Talk:The Terratin Incident (episode)

Space between molecules
It's stated in this episode that this shrinkage of organic matter is caused by molecules becoming closer together, particularly DNA. As far as I know, DNA is already coiled as tightly as possible most of the time during normal cell functioning, and DNA comprises only a small percentage of a cell's volume any way, so there ought to be something else about organic matter (possibly something to do with carbon) that would single it out. The size to distance ratio between subatomic particles (the nucleus and its electrons) is in fact comparable to the distance between stars, with a void of empty space inside each atom that could theoretically be shrunk. Neutronium is a result of completely collapsing all space within atoms. But atoms themselves, and the molecules they comprise, are generally in contact with each other, especially in solids and liquids. There are certainly no great gaps between molecules. It seems the writer(s) were confused between atoms/molecules and subatomic particles on this point. -AndromedaRoach 02:09, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

Transporter
"If we accept the series Star Trek: Enterprise as canon, then the transporter didn't exist for the colonists as it hadn't been invented in their century."

Unless the Tarratins developed it independently of Earth.


 * Actually, the whole segment can be removed:
 * Some of the technological aspects of this show are contradicted by later episodes. Among these aspects, the most important is the transporter. In this episode, the Terratins had transporter technology, a technology they inherited from their ancestors. The Terratins had been on the planet for over two centuries (the exact number of years is not given, only that the signal they used hadn't been in operation for two centuries). Though it could be argued that the Terratins had acquired technology from passing ships, this hypothesis is not supported by the episode which identifies the Enterprise as the first ship to contact them since they left Earth.


 * Who knows what was going on on the planet. For all we know, there was some brillo scientist.  And the Enterprise canon bit is definitely non-cyclopedic. -- Sulfur 11:17, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

Size of the Terratin City
Can someone help me with this question. I am trying to work out the size of the Terratin city (a)in its original size and (b)if it where to be scaled up to 'normal' size. I noticed that when the Terratin city was beamed up to the Enterprise near the end of the episode, the city covered the part of the transporter that a single person would stand (sorry don't know the correct name). 80.254.146.140 14:02, February 19, 2011 (UTC)