Another interactive lecture delivered by Meuianga (honorable) Mera Te Aì 'Enge'ite, chief scientific officer of the Reptilian Starfleet
-- It is truly a pleasure, Meuianga.
-- Yes, we are learning a lot. It is a pleasure to learn from you.
Ah, cadets, today we'll see something really interesting. I've beamed for you to our spaceship another of those interesting human specimens. This time, we have a female to examine. As last time, please be gentle with her. She is lightly sedated, but please make sure that you don't scare her, and always remember the basic Starfleet rule that we must respect all lifeforms we encounter. And here she is.
-- A very interesting specimen, Meuianga.
-- She looks a little dazed. Is she intelligent?
Yes, cadets, she is very intelligent - you see her a little dazed because she is sedated. But she is at a higher level of intelligence compared with the average naked ape. She is one of their technology specialists; some of them are rather clever. This is one. Later on, we'll test her intelligence, to see how she compares with ours. You'll see that she does reasonably well, of course within the limits of her species.
But today I have another element that I wish to examine for your training. As you saw in our previous lessons, we are focusing on some anatomical elements of these creatures' bodies. Their adaptation to their environment is sometimes remarkable. And so, I invite you to examine the fleshy protrusions she has on both sides of her head. Please be gentle with the specimen, but do examine this curious entity, and tell me what's your impression.
-- She looks a little dazed. Is she intelligent?
Yes, cadets, she is very intelligent - you see her a little dazed because she is sedated. But she is at a higher level of intelligence compared with the average naked ape. She is one of their technology specialists; some of them are rather clever. This is one. Later on, we'll test her intelligence, to see how she compares with ours. You'll see that she does reasonably well, of course within the limits of her species.
But today I have another element that I wish to examine for your training. As you saw in our previous lessons, we are focusing on some anatomical elements of these creatures' bodies. Their adaptation to their environment is sometimes remarkable. And so, I invite you to examine the fleshy protrusions she has on both sides of her head. Please be gentle with the specimen, but do examine this curious entity, and tell me what's your impression.
-- Ah, Meuianga... it is rather weird
-- Yes, you see, Meuianga, it is... how could I say....
-- Meuianga, I am sorry, this may go against the Starfleet rules, but isn't this thing a little disgusting?
Ah, good, good, cadet Epu Te 'Eyingua Ruìze'itan. You understand that we have to take into account that our reaction to some features of the alien species we encounter may be negative. But we have to overcome this emotional reaction. If you have to learn how to deal with these creatures, you will also have to learn that in an ecosystem, everything that exists has a reason to exist. And it is the same for this fleshy protrusion. It is, indeed, a fascinating story -- just like many things are fascinating with these creatures.
-- But Meuianga, it is so strange. It is really part of the creature?
-- Maybe it is a polyp?
-- Or a parasite that has attached itself to the head of this ape?
No, no... cadets. It is a regular feature of the naked apes. All of them have these "ears" they are fleshy protrusions that grow around the auditory channel, but they are bona fide elements of the genetic setup of these creatures. But on one point, cadets, you are right. One of the features of this thing has no adaptive evolutionary value. Can you locate it?
-- Hmm.... Meuianga, maybe the whole structure is purely decorative?
-- Is it a sex signal?
-- Does this creature use these strange entities to signal its willingness to mate?
Oh... I see that you are getting into this matter. Indeed, these creatures have many ways to signal their willingness to mate. And even this fleshy polyp, if you like to call it this way, has a certain value in this sense. But there is a specific feature of the excrescence that has this characteristic. Can you see it?
-- ..... Hmmmm
-- Well.... maybe..
-- Ah... difficult.
I understand you, cadets. It takes a certain practice to understand some features of this species. Not for nothing I have been working on them for several hundred revolutions of their planet around the star. Now, let me show you on screen this picture that our female specimen nicely provided for us
-- Oh... that's interesting, Meuianga.
-- Yes! What is that round thing?
-- Remarkable. A small sphere attached to that protrusion. It is eerily beautiful...
Yes, cadet Ìtxeyeai Te Zuäk Nayitä'ite. You noted its characteristic. The little sphere is called an "earring," and female apes often wear one on the lower protrusion, called the "earlobe." Males also wear earrings, but more rarely.
