TVGuy
Since: Dec, 2016
Jan 10th 2014 at 5:36:16 PM
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Is my wrong or the article says that the Klingon in the Star Trek Into Darkness film are never shown without the masks? This is untrue.
kickthecan
Since: Dec, 2009
Nov 14th 2010 at 7:32:42 PM
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Someone added a second paragraph about convergent evolution. It seems to be a bit of a justifying edit for the whole trope and the paragraph grates with the rest of the page. Removing it wouldn't affect the rest of the entry. Also, as a biology major I can tell you that convergent evolution would not result in aliens looking like people with rubber foreheads, not even if all the aliens were humanoid.
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Ghilz
Since: Jan, 2001
Nov 14th 2010 at 9:10:51 PM
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Cut it. Posting it here for future references.
Oddly, though the idea turns up now and then in written SF, TV shows and movies never suggest convergent evolution
(the principle that different species evolving in similar ecological niches will end up rather similar to each other, as with killer whales and sharks) as a reason why intelligent species tend to share the "humanoid" body structure. It has been compared to how water droplets will attempt to form into the most efficient shape, a sphere, in any environment. It is possible that the humanoid form has enough versatility that only minor variations would be needed to meet environmental demands specific to other planets.
Edited by Ghilz
(the principle that different species evolving in similar ecological niches will end up rather similar to each other, as with killer whales and sharks) as a reason why intelligent species tend to share the "humanoid" body structure. It has been compared to how water droplets will attempt to form into the most efficient shape, a sphere, in any environment. It is possible that the humanoid form has enough versatility that only minor variations would be needed to meet environmental demands specific to other planets.
Jaqen
Since: Nov, 2012
Dec 23rd 2012 at 5:27:43 PM
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Bajorans used to wear spectacles, hence the Nose Ridges. Cardassi genocided all the intellectuals.
What if there were no hypothetical questions? There are 10 kinds of people: those who understand Binary and those who don't.
OldManHoOh
It's super effective.
Since: Jul, 2010
It's super effective.
Removed:
Rubber foreheads also tend to be paired up with Humans Are White for some reason, likely the fact that back in the 60s/70s it was easier to get a black, Latino, or Asian actor on TV by gluing something to their heads and claiming that they were raceless otherworldly beings instead. You will virtually never see a Caucasian-coloured Klingon, which means that the makeup department actually has to do a lot more work when a white actor plays one.
This is a pretty dubious assertion. There are plenty of examples of Rubber Forehead Aliens played by white actors, even in the example mentioned, Star Trek.