Starfleet Academy courses (Still to be completed)

Here are some of the courses taken at Starfleet Academy.

Named courses

A

Academy Extension Course

Academy Extension Course #4077 was a semester-long course taught at Starfleet Academy. In this course, students studied the engineering developments of non-humanoid societies. Upon the successful completion of this course, the student received a certificate of completion signed by the instructor and the dean of students.

In an alternate timeline, in 2372, this certificate was on display in Kim's office in San Francisco. as having been completed in the fall of 2371 (VOY: "Non Sequitur").

Advanced Navigation

Advanced Navigation was a course offered at Starfleet Academy for cadets studying navigation.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A". (DIS: "Brother")

Cadet Paul Rice took one of the course's final tests while at the Academy in the 2350s. The test had three options to it. Rice, however, rejected all three solutions and used one of his own instead. Rice's new option paid off, earning him the top mark in his class and his solution a permanent place on the list of possible options.

William T. Riker mentioned this fact to Jean-Luc Picard in 2364 as an example of how Rice's confidence in himself was not misplaced. (TNG: "The Arsenal of Freedom").

Advanced Subspace Geometry

Advanced Subspace Geometry was one of the geometry courses taught at Starfleet Academy.

Tom Paris said that Advanced Subspace Geometry was the only class at the Academy where he actually paid attention. This came in handy in 2374, when USS Voyager encountered an unstable coaxial warp ship. (VOY: "Vis à Vis").

Advanced Tactical Training

Advanced Tactical Training was a special course for Starfleet officers focused on tactical training. Officers must be recommended for this training. It was so difficult and challenging, in fact, that half of the class washed out each year.

Between 2369 and 2370, Ro Laren attended Advanced Tactical Training per the recommendation of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. After her training, Admiral Alynna Nechayev felt that Ro's training qualified her for an infiltration mission of the Maquis. Ro was hesitant and even mentioned that one of her instructors in Tactical Training (a lieutenant commander) was sympathetic to the Maquis. He resigned from Starfleet and joined the Maquis.

Ro was later able to use the training to trick the USS Enterprise-D and "steal" supplies from it while working undercover with the Maquis before actually defecting. (TNG: "Preemptive Strike").

This instructor was intended by the producers to be a reference to Commander Chakotay following the creation of Star Trek: Voyager. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion) Ro's article at StarTrek.com states this as part of her biography. However, VOY: "In the Flesh" established that Chakotay resigned on March 3rd, 2368, i.e., already around the time Ro was released and reinstated. Either Chakotay continued as an instructor in some capacity despite his resignation, Ro had already attended some courses of the Advanced Tactical Training before that, or Chakotay was not the instructor she referenced.

Advanced Tactical

Advanced Tactical was a course offered at Starfleet Academy for cadets studying advanced tactics.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A". (DIS: "Brother").

Ancient Philosophies

Ancient Philosophies was a class given at Starfleet Academy.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A+". (DIS: "Brother")

According to a personal log entry by Doctor Beverly Crusher on stardate 44821.3, her son informed her in a letter that he had topped the class in exobiology, but was still struggling in Ancient Philosophies. (TNG: "The Host").

Anthropology

Anthropology was the science that explored the origins (evolution), physical development, cultural development (language, politics), biological characteristics, sociology, and beliefs (religion and philosophy) of a culture. By the 23rd century the field expanded to include the field of astral anthropology. (TOS: "The Galileo Seven")

One who studied the subject was generally known as an anthropologist. During the 23rd century, Starfleet vessels included an A&A officer, who specialized in archeology, anthropology, and ancient civilizations. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")

A three people anthropology team, including the Doctors Palmer, Barron, and Mary Warren observed and studied the proto-Vulcan humanoid society on Mintaka III in 2366. (TNG: "Who Watches The Watchers")

Anthropology was a general course taught at Starfleet Academy. (TNG: "The Game")

In the illusion for the USS Voyager crew created by the telepathic pitcher plant, in 2375, Chakotay was offered a part-time professorship of anthropology at Starfleet Academy. (VOY: "Bliss").

Cultural contamination


Kelemane's planet was an
extreme example of cultural
contamination.


Another extreme case of cultural
contamination was Sigma Iotia II
whose entire society was based
on the book Chicago Mobs of the
Twenties.


Ekos was a third extreme
example of cultural
contamination, whose
society was similar to
Nazi Germany.

Cultural contamination was the alteration of a culture's natural development by an outside influence or exposure to a more technologically advanced society. Cultural contamination could be sociological or technological and could have drastic consequences.

Cultural contamination was a concern among warp-capable species at least as early as the 20th century, by which time a Vulcan team stranded on Earth hesitated to interact with the Humans. (ENT: "Carbon Creek") In the 22nd century, the Vulcans had adopted a policy of non-interference with less technologically advanced societies. (ENT: "Broken Bow") Under the guidance of Vulcans, notably T'Pol, Earth's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise slowly began to adopt a similar policy despite initial difficulties like those encountered on Valakis. (ENT: "Dear Doctor") T'Pol referred to this policy as standard protocol and assisted in making decisions to ensure this protocol such as in 2151 when she chose a farm as landing site for an away team on the Akaali homeworld. (ENT: "Civilization")

Repeated encounters of this type eventually led to the creation of the Prime Directive for Starfleet, which prohibited interfering with any pre-warp civilization as well as strict rules for initiating first contact. (ENT: "Dear Doctor", "The Communicator"; TNG: "Homeward"; VOY: "Caretaker", "Time and Again")

Even so, incidents of contamination were not rare and both accidental and intentional occurrences have been recorded. Notable instances include the contamination of Sigma Iotia II by the Horizon, which led to a complete alteration of the social structure of the planet, and the intentional interference on Ekos in an attempt to correct perceived flaws in the society. (TOS: "A Piece of the Action", "Patterns of Force")

Despite the dangers, the instigators of cultural contamination occasionally attempted to repair the damage by revealing even more about themselves, or making the society further aware of the changes that had occurred. One example of this approach was Captain Jean-Luc Picard's resolution to the contamination of the society on Mintaka III when a Federation anthropological team was exposed there. (TNG: "Who Watches The Watchers")

Observer teams made use of specialized equipment such as duck blinds and isolation suits to avoid early first contact. They sometimes also underwent cosmetic surgery to allow themselves to better "blend in" with the populace they were observing. (TNG: "Who Watches The Watchers", "First Contact"; Star Trek: Insurrection)

The philosophy behind avoiding cultural contamination seems to stem from the concept of a cosmic plan as addressed in "Pen Pals". The main concern seems to be maintaining a natural diversity (IDIC) of societies. Another related concern is the introduction of advanced technologies into societies that are considered culturally unable to handle them properly.

Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development

Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development was a biological theory first postulated by A.E. Hodgkin. The theory was that similar planets with similar environments and similar populations tended to gravitate toward similar biological developments over time. Although initially applicable only to biology it was later expanded to include a tendency to move toward similar sociological developments as well with sentient beings. (ENT: "Strange New World"; TOS: "Bread and Circuses")

The theory


892-IV's development of a
Roman Empire is a classic
example of Hodgkin's Law


Summary of Hodgkin's initial
conclusions

Just as the finches of the Galapagos Islands provided the crucial biological clues that Charles Darwin used to develop the theory of evolution, the termites of Loracus Prime were the inspiration behind Hodgkin's law of parallel planetary development. The theory was the brainchild of biologist A.E. Hodgkin, who first visited the planet Loracus Prime as part of a science survey mission. As Hodgkin noted in his log, the native termite life of Loracus was remarkably similar to that of Earth, Vulcan, and several other Class M worlds. At first, Hodgkin considered the possibility that termites were brought to Loracus by early space travelers, or even that they were a meteorite-borne species, but he quickly realized that Loracus Prime's location in the middle of the Gagarin Radiation Belt ruled out either possibility. In fact, travel to the Loracus system had been all but impossible until the then-recent era of relatively clear stability of Loracus's star.

After careful testing of the termites' DNA, Hodgkin determined that the genus was clearly native to Loracus. This set up the question: why there was such an amazing similarity to terrestrial termites? Over the next decade and a half, Hodgkin slowly puzzled out the theory that would rock the biological world as profoundly as Darwin's had centuries earlier. (ENT: "Strange New World")

The next development in the theory was the realization that there was a tendency toward sociological as well as biological similarities where environmental conditions were similar. For instance, by the 2260s Starfleet and other exploratory organizations had discovered numerous planets with humanoid populations that shared certain social constructs. Family units, spoken languages, furniture, space travel, dispute resolution through an organized legal process, organized war waged by governments – all of these were aspects of society that appeared to transcend any one single planet's societal development. (TOS: "Miri", "Bread and Circuses", "Patterns of Force", "The Omega Glory")

For example, family units similar to Human ones were seen for Vulcans in TOS: "Journey to Babel" and in ENT: "Home", "Kir'Shara" and "Babel One", and for Andorians in ENT: "These Are the Voyages..."; legal systems similar to some on Earth were seen on Romulus (TNG: "Unification I"), Bajor (DS9: "Dax"), and on Qo'noS in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; spoken languages, space travel, and war were seen throughout all series as being shared aspects of society by various planets.

