Evolution (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Evolution" is the 49th episode of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
threaten the Federation Starfleet starship
USS Enterprise
as well as its critical research mission.
system to perform astrophysics
research under the guidance of Dr. Paul Stubbs, analyzing the decay of neutronium
as a result of a stellar explosion that occurs every 196 years and due to occur in the next few hours. Dr. Stubbs, played by Ken Jenkins
, plans to launch a probe, dubbed the Egg, to gather the data, a result of a lifetime's worth of development. Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher
has rejoined the Enterprise crew and is warmly welcomed by her son, Wesley
.
As the expected time of the stellar explosion nears, the ship begins to start malfunctioning in odd ways, and the issue is quickly traced to the computer core. Wesley, who had been working on a project involving microscopic nanite
s, realizes that he may have inadvertently let two nanites from his experiments loose. The nanites were programmed to find ways to work together and evolve. A scan of the computer core reveals that the nanites have determined a way of replicating themselves and have taken up residence in the computer core. With the computer controls unreliable to proceed with the mission, the crew, along with Dr. Stubbs, attempt to see if they can remove the nanites from the core. However, Dr. Stubbs shoots the core with a burst of gamma radiation, destroying a large number of the nanites. They retaliate by flooding the bridge with nitrogen dioxide
, which the crew is able to override. Dr. Stubbs is confined to quarters, but the nanites attempt further revenge by shocking him with electricity. Captain Picard
prepares to flood the computer core with gamma radiation to remove the nanites completely, but Data
is able to establish communication with the nanites and allow them to use his body to speak with Picard. Picard realizes that the nanites are self-aware and conscious and took Dr. Stubbs' actions as hostile but that they only want peace. Picard is able to negotiate a deal to send the nanites down to Kavis Alpha IV, designating it as their homeworld. The nanites agree and repair all the damage to the computer core before they leave it. Dr. Stubbs is able to launch his probe on time and collects numerous volumes of data to pore over. Wesley, who felt responsible for the whole incident and feeling that he had been left alone for the past year without his mother, is counseled by Dr. Crusher, realizing he is now growing up.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Overview
In this episode, escaped nanitesNanorobotics
Nanorobotics is the emerging technology field of creating machines or robots whose components are at or close to the scale of a nanometer . More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots, with devices ranging in size from...
threaten the Federation Starfleet starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
as well as its critical research mission.
Plot
The USS Enterprise approaches the Kavis Alpha binary starBinary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
system to perform astrophysics
Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
research under the guidance of Dr. Paul Stubbs, analyzing the decay of neutronium
Neutronium
Neutronium is a proposed name for a substance composed purely of neutrons. The word was coined by scientist Andreas von Antropoff in 1926 for the conjectured "element of atomic number zero" that he placed at the head of the periodic table...
as a result of a stellar explosion that occurs every 196 years and due to occur in the next few hours. Dr. Stubbs, played by Ken Jenkins
Ken Jenkins
Ken Jenkins is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the Chief of Medicine on the American comedy Scrubs....
, plans to launch a probe, dubbed the Egg, to gather the data, a result of a lifetime's worth of development. Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher
Beverly Crusher
Commander Beverly Crusher, M.D. , played by actress Gates McFadden, is a fictional character on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its subsequent spinoff films...
has rejoined the Enterprise crew and is warmly welcomed by her son, Wesley
Wesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
.
As the expected time of the stellar explosion nears, the ship begins to start malfunctioning in odd ways, and the issue is quickly traced to the computer core. Wesley, who had been working on a project involving microscopic nanite
Nanorobotics
Nanorobotics is the emerging technology field of creating machines or robots whose components are at or close to the scale of a nanometer . More specifically, nanorobotics refers to the nanotechnology engineering discipline of designing and building nanorobots, with devices ranging in size from...
s, realizes that he may have inadvertently let two nanites from his experiments loose. The nanites were programmed to find ways to work together and evolve. A scan of the computer core reveals that the nanites have determined a way of replicating themselves and have taken up residence in the computer core. With the computer controls unreliable to proceed with the mission, the crew, along with Dr. Stubbs, attempt to see if they can remove the nanites from the core. However, Dr. Stubbs shoots the core with a burst of gamma radiation, destroying a large number of the nanites. They retaliate by flooding the bridge with nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula it is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor and is a prominent...
, which the crew is able to override. Dr. Stubbs is confined to quarters, but the nanites attempt further revenge by shocking him with electricity. Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
prepares to flood the computer core with gamma radiation to remove the nanites completely, but Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
is able to establish communication with the nanites and allow them to use his body to speak with Picard. Picard realizes that the nanites are self-aware and conscious and took Dr. Stubbs' actions as hostile but that they only want peace. Picard is able to negotiate a deal to send the nanites down to Kavis Alpha IV, designating it as their homeworld. The nanites agree and repair all the damage to the computer core before they leave it. Dr. Stubbs is able to launch his probe on time and collects numerous volumes of data to pore over. Wesley, who felt responsible for the whole incident and feeling that he had been left alone for the past year without his mother, is counseled by Dr. Crusher, realizing he is now growing up.