Now, you should note two things. The first is that the earlobe of this creature is pierced. It has a hole that goes through it. It is not part of their genetic setup. It is made with a drill. I guess it has to be painful, but it seems to be very common with these creatures. But the most important point is to note that the earlobe has no adaptation value whatsoever. It is just there, and I venture to say that it has developed as a support for these decorative signals. By the way, the round thing is called a "pearl." It is a secretion of some bivalve molluscs living on planet Earth.
-- Truly fascinating, Meuianga. So it is a sexual signal?
Yes, cadet Zayo Te Yuutxha Spälsloaynla'ite, one of the many sexual signals that these creatures use. There are many others -- some are rather explicit in indicating a willingness to mate. This one has a moderate strength, but that's the idea, indeed.
-- You know, Meuianga, I feel bad about not having these earlobes.
Ah, cadet, you are funny. But wait for a while. We are moving to something that you'll find interesting. But before getting to that, let me go back to the examination of this protrusion. You noticed that it is quite elaborate in those fleshy circumvolutions inside. Do you think they have a purpose?
-- Another difficult question, Meuianga.
-- They might have a purpose? Or maybe they are another sexual signal?
-- I don't think so. You didn't tell us that they wear decorations also in those circumvolutions, did you?
Exactly, cadet Ngoawa Te Zìuìtkip Lrrher'ite. These circumvolutions do have a specific adaptive value. But in order to understand that, I must ask you another question. If these protrusions have adaptive value, why do we reptilians not have them?
-- Ah... That's truly fascinating.
-- You mean that the naked apes have features we didn't develop?
-- Maybe they are better adapted than us?
Oh, no, cadets. No species is more adapted than another species. These creatures are perfectly adapted to their ecosystem. It is just that they are different creatures. And the point is that they collect sound waves inside a specific organ that's called the cochlea. So, they use their "ears" as a way to amplify sound waves and send them into the cochlea. It is quite sophisticated but not as good as our sound dome; is the ball of fat you have inside your elongated cranium that amplifies sound waves. We are better than them at detecting vibrations, also because we evolved in a denser atmosphere.
-- Meuianga, you know that we are fascinated.
-- But we need your help
-- You know much more than us.
Ah, cadets, you have many things to learn, but you are learning a lot. And for this, I shall demonstrate for you a use of your mirage suit. You have it, it is part of your training materials. You'll use it especially when you'll move to the surface of planet Earth, but today we can have a taste of how it works. Would you please activate it?
-- Yes, Meuianga. We'll try...
-- Well... maybe...
-- Strange...
-- We feel very strange, Meuianga.
-- Not sure we want to look like thise naked apes....
It is all right. The mirage suit can have strange effects; you'll have to learn how to use it well. It is not just a mirage; it changes you. It turns you into the mirage you want to become. But, today, we are examining just a specific feature of the naked ape, a feature that your mirage suit has reproduced. Now you have human ears! Touch them!
-- Ah... remarkable, Meuianga.
-- We have these weird protuberances. But we hear through them.
Yes, you do. Now, a little experiment. You know that you are detecting sound waves by means of a mechanism called the cochlea, which is inside your human head. Now use your hands to cover your inner circumvolutions, but NOT the opening to the cochlea. That shouldn't affect what you hear, don't you think so?
-- Well, Meuianga, that looks logical.
-- But you are teaching something interesting.
-- We are sure of that.
Of course, I want to teach you interesting things. There are so many things to learn for you. And for me, too!!! Now, let's do this experiment, I'll sing for you the Starfleet song, and you'll go covering and uncovering the circumvolutions. Then you'll tell me what you heard. Let me go, you'll follow me with the chorus....
-- Yes! What is that round thing?
-- Remarkable. A small sphere attached to that protrusion. It is eerily beautiful...
Yes, cadet Ìtxeyeai Te Zuäk Nayitä'ite. You noted its characteristic. The little sphere is called an "earring," and female apes often wear one on the lower protrusion, called the "earlobe." Males also wear earrings, but more rarely.
Now, you should note two things. The first is that the earlobe of this creature is pierced. It has a hole that goes through it. It is not part of their genetic setup. It is made with a drill. I guess it has to be painful, but it seems to be very common with these creatures. But the most important point is to note that the earlobe has no adaptation value whatsoever. It is just there, and I venture to say that it has developed as a support for these decorative signals. By the way, the round thing is called a "pearl." It is a secretion of some bivalve molluscs living on planet Earth.