The Hodgkin theory was adapted to explain the observed instances of similarities in societies that had never had previous contact with each other developing along similar lines. The theory did not require identical development of a society, it simply offered an explanation for similarities. Finding nearly identical development was "virtually impossible" (as Spock remarked about the planet Ekos), and when found to be close to identical was viewed as an "amazing" example of Hodgkin's Law (as Captain Kirk remarked about the society on the planet 892-IV). (TOS: "Bread and Circuses")

Biological examples

Beginning with the lowly termites on Loracus Prime, there have been numerous examples of parallel biological development observed over time. Animals as diverse as the dog and the targ, the Capellan power-cat and the sehlat all independently developed fur, mouths, four legs, heads, tails, eyes, and other similar attributes, despite none of them being native to the same planet.(citation needed • edit)

Most striking is the apparent biological preference for the humanoid form for sentient lifeforms, observed across species as diverse as Vulcans, Klingons, Denobulans, Humans, and Ocampa. Part of this is doubtless due to the actions of an ancient humanoid species, one of the oldest known sentient species, and possibly the first humanoid race in the Milky Way Galaxy. According to a message the humanoids left behind, encoded in the DNA of various humanoid species and discovered in 2369, they had seeded many worlds, including Earth, with DNA "seed codes" that encouraged the development of similar humanoid life. (TNG: "The Chase")

Sociological examples

Many worlds have independently developed in ways that support the application of Hodgkin's law to societies. Several worlds in particular visited by the USS Enterprise in the 2260s showed exceptional examples of societies that developed in ways that were extreme examples of Hodgkin's Law.

Omega IV


Cloud William.
A Yang in 2268

Prior to the 23rd century, Omega IV had developed two cultures similar to those found on Earth: Americans and Asian Communists. The state of the cultures reached levels similar to those of Earth's 20th or 21st century before devastating bacteriological wars brought about a collapse of both civilizations. While independently developing an economic system based on capitalism and profit is not itself remarkable (e.g., the Ferengi), what set this planet apart for purposes of the Hodgkin theory was the extraordinary similarity of names, symbols, and even documents to those found on Earth. The name of one culture – the Yang – was clearly a derivation of "Yankee", while the name of the other culture – the Kohm – was equally clearly a derivation of "Communist". The Yangs had, prior to the wars, developed a flag and even a preamble to a Constitution that were virtually identical to those of the United States of America in the early 21st century on Earth. (TOS: "The Omega Glory")

Forgotten History explained this as actually the result of cultural contamination by the E.C.S. Philadelphia who had visited Omega IV sometime in the late 2140s. Noting the similarities between Yang beliefs and those of American democratic values they left replicas of American paraphernalia.

892-IV


A Roman Son-worshiper in 2268

The planet 892-IV had a land-mass/ocean ratio similar to Earth, although it possessed a significantly different topography. But in an "amazing" example of Hodgkin's law, it saw the development of a society that was remarkably like that of Earth's Roman Empire, although they used "colloquial 20th-century English" instead of Latin. It also independently developed its own Jesus Christ and associated religion based on his being the son of God. A major difference, however, was that unlike Earth the Empire had not fallen by the time of the Enterprise visit in 2268. At that time the Roman Empire dominated the planet, but at a 20th century level of technology. (TOS: "Bread and Circuses")

Captain R.M. Merik asserted that 892-IV had not experienced war since their equivalent of the 16th century, implying the period this Roman Empire established domination of 892-IV. However, it is pointed out "If this (Hodgkin's Law) is such a well-established law, why are Kirk and Spock surprised to find a Nazi civilization in Patterns of Force?" (The Nitpicker's Guide for Classic Trekkers, p. 217)

Earth Two

Unique in the annals of parallel planet development, in 2267 the USS Enterprise discovered the Earth Two. It was a world physically identical to Earth: it had the same mass, circumference, density, atmosphere, flora, and fauna. Even the topography was identical. The inhabitants of this world were virtually indistinguishable from Humans as well, although a biological accident had killed every single adult and left the remaining prepubescent children with extraordinarily long lifespans. The planet's inhabitants had reached at least a level of technology and architecture typical of the United States circa 1960 prior to the disaster. (TOS: "Miri")

Cloud cover on Earth Two appeared to be much less dense than on Earth, but that was most likely a means of showing similarity to an audience than an actual portrayal of the planet as envisioned. A canon explanation as to whether this planet and Earth simply developed naturally, or whether external forces were at work was never provided. The William Shatner novel Preserver featured a return to this planet, wherein it was revealed the planet had been duplicated from Earth on a subatomic level by the Preservers. However, Forgotten History states that various subspace anomalies indicated the planet was from an alternate timeline.

Other possible explanations

Hodgkin was originally concerned that the similarities he saw regarding the termites on Loracus Prime were the result of contamination. While he ultimately dismissed that as a possibility, later discoveries have shown that there was far more biological and cultural contamination in the distant past than was known during his time.

Some major events that might provide either alternative or supplementary explanations for developments thought to be examples of Hodgkin's law include numerous visitors to Earth and other planets in the distant past (including Apollo, the Megans, and Kukulkan), as well as:


An ancient humanoid

4.5 billion years ago

An ancient humanoid species, one of the oldest known sentient species, and possibly the first humanoid race, seeded the oceans of many Milky Way Galaxy worlds, including Earth's, with "DNA codes" that encourage the development of similar humanoid life. A message the humanoids left behind describing this was discovered in 2369. (TNG: "The Chase")

300 million years ago

In the Permian-period, Eryops, the last common ancestor of cold-blooded and warm-blooded organisms, lived on Earth. A cold-blooded, sentient, descendant species of Eryops called the Voth was discovered in the Delta Quadrant in 2373. (VOY: "Distant Origin")

Although much was made in the episode of a possible Voth civilization on Earth, the episode never concluded that it definitely existed. It is equally plausible that the Preservers relocated the young species as either Voth or Eryops to the Delta Quadrant. And if the Voth arose on Earth and migrated out from there, they may have contaminated a number of planets with terrestrial DNA.

600,000 years ago

Sargon's species colonizes many worlds across the galaxy, possibly including Vulcan as well as potentially a number of other planets bearing Human-like or Vulcan-like life in the present day. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow")

45,000 years ago

Extraterrestrial visitors, known as the "Sky Spirits", visited Earth and genetically altered a group of people who would later be known as the Native Americans. (VOY: "Tattoo")

They may have introduced contaminating genetic similarities on other planets.

38th century BC

In an attempt to prevent mankind from destroying itself in the distant future, an alien species took Humans to be raised on a planet located 1,000 light years from Earth. A descendant of these Humans, Gary Seven was discovered by the crew of the Enterprise manipulating events on Earth in 1969. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth")

27th century BC

Anthropologists from 2769 observed ancient Egyptians constructing the Great Pyramid of Giza. (ENT: "Cold Front")

The extent of their travels in time, and the influences they may have had on other planets' biological development are not known.

18th century

A group of alien anthropologists called the Preservers visit Earth and transplant a group of American Indians, including people from the Delaware, Navajo, and Mohican tribes, to a class M planet known as Amerind to help preserve their culture. (TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome").

Richter's scale of cultures

Richter's scale of cultures was a method of describing cultural achievement.

Prior to learning their true nature in 2267, Federation experts rated the Organians at approximately class D minus on this scale; presumably, this corresponded to an agrarian culture with hand- or animal-powered machinery. (TOS: "Errand of Mercy").

Archaeology


Captain Picard holding the tools
of a 24th-century archaeologist

Archaeology was the branch of science, closely associated with the field of anthropology, that studied the distant past, particularly the history of humanoids and their cultures by the examination of recovered material evidence. Those who studied in this field were known as archaeologists.

Across the Milky Way Galaxy, over the course of billions of years, highly advanced civilizations have risen and then fallen into ruin, which meant that exoarchaeology, unlike archeology on any single planet, could often locate knowledge and technology far in advance of contemporary levels. This made interstellar archeology a potent means to advance scientific, technical and medical understanding. (TOS: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?")

Archaeology was a course taught at Starfleet Academy. (TNG: "The Game")

The Rutians employed starships for missions of archaeology. (TNG: "Unification II")

Important archaeological digs on Qo'noS yielded some interest to Humans in the concept of what the death process is like for Klingons. (VOY: "Emanations")

An A&A officer was a position on Starfleet vessels in the 23rd century which specialized in archaeology, anthropology, and ancient civilizations. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")

In 1996, Chakotay, while pondering what he would do with his life if trapped in the past, believed he could become an archaeologist of note, as there were still many important finds to be found on Earth in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. (VOY: "Future's End, Part II")

Archaeology was an interest of both Jean-Luc Picard and Neral. (TNG: "The Chase"; DS9: "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges")

The archaeology lab is one of multiple science laboratories on Galaxy-class starships. (TNG: "The Chase")

The Gorlan prayer stick was an artifact of no real importance to anyone, except for students of archaeology. (TNG: "Bloodlines")

According to Commander Tomalak, the Romulans were studying Nelvana III with orbital probes for archaeological research. (TNG: "The Defector")

The script of the episode makes clear that he was lying.
Raymond Marr went on an archaeological dig in the mountains of Omicron Theta shortly before the planet was devastated by the Crystalline Entity. (TNG: "Silicon Avatar")

In 2365, Captain Donald Varley of the USS Yamato heard rumors of archaeological digs that made the Iconians seem more real. (TNG: "Contagion")

Later that year, Wesley Crusher bemoaned the fact that he would have to share a shuttlecraft with Jean-Luc Picard for six hours on the way to Starbase 515 and wondered what he would talk to him about. Ensign Sonya Gomez suggested archaeology. (TNG: "Samaritan Snare")

Kamala, while reading Jean-Luc Picard's mind in 2368, told him that she liked to stay informed on a wide variety of subjects. She once said, "One never knows when the subject might turn to Ventanan archaeology." (TNG: "The Perfect Mate")

