throughout the universe.

silicone-based life form seen in the movie Star Trek

The horta was a silicon-based life form in Star Trek.

“Given the availability and its chemical properties, it is a good guess that carbon may often be the key species that provides the backbone, the molecular scaffolding, for biomolecules,” says Apai.

Still, astrobiologists are trying not to be too Earth-centric in their theories about alien life—there’s always the chance that if we do manage to find extraterrestrials, we’ll stumble upon silicon-based creatures like the horta or sentient minerals like the crystalline entity.

“We are looking for everything we can find and trying to exclude no possibilities that we can conceive,” says Apai. “Of course, I am still certain that we will be surprised when we will first be able to study extraterrestrial life.”

Follow Andrew Fazekas on Twitter , Facebook , and his website .

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15 of the Most Bizarre Alien Species Featured in 'Star Trek'

"star trek" aliens.

"Star Trek" is filled with unusual aliens, ranging from the humanoid to the crystalloid to the god-like. Here are some of the more unique species from the live-action "Star Trek" series. Please note: We deliberately exclude the more well-known alien races, and limit each of the series to three entries to try to include samples from across the canon. If we missed anything bizarre, tell us in the comments!

1. Salt vampire ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969)

The very first episode of "Star Trek" showed promise when it came to weird aliens. An old flame of one of the crew members, Nancy Crater, turns out to be a projection of a sort of salt vampire that soon runs amok on the USS Enterprise. This alien species cannot live long without salt, so it attacks crew members and sucks them dry of essential salts. The creature is eventually stopped in part by a sort of mouse trap that — of course — uses salt. [ What I Learned by Watching Every 'Star Trek' Show and Movie ]

2. Horta ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969)

This is a species of silicon-based life (humans, by comparison, are carbon-based) that prefers to feed on rocks. In a moving episode, "The Devil In The Dark," the crew discovers that the aliens are actually intelligent and very loyal to their offspring — but only after the Vulcan alien Spock does a mind-meld with one of the creatures, which is being persecuted by miners angry at the destruction it has caused.

3. Gorn ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969)

A member of this extremely strong (but intelligent) reptilian species engages in famous hand-to-hand combat with Capt. James T. Kirk in the episode "Arena." The only way Kirk manages to overpower him is by finding the ingredients for gunpowder on the alien planet on which he is trapped, using his own uniform to help with the ignition. As an honorary mention, we should also include The Metrons, a species that can manipulate energy and matter at will — these are the aliens that set up the fight in the first place, because they are mad at their space being invaded.

4. Q ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994)

Simultaneously terrifying and witty, Q is a seemingly supernatural being who pops up on the USS Enterprise periodically to play tricks on the crew. Some of his memorable actions include giving Q-like powers to a member of the Enterprise (arguing that humans always love learning), and putting humanity on trial for its past crimes while wearing period uniforms from over the centuries. Q, however, isn't all trickster. Alongside his antics, he does warn humanity about the approach of the Borg, which is trying to assimilate all species into a collective. [ The Evolution of 'Star Trek' (Infographic) ]

5. Tamarian ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994)

This species is a tongue-twister for the usual translators that Starfleet officers carry. While the translators can literally tell us what the Tamarians are saying, it's hard to understand what is going on because the species is speaking in metaphors. (Some examples from Memory Alpha: "Temba, his arms wide/open," which means a gift, or "the river Temarc in winter," which refers to the need for silence.) In the episode "Darmok," Capt. Jean-Luc Picard must learn to communicate with a Tamarian quickly before they are both killed by a hostile beast.

6. Crystalline Entity ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994)

This alien goes in the "beautiful but deadly" category, as the crystalline entity was breathtaking to watch in space — it looked a bit like a snowflake, or small and shiny diamonds. However, the entity had a nasty side to it: It could quickly devour all life in its wake. The USS Enterprise finally defeated the entity by sending graviton pulses that eventually broke it into pieces. But sadly, the crew couldn't stop the pulses in time when they realized the creature might be trying to communicate with them.

7. Changeling ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

Fans of the series will instantly remember changelings, as their numbers included one of the series' main characters — Odo, the sarcastic security officer aboard the space station Deep Space 9. Changelings were made up of an orange liquid that in the "Star Trek" universe is technically referred to as a "morphogenic matrix." Changelings were able to morph into pretty much anything they wanted to, including inanimate objects or even to resemble humans. [ Love of 'Star Trek' Inspires Highly Illogical Careers ]

8. Jem'Hadar ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

Jem'Hadar were one of a few "Star Trek" aliens with very different life cycles than humans. In their case, they were created in "birthing chambers" and were able to reach maturity in just three days. They also fed on a drug called Ketracel-white, which contained an enzyme they needed to survive. That enzyme was deliberately withheld during birthing by the Vorta, who created the Jem'Hadar; this gave the Vorta power over the Jem'Hadar and a captive economy for distributing the drug.

