Oddball Sciences

[Steve]

I recently picked up the new Star Trek: Lower Decks Campaign Book and was perusing it for ideas when I came across a mention of what subjects that science officers might specialize in.

 

Two such mentioned science specialties caught my attention because they just seemed to come in from far out in left field: dentistry and podiatry.

 

My imagination immediately began wondering what a medical officer specializing in podiatry or maybe even xenopodiatry might have to deal with on a Star Fleet vessel.

 

Then I started wondering if there were other oddball sciences that people have seen characters take, and if they somehow proved useful.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Steve

[Christopher R Taylor]

I'm flashing back to the scene in Undiscovered Country when they do the reveal on that alien's feet and why he couldn't have worn the boot.

[Lord Liaden]

Temporal physics is the only "oddball science" I remember someone actually taking in a game, where time travel was at least encountered. But given the established Star Trek milieu, a number of other potential ones come to mind.

 

Optometry and audiology. Dealing with species who see or hear at different ranges than Humans, or are sensitive to different intensities; not to mention lacking those senses at all.

 

Nutrition/Dietitian. Various species have unique physiologies and biochemistries, so must have a range of distinctive nutritional requirements.

 

Hematology. We have at least one official Trek race whose hemoglobin is based on copper rather than iron.

 

Astronautics. The principles behind designing vehicles for space travel.

 

Subspacial geometry, since they regularly access subspace for things like long-range communication.

 

Psychology/Therapy. We have Klingons for whom aggression and bloodlust are fundamental traits; Vulcans who suppress all emotion; Betazoid telepaths; joined Trills with literal multiple personalities. Imagine what a ship's counselor would really need to understand.

 

Zoology. Every newly discovered planet is going to have its own unique life forms, some dangerous to humanoids. Good to know how to recognize them. And related to that:

 

Virology. There have been a number of references in the series to infectious diseases which have crossed species from entirely separate ecosystems.

Edited September 1, 2023 by Lord Liaden

[DentArthurDent]

11 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

Virology. There have been a number of references in the series to infectious diseases which have crossed species from entirely separate ecosystems.

I’ve just realized that every colonized planet would, in just a few years, kill every colonist.

 

Now I’m wondering what it would take to create effective xenovaccinations.
Highly mutable anti-viruses? Universal antigens? Intelligent antibodies? Nano-submarines with pulse lasers?

[Lord Liaden]

On multiple occasions the Star Trek transporters have been said to include "biofilters" which screen out foreign micro-organisms. Until, for story purposes, they don't.

[Scott Ruggels]

16 hours ago, DentArthurDent said:

I’ve just realized that every colonized planet would, in just a few years, kill every colonist.

 

Now I’m wondering what it would take to create effective xenovaccinations.
Highly mutable anti-viruses? Universal antigens? Intelligent antibodies? Nano-submarines with pulse lasers?

If our bio chemistry is significantly different, the viruses probably wouldn’t jump, like most viruses stick with their host creatures. It took millennia for creatures to evolve to eat, wood. Our Carboniferous age was caused by piles of dead vegetation and trees becoming compacted in situ, eons before something evolved to eat them. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Scott Ruggels

[DentArthurDent]

Interesting. I assume that’s because viruses evolve to take advantage of the available organisms.

 

Hmmm …

So, does that mean colonists would be immune to everything? At least for several generations.

Or ..

Would one lucky virus run rampant?

[DentArthurDent]

On 9/2/2023 at 9:07 AM, Scott Ruggels said:

Our Carboniferous age was caused by piles of dead vegetation and trees becoming compacted in situ, eons before something evolved to eat them. 

Fascinating!!!

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mushroom-evolution-breaks-down-lignin-slows-coal-formation/

[Sundog]

On 9/5/2023 at 3:55 AM, DentArthurDent said:

Interesting. I assume that’s because viruses evolve to take advantage of the available organisms.

 

Hmmm …

So, does that mean colonists would be immune to everything? At least for several generations.

Or ..

Would one lucky virus run rampant?

 

I think you'd have the situation be on a case-by-case basis. Most planets, the two biologies would be too dissimilar for a virus to jump hosts. But on the occasional just too similar planet...

You'd probably be in greater danger on a terraformed world, where all the life is from your own biome.