In 2369, Captain Picard worked at an archaeological dig on Marlonia, where he took some cookware found at the site. (TNG: "Rascals")

Later that year, Picard wanted to talk to Doctor Mowray at his archaeological site on Landris II, but he could not, as the USS Enterprise-D's stellar cartography department requested a communications blackout while performing an experiment. (TNG: "Lessons")

Jadzia Dax had a Premier Distinction in exoarchaeology. (DS9: "Dax")

According to a cut scene from TNG: "The Bonding", Marla Aster taught exoarchaeology on Earth before joining the crew of the USS Enterprise-D.
The Daystrom Institute has its own dedicated Archaeological Council. (DS9: "Q-Less")

In 2370, Arctus Baran and his group of mercenaries robbed many archaeological sites of ancient artifacts that were Romulan in origin while searching for the Stone of Gol, a Vulcan weapon known to Picard as "one of the most devastating" weapons ever invented. (TNG: "Gambit, Part I", "Gambit, Part II")

Tagus III held one of the most important archaeological sites in the known galaxy. (TNG: "Qpid")

In 2373, Veer attempted to contact his and Forra Gegen's supporters at the Circle of Archeology to acquire a research vessel to track down the USS Voyager and confirm their "Distant Origin theory". (VOY: "Distant Origin")

Kathryn Janeway considered the fact that the Hirogen had built their communications network around a microsingularity was the kind of archaeological puzzle that had always fascinated her. (VOY: "Hunters")

In 2374, archaeologists on Bajor were in the process of excavating the ancient lost city of B'hala when they found something they thought Benjamin Sisko, the Emissary of the Prophets, might want to see: a stone tablet, inscribed in Bajoran with the words "Welcome, Emissary." (DS9: "The Reckoning")

Later that year, Molly O'Brien fell into a time portal on Golana and was sent three hundred years into the past. Odo talked to the Bajoran Archaeological Institute to see what he could find out. His information discovered that the portal had been constructed by a civilization that had vanished 2,000 years before. (DS9: "Time's Orphan")

In an illusion B'Elanna Torres had in 2376 while she was near death, she envisioned that Chakotay came to her with a Klingon artifact lodged in the port nacelle of her Class 2 shuttle. He told her she might have found the most important archaeological find in Klingon history. (VOY: "Barge of the Dead")

The Federation sent archaeological expeditions to such planets as M-113, Exo III, Camus II, Kurl and Hanoran II. (TOS: "The Man Trap", "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", "Turnabout Intruder"; TNG: "Legacy", "The Chase"; Star Trek: Insurrection)

Astrogation (course)

Astrogation was a course taught at Starfleet Academy. The focus of this class was training cadets in astrogation.

In 2285, the course's instructor was Lieutenant Commander T. Grodnick. The course and the instructor were listed on a directory placard located on the second level of a Starfleet Training Command building. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, set artwork).

Astrotheory 101

Astrotheory 101 was a class available at Starfleet Academy.

In 1996, while taking a Class 2 shuttle down to Earth to beam Henry Starling aboard the USS Voyager, Chakotay and B'Elanna Torres discussed their early days at the Academy. Torres recalled dodging some punches in the Academy lab, due to her temperament. Chakotay remarked "only you, B'Elanna, could start a brawl in Astrotheory 101." (VOY: "Future's End, Part II").

Astrophysics

Astrophysics was a branch of astronomy that dealt with the physics of astronomical objects in the universe. One who studied in this field was known as an astrophysicist.

Christopher Pike received the letter grade of "F" in astrophysics while a cadet at Starfleet Academy. (DIS: "Brother")

In 2267, Captain Kirk asked Spock to investigate a rogue comet that astrophysics reported passed by Gamma Hydra IV sometime before the crew of the USS Enterprise discovered the colonists of the planet had become elderly in a short time. (TOS: "The Deadly Years")

In 2365, Wesley Crusher was taught about the Elway Theorem in astrophysics on the USS Enterprise-D. (TNG: "The High Ground")

In 2366, Dr. Paul Stubbs launched his probe, "The Egg", from the Enterprise-D in order to study the decay of neutronium expelled at relativistic speeds from a massive stellar explosion in the Kavis Alpha sector. Stubbs devoted a large portion of his life to this study, saying it would "usher in a new era in astrophysics." (TNG: "Evolution")

Later that year, Dr. Beverly Crusher tried to persuade Captain Jean-Luc Picard to go on vacation. Picard told her that he was thinking of going to Icor IX because they had an astrophysics center, which was holding a symposium on rogue star clusters. (TNG: "Captain's Holiday")

Later on, the astrophysics department on the Enterprise-D reported that the collapse of the Beta Stromgren star had increased and would go supernova in a few days. (TNG: "Tin Man")

The astrophysics department aboard the USS Enterprise-D used a newly upgraded sensor array, dubbed the "La Forge sensor array", which was used to conduct scans of the Amargosa Diaspora in 2369. (TNG: "Schisms")

In 2370, Counselor Deanna Troi, while taking Iyaaran Ambassador Loquel on a tour of the Enterprise explained that one of the decks they were on was devoted to stellar cartography, biological research and astrophysics. (TNG: "Liaisons")

When the crew of the USS Voyager encountered a micro wormhole in 2371, they found it led both to the Alpha Quadrant as well as to the year 2351. At the other end of the wormhole was Dr. Telek R'Mor, an astrophysicist conducting research for the Romulan Astrophysical Academy with his ship, the Romulan science vessel Talvath. (VOY: "Eye of the Needle")

While recording his first officer's log aboard Voyager in 2373, Commander Chakotay said that the crew didn't understand the astrophysics behind Q's plan to allow Voyager to enter the Q Continuum. (VOY: "The Q and the Grey")

While surveying a copy of Starfleet Headquarters created by Species 8472 in 2375, Chakotay said they had recreated all the details of headquarters, including the Federation Council, Astrophysics, the Starfleet Medical complex and the Quantum Café. (VOY: "In the Flesh")

Icheb was very interested in astrophysics, leading him to create a gravimetric sensor array for the First Annual Voyager Science Fair in 2376. (VOY: "Child's Play").

Astrosciences

Astrosciences, or astronomical sciences, is a study, within the physical sciences field, of the universe that primarily encompasses the areas of astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology, and planetary sciences.

Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu served as the head of astrosciences department aboard the USS Enterprise in 2265. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before").

B

Basic Warp Design

Basic Warp Design was a required engineering course at Starfleet Academy by the 24th century.

The course included such details as the construction of an intermix chamber. In 2063, Zefram Cochrane was surprised to hear from Geordi La Forge that Basic Warp Design would be a required course at the Academy by the 24th century, and that his name was also the title of the first chapter. (Star Trek: First Contact).

Beam Technology

Beam Technology was a course taught at Starfleet Academy. The focus of this class was training cadets in beam technology.

In 2285, the course's instructors were Captains C. Graffeo and D. Maltese. The course and its instructors were listed on a directory placard located on the second level of a Starfleet Training Command building. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, set artwork)

Biochemistry

Biochemistry was the study of chemical processes that occurred in lifeforms. It could also refer to the biochemical makeup of these lifeforms as well.

The USS Enterprise had a laboratory devoted to this discipline. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise", "The Deadly Years")

In 2269, Harry Mudd attributed the negative effects brought on by a love potion to the unusual biochemistry of the thousand inhabitants of Sirius IX he sold it to. (TAS: "Mudd's Passion")

There was a science course offered at Starfleet Academy in biochemistry. This course could lead to a medical position. Biochemistry could be taken for more than two semesters. (VOY: "Parallax")

After Sodium Pentathol was having no effect on Quark in 1947 Earth, Jeff Carlson noted that Ferengi biochemistry was nothing like that of Humans. (DS9: "Little Green Men")

In 2153, Dr. Phlox mentioned that the laws of biochemistry on the Loque'eque homeworld might be as unpredictable as the laws of physics. (ENT: "Extinction")

In 2269, Harcourt Mudd sold love potion crystals to the inhabitants of Sirius IX, which made them all ill. Mudd had not counted on their unusual biochemistry before selling it to them. (TAS: "Mudd's Passion")

In 2370, Dr. Beverly Crusher discovered that Ronin, an anaphasic lifeform, was compatible with the biochemistry of the women of the Howard family. (TNG: "Sub Rosa")

Cardassian biochemistry was all but unknown to Federation doctors, including Julian Bashir, in 2370. (DS9: "The Wire")

Tom Paris took two semesters of biochemistry in the Academy. This qualified him to be a field medic on board the USS Voyager. The biochemistry course Paris enrolled in did not teach how to perform a respiratory series. (VOY: "Parallax", "Phage")

In 2372, The Doctor found that Tom Paris' entire biochemistry was changing after being admitted to sickbay for having an allergic reaction to the water in his coffee. (VOY: "Threshold")

Later that year, The Doctor examined Tuvix in Voyager's sickbay and discovered he was the result of a transporter accident that merged Neelix, Tuvok, and an orchid together. While scanning Tuvix, The Doctor found that the orchid was a part of Tuvix's genetic structure but it was not affecting his biochemistry. (VOY: "Tuvix")

In 2373, The Doctor told Kathryn Janeway that the sub-dermal bio-probe he placed in her would pick up any changes in her biochemistry when she went into the Nechani sanctuary to try to save Kes' life. Later, The Doctor observed Janeway's life signs in sickbay and found that her biochemistry was undergoing a unique series of interactions, meaning that she was under an hallucinogenic effect. (VOY: "Sacred Ground")

Later that year, Kes attempted to save Tieran's life by giving him twenty milligrams of lectrazine. It was ineffective in reviving his heart, since the medication was incompatible with his biochemistry. (VOY: "Warlord")

In 2377, B'Elanna Torres apologized to The Doctor after tampering with his program to make him remove all Klingon DNA from her unborn child. The Doctor told her she "was not guilty, by reason of biochemistry." (VOY: "Lineage").