9. Trill ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

A main character on "Deep Space Nine" was from the Trill species — Jadzia Dax. Most of the Trill were fairly unremarkable, but there were a small number (including Dax) who lived with a symbiont inside their bodies. This symbiont was intelligent, but required a host organism to survive; it was common to transfer symbionts to young bodies when the older host organism was close to death. This meant that in the case of Dax, the symbiont transferred from an older man to a younger woman, prompting surprise from an old friend, Capt. Benjamin Sisko, the first time he met the younger Dax on Deep Space 9.

10. Hirogen ("Star Trek: Voyager," 1995-2001)

This alien was a brutal enemy of anything in the "Star Trek" universe, simply because the Hirogen consider themselves the dominant species and anything they run across as prey. Their entire culture was focused on hunting down other species, and they had the ability (if required) to break down bones and muscle tissue to eat the prey. Not someone you'd want to invite to dinner.

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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, " Why Am I Taller ?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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Memory Alpha

Q (species)

  • View history

The Q were a species of nigh- omnipotent and immortal non-corporeal entities who inhabited the limitless dimensions of the cosmos known as the Q Continuum .

  • 1.1 Cosmic chaos
  • 2.2 Procreation
  • 3 Philosophy and culture
  • 4 Individuals
  • 5.1 Appearances
  • 5.2 Apocrypha
  • 5.3 External link

The exact circumstances of how the Q came to exist was unclear. While Quinn stated that the Q were once not unlike humanoid lifeforms, Q implied that the Q never came into existence, but rather, always were. ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

The existence of the Q dated back no less than four billion years . They evolved over "countless centuries " into their current form and considered themselves to be the ultimate form of life, existing in a state of "ultimate purity".

Q Continuum as an empty road

Two Q with a Human and Vulcan in a simplified Q Continuum

However, this caused most of the Q to develop an apathetic attitude towards the universe as the Q believed that they had already done and experienced everything. As such, there was nothing left for them to see, do, experience, or discuss, because they had already done so at some point, ultimately leaving them feeling empty. ( VOY : " Death Wish ", " The Q and the Grey ")

In one rare instance, a reprieve was experienced by Q in 2369 , after spending two years in the Gamma Quadrant with Vash . He claimed that " seeing the universe through your eyes, I was able to experience wonder. I'm going to miss that. " ( DS9 : " Q-Less ")

Cosmic chaos

As a result of the Q easily succumbing to their own boredom, many often acted on their own accord, often interfered – maliciously or otherwise – with the affairs of other species, not to mention the inner workings of the galaxy itself. One noted example among the Q included the time Q misplaced the Deltived asteroid belt . ( TNG : " Deja Q ")

It was even noted Q often could not visit "a single solar system " without having to apologize for the actions of another Q. ( TNG : " Deja Q "; VOY : " Q2 ")

Others occasionally started wars among innocent species. ( VOY : " Death Wish ", " Q2 ") Such as the time Q instigated a hundred-year war between the Vulcans and the Romulans . ( VOY : " Death Wish ") In another instance, Q pitted the Vojeans and Wyngari against one another for his own amusement. ( VOY : " Q2 ")

Ginsberg, Newton and Riker

People whose lives had been changed by the Q

Q had also intervened and influenced Human affairs , for what was essentially the positive, since at least the time of Isaac Newton , and included involvement in the American Civil War in the mid- 19th century and assisted in indirectly saving Woodstock , during the mid- 20th century . By the 21st century , the very same Q was finally imprisoned in a comet , purportedly for eternity , because his views topics such as suicide caused a disruption within the Continuum. ( VOY : " Death Wish ")

Around 2165 , another Q "had some dealings" with the El-Aurian , Guinan , that left bitter feelings between the two. While Q claimed that Guinan was " not what she appears to be. She's an imp , and where she goes, trouble always follows; " Guinan, noted of Q, that he was often busy " frightening one race after the other, teasing them like frightened animals , and [..] enjoying every moment of [his] victims' fears . " ( TNG : " Q Who ", " Deja Q ")

