Human

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Human
Four Letter Code	HUMN
Federation Status	Member
Planet of Origin	Earth (Terra)
Encountered	n/a
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	N
List of Named Humans
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Humans are one of the founding species of the United Federation of Planets, native to the planet Earth. Humans are sometimes referred to as "Terrans", often to distinguish Humans living on Earth from those resident of colonies on other planets.

History

Humans have a violent and complex history of conflict between themselves on their home planet, undergoing multiple wars. The 20th century saw the beginning of genetic modifications to the Human genome, and the creation of stronger, faster, and smarter humans at the hands of scientists - these were primarily as "Augments".

In 1993, a group of Augments seized power of forty nations, and when the Augments began to fight among themselves (though there are conflicting reports regarding this, with another theory being that Humanity rose against the Augments), it sparked the devastating Eugenics War (the Great Wars), a series of ongoing conflicts that lasted four years with entire Human populations being bombed out of existence. Eventually the Augments were defeated by Humans whom were not genetically enhanced, and the remaining Augments were condemned to die as war criminals. However, 85 Augments went unaccounted for, and would later be found by a Starfleet vessel in the 23rd century, having escaped Earth aboard an early sleeper ship. The official casualty count of the Eugenics War was placed at thirty million, and prohibitions against intentional improvement of the Human genome were put into effect.

The Human international scene began to deteriorate in the early 2000s. The United Nations was reorganized into the New United Nations, with a number joining together in a union known as the Eastern Coalition. Hostilities between the Eastern Coalitions and the United States broke out in 2026, beginning World War III, and escalated into a nuclear holocaust, engulfing much of Earth and nearly sending Human civilization to a dark age. During the chaos, Ares IV underwent a successful manned mission to Mars in 2032 took place, considered as a precursor for an attempt to take Humans beyond the Sol system. In the following year, the Charybdis would by launched by the United States - however, the ship was swept off course by an unknown alien force. The subsequent collapse of the global economy, political systems, and the drastic environmental effects of World War III devastated the nations whom had managed to escape direct nuclear attack. The casualty count was a total of 600 million.

The Humans of Earth became warp-capable in 2063 with the first warp jump undertaken by Doctor Zefram Cochrane, which caught the attention of a passing Vulcan vessel. It was at this point Humans experienced first contact with an alien species, and Humans began to rebuild their world from the ashes of the devastating WWIII - this would be a long process, as Earth would stilll be recovering well into the early 22nd century. Historians look back on this time, considering the era as rather chaotic.

With warp capability, Humans ventured out into space to explore the universe. A colony would be established on the moon in 2067, and one on Mars in 2103. Earth would finally have the United Earth government, with all nations unified, in 2150. It's first warp 5 capable vessel would be launched the following year.

Earth was attacked by the Xindi with a prototype weapon in 2152, resulting in the deaths of 7 million Humans. It would be the most threatening crisis to the Human species since World War III. The "Xindi crisis" would be resolved by the crew of the NX-01 Enterprise.

Several affected political powers of other worlds joined together in what would be called the Coalition of Planets, founded in 2155. It would become an integral to the formation of the United Federation of Planets (which would be founded in 2161). Humanity's participation in the Coalition marked the beginning of it's growth into an interstellar species.

Tensions between Earth and the Romulan Star Empire finally began to flare into a full-scale war, with military and political ramifications felt between the two feuding parties for the next two centuries. Neither side would prevail, and the violence finally ended after the Battle of Cheron, with an established neutral zone as a buffer between their two spheres of influence. The neutral zone would last until the late 24th century.

There were, however, Human populations on other planets prior to humanity's entering the space age, brought to other planets by alien species as "transplants". Such societies included Native Americans on Amerind by the Preservers, whom still lived as hunters and gatherers by 2268, and six thousand Humans from the late 19th century Ancient West inhabiting a planet in the Delphic Expanse. When on it's journey home in the Delta quadrant, the USS Voyager discovered humans that had been abducted in 1937 - their descendants had overthrown their Briori masters, establishing a thriving community on their planet, whilst others had remained in stasis.

Physiology

Humans are a warm-blooded species with an average lifespan of around 120 years, although some individuals have achieved a much older age. Humans are bilaterally symmetrical bipeds who are descended from primates.

The Human species is one of the more distinct sentient groups present in the Milky Way Galaxy as, while they do not possess any dominant or noticeable bony ridges around their face or on their bodies as is common to many races throughout space, they do posses a great deal of phenotypic diversity within their species. Skin color, eye color, blood type, facial structures, hair color and hair type vary considerably between individuals and helps to make every single Human distinct in appearance from the next.

They have two sexes, as is common to many humanoid species, with the female of the species fertile once a month after she reaches puberty (between the age of 12-16) until the onset of a biochemical stage known as menopause (between the age of 45-55). Human gestation lasts 9 months. The make-up of Human DNA structure is significant, as, with some modifications, it allows them to cross breed successfully with a wide range of other races across the galaxy, including Vulcans, Klingons, and Betazoids.

Compared to many other races, Humans are not the strongest of species, but that is not to say they are not resilient. They can survive with one lung or kidney (they have two of each normally), and surprisingly they can go days without water and weeks without food due to their bodies' ability to conserve water and live off stored fat respectively. Their bodies' efficient temperature regulation allows them to survive cold temperatures to a far greater degree than other races such as the Cardassians, or high temperatures that would be uncomfortable for an Andorian.

Psychology

Humans were prone to strong, occasionally overwhelming emotions, such as love, hatred, embarrassment, and elation. Such feelings extended beyond sentient species. Many Humans anthropomorphized the lower lifeforms they kept as pets. Even fictional characters could elicit Human compassion.

Society

By the 24th century, Human society has changed from what it once was. On Earth, hunger, war, disease, famine, and poverty have been eliminated. The acquisition of wealth is no longer the primary driving force in the lives of many Humans. A great deal of emphasis is currently placed on the importance of continued societal and self-growth. Because of the Federation's socialist-capitalist hybrid economy and the presence of replicators, material needs are largely satisfied and therefore money is no longer necessary for day-to-day survival. It must be noted that all of this more specifically applies to Humans within the Sol system, as many Earth colonies are known to have developed vast cultural differences from other Humans and some have even fallen into anarchy, mostly notably Turkana IV.

Culture

23rd century art style depicting various stellar phenomena and planets in an abundance of colour and detail is called "platorro". It originated with the stability of the century and the ability to admire space in its most beautiful forms instead of fearing interstellar tensions from it.

Military

The United Earth Starfleet grew into the military and exploratory arm of the Federation known as simply "Starfleet" by the 23rd century. Political crises and conflicts that involved the Federation drew Humanity in, and vice versa.

Starfleet Intelligence Files

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