Botany

Botany, also known as botanical science or plant biology, was the study of plant life. A biologist who specialized in this branch of biological science was known as a botanist.

The Kressari traded in botanical DNA. (DS9: "The Circle") The region of the planet Ledos that was inhabited by the Ventu contained botanical specimens that had high level of serum nitrates. (VOY: "Natural Law")

For a while, Kamin's son Batai wanted to be a botanist. (TNG: "The Inner Light")

Tobin Dax was the only Dax symbiont who ever remotely had experience with plants. According to later host, Jadzia Dax, "the Daxes have never been much on gardening. Tobin tried it, but had even less luck with plants than he had with women. (DS9: "The Wire")

While dictating his will, in early 2154, Phlox wished to leave his botanical library to a young girl named Indaura, who he felt always had a flair for plants. (ENT: "Zero Hour")

During the early 2260s, Leila Kalomi was the primary botanist of the Omicron colony on planet Omicron Ceti III. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise") One of Hikaru Sulu's hobbies was botany. (TOS: "The Man Trap", TOS: "Shore Leave") In 2266, Sulu tried to get Kevin Riley interested in botany, by having him collect leaves and plant specimens. (TOS: "The Naked Time") Botany was also one of Tongo Rad's favorite of studies. (TOS: "The Way to Eden")

Kevin and Rishon Uxbridge were botanists resided on the Rana IV colony. Kevin was a specialist in symbiotic plant life. (TNG: "The Survivors")

Miranda Vigo was trained as a botanist who, as Jean-Luc Picard recalled, "used to talk of running a farm." (TNG: "Bloodlines")

Beverly Crusher grew Diomedian scarlet moss. (TNG: "Clues")

While flirting with Soren, William Riker admits he has "always been interested in exobotany." (TNG: "The Outcast")

Ro Laren took a plant biology course in Starfleet Academy. (TNG: "Rascals")

Keiko O'Brien practiced botany aboard the USS Enterprise-D, but temporarily gave it up, became a teacher on Deep Space 9. Initially, Keiko has misgivings about moving to Deep Space 9, stating "Starfleet doesn't need a botanist on this station," to which her husband reassured that "there's a whole new quadrant full of new plant life to explore." (DS9: "A Man Alone") On the contrary, Miles was known around his house as "the Black Thumb," explaining to Joseph, that "the only way I could get anything to grow was to marry a botanist." (DS9: "Paradise")

When Keiko later attended a conference, she asked Jadzia Dax to care for a plant from Ledonia III, which later became sick. Dax took the plant to Doctor Julian Bashir, who, upon studying it, proclaimed, "I'm a doctor, not a botanist." (DS9: "The Wire")

Keiko later took the position of chief botanist on a year long agrobiology expedition to the Janitza Mountains on Bajor. (DS9: "The House of Quark", "Fascination")

Tuvok conducted botanical research on an alien orchid uncovered the presence of lysosomal enzymes, which suggested evidence of symbiogenesis. (VOY: "Tuvix") Later, during a visit to an uninhabited moon, Chakotay assigned Tuvok and Neelix to be the "botanical surveyors," and ordered them to collect Cypripedium samples. (VOY: "Tattoo")

The Doctor taught botany classes to Naomi Wildman, where she learned, among other things, about the pitcher plant. (VOY: "Once Upon a Time", "Bliss")

In 2372, Benjamin Sisko explained the burdens of command to Worf, telling him that because of them, you would sometimes wish you had made a career in botany. (DS9: "Rules of Engagement").

C

Communications (course)

Communications was a course taught at Starfleet Academy. The focus of this class was training cadets in communications.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A". (DIS: "Brother")

In 2285, the course instructor was Captain M. Becker. The course and its instructor were listed on a directory placard located on the second level of a Starfleet Training Command building. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).

Creative Writing (Course).

Creative Writing was a course taught at Starfleet Academy during the mid–24th century.

Walter Horne was a longstanding instructor for Creative Writing, having taught the class for both Jean-Luc Picard in the 2320s and Wesley Crusher in 2368. (TNG: "The Game").

D

Diplomacy

"Ah, diplomacy; I adore diplomacy. Everyone dresses so well..."

– Lwaxana Troi, 2368 ("Half a Life")

Diplomacy is the skill, practice, or profession of using peaceful means to establish relations between two or more parties or to avoid or resolve hostilities between parties with established relations, or to "serve as a bridge between [two] civilizations." (DIS: "The Vulcan Hello") Diplomacy was generally conducted by diplomats. (TOS: "A Taste of Armageddon").

E

Early Starfleet History

Early Starfleet History was a course part of the Starfleet Academy curriculum, testing cadets on their knowledge of the history of Starfleet. One of the topics covered was the historic five-year mission of the USS Enterprise, as well as its later missions.

In 2378, Captain Kathryn Janeway of the USS Voyager instructed Icheb on Early Starfleet History as part of his Academy distance education studies. After hearing a portion of his long-winded presentation on Captain James T. Kirk, she passed him, saying he clearly had a grasp of the subject matter. When Q Junior appeared after Icheb left, he told her that he would have failed the boy, saying the report made Kirk seem as exciting as a Vulcan funeral dirge. (VOY: "Q2").

Earth history

Human history


Human history (as translated by the
Megans into the understandable symbols
of punch cards and reels)

"It's easy to look back seven centuries and judge what was right and wrong."

– Benjamin Sisko, 2369 ("In the Hands of the Prophets")

Human history was the history of the Human species from the planet Earth.

23rd century historian John Gill was known for his treatment of Earth history as causes and motivations rather than dates and events. (TOS: "Patterns of Force")

Origins


An ancient humanoid

In 2369, newly-discovered evidence suggested many of the galaxy's humanoid races were descended from a single humanoid race, the originators of the basic anatomy. Around 4.5 billion years ago they had seeded many worlds with a DNA code to guide evolution to a form resembling their own. Humans displayed evidence of these DNA sequences. (TNG: "The Chase")

As life on Earth did not emerge until 100s of millions of years later, those DNA sequences apparently laid dormant for this period.

According to Q, approximately 3.5 billion years ago, "give or take an eon or two," a group of amino acids combined to form the first proteins, in the region of Earth that eventually became known as France. This first life on the planet developed into, among other things, the Human species. (TNG: "All Good Things...")

According to current real-world science, there is evidence that suggests life took hold on Earth already between 3.8 and 4.1 billion years ago and flourished in the oceans by at least 3.7  billion years ago. However, these findings postdate the shooting of "All Good Things...".

Approximately 290 million years ago, the semi-aquatic amphibian species Eryops lived on Earth. Eryops was probably the last link between the branches of life that evolved along separate paths into dinosaurs and mammals. The mammalian line resulted in Humans. (VOY: "Distant Origin")

One religious account for the creation of Humans featured the first two members of the species, Adam and Eve, being created by God. In 2268, Sargon said that the story of all Humans being descended from Adam and Eve may have been based on his own people having colonized Earth some 600,000 years prior. However, James T. Kirk replied that 23rd century science indicated life had evolved independently on Earth (a conclusion later bolstered by Q). Spock speculated that Sargon's people might have, instead, colonized Vulcan rather than Earth. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow"; TNG: "All Good Things...")

Approximately thirty-five thousand years ago, multiple species of humanoids co-existed on Earth, two of which were modern Humans and Neanderthals. However, the Neanderthals became extinct, which turned out to be fortunate for modern Humans. (ENT: "Dear Doctor")

In the final draft script of "Dear Doctor", the time period in which modern Humans and Neanderthals co-existed was referred to as "fifty thousand years" prior to the 22nd century. The final version of that episode, though, refers to it "thirty-five thousand years" beforehand.

Pre-Warp history

A member of Species 8472 said of Humans in 2375, "At first glance they're so primitive. Genetic impurities, no telepathy, violent. And yet they've created so many beautiful ways to convey their ideas: literature, art, music." (VOY: "In the Flesh")

Ancient history

The Greek civilization arose in approximately 2700 BC. Much of Earth's culture and philosophy began with the Greeks. To Captain James T. Kirk in the 23rd century, the Greek civilization was seen as the beginnings of a "Golden Age". (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")

Another ancient civilization, the Egyptians, constructed large pyramids as part of their accomplishments. Their Great Pyramid of Giza was the largest of the pyramids built in Egypt and was finished around 2600 BC. Its construction was observed by time-traveling anthropologists beginning in 2769. (ENT: "Cold Front")

Both cultures existed during the Bronze Age. Another term often used for that period in Greek history is classical age.

One battle of this era with a long-lasting legacy involved a small band of Spartans led by King Leonidas, who defended a mountain pass against a vast Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. The Spartans put up a "heroic struggle" (according to Julian Bashir), until they were wiped out. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind.