First contact between the Federation and the Q occurred in 2364 , when the crew of the USS Enterprise -D met Q, who proceeded to put Humanity on trial for "being a grievously savage child-race." ( TNG : " Encounter at Farpoint ") Q visited the Enterprise seven times in all, including the time he introduced them to the Borg in 2365 . ( TNG : " Q Who ") After his fourth, and around the time of his fifth visit in 2367, Starfleet held a briefing on Q, attended by Benjamin Sisko , among others. ( DS9 : " Q-Less ") By 2371 , every captain in Starfleet had been briefed about Q's appearances on the Enterprise , though apparently not shown what he looked like as Captain Janeway initially assumed Quinn was that particular Q. ( VOY : " Death Wish ")

Further aspects of 24th century interactions with the Q included involvement in a Q Civil War . The Q had come to fear the influence of Human compassion and curiosity into their otherwise timeless, apathetic, and stable culture. The war was incredibly destructive to this dimension and involved weapons which, during a firefight, incidentally caused the supernova of numerous stars . The war was ultimately ended upon the birth of Q Junior , restoring the Continuum to the status quo. ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

The Q Continuum last made contact with the Federation in the 26th century . For this reason they were not considered to be among those listed among Unknown Species 10-C in 3190 . ( DIS : " The Examples ")

As entities, the Q referred to those unlike themselves, like Humans , to be non-entities – or worse. ( TNG : " Hide And Q ")

The true extent of the abilities of the Q was as enigmatic as the Q themselves. On multiple occasions, the Q claimed to be omnipotent, but more specifically: ageless, all-knowing, and all-seeing. ( TNG : " Q Who ", " Deja Q ")

According to Q, they did not experience claustrophobia , being " too hot or too cold , growing feeble with age , losing my hair , catching a disease , being ticklish , sneezing , having an itch , a pimple , bad breath . Having to bathe , " having to sleep , experience hunger , much less eat , nor even stub their toe . ( TNG : " Deja Q ")

Contrarily, the dissident Quinn, once suggested that the Q were, in fact, not completely omnipotent. This was seemingly the case amongst their own kind, as they had demonstrated the ability to execute , or less lethally, conditionally grant and (temporarily) relieve the powers of others, as well as renounce their own powers; but not their mortality, and were therefore unable to commit suicide . ( VOY : " Death Wish ", " Q2 "; TNG : " Hide And Q ", " Q Who ", " Deja Q ", " True Q ")

The Q have claimed to have "infinite intellect." In fact, even as a Human, Q spectacularly claimed to possess an IQ of 2005. During the time she believed herself to be Human, Amanda Rogers ' transcript of academic accomplishments included honors work in neurobiology , plasma dynamics , and eco-regeneration . ( TNG : " Deja Q "; VOY : " The Q and the Grey "; TNG : " True Q ")

Despite their claims to immortality, the Q were not truly immortal, and thus could die. This was discovered by Q , who began to lose his powers the closer he came to death. ( PIC : " Mercy ") In this weakened state, it was possible for a Human to kill a Q, and when Q returned Jean-Luc Picard and his friends to their own time, he stated that doing so would certainly kill him. ( PIC : " Farewell ") Despite his apparent death, Q appeared a year later to Jack Crusher and simply chided him for thinking linearly when Jack asked about Q's death. ( PIC : " The Last Generation ")

Riker laughs at Q's plan

Riker experiences the power of the Q

What was most evident about the Q were that their capabilities reached cosmic levels of power . With a mere thought , and a snap of their fingers or a wave of their hand, the Q had unlimited control over space , time , and matter . ( VOY : " Q2 ")

An individual Q could accomplish such feats as traveling to a time and place that existed before and outside the universe itself, to other visiting other galaxies, tampering with primordial gene pools , punching holes in the fabric of spacetime , changing the gravitational constant of the universe, or accidentally destroying a galaxy, all on a whim. ( TNG : " Deja Q ", " True Q "; DS9 : " Q-Less "; VOY : " Death Wish ", " Q2 ")

Enterprise scale

Two Q casually interact in the vacuum of space

Further examples of their cosmic feats included causing temporal anomalies (such as temporal loops ), subspace inversions , knocking small planets out of orbit , restoring the orbit of a moon, completely restoring a polluted atmosphere to its natural form, or rearranging the tectonic plates of a planet. ( TNG : " Deja Q ", " True Q "; VOY : " The Q and the Grey ", " Q2 ")