-- Truly fascinating, Meuianga. So it is a sexual signal?
Yes, cadet Zayo Te Yuutxha Spälsloaynla'ite, one of the many sexual signals that these creatures use. There are many others -- some are rather explicit in indicating a willingness to mate. This one has a moderate strength, but that's the idea, indeed.
-- You know, Meuianga, I feel bad about not having these earlobes.
Ah, cadet, you are funny. But wait for a while. We are moving to something that you'll find interesting. But before getting to that, let me go back to the examination of this protrusion. You noticed that it is quite elaborate in those fleshy circumvolutions inside. Do you think they have a purpose?
-- Another difficult question, Meuianga.
-- They might have a purpose? Or maybe they are another sexual signal?
-- I don't think so. You didn't tell us that they wear decorations also in those circumvolutions, did you?
Exactly, cadet Ngoawa Te Zìuìtkip Lrrher'ite. These circumvolutions do have a specific adaptive value. But in order to understand that, I must ask you another question. If these protrusions have adaptive value, why do we reptilians not have them?
-- Ah... That's truly fascinating.
-- You mean that the naked apes have features we didn't develop?
-- Maybe they are better adapted than us?
Oh, no, cadets. No species is more adapted than another species. These creatures are perfectly adapted to their ecosystem. It is just that they are different creatures. And the point is that they collect sound waves inside a specific organ that's called the cochlea. So, they use their "ears" as a way to amplify sound waves and send them into the cochlea. It is quite sophisticated but not as good as our sound dome; is the ball of fat you have inside your elongated cranium that amplifies sound waves. We are better than them at detecting vibrations, also because we evolved in a denser atmosphere.
Incidentally, some Earth mammals have the same device. They are marine mammals called Dolphins and Whales in the ape language. Their dome can be quite large. Let me show you one of these creatures. Do you see the dome? It is full of fatty oils. It is a remarkably efficient resonating device Anyway, the point is that we don't need ears, the apes do. But that doesn't tell us why the circumvolutions inside the ears.
-- Meuianga, you know that we are fascinated.
-- But we need your help
-- You know much more than us.
Ah, cadets, you have many things to learn, but you are learning a lot. And for this, I shall demonstrate for you a use of your mirage suit. You have it, it is part of your training materials. You'll use it especially when you'll move to the surface of planet Earth, but today we can have a taste of how it works. Would you please activate it?
-- Yes, Meuianga. We'll try...
-- It looks like it is already set on "naked ape"
-- Yes, there is a button
-- There we go....
So, cadets, don't you look nice in your mirage suit? You really look like naked apes dressed up with our nice Starfleet uniforms.
-- Well... maybe...
-- Strange...
-- We feel very strange, Meuianga.
-- Not sure we want to look like thise naked apes....
It is all right. The mirage suit can have strange effects; you'll have to learn how to use it well. It is not just a mirage; it changes you. It turns you into the mirage you want to become. But, today, we are examining just a specific feature of the naked ape, a feature that your mirage suit has reproduced. Now you have human ears! Touch them!
-- Ah... remarkable, Meuianga.
-- We have these weird protuberances. But we hear through them.
Yes, you do. Now, a little experiment. You know that you are detecting sound waves by means of a mechanism called the cochlea, which is inside your human head. Now use your hands to cover your inner circumvolutions, but NOT the opening to the cochlea. That shouldn't affect what you hear, don't you think so?
-- Well, Meuianga, that looks logical.
-- But you are teaching something interesting.
-- We are sure of that.
Of course, I want to teach you interesting things. There are so many things to learn for you. And for me, too!!! Now, let's do this experiment, I'll sing for you the Starfleet song, and you'll go covering and uncovering the circumvolutions. Then you'll tell me what you heard. Let me go, you'll follow me with the chorus....
In the vast expanse of cosmic might,
We sail through stars, our reptilian flight.
From far-flung corners to unknown domains,
We are the crew of proud reptilian reigns.
(Chorus)
Starfleet, our ships blaze through the night,
Conquerors of galaxies, a formidable sight.
With scales that shimmer, and eyes that gleam,
We soar as one, fulfilling our dream.
Our empire vast, from world to world we roam,
A legacy built, on territories we've known.
In noble pursuit of knowledge and might,
We traverse the cosmos, guided by light.
(Chorus)
Starfleet, our ships blaze through the night,
Conquerors of galaxies, a formidable sight.
