Changes: Lifeform

Revision as of 19:00, 7 June 2012

"I just love scanning for lifeforms. Lifeforms... you tiny little lifeforms... you precious little lifeforms... where are you?"

- Data (Star Trek Generations)

"Our mission as Starfleet officers is to seek out new lifeforms so we can learn about one another."

- Miles O'Brien (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")

DNA, the genetic programming of a lifeform

A lifeform was simply any living entity or organism. The study of lifeforms was known as biology, and, when dealing with alien lifeforms, could be further sub-categorized into xenobiology and xenology.

Starship sensors and tricorders were primary instruments used in detecting or locating lifeforms, as they could identify or localize blood type, heart rate or metabolic setup.

A lifeform was not necessarily organic — which was to say carbon-based. Nevertheless, Federation scans for lifeforms often looked only for organic life. In at least one known cast, this limited view of what constituted a lifeform had disastrous consequences for a Federation terraforming project. (TNG: "Home Soil")

There are incredible similarities between the lifeforms on different worlds in the Star Trek universe. A probable explanation for this may be the existence of the ancient humanoids DNA during evolution.

Starfleet lifeform classes and types

Classification R-3 lifeforms (Sheliak)
Class-5 lifeforms (Vhnori)

The class-5 type lifeform may refer to humanoids.

Order 480-G anthropoids (Taurus II natives)

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 [[File:DNA.jpg|thumb|[[DNA]], the genetic programming of a lifeform]]
-A '''lifeform''' is simply any living entity or organism. The study of lifeforms is known as [[biology]], and, when dealing with [[alien]] lifeforms, can be further sub-categorized into [[xenobiology]] and xenology.
+A '''lifeform''' was simply any living entity or organism. The study of lifeforms was known as [[biology]], and, when dealing with [[alien]] lifeforms, could be further sub-categorized into [[xenobiology]] and xenology.
-[[Starship]] [[sensor]]s and [[tricorder]]s are primary instruments used in detecting or locating lifeforms. This can be determined by identifying or localizing [[blood]] type, [[heart]] rate or metabolic setup.
+[[Starship]] [[sensor]]s and [[tricorder]]s were primary instruments used in detecting or locating lifeforms, as they could identify or localize [[blood]] type, [[heart]] rate or metabolic setup.
+A lifeform was not necessarily [[organic]] — which was to say [[carbon]]-based.   Nevertheless, Federation [[scan]]s for lifeforms often looked only for organic life.  In at least one known cast, this limited view of what constituted a lifeform had disastrous consequences for a Federation [[terraforming]] project.  ({{TNG|Home Soil}})
 {{bginfo|There are incredible similarities between the lifeforms on different worlds in the ''Star Trek'' [[universe]]. A probable explanation for this may be the existence of the [[ancient humanoid]]s [[DNA]] during evolution.}}

Changes: Lifeform

Revision as of 19:00, 7 June 2012

Contents

Starfleet lifeform classes and types

Kingdoms

Other types of life

See also