They possessed knowledge of the future , as well as knowledge of personal aspects of a person's life, such as knowing a mortal's favorite food , when they will encounter a previously unknown species, or when they will explore a particular region of space. ( TNG : " Q Who ", " Tapestry "; VOY : " Death Wish ") They also possessed the power of suggestion. ( DS9 : " Q-Less ")

They had the ability to grant and strip their powers to non-entities, such as was the opportunity given to William T. Riker , a Human who, in 2365, was bestowed with the powers of the Q. ( TNG : " Hide And Q ", " Q Who ")

Neelix muted

Neelix muted by Q

Similarly, they possessed the ability to alter a mortal's age , endow or deprive sight to the blind , physically mute an individual by fusing their jaw and removing their vocal cords , or completely change an individual into another species . ( TNG : " Hide And Q ", " True Q "; VOY : " Q2 ")

They also possessed the ability to control technology , such as to inhibit a starship 's transporter from operating, freeze the functionality of its shields , or simply transport a starship over vast distances of several thousand light years . ( TNG : " Q Who ", " Deja Q "; VOY : " Death Wish ")

One unanticipated fallacy of Q, while in Human form , was his inability to anticipate, nor prove immune, to a punch delivered by Benjamin Sisko . ( DS9 : " Q-Less ") Nevertheless, Q had the ability to give his own illusions, or so-called 'fantasies', a life of their own, by allowing himself to have " no more idea what's going to happen than [the next person]. " ( TNG : " Qpid ")

Procreation

Q and Q mate

Two Q mating

One thing which Q normally did not do was mate with another Q, in fact, it was even claimed that " the Q are way beyond sex . " When Kathryn Janeway suggested the idea of two Q mating to procreate, Q stated flatly that even if he wanted to mate, that he would not know how, as it was totally unprecedented. Janeway replied that he would figure it out, being omnipotent, after all. Ultimately, it involved simply touching forefingers (while in Human form), a method described as both "dirty" and satisfying. ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

In spite of this, Q coupled and become involved with other Q. One example included the supposed three billion year involvement between Q and Q , be it one that was never physical. ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

This did not, however, impede their ability to mate as other species. Despite the claim of being involved with another Q, Q also claimed to have been single for "billions of years". During said time, he claimed his experiences was " fun, at first, " as he spent his time " gallivanting around the galaxy, using [his] omnipotence to impress females of every species. " He even once claimed that foreplay with a Q could last decades . ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

When Q ultimately expressed a desire to procreate with the Human, Kathryn Janeway, he also said he " could have chosen a Klingon targ , the Romulan empress , [or] a Cyrillian microbe . " ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

In fact, Q believed that they could "only mate with a species capable of copulation." ( VOY : " The Q and the Grey ") This was especially true if both Q were of the same species capable of copulation. For instance, during the mid-24th century, two Q mated as Humans, creating a Q offspring . ( TNG : " True Q ")

Philosophy and culture

Quinn's column

A Q editorial

According to Guinan, " not all the Q are alike. Some are almost respectable. " ( TNG : " Q Who ")

The Q believed in the death penalty , life imprisonment, being bestowed mortality, transformation into lower lifeforms, or banishment from the Continuum as varying degrees of punishment for crimes . ( TNG : " Q Who ", " True Q "; VOY : " Death Wish ", " Q2 ") They were, notably, impressed with acts of self-sacrifice. ( TNG : " Deja Q "; VOY : " Q2 ")

The Q believed that Humans were " moving faster than expected, further than they should. " ( TNG : " Q Who ") At one point Q indicated that Humans might have one day equaled or would even surpass his species. This concern was, in fact, one reason which the Q wished to learn more about Humanity. ( TNG : " Hide And Q ")

Under normal circumstances, the Q were known merely by the name "Q". This caused no confusion among the Q as they always knew to which of them was being referred when the name "Q" was used. Some, such as Q, chose the name Quinn, though this occurred only after becoming Human. When referred to by non-Q, descriptors ("female Q") or titles (" Colonel Q", " Miss Q") were often added to distinguish that particular member. ( TNG : " Deja Q "; VOY : " The Q and the Grey ")

Individuals

  • See : List of Q

Appearances

  • " Encounter at Farpoint "
  • " Hide And Q "
  • " Tapestry "
  • " All Good Things... "
  • DS9 : " Q-Less "
  • " Death Wish "
  • " The Q and the Grey "
  • LD : " Veritas "
  • " The Star Gazer "
  • " Penance "
  • " Assimilation "
  • " Watcher "
  • " Fly Me to the Moon "
  • " Two of One " ( flashback ; archive footage)
  • " Farewell "
  • " The Last Generation "