The Roman Empire – arising in the first century BC and lasting in one form or another until the 15th century – was the first major global power in Human history. Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar was viewed by many, including Khan Noonien Singh, as having achieved great things for the Empire during his reign. (TOS: "Space Seed") The Roman Empire was seen by Jean-Luc Picard to have begun its fall as a civilization in the 5th century when the Visigoths attacked the capital city of Rome during the reign of Emperor Honorious. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds")

Following on the heels of Rome was a popular religion, Christianity, with a basic philosophy of, as Spock summarized it, "total love and total brotherhood." It arose in the ancient world beginning in the 1st century and followed the teachings of Jesus Christ. The religion considered Christ to be the son of God. (TOS: "Bread and Circuses")

Another early Human civilization were the Chinese, who under the first Qin emperor built the Great Wall of China. (VOY: "11:59")

Middle Ages and Modern Era


A knight jousting on horseback

During the period known as the Middle Ages, a series of related military campaigns – fought for causes both religious and political – that took place during the 11th century through the 13th century were known as the Crusades. These wars gave Human history "character" according to Q. (DS9: "Q-Less")

Half of Europe was killed by the bubonic plague circa 1334. Flint saw it that summer from Constantinople: "... It marched through the streets, the sewers. It left the city by ox cart, by sea, to kill half of Europe. The rats, rustling and squealing in the night as they, too, died." (TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah")

Beginning in 1478, the Spanish Inquisition was founded in Spain to suppress heresies against the Christian religion. The Inquisition was regarded by future Humans as a particularly brutal institution during 24th century, but was regarded by Q as another historical event that provided "character" to Humanity and kept it from being boring. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; DS9: "Q-Less")

By 1485, Earth had achieved a technological level equivalent to a "B" rating on the industrial scale used by 23rd century Starfleet. (TOS: "Spock's Brain")

The Renaissance was a period in Human history following the Middle Ages and before the Modern age. Petrarch was a Human author living at its beginnings and William Shakespeare lived during its final period. An important figure during this era was Leonardo da Vinci. (TNG: "Emergence"; VOY: "Concerning Flight")

In 1588, England defeated the Spanish Armada. (ENT: "Future Tense")

Another inquisition in the name of Christianity took place during the 17th century. The scientist Galileo Galilei publicly supported the idea that the Earth was not the center of the universe. He was tried and convicted of heresy in 1633 by an inquisition as a result, and many of his books were burned. (DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets")

In North America, the Pueblo Revolt in 1680 was an uprising by American Indians against the colonizing Spanish in New Mexico. Though initially succesful, the Spanish returned ten years later carrying out brutal reprisals against the native Pueblos. One of the participating Spanish soldiers was Javier Maribona-Picard. (TNG: "Journey's End")


A sketch of George Washington

Another conflict took place in the late 18th century, when George Washington helped win a war for his colonies' independence from Great Britain. This was generally known as the American Revolution and resulted in the establishment of the United States of America. In 2366 some, such as Beverly Crusher, considered Washington a military general; others, such as Kyril Finn, considered him a terrorist. (TNG: "The High Ground")

Commerce arose in the United States following the revolution, and throughout the 18th century and 19th century, ocean-going "Yankee Traders" sailed the oceans in search of mercantile opportunity. (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

In the late 18th century Napoléon Bonaparte rose to power in France and subsequently dominated much of Europe. The British Royal Navy, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, defeated the combined French and Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, though Nelson was killed in the battle. Napoleon was ultimately defeated at Waterloo in 1815. (TNG: "Hide and Q", "The Best of Both Worlds"; VOY: "The Thaw")

A part of the 19th century was called the Victorian era, named after British Queen Victoria. (VOY: "Blood Fever")

20th century


The destructive mechanization of
World War I

Human civilization experienced major wars that involved nearly every continent on Earth during the 20th and 21st centuries. The first two such wars – the first and second World Wars – saw six million and eleven million Humans die, respectively, from the effects of despotism alone. (TOS: "Bread and Circuses"; VOY: "In the Flesh")

In "Bread and Circuses", Spock gave casualty figures for each of World Wars I, II, and III. His figures are substantially off for total casualties that records show for the first and second world wars, even when all civilians are taken out of the equation. Only by assuming he was discussing deaths from despotism alone (reasonable in the context of his statement) do the numbers appear to match both data known in 1967 and later Trek statements on WWIII deaths.

Between the first two world wars, the United States suffered through a period known as Great Depression. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")


Adolf Hitler marches with Nazi flag

The Second World War was a conflict, in part, between the forces of fascism – epitomized by Germany's Adolf Hitler and his Nazi political party – and those who opposed such a form of government. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever") Initially assuming an official position of neutrality, the United States fully entered the conflict after a Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. (TNG: "The Enemy") Hitler and his allies were defeated, but left controversy in their wake. In the 23rd century, some, such as Spock, saw the Nazis as sadistic; some, such as Kirk saw them as "brutal, perverted" and that they "had to be destroyed at a terrible cost". Still others, such as John Gill, saw them governing over the "most efficient state... Earth ever knew", and believed that some of the Nazi approaches could prove beneficial to a society. Spock agreed with Gill, at least as to efficiency: "That tiny country – beaten, bankrupt, defeated, rose in a few years to stand only one step away from global domination." (TOS: "Patterns of Force"; VOY: "The Killing Game", "The Killing Game, Part II"; ENT: "Storm Front", "Storm Front, Part II")

World War II, though devastating, assured the dominant role of the USA in the second half of the 20th century and its technological advancements, in fields like rocketry and nuclear fission, still resonated in the 24th century. (TNG: "Manhunt")

Multiple brush wars occurred on the Asian continent involving two great powers. (TOS: "A Private Little War")

It is possible that Kirk may have been referencing the Korean War and the Vietnam War, which both involved the United States and the Soviet Union.


Sputnik I in orbit of Earth in 1957

The 20th century also saw the rise of nuclear weaponry and the beginnings of space exploration, a period in history also referred to as the Atomic Age. Nuclear fission was used for a while even though it resulted in toxic side effects, but was replaced by fusion at the start of the fusion era.

The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957. (ENT: "Carbon Creek")

1968, the year in which a malfunctioning orbital nuclear warhead platform nearly detonated, was viewed by 23rd century Humans as one of the most critical years on record. Then-current Earth crises "would fill a tape bank", according to Spock. Assassinations, government coups, wars in Asia, the communist/capitalist conflict, and orbiting hydrogen bombs were among the greatest problems facing Humanity at that time. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth", "A Private Little War", "The Omega Glory") Despite this, Humanity first landed two men on Earth's moon and returned them safely to Earth the following year. (VOY: "One Small Step", "Threshold"; ENT: "Carbon Creek")

"Assignment: Earth" predicted that in 1968 a government coup would take place in an Asian country. In the real 1968, a coup did occur in Asia, in the country of Iraq. That episode – broadcast in March of 1968 – also predicted an "important" assassination for 1968. Dr. Martin Luther King was killed in April; Robert Kennedy in June. The Watergate break-in and cover-up of the 1970s was also mentioned by Q as being an event which gave Human history "character".

The 20th century was also when the computer age begun. Henry Starling introduced technological innovations in 1969, when he introduced the first isograted circuit and founded Chronowerx Industries, by reverse-engineering technology from the 29th century timeship future Aeon. (VOY: "Future's End")

In 1991, the Soviet Union broke up, ending the period known as the Cold War. (DS9: "Our Man Bashir";VOY: "Future's End")


Khan Noonien Singh

The 20th century also saw the start of genetic modifications to the Human genome and the creation of Humans (popularly known as Augments) made stronger, faster, and smarter by the hand of scientists. In 1993, a group of Augments seized power simultaneously in over forty nations and sparked the Eugenics Wars. The wars were particularly devastating, and during them civilization was on the verge of collapse in some parts of the world. At that time, Humans operated the DY-100 class, an early type of sleeper ship, which was used to transport the remaining Augments into space in 1996. (TOS: "Space Seed") The terrible experiences that Humanity had with genetic manipulation resulted in long lasting prohibitions against intentional "improvement" of the Human genome well into the 24th century. (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")

21st century

In 2002, Humans sent one of the first interstellar probe, Nomad, to space. (TOS: "The Changeling") After advances in sublight propulsion rendered sleeper ships a thing of the past around 2018, manned and unmanned exploration of space further advanced. Colonel Shaun Geoffrey Christopher led the first successful mission to Saturn. (TOS: "Space Seed", "Tomorrow is Yesterday")


The Bell Riots in San Francisco (2024)

The United States suffered economic setbacks in the early 2000s. They were addressed circa 2020 by establishing Sanctuary Districts in major US cities. These walled districts were originally created to help America's massive homeless and jobless population. Instead, the districts became little more than prisons for the destitute and the mentally ill. In September of 2024, mounting tensions in the Sanctuary Districts culminated in the Bell Riots. Political fallout from the riots resulted in the abolition of the districts and the United States finally began to face the serious social problems it had struggled with for over a century. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part I", "Past Tense, Part II")

During the early 2000s, the international scene was deteriorating as well. The United Nations had been reorganized as the New United Nations. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint") A number of nations joined together in a union known as the Eastern Coalition. Hostilities between the Eastern Coalition and forces including the United States broke out in 2026 as World War III. The conflict later escalated into full-blown nuclear holocaust, engulfing much of the globe and again nearly returning Human civilization to a dark age. 600 million people died across the planet as a result. The subsequent collapse of the global economy, political systems, and the drastic environmental effects of the war devastated those nations which had escaped direct nuclear attack. (Star Trek: First Contact; VOY: "In the Flesh"; ENT: "In A Mirror Darkly" production art)


The Ares IV command module in
orbit over Mars

Around this same time Humanity was still making efforts to explore space. In 2032, a successful manned mission to Mars, Ares IV, took place in the midst of world war. Although the command module was lost in a graviton ellipse, this mission was considered by some as a precursor for Humankind's further exploration of space. (VOY: "One Small Step") And in 2037, the Charybdis was launched by the United States in a third attempt to take Humans beyond the Sol system. Unknown at the time, that ship was swept off course by an unknown alien force and finally reached the Theta 116 solar system. (TNG: "The Royale")

Although the drive might have been more advanced, the Ares IV appears to have been in some ways a more primitive ship than the 1996 DY-100 Khan escaped Earth in. Artificial gravity, at a minimum, seems to have not been included. This could be due to many factors, including economic downturns, the existence of World War III, and key scientific capabilities being lost or unavailable after the Eugenics Wars.

