Earth

For the mirror universe counterpart, see Earth (mirror).

For the alternate mirror universe counterpart, see Earth (AMU).

For the dark mirror universe counterpart, see Earth (DMU).

PLANET
Earth
Earth from orbit
Alternate name(s):	Terra, Sol III
Classification:	class M planet
Affiliation:	United Earth/ Federation (founding member, 2161)
Location:	Sol star system, coordinates 1.23N 2.79W, sector 001, Alpha Quadrant
Moon(s):	Luna
Dominant Species:	Human
Warp Capable:	2063
Population:	4.2 billion (2373)
Capital:	Paris/ San Francisco
Gravity:	1.0 G
Diameter:	12,742 kilometers
Length of day:	24 hours
Land mass percentage:	29%

Earth (also known as Terra or Sol III) is a class M planet, the third planet in the Sol star system in the space of the galaxy's Alpha Quadrant, at coordinates 1.23N 2.79W. It is the Federation capital, and the primary political subdivision of United Earth, one of five founding members of the Federation. Its sentient species include Humans and cetaceans.

Earth served as the model for the class M classification.

It has one moon, Luna.

It is often called Terra, its Latin name, by many non-Humans throughout the Federation. The term Terran can refer to Humanity in general, to things related to Earth, or specifically to its citizens.

See also Terran Empire.

History

Early history

Earth was formed 4.6 billion years ago within a nascent Sol system. Its biosphere began forming 3.5 billion years back as amino acids appeared in the region known as France. Two billion years ago, single-celled life began evolving.

Life on Earth evolved. For several million years dinosaurs were ascendant. Their era ended when a large asteroid, or comet, hit Earth during the galactic battle between the Q and the forces of the being 0. One dinosaur species survived to become the Delta Quadrant species Voth. The Preservers moved another promising reptilian species off Terra to ensure their development, and they became the Clan Ru.

As mammals reclaimed a mending planet, primates dominated the land while cetaceans ruled at sea. At one point, a probe from an alien cetacean race made contact with native humpback whales. Several alien races contacted, and were worshiped by, early Terrans.

In the last half of the 20th century, a subculture developed which believed that the planet had been visited by extraterrestrials. Between 1955 and 2018, at least eighteen Vulcan probe ships were photographed by Humans, though this evidence was dismissed as being hoaxed by authorities and the public at large. Other races also visited Earth during this period, though most, like the Vulcans, were subject to a rule of non-interference. An exception to this was the Reticulans.

Humanity

In the 23rd century/17th century, James T. Kirk, possibly to avoid breaching the Prime Directive, stated to the Prosecutor he was from an "island" on Sarpeidon called Earth.

Earth in the 24th century was a successful world whose peace was won at great cost. Unlike other races, Humanity was split for much of its history into hundreds of religious, ethnic, cultural and national divisions. Early efforts to unite its peoples -- such as the League of Nations, the United Nations, and the New UN -- met with limited success. As an odd twist of fate, (328 years after its 2037 disappearance), Charybdis' wreckage was discovered at Theta 116. Its American flag-a remnant from the period. When the front desk clerk was asked what he called planet Theta VIII, he replied "Earth."

Earth was visited by the Reticulii in the 20th century to conduct genetic profiling of Humans, who were transported to orbiting medical ships. The Reticulii used Missing Time Syndrome to prevent the abducted Humans remembering their encounters.

The Bell Riots of 2024 were a turning point in Humanity's development.

In the early part of the 21st century, Humanity had developed a practical fusion-drive system which in turn allowed for the first manned vessel Icarus to be launched to the Alpha Centauri system. Terra endured a catastrophic war ending in a nuclear exchange in 2053; the horrors of its aftermath were leavened a decade later by 2063's first contact with Vulcan. A watershed in Terran history spurred by Cochrane's first warp flight, the contact eradicated poverty, war and disease within fifty years. A final war concluded in 2079 and even more reform progressed.

By the early 22nd century, organizations such as the European Hegemony moved toward world government, and culminated in a United Earth that, by 2150, had absorbed a final nation state and was fully unified.

In 2151, Starfleet launched its new warp-five NX-class starships, whose flagship, Enterprise, first made contact with many races including the Klingons, Andorians, and Tellarites. These established United Earth as an interstellar power, and paved the way for the founding of the Federation.