In the Peter David novel Q-Squared , Trelane was revealed to be a member of the Q Continuum, with Q being assigned as his mentor. In the book, Trelane was able to tap into "The Heart of The Storm," the theoretical and literal center of the universe, where chaos exists; doing so gave Trelane more power than the entire Continuum, allowing him to close it off and play with the universe as he pleased. Trelane then manipulated three different tracks of the Enterprise -D timeline, with the ultimate goal of the experiment being the merging of all parallel timelines and the destruction of the multiverse order. Captain Jena-Luc Picard , with the help of Q, managed to stop Trelane, though the experience reduced Trelane to a speck of his former existence.

The trilogy Q Continuum introduced an additional Q known as the Quaestor , who resembled Picard. In this series it was revealed that the most prominent Q pulled a similar being known as 0 through the Guardian of Forever , and that 0 proceeded to bring forth such entities as the " God " of Sha Ka Ree , Gorgan , and the Beta XII-A entity to join him in his villainy. The Continuum was forced to act, with the Quaestor leading Quinn, Q2, and the female Q into battle against 0 and his forces. The outcome of this battle was the imprisonment of the Sha Ka Ree entity at the center of the galaxy and 0 outside of it, while their two allies escaped. The Q Continuum created barriers to prevent the return of their two prisoners, and Q was assigned to watch over Earth due to his part in wiping out the dinosaurs by redirecting an attack aimed at the female Q by 0. The barriers created to keep 0 out were later weakened by the Q civil war, and he briefly managed to return but was then defeated by the unlikely alliance of Q and the Calamarain . He was then returned to exile, and the Continuum repaired the barriers.

The Q Gambit featured the Q caught in a war against the Pah-wraiths . Unlike the three-dimensional world, they found themselves oddly powerless in their own continuum. Following Q 's merging with a Prophet , he became even more powerful than he had been before.

External link

  • Q (species) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
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'Living fossil' tree frozen in time for 66 million years being planted in secret locations

Wollemi pines — thought to have gone extinct 2 million years ago — were rediscovered in 1994. Scientists are now hoping to reintroduce the species in the wild in a conservation effort that could take centuries.

Close up of Wollemi Pine Tree.

Scientists are planting "living fossil" trees in secret locations in a bid to bring back the lost species from the brink of extinction — an effort that could take centuries. 

Wollemi pines ( Wollemia nobilis ) were believed to have disappeared some 2 million years ago. Fossils of the species dating the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago) show they have barely changed in appearance since this time. 

But in 1994, hikers in Australia's Blue Mountains stumbled upon a relict stand of these ancient conifers. Now, only around 60 of them remain in Wollemi National Park. They are threatened by Phytophthora cinnamomi , a pathogenic water mold that causes dieback, and by rampant wildfires that intermittently rage through this region of New South Wales.

Since its rediscovery, wollemi pines have been grown in botanical gardens and private spaces around the world. And the Wollemi Pine Recovery Team, a partnership between Australian government scientists and conservationists, has begun the process of reintroducing seedlings to three sites in Wollemi National Park.

Related: Living fossils — 12 creatures that look the same now as they did millions of years ago

"The sites comprise high-elevation sandstone gorges that are sufficiently deep, narrow and steep-sided to provide refugia from frequent, intense wildfires and drought," representatives said in a statement emailed to Live Science. "There was no evidence of infection with pathogenic Phytophthora species at either site when surveyed immediately prior to the translocations, and there is a low (but non-zero) likelihood of unauthorized visitation due to their remoteness."

Following a pilot transplantation effort in 2012, the recovery team initiated a more intensive project in 2019. Over 400 saplings were transplanted at two sites and — due to drought conditions — the team later hauled several thousand gallons of water to the plants in order to help them survive. Later that year, a substantial number of the trees were destroyed by bushfires. Only 58 saplings made it to 2023.

In 2021, 502 more Wollemi pines were planted at the sites to replace those lost in the fires. "Survival has greatly exceeded expectations, due in part to several years of favorable La Niña conditions following the 2021 population augmentations," the researchers said. La Niña is a periodic climate pattern that features colder-than-average waters in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific. Increased rainfalls due to the climatic phenomenon benefited the new transplants—but that seems to be coming to an end. Landslides caused by heavy rains in 2022 led to further fatalities but more than 80% survived. More will be planted in 2024.