With most of the major governments collapsed, law and order soon degraded into a "guilty-until-proven-innocent", lawyer-free show trial system which lasted until 2079 in some parts of the world, later dubbed Post-atomic horror. (Star Trek: First Contact; TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint", "All Good Things...")

The period from the 19th to the late 21st centuries also saw dramatic environmental degradation due to Human activities. Humans were responsible for the extinction of many species, including the draco lizard, white rhinoceros, the buffalo, and the humpback whale (the latter eventually proved to be sentient and were brought back from extinction by James Kirk). Human industrial activities also resulted in massive air pollution and degradation of Earth's ozone layer. The nuclear wars led to several "nuclear winters", as well as radiation poisoning of both Humans and animals. (TOS: "The Man Trap"; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; TNG: "When The Bough Breaks", "New Ground")

From First Contact to the Federation


Dr. Zefram Cochrane

After the last global conflict, Dr. Zefram Cochrane made mankind's first faster-than-light spaceflight in 2063. This resulted in the first formal post-warp contact with an interstellar race: the Vulcans. This affected Humanity in a profound way. (Star Trek: First Contact) The newly gained warp-capability was immediately put to use and several crewed as well as uncrewed missions of exploration and colonization were launched, e.g., the SS Valiant in 2065, Friendship 1 in 2067, the SS Conestoga in 2069, and a ship to colonize Terra 10 prior to or in 2069. (ENT: "Terra Nova"; TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before"; TAS: "The Terratin Incident"; VOY: "Friendship One") New Berlin on the moon was established prior to 2069, and the first Human colony on Mars was formally incorporated in 2103. (ENT: "Terra Nova"; VOY: "The 37's", "Lifesigns")

Following first contact, Humanity rebuilt its world from the ashes of the devastating nuclear conflict; most forms of poverty and disease were eradicated from the planet within the next fifty years. However, those still were very difficult fifty years and global recovery was uneven: in the late 2070s, some areas of the planet remained in a state of near-anarchy; and from a 24th-century perspective, Earth was still seen as recovering from World War III well into the early 22nd century; Jean-Luc Picard called the era "chaotic." (Star Trek: First Contact; TNG: "Up The Long Ladder", "Encounter at Farpoint"; ENT: "Broken Bow")

During the mid- to late-21st century, Humanity fought four wars against an alien race known as the Kzinti. The conflict ended with the Treaty of Sirius and the victory of Earth. The Kzinti were forced to enact a complete demilitarization, with only a small police force permitted, and to allow complete and unrestricted access to their territory. (TAS: "The Slaver Weapon")

During the early 22nd century, Liam Dieghan founded the Neo-transcendentalist movement, advocating "a simpler life in which one lived in harmony with nature." (TNG: "Up The Long Ladder")

As one of the first steps toward a unified Earth government, the European Hegemony, a somewhat loose alliance in the European region on Earth, formed. (TNG: "Up The Long Ladder") By 2150, all of Earth's former nations had joined the United Earth government. (TNG: "Attached")

Following first contact with the Vulcans, work on improving the warp drive continued, leading to the establishment of the Warp Five Complex in 2119. The following decades saw the founding of Starfleet and its NX Project, resulting in various breakthroughs in the 2140s. (ENT: "Broken Bow", "First Flight")

Humans had established several colonies outside the Sol system by the early 2150s, including Vega colony, Alpha Centauri, and Proxima colony. However, while Starfleet maintained several vessels, Human presence in outer space and contact between those planets was mainly provided by the Earth Cargo Service. (ENT: "Fortunate Son", "Twilight", "Borderland")

Brannon Braga once commented that, by 2151, Humans had "met some other aliens than the Vulcans, courtesy of the Vulcans, but we've never bolted out into space on our own." (Broken Bow, paperback ed., p. 250)

In 2151, Humanity's first starship capable of warp 5 was launched: Enterprise NX-01. It was the first of a line of ships that would, from a design and organizational point of view, evolve into the ships used by Starfleet into the 24th century and beyond.


The Xindi weapon prototype

Enterprise had a distinguished service career, and ultimately even thwarted the Xindi plan to eradicate Humanity. In the 22nd century, the Sphere-Builders informed the Xindi that they would be the victims of a genocidal attack from Humans in the 26th century, and should act preemptively to eliminate the threat. This was a fabrication on the part of the Sphere-Builders to use the Xindi to their own advantage. (ENT: "Azati Prime") The Xindi Council went along with the advice, tested a prototype weapon on Earth in 2153 (resulting in the deaths of nearly 7 million Humans), and intended to use a more powerful weapon to destroy the entire planet. (ENT: "The Expanse") This crisis became the most threatening event to Humans as a species since World War III. Enterprise, under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer, was able to both severely damage the Sphere-Builders' technology systems and convince the Xindi that Humans were not their enemy. (ENT: "Zero Hour")

An ultimately omitted line of dialogue from ENT: "The Xindi" featured Jonathan Archer reminding Malcolm Reed, "Humanity's in trouble, Malcolm." That line was in the final draft script of "The Xindi" as of 17 June 2003 but had been excised by 10 September of that year.

After the Xindi crisis, Humanity continued to develop relations with its interstellar neighbors. Faced with the increasingly aggressive Romulan Star Empire during the Babel Crisis of 2154, Humans joined into an ad-hoc alliance with Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites. This temporary construct eventually led to a conference on Earth the following year, where several species discussed the formation of a Coalition of Planets. While a xenophobic Human faction, Terra Prime, tried to derail the conference and eject all non-Humans from the Sol system, their efforts ultimately failed and the talks went ahead. (ENT: "United", "Terra Prime", "Demons")


A Romulan ship, ca. 2150s

In 2156, the tensions that already existed between Earth and the Romulans escalated into a full-scale interstellar war. The Earth-Romulan War was a major conflict, with military and political ramifications felt for over two centuries. Earth, – and its Andorian, Tellarite, and Vulcan allies – and the Star Empire finally ended the violence after the Battle of Cheron and established a neutral zone as a buffer between their two spheres of influence. The Romulan Neutral Zone lasted well into the 24th century. (TOS: "Balance of Terror"; TNG: "The Defector")

Humanity and the Federation


The emblem of the United Federation of Planets

After the Earth-Romulan War, Mankind and its three wartime allies joined together in a new entity, the United Federation of Planets, founded in 2161. (ENT: "Zero Hour"; TNG: "The Outcast")

After the founding of the Federation, Humanity's history and that of the Federation were closely intertwined. The United Earth Starfleet grew into the military and exploratory arm of the Federation known as simply "Starfleet" by the 23rd century. The Human homeworld Earth became the location of the key Federation institutions: The Federation president's office was located in the city of Paris, and both the Federation Council and Starfleet Command were meeting in San Francisco. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

Political crises and conflicts that involved the Federation drew Humanity in, and vice versa. Human involvement in Federation matters in the 23rd century was so extensive that it prompted future Klingon chancellor Azetbur to claim in 2293 that the Federation was little more than "a 'homo sapiens' only club." (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

By the 23rd and 24th century many colonies populated by Humans existed; some of them were actual "Earth colonies" while others were jointly-established "Federation colonies". (TOS: "The Cage", "Day of the Dove"; TNG: "Legacy"; DS9: "Nor the Battle to the Strong")

Earth and its Human population itself were threatened several times with death and devastation after the Federation founding:

The artificial lifeform known as V'ger threatened to destroy all life on Earth in the 2270s, but was ultimately convinced to withdraw. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

The Whale Probe in 2286 did significant damage to Earth by vaporizing the oceans and ionizing the atmosphere, causing the transmission of a planetary distress signal; again, the Whale Probe later decided to cease its efforts and retreat after contacting another of Earth's species, humpback whales. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Earth was threatened with assimilation into the Borg Collective twice in 2367 and 2373, but both Borg cubes involved were destroyed by Starfleet. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds"; Star Trek: First Contact)
In 2375, towards the end of the Dominion War, the Breen Confederacy, which had just joined the Dominion, destroyed much of Starfleet Headquarters' offices in San Francisco. Starfleet managed to destroy most of the Breen attack force. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil")

In 2379, the Romulan praetor Shinzon planned to use a thalaron generator to wipe out Earth's population and start a war against the Federation. Shinzon was subsequently killed in the Battle in the Bassen Rift. (Star Trek Nemesis)

Despite such planetary threats, by the 24th century most Humans considered that they had turned their home planet into a paradise. (DS9: "Homefront", "What You Leave Behind")

Humans still existed by the 33rd century. (ST: "Calypso")

In "Cold Front", Daniels from the 31st century stated that he was Human, "more or less". It was not stated whether this ambiguity resulted from non-Human ancestors or a future evolution of the Human race.

