Trek Talk Explores Non-Humanoid Lifeforms

The next Trek Talk lecture from 6-7 p.m. Feb. 22 will be hosted by Vayu Gokhale, associate professor of physics. He will lead a discussion about a few of the non-humanoid lifeforms introduced in “Star Trek: The Original Series.” These include the horta, gorn, organian, denevan single-celled flying amoeba and ominous omicron-ceti-III spore-spewing plants. Gokhale will also invite the audience to consider the doomsday machine as a lonely super-organism untethered from the demands of natural selection, rather than the more traditional interpretation of it as a machine. Phasors are also set on maximum power in case there is a discussion on the tribbles. The lecture will conclude with a brief discussion on how astronomers are trying to detect extra-terrestrial life and what, if any, influence “Star Trek” has had on this search. This is an in-person event, but those who wish to attend this event via Zoom should email Jared Young at jyoung@truman.edu.