The team has taken extensive steps to prevent introduction of Phytophthora to the sites. Their locations are concealed from the public and even the reintroduction team limits their time near the plants. They repeatedly disinfect their shoes to reduce the likelihood they will track in traces of the water mold. Even a few spores might spell death for this nascent population.

They have also intentionally located some of the young trees in areas that might be subject to bushfires "to help address knowledge gaps regarding their response and ability to tolerate fire," the team said.

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While the new populations are being intensively monitored, the fate of the species in the wild is far from assured. The young trees grow less than 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) a year, so it will take decades for them to reach maturity and produce seeds. Some may produce offshoots in the meantime, though when they may begin propagating themselves in this fashion remains unknown. 

Fires and other climate-related issues such as reduced rainfall are likely to interfere with the restoration effort in the coming years. The scientists view their effort as a multi-generational one: a new cohort of stewards will need to take their place in the ensuing decades. 

"To be successful, the translocated populations must become self-sustaining, and the benchmark is the appearance of second-generation seedlings," the researchers said. "Given the slow growth and maturation of Wollemi pines in the wild, this is likely to take many decades, if not centuries. Given predicted increases in the frequency and severity of fire and drought due to climate change — arguably the two greatest threats to these populations — their long-term security is far from guaranteed."

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Richard Pallardy

Richard Pallardy is a freelance science writer based in Chicago. He has written for such publications as  National Geographic ,  Science Magazine ,  New Scientist , and  Discover Magazine . 

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akiprev said: "But in 1994, hikers in Australia's Blue Mountains stumbled upon a relict stand of these ancient conifers." How anything could be sticking so to be stumbled upon for anything near 66 million years is beyond me.
historybuff said: The article made sense. Your comment does not.
  • EnReign I remember seeing a sign in the San Diego Safari Park about the Wollemi pine and even snapping a picture of the tree a few months ago. How neat to see the conservation efforts. Reply
  • Thomas Thompson It only grows "less than a centimeter a year"? That HAS to be a typo! A century to grow one meter? Reply
  • View All 5 Comments

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Screen Rant

10 star trek alien species' best character.

Star Trek features some of the most iconic alien species in all of science fiction, and those species are often defined by one particular character.

Star Trek features some of the most iconic alien species in all of science fiction, and those species are often defined by one particularly noteworthy character. Since the earliest days of Star Trek: The Original Series , part of Starfleet's mission has been to seek out new life in the galaxy in an attempt to learn and better understand both alien and human life. Whether it be sworn enemies like the Borg or more benevolent species like the Vulcans, gaining new knowledge about the denizens of the galaxy is baked into Star Trek 's DNA.

Star Trek tends to spend a great deal of time world building around their alien species. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine may be the best example, rapidly expanding the worlds and cultures of the Bajorans, Cardassians, Changelings, and Ferengi. But even in DS9 's broad world building, individual characters still stand out as important members of their respective species. These characters aren't always representative of their species at large, but they do often represent the best of what their people are capable of.

10 Klingons - Worf

Introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation , no single character has appeared in more episodes of Star Trek than Lieutenant Worf (Michael Dorn) , the first Klingon to enter Starfleet. Raised by humans after the death of his Klingon parents, Worf was forever torn between his Klingon heritage and the humans that he interacted with for most of his life. After the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations , Worf joined the cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , where he married Jadzia Dax (Terry Ferrell), helped install a new leader of the Klingon Empire, and played a crucial role in the Dominion War.

9 Vulcans - Spock

Arguably the most significant character in all of Star Trek, the half-human, half-Vulcan Spock (Leonard Nimoy) was the trusted First Officer of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) for decades aboard the USS Enterprise. Spock's emotionless demeanor and dedication to logic played perfectly off Kirk's fiery passion. Spock made a conscious decision to reject his human heritage and live as a Vulcan, but that was often easier said than done, with Spock having more trouble than most Vulcans controlling his emotions. In his later years, he played a significant role in reunifying the people of Vulcan and Romulus, perhaps his greatest achievement.

8 Romulans - Laris

The Romulans have been one of Starfleet's most consistent antagonists since they debuted in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Balance Of Terror," yet not many individual Romulans have made a deep impression on Star Trek canon. The most fully formed, authentic Romulan character so far has been Laris (Orla Brady), assistant and occasional love interest of Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) on Star Trek: Picard . Laris was a former Tal Shiar operative who became disillusioned with the Romulan way of life after a supernova wiped out Romulus. She would eventually become one of Picard's closest confidantes.