Alternate realities

Europe devastated by the Goa'uld invasion

• In an alternate reality visited by Daniel Jackson in 2361, Earth was attacked by Apophis and most major cities were destroyed. Efforts to combat the invasion were headed in Cheyenne Mountain by the SGA. Dr. Samantha Carter stated that Washington D.C. and Philadelphia had been lost. Cities that, based on the SGA's map, were almost certainly destroyed include the following: Cairo, Berlin, Rome, Helsinki, London, Moscow, New York City, Paris and Dublin. Colorado Springs was presumably destroyed during the attack on Cheyenne Mountain. The Goa'uld attack started in Europe, Asia and Africa before spreading to the Federation. Since the destruction started on the East Coast and moved west and Dr. Daniel Jackson left the reality when it reached Colorado, the annihilation of the West Coast was unseen. (SG1: "There But for the Grace of God")
• In another alternate reality, Earth was attacked by Apophis and the SGA was invaded in 2362. The planet was saved when Doctor Samantha Carter successfully contacted the Asgard. (SG1: "Point of View")
• In another alternate reality, Earth was vulnerable to an Ori attack as its only Zero Point Module had been depleted. In 2379, the SG-1 of this reality came to our reality in an attempt to steal a ZPM from Atlantis and return it to their reality to use in securing their Earth from an attack. When the original SG-1 took steps to stop additional SG-1s from arriving, the alternate SG-1 gained control of the Prometheus and set course for Atlantis. Eventually, the original Cameron Mitchell outsmarted his counterpart and his team was captured. The original SG-1 was able to use the alternate SG-1's methods to send the various SG-1s back to their own realities. (SG1: "Ripple Effect")
• In another alternate reality, Earth was attacked by the Prior virus in late 2379, at approximately the same time that the Earth of our reality suffered the same attack. However, the outbreak lasted longer than in our reality. SG-1 - which consisted of Daniel Jackson, Cameron Mitchell, Janet Fraiser and Martouf/Lantash - began searching the galaxy for a cure, as did the other SG teams. In the process of their search, this version of SG-1 were accidentally transported to our reality, where they were given the cure by Major General Henry Landry of our reality. In this reality, Stargate Command was still under the command of Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. (SG1: "Ripple Effect")
• In another alternate reality visited by Colonel Samantha Carter in 2381, Earth was attacked by Anubis' fleet in 2367, as occurred in our reality. Although they found the Control chair from the Antarctic outpost, they could not power it sufficiently to use it against Anubis' fleet and the attack continued. This forced Stargate Command to reveal the existence of Stargate Program to the general public, creating mass panic and leading to martial law being declared in the Federation as a result. The SGC of this reality never discovered Atlantis but they did make an enemy of the Ori, which led to the planet coming under attack in 2381 However, it was saved by the Samantha Carter of our reality. This was achieved by using the United States' power grid, the Ancient Control chair from the Antarctic outpost and Arthur's Mantle to take the planet out of phase. (SG1: "The Road Not Taken")
• In another alternate reality, Earth came under attack by a Hive ship in 2384, but it was destroyed by the Antarctic outpost. A single Wraith survived and was later killed, but not before sending a message that was picked up by the Super-hive in our universe, telling it the location of Earth and about the weapons chair. (SGA: "Vegas")

Alternate timelines

• In an alternate timeline where SG-1 never returned from a mission resulting in the NID's rogue operation not being exposed, Earth is abandoned by her allies. As a result, it is no longer protected by the Protected Planets Treaty and suffers a devastating attack by Apophis. Most of the survivors relocate to an Alpha Site set up by the NID while the rest live in squalor on the devastated planet. Furthermore, the Wraith eventually arrive in the Milky Way using Atlantis and Earth becomes the battleground between the Wraith and the Goa'uld. After the return of SG-1 in 2498, the Earth is finally liberated when the Goa'uld System Lord Hecate is killed in battle above the planet and the Wraith agree to return to the Pegasus Galaxy. The Arbellans help the Tau'ri rebuild the planet and a year later, Atlantis is used to return the Wraith to Pegasus. Before leaving, Colonel Jack O'Neill uses Atlantis to broadcast a message to the peoples of the Milky Way Galaxy that Earth is back and open for business, calling for trade, friendship and support. O'Neill states that while Earth is prepared to stand on its own if need be, the people of the planet would rather stand together as friends and allies. (Stargate SG-1: Apocalypse)
• In an alternate timeline where the Federation made an alliance with the Aschen, Earth was a technologically advanced planet well connected to the galaxy. However, due to an Aschen plot to conquer the planet, 90% of the population had been rendered sterile. All of Earth's militaries were also under Aschen control. (SG1: "2010")
• In an alternate timeline, the Aschen managed to use a treaty with the Pack to infect the Federation with a bioweapon. After instantly rendering 98% of the human population sterile upon becoming active, the virus mutated and jumped species into Earth's plants and animals. Within thirty years, the Earth was left a barren wasteland with only cockroaches and a few species of birds that were naturally immune to the virus remaining. All other