Pre-warp alien contacts

Although official First Contact came with the Vulcans landing on Earth in 2063, several earlier encounters between Humans and other intelligent lifeforms took place prior to this date. Those contacts generally involved smaller groups of Humans and did not become public knowledge until centuries or even millennia later:

Extraterrestrial visitors, known as the "Sky Spirits", visited with and genetically altered a group of people on Earth who would later be known as the indigenous inhabitants of America. This took place about 45,000 years ago. (VOY: "Tattoo")

As early as 4000 BC, a species of aliens took Humans to raise on a planet at least 1,000 light years from Earth. Their descendents were later used as agents on Earth to promote the alien policy that Humanity should survive its own self-destructive tendencies. (TOS: "Assignment: Earth")

The being known as Kukulkan visited the Earth and helped advance the Egyptian, Mayan, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations. Kukulkan gave those civilizations new art and agricultural techniques. (TAS: "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth")


The "god" Apollo in 2267

The ancient Greeks were visited by aliens who, for all intents and purposes, were viewed as gods by the Humans. The aliens enjoyed this treatment for awhile, until their adoration waned and they moved on. These aliens were the basis for classical Greek gods and goddesses. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")

Around 400 BC, a group of refugees from the planet Sahndara settled on Earth and learned of the teachings of Plato. Some time afterward, they left Earth and began their own civilization as the Platonians. (TOS: "Plato's Stepchildren")

The Q later known as Quinn visited Earth at least three times. In 1666 he assisted Isaac Newton in discovering gravity. In 1864, he saved Colonel Thaddius Riker in the American Civil War. In 1969, he assisted Maury Ginsberg in arriving at the Woodstock concert. (VOY: "Death Wish")

A group of aliens known as the Megans interacted with the population of Salem, Massachusetts in the 17th century. Their involvement eventually led to the Salem witch trials. Their influence may have also led to a number of other influences on Earth mythology and beliefs. (TAS: "The Magicks of Megas-Tu")

In the 18th century, a group called the Preservers, visited Earth and subsequently transplanted a group of American Indians, including people from the Delaware, Navajo, and Mohican tribes, to another planet. This was presumed to have been done to "preserve" their dying culture. (TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome")

The non-corporeal being, Onaya, was present on Earth at least twice: once during the 1st century BC where she stimulated the mind of Catullus; and again circa 1821, where she affected John Keats before departing. (DS9: "The Muse")

The El-Aurian known as Guinan visited the Earth during the late 19th century, around 1893. She became well known in San Francisco, however her identity as a non-Human remained unknown. (TNG: "Time's Arrow")

Alien abductions of Humans took place in the 19th and 20th century. The former was done by the Skagarans, who took several thousand Humans to work as slaves on a Skagaran colony. The latter was done by the Briori in 1937, who took three hundred Humans from Earth also to be used as slaves. In both instances the Humans revolted and overcame or drove away their kidnappers.(VOY: "The 37's"; ENT: "North Star")

In 1947, three Ferengi accidentally time-travelled from the year 2372 in what became known as the Roswell Incident. (DS9: "Little Green Men")

In 1957, three Vulcans crash landed in Carbon Creek on the North American continent. They had to live among the Humans until a rescue ship finally arrived. Before leaving Earth, however, the Vulcan T'Mir traveled to a large city and sold an "invention" to a businessman: Velcro. One of the Vulcans, Mestral, decided to stay behind on Earth. (ENT: "Carbon Creek")

Elementary Temporal Mechanics

Elementary Temporal Mechanics was a course taught at Starfleet Academy during the mid-24th century that dealt with the basics of temporal mechanics.

When the crew of the USS Defiant traveled back in time to 2268, Doctor Julian Bashir was worried that a flirtatious Lieutenant Watley was his great-grandmother, and that he may be facing a predestination paradox – which he learned about in Elementary Temporal Mechanics – where he was destined to become his own great-grandfather. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

Engineering (course)

Engineering was a course taught at Starfleet Academy. The focus of this class was trainng cadets in engineering.

In 2285, the course instructor was Lieutenant Commander J. Longo. The course and its instructor were listed on a directory placard located on the second level of a Starfleet Training Command building. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, set artwork)

Exobiology/Xenobiology

Exobiology (also called astrobiology or xenobiology) was the biological science concerned with living alien organisms. Exobiology was also taught at Starfleet Academy. A biologist who specialized in the field of exobiology was referred to as an exobiologist, xenobiologist, or astrobiologist.

The Boy Scouts awarded a merit badge for exobiology in the 22nd century. Malcolm Reed had earned this badge by 2151, while Jonathan Archer had not. (ENT: "Rogue Planet")

Still, Archer had received exobiology training prior to his captaincy of Enterprise NX-01 in 2151, so he knew statistically only one of 43,000 planets supported intelligent life. (ENT: "Fight or Flight")

According to a beginning course on the subject, Exobiology 101, it was taught that "Humans are carbon-based. Our immune system can't fight silicon." (ENT: "Observer Effect")

In 2154, Doctor Phlox was offered a position on at the IME as Director of Xenobiology, a position he ultimately turned down in order to stay aboard Enterprise. (ENT: "Affliction")

During the USS Enterprise's visit to planet Arret in 2268, Doctor Ann Mulhall from the ship's Astrobiology department was "summoned" to join the landing party.

Planet-side, Mulhall's role on the mission included, but was not limited to, taking tricorder readings of the underground complex's atmosphere and composition of the alloys used in its construction, as well as observing James T. Kirk's reaction of euphoria, when his body became inhabited by Sargon.

She also expressed her professional opinion of the origins of mankind on Earth, explaining that "Our beliefs and our studies indicate that life on our planet, Earth, evolved independently."

Later, Mulhall was willing to offer herself as a receptacle for Thalassa, justifying the opportunity with stating, "I'm a scientist. The opportunity is an extraordinary one for experimentation [and] observation." (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow")

Data graduated from Starfleet Academy with honors in exobiology in 2345. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint", "Shades of Gray", "Tin Man")

Prior to becoming joined with Dax in 2367, Jadzia Dax had earned Premier Distinctions in exobiology, zoology, astrophysics and exoarchaeology. (DS9: "Dax")

In 2367, Wesley Crusher topped his class at Starfleet Academy in exobiology, but still struggled with Ancient Philosophies. (TNG: "The Host")


Comparative xenobiological chart

Keiko O'Brien taught xenobiology in her classroom aboard Deep Space 9 in 2369 through the application of a module entitled "Comparative Xenobiology". (DS9: "A Man Alone", "The Nagus")

In 2375, The Doctor wished to consult a database on exobiology when a cytoplasmic lifeform attached itself to B'Elanna Torres. He instead ended up creating a hologram of Crell Moset (Medical Consultant Program Beta one), a Cardassian exobiologist. (VOY: "Nothing Human")

Later that year, when The Doctor gave Qatai information on how to improve his shields, Qatai commented The Doctor seemed to know a little about everything including exobiology, medicine and shield harmonics. (VOY: "Bliss")

Exochemistry

Exochemistry was one of the courses taught at Starfleet Academy.

When Guinan mixed the complex Tzartak aperitif in 2368, Captain Picard commented that he hadn't seen such a complex operation since his Academy lab final in exochemistry. (TNG: "Time's Arrow")

F

Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology was a course taught at Starfleet Academy during the mid-24th century.

Counselor Ezri Dax took Forensic Psychology during her time at the Academy, but it wasn't her best subject. Captain Benjamin Sisko suggested that Dax use what she learned in this course to help identify the suspects and motives behind recent murders on board Deep Space 9. (DS9: "Field of Fire").

Fractal calculus

Fractal calculus was an advanced level of calculus taught at Starfleet Academy.

Kathryn Janeway took fractal calculus from Admiral Patterson. In 2371, upon being granted command of the newly-commissioned USS Voyager by Patterson, Janeway joked that she still had nightmares about his fractal calculus final exam. (VOY: "Relativity").

I

Inter-stellar Ethnology

Inter-stellar Ethnology was a course taught at Starfleet Academy.

In 2285, the course instructor was Commander D. Gabrielle. The course and its instructor were listed on a directory placard located on the second level of a Starfleet Training Command building. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, set artwork)

Interspecies Ethics

Interspecies Ethics was a course offered at Starfleet Academy.

In 2375, Kathryn Janeway tested Chakotay by asking if it was Interspecies Ethics which Admiral Nimembeh taught at the Academy. Chakotay correctly replied that the class which Nimembeh taught was Tactical Analysis. (VOY: "In the Flesh").

Interspecies Protocol

Interspecies Protocol was a semester-long course at Starfleet Academy examining the rules, regulations, and customs for interaction between alien species and Starfleet personnel.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A+". (DIS: "Brother")

Kathryn Janeway reminded Harry Kim of the class, and his participation in it, when he became involved with Derran Tal. (VOY: "The Disease")

The context of this conversation indicated that Interspecies Protocol dealt with issues of interspecies reproduction. The reasoning behind it is exampled in the Varro and the Bolians, two species known to cause sexual complications for Humans.

K

Klingon physiology

Klingon physiology was a course taught at Starfleet Academy during the 24th century on the subject of the physiology of the Klingon race.

When Kathryn Janeway attended the course, she had a Klingon guest professor named H'ohk. (VOY: "Darkling").

M

Medicine

Medicine, also known as medical science or the medical arts, was the science and practice of treating damage and ailments that affected the mind or body of a humanoid. It also dealt in the prevention and diagnosis of said damage and ailments.

Germs were among the most resilient organisms known to medical science. (ENT: "Breaking the Ice")

In the late 20th century, the fad known as cryonics froze people at the time of death with the hope that some time in the future, when presumably medical science had a cure for whatever killed them, they would be thawed back to life, healed, and sent on about their business. (TNG: "The Neutral Zone")

In the 24th century, the Federation had a policy of not restricting access to its medical supplies. William T. Riker informed Governor Vagh of this policy when informed that Kriosian rebels had been found to be in possession of Federation medical supplies in 2367. (TNG: "The Mind's Eye")

In ultimately unused dialogue from the final draft script of ENT: "Dead Stop", Doctor Phlox stated, "There's no such thing in medicine as 'absolute certainty'..."