7 Ferengi - Quark

After a disastrous debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 as a new antagonistic species, the Ferengi were reimagined as ultra-capitalists for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . No one embodied that ethos more fully than Quark (Armin Shimerman), the Ferengi who ran the bar on DS9. Ostensibly obsessed with profit above all else, Quark was also extremely loyal to his family, who helped him run the bar on the station. He also enjoyed a love/hate relationship with the station's security chief, the Changeling Odo (Rene Auberjonois), who was never quite sure if he detested or admired Quark's ability to bend the rules.

6 Cardassians - Elim Garak

There's an argument to be made that the most notable Cardassian is actually Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), a sneering opportunist who oversaw some of the worst atrocities of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor. But the more interesting, enduring character is Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) , a former Cardassian spy who served as DS9's resident tailor. Garak had all the qualities of most Cardassians - the arrogance, the superiority complex - but he was also a man of deep convictions who often disagreed with the more egregious acts of his people. His friendship with Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) is one of Star Trek 's best.

5 Bajorans - Kira Nerys

A survivor of the Cardassian occupation, Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) was initially presented as someone still deeply traumatized by war and reluctant to accept assistance from Starfleet. She would eventually blossom into one of Star Trek 's most complicated characters, a deeply spiritual woman haunted by her days as a freedom fighter on her home planet. Her bond with Odo would eventually evolve into a sweet but short-lived romance, as he was forced to return to the Great Link at the end of DS9. Her guest appearance on Star Trek: Lower Decks confirmed she remains in command of DS9 years after Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) joined the Bajoran prophets.

4 Borg - Seven Of Nine

Seven Of Nine (Jeri Ryan) joined the cast of Star Trek: Voyager at the beginning of season 4. She was removed from the Borg Collective after a truce between Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the Borg dissolved. Not quite Borg, but not quite human, Seven spent her years on Voyager attempting to reconcile the reality of who she was, often with the help of the ship's holographic Doctor (Robert Picardo). She would team up decades later with Jean-Luc Picard, another notable former Borg, in Star Trek: Picard , still struggling to find her place in the galaxy after Voyager eventually made it home to Earth.

3 Changelings - Odo

Odo served as the irascible security chief on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Highly suspicious and slow to trust, Odo was originally presented as something of a mystery before it was revealed in DS9 season 3 that he was a member of the Changelings, the Founders of the Dominion. Odo was torn between finally knowing his people and feeling horrified at the Dominion's actions. Odo harbored a secret love for Kira Nerys before they eventually became a couple in DS9 season 7, but when Section 31 infected the Great Link with a morphogenic virus, Odo finally returned to his home world for good to heal his people.

2 Trill - Jadzia Dax

The Trill are a symbiotic species, with a sort of giant slug creature living in their torsos, containing the memories and personalities of all of its former hosts. A young Benjamin Sisko was acquainted with Curzon Daz, an older man he saw as a mentor. By the time Sisko took command of DS9, the Dax symbiont had been transferred to a young woman known as Jadzia Dax (Terry Ferrell). Sisko and Dax maintained their previous relationship, with Sisko even called Jadzia "old man." Jadzia also notably fell in love with and married Worf, though their love would be short-lived, as Jadzia was murdered by Gul Dukat in DS9 season 6.

1 Kelpiens - Saru

Perhaps Star Trek: Discovery 's single greatest achievement has been the character of the Kelpien Saru (Doug Jones) . Beyond the remarkable makeup and prosthetics used to bring the character to life, Saru brought something new to Star Trek . Obviously brilliant but never arrogant, Saru was defined by his gentleness, which was often pushed to its breaking point by the adventurous Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). Saru also stood as an evolutionary important figure in his species, ridding himself of the intense fear that often defined his species. It's a magnificent performance by Jones, who has made a career out of playing gentle monsters.

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COMMENTS

  1. Life span

    A life span, life expectancy, or life cycle was the maximum or average length of time a lifeform, material, or object was projected or capable of living or lasting. Having an effectively unlimited life span was referred to as immortality. The life span of humanoid species was known to vary from less than a decade to as long as several millennia. Some non-corporeal species were known to have ...

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    Believe me, captain, immortality consists largely of boredom.Zefram Cochrane Immortality was the avoidance or reversion of death or an entity that appeared to exist forever. Immortality was one of the defining characteristics of the Q. The fact that the Q Continuum forced immortality onto other Q dismayed one of the Q, who attempted suicide. He claimed that immortality was one of the ...