With scales that shimmer, and eyes that gleam,
We soar as one, fulfilling our dream.
So let the cosmos bear witness to our might,
The proud reptilian crew, shining bright.
In the depths of space, our legacy unfurled,
We conquer the galaxies, the masters of the world.
Truly good, cadets. You know, it is strange to hear the Starfleet hymn sung by creatures that look so much like naked apes wearing Starfleet uniforms! Who knows, one day, we might enlist some of them as crews of our ships. But never mind that. That was an experiment. How did it go?
-- Ah... Meuianga, yes... truly strange
-- It was different with and without the covering of the circumvolutions.
-- Yes, indeed. It had more depth when the circumvolutions were not covered.
-- How was that?
We sail through stars, our reptilian flight.
From far-flung corners to unknown domains,
We are the crew of proud reptilian reigns.
(Chorus)
Starfleet, our ships blaze through the night,
Conquerors of galaxies, a formidable sight.
With scales that shimmer, and eyes that gleam,
We soar as one, fulfilling our dream.
Our empire vast, from world to world we roam,
A legacy built, on territories we've known.
In noble pursuit of knowledge and might,
We traverse the cosmos, guided by light.
(Chorus)
Starfleet, our ships blaze through the night,
Conquerors of galaxies, a formidable sight.
With scales that shimmer, and eyes that gleam,
We soar as one, fulfilling our dream.
So let the cosmos bear witness to our might,
The proud reptilian crew, shining bright.
In the depths of space, our legacy unfurled,
We conquer the galaxies, the masters of the world.
Truly good, cadets. You know, it is strange to hear the Starfleet hymn sung by creatures that look so much like naked apes wearing Starfleet uniforms! Who knows, one day, we might enlist some of them as crews of our ships. But never mind that. That was an experiment. How did it go?
-- Ah... Meuianga, yes... truly strange
-- It was different with and without the covering of the circumvolutions.
-- Yes, indeed. It had more depth when the circumvolutions were not covered.
-- How was that?
Well... cadets, first of all, it is a miracle of the mirage suit that reproduces so well not just the outer shape of the naked apes but the way their sensorial system works. And now you understand the meaning of the circumvolutions. They are a sound-wave interference system that provides information on the direction from where the sound comes from. Not as efficient as our sound domes, but it works nicely for the naked apes.
-- Fascinating, Meuianga, truly fascinating.
-- It was an unbelievable experience.
-- Yes, with the circumvolutions uncovered we heard you as if you were singing from the depth of the galaxy
-- An eerie sound. Beautiful!
Glad that you liked it, cadets. Now you learned something about the naked apes and also how to hone your observational skills on all the details. This is the way to learn; this is the way of the Starfleet officer that you are going to become.
-- Meuianga, thank you so much... but there is one thing.
-- I feel strange, don't you, fellow cadets?
-- Yes, these mirage suits are truly sophisticated devices.
-- You see, Meuianga, I think we all feel the same.... looking at the human girl, there is this strange sensation....
-- Very, very strange...
-- Fascinating, Meuianga, truly fascinating.
-- It was an unbelievable experience.
-- Yes, with the circumvolutions uncovered we heard you as if you were singing from the depth of the galaxy
-- An eerie sound. Beautiful!
Glad that you liked it, cadets. Now you learned something about the naked apes and also how to hone your observational skills on all the details. This is the way to learn; this is the way of the Starfleet officer that you are going to become.
-- Meuianga, thank you so much... but there is one thing.
-- I feel strange, don't you, fellow cadets?
-- Yes, these mirage suits are truly sophisticated devices.
-- You see, Meuianga, I think we all feel the same.... looking at the human girl, there is this strange sensation....
-- Very, very strange...
Cadets, cadets, control yourselves. The human girl is surely a nice-looking specimen, and I understand that the mirage suit can have some weird effects if worn for some time. You'll have to learn how to use it properly, and maybe one day you'll want to experiment with these strange -- let's say -- "sensations." But it is not for this reason that we beamed up this creature. And I see that she is a little shocked having seen you turning from nice looking reptilians into this ape form. Now, act again on the controls of your suit, and return to your normal shape. Then, we'll beam the girl back. I guess she's learned something, too. And see you next time for another lesson!
(The images of the aliens are made using Dall-E. Thanks to Ilaria for having posed as the human female)