Viewpoints on medicine

Though medical science had made significant scientific and technological progress by the 23rd and 24th centuries, some physicians still valued a personal approach. Doctor Leonard McCoy, for instance, preferred to examine Robert Crater's tonsils visually rather than rely solely on his medical tricorder. (TOS: "The Man Trap") Nevertheless, when a patient's life was at stake, McCoy did appreciate a less invasive form of intervention, preferring to use 23rd century medical technology to repair Pavel Chekov's middle meningeal artery over allowing 20th century surgeons to open up his skull and perform surgery. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Doctor Katherine Pulaski also believed that old-fashioned methods were valuable, particularly in cases where modern methods were unavailable. She recommended usage of a splint for a patient suffering from a fracture in 2365 when the knitter was inoperable, much to the dismay of another doctor, who felt it was not practicing medicine. (TNG: "Contagion").

O

Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry was a general course taught at Starfleet Academy during the 24th century, covering the chemistry of carbon compounds.

Because of his involvement with a female acquaintance whose initials were "A.F.", Jean-Luc Picard failed this course. (TNG: "The Game").

Q

Quantum Chemistry

Quantum Chemistry was a course taught at Starfleet Academy. It was available in the fourth year.

Harry Kim enrolled in this course in his fourth year at the Academy. His roommate, James MacAllister, helped him through the course. (VOY: "The Cloud").

R

Robotics

Robotics is the study of robots. A scientist involved in this field might be called a robotics scientist. (TNG: "Datalore") The subject of robotics was available for study by cadets at Starfleet Academy at least until the late 2360s.

In 2365, Commander Bruce Maddox argued against allowing Data to resign his Starfleet commission, as it would "destroy years of work in robotics". (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man").


Automated Personnel Unit 3947 in 2372

B'Elanna Torres learned about robotics while attending the Academy. She would later find that these teachings paled in comparison to the experience she gained when repairing the systems of Automated Personnel Unit 3947 in 2372. (VOY: "Prototype").

S

Statistical mechanics

Statistical mechanics was an application that combined mathematical and physical theories.

In 2368, Wesley Crusher helped his friend Joshua Albert with his studies in statistical mechanics at Starfleet Academy. While Joshua's father, Lieutenant Commander Albert, believed his son's weakness was mathematics, Wesley explained that Joshua wasn't bad at it, he just didn't like the subject. (TNG: "The First Duty").

Stellar cartography.

Stellar cartography was the science and practice of making maps and projections of space. The United Federation of Planets and other spacefaring cultures had various different systems to organize and catalog space and objects in space. One who specialized in this science was known as a stellar cartographer.


A depiction of the Milky Way
Galaxy as seen in the
astrometrics lab aboard USS
Voyager

United Federation of Planets

The most widely used cartographic system was based on older Earth and Vulcan systems, and perhaps ones even older than those. It divided the galaxy into quadrants, sectors, and systems, and used coordinates to describe specific points in space.

After posing as stellar cartographers in September 2152, the three Takret deserters Rellus Tagrim, Renth, and Guri had to admit that they have no knowledge of stellar cartography after being exposed by Doctor Phlox. (ENT: "The Catwalk")

Borg Collective

The Borg Collective implemented a strictly numerical system to designate regions of space.

The largest known Borg spatial subdivision was the matrix. A matrix was subdivided into grids. One grid could be further divided into several octants, which were numbered and sometimes given an alphabetical suffix (such as octant 22-theta). Specific objects like galactic clusters were also numbered by the Borg.

Survival Strategies

Survival Strategies was a course offered at Starfleet Academy.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A+". (DIS: "Brother")

In the 2360s its instructors included Admiral Owen Paris and Professor Zakarian.

Zakarian taught the course to future USS Voyager crewmembers Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres. He was known to them as old sneezy for his many allergies. (VOY: "Caretaker")

The course was also taken by Tom Paris. He received a B- with his father as the instructor, proving Admiral Paris played no favorites with his son. (VOY: "Parturition")

Chakotay also took the course and years later remembered surprise tactical simulations which involved "getting dropped off in the woods with no chance to prepare". (VOY: "Displaced").

T

Tactical Analysis

Tactical Analysis was a course offered at Starfleet Academy.

In the 23rd century, Cadet Christopher Pike completed this course, earning a grade of "A-". (DIS: "Brother")

In 2368, it was taught by Admiral Nimembeh. (VOY: "In the Flesh").

Temporal mechanics

Temporal science is the field of advanced science involving the study of the workings of time and its effects on the space-time continuum. The understanding of temporal mechanics and temporal physics were particularly relevant for understanding time travel. Temporal mechanics was among the course material taught at Starfleet Academy.

Doctor Vassbinder was a professor who taught temporal mechanics at the Academy; among his students was one Chakotay, who failed his course in temporal mechanics. (VOY: "Year of Hell, Part II")

The discovery of the concept of anti-time was described by Data to be "a relatively new concept in temporal mechanics" in 2370. (TNG: "All Good Things...")

Miles O'Brien was not particularly fond of the paradoxes created by time travel, as was the case in 2371, when he encountered a past version of himself, and they became confused as to why the past O'Brien was affected by radiation but his future self felt fine. After mulling over it for a moment, they both declared that they "hate temporal mechanics". (DS9: "Visionary")

Julian Bashir and O'Brien both took an Elementary Temporal Mechanics course when they attended the Academy. After having time traveled back to 2268 and having a chance encounter with a Lieutenant Watley aboard the USS Enterprise, Bashir was convinced that he may be experiencing a predestination paradox, and that he "could be destined to fall in love with that woman and become my own great-grandfather." (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

Both Kathryn Janeway and B'Elanna Torres knew the "finer points" of temporal mechanics, which included understanding one of the more difficult concepts of the field to grasp, which was that "sometimes effect can precede cause" and that "a reaction can be observed before the action which initiated it." (VOY: "Parallax") However, Seven of Nine was the versed in temporal mechanics aboard the USS Voyager. (VOY: "Shattered") While under the guidance of Janeway in 2378, Q, Junior was scheduled for lessons in the study of temporal mechanics. (VOY: "Q2")

The Krenim had an advanced understanding of temporal mechanics, as they possessed deadly temporal science based weapons. One such Krenim, named Annorax, was responsible for creating a temporal weapon ship. (VOY: "Year of Hell") After being taken prisoner by the Krenim, Chakotay was described by Annorax as seeming to understand the subtleties of time. (VOY: "Year of Hell, Part II") After Seven of Nine experienced a number of personalities in 2375, as a result of being linked to Borg vinculum, she manifested the personality of a Krenim scientist with whom debated "the finer points of temporal physics" with Captain Janeway. (VOY: "Infinite Regress")

Kurros, the spokesperson of the "Think Tank", described the jellyfish-like lifeform, another member of the Think Tank, as the "resident expert on temporal physics" and "perhaps the most gifted member of our group." (VOY: "Think Tank").

Turn-of-the-Millennium Technology

Turn-of-the-Millennium Technology was a history course taught at Starfleet Academy on the level of late 20th century. Among the subjects taught in this course was a section on typing.

When USS Voyager inadvertently traveled to 1996, Chakotay ribbed Kathryn Janeway for never learning to type. Janeway replied by stating that the course wasn't required at the Academy, and that the entire subject was "like stone knives and bearskins." (VOY: "Future's End")

Montgomery Scott shared a similar moment after he had traveled back to 1986, and had an encounter with a Macintosh computer. Like Janeway he described the level of technology at the turn of the millennium as "quaint." Unlike Janeway, however, he appeared to know his way around computer systems of the time. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).

Transporter Theory

Transporter Theory was a course taught at Starfleet Academy during the mid-24th century. The professor who taught the class attended by Reginald Barclay was Doctor Olafson.

In one discussion, Barclay recalled when Dr. Olafson talked about "the body being converted into billions of kiloquads of data, zipping through subspace." It was at this time that he developed a fear of transporters, when he realized that there was no margin for error in the process. (TNG: "Realm of Fear").

W

Warp Theory

Warp Theory was a subject taught at Starfleet Academy. Further use of warp theory included the study of advanced propulsion methods such as speeds of warp 10. (VOY: "Non Sequitur", "Threshold")

Warp theory was the study of the ability to travel at speeds exceeding that of light. The creator of warp theory on Earth was Zefram Cochrane in 2060. It was required reading at the Academy. (Star Trek: First Contact).

X

Exolinguistics

Exolinguistics, also known as xenolinguistics, was a branch of linguistics centering on the study of alien languages, including their phonology and syntax. One who studied exolinguistics was known as an exolinguist.

Hoshi Sato was an exolinguist who graduated second in her class and later became Jonathan Archer's first choice for the mission aboard Enterprise in 2151. She reasoned the importance of her role by stating that, "every inhabited world we come to is going to be filled with language. Some will have hundreds of them. He needs me here." (ENT: "Fight or Flight")

In an alternate reality, Nyota Uhura's focus of study as a cadet at Starfleet Academy was in xenolinguistics. James T. Kirk impressed Uhura when he demonstrated knowledge of the study, as she had originally thought that he was merely "a dumb hick who only had sex with farm animals." Later, when trying to convince Captain Christopher Pike that the USS Enterprise was about to be ambushed by Romulans, Spock described her as unmatched in this field. (Star Trek)

An unused portion of dialogue established Uhura as having a Gold rating in exolinguistics.

Before studying musical composition, Sek took exolinguistics. He found the science too theoretical. (VOY: "Repression").