  3. star trek

    Not asking about all species in the Star Trek universe, just member species in the Federation. - Morgan. Apr 4, 2014 at 7:28. ... I know of no other Federation species that can live that long, though certain species like the Douwd, which live in the Federation in secret, can live longer. Share. Improve this answer. Follow

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    The species was named in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Rivals." El-Aurians appear outwardly identical to humans and have a variety of ethnic types, with both dark- and light-skinned members of the race being shown in various Star Trek movies and television episodes. They can live well over 700 years.

  5. Changeling

    The Changelings were shapeshifting lifeforms (in their natural state a liquid) native to the Gamma Quadrant of the Milky Way Galaxy. They were the creators and rulers of the Dominion, whose subject races knew them as the semi-mythical Founders. Most Changelings existed as an amalgamated mass known as the Great Link. The natural form of a Changeling was a viscous orange liquid containing a ...

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    But, as "The Broken Circle" reveals, Pelia is definitely not human. The first hint we get is when she casually refers to being more than 100 years old. In the same scene, Uhura, the ship's ...

  9. Category:Star Trek species

    Star Trek species are lifeforms featured in the fictional series Star Trek. Sentient hybrid lifeforms featured in the series should be categorized as Star Trek hybrids. Subcategories. This category has the following 7 subcategories, out of 7 total. B. Bajorans‎ (15 P) C. Cardassians‎ (11 ...

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    The Douwd, on the other hand, are a species that exists in the moment. They still exist on the same plane of existence as the rest, but they pose another problem with defining advancement. They ...

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    Let's start by stating the obvious, Star Trek is a work of fiction. As such, the writers are free to explore the topics they like however they like. If you review medical history for the last 2000 years, you'll find documented cases of people reaching and going beyond 100 years of age.

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  15. Species

    A species or race was any class of lifeform that had common attributes and were designated by a common name. According to Data, "in the game of military brinksmanship, individual physical prowess is less important than the perception of a species as a whole." However, according to Worf, if "no one is willing to test that perception in combat [..] then the reputation means nothing." (TNG: "Peak ...

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    Ferengi. When fans first met the Ferengi, they were a caricature of a selfish, lecherous species. They also didn't seem very intelligent, just a bumbling group of tiny barbarians looking for self-profit. DS9 really changed the entire game for the species. Sure, they did have tendencies to treat women poorly and were obsessed with profit.

  18. Star Trek: 10 Smartest Alien Races, Ranked

    These are probably one of the stranger looking species ever seen on Star Trek. The Nacene were violet non-corporeal or energy-based creatures with tentacles for appendages. ... To save themselves from themselves, they slowed down their technological advancements, preferring to live forever on their planet as simple farmers. Cytherians . Unlike, ...

  19. 15 of the Most Bizarre Alien Species Featured in 'Star Trek'

    1. Salt vampire ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969) Paramount. The very first episode of "Star Trek" showed promise when it came to weird aliens. An old flame of one of the crew members ...

  20. Star Trek: 10 Alien Species Explained

    5. J'Naii. Like a lot of alien races in Star Trek, the J'Naii are only physically distinguishable from humans by a series of facial ridges, in addition to a distinct lack of eyebrows and uniformly brunette hair. Culturally, they are very different, however, as they are a species that completely reject the notion of gender.

  21. Q (species)

    The Q were a species of nigh-omnipotent and immortal non-corporeal entities who inhabited the limitless dimensions of the cosmos known as the Q Continuum. The exact circumstances of how the Q came to exist was unclear. While Quinn stated that the Q were once not unlike humanoid lifeforms, Q implied that the Q never came into existence, but rather, always were. (VOY: "The Q and the Grey") The ...

  22. 'Living fossil' tree frozen in time for 66 million years ...

    Wollemi pines — thought to have gone extinct 2 million years ago — were rediscovered in 1994. Scientists are now hoping to reintroduce the species in the wild in a conservation effort that ...

  23. 10 Star Trek Alien Species' Best Character

    1 Kelpiens - Saru. Perhaps Star Trek: Discovery 's single greatest achievement has been the character of the Kelpien Saru (Doug Jones). Beyond the remarkable makeup and prosthetics used to bring the character to life, Saru brought something new to Star Trek. Obviously brilliant but never arrogant, Saru was defined by his gentleness, which was ...

  24. What Star Trek species/beings could live on Venus?

    Star Trek's batteries have an absurd level of energy density even in the 24th century, something on the order of 1.3*10 6 MJ per cubic centimeter if we believe the TNG technical manual, and it would be completely necessary to have that amount of energy to do stuff that hand phasers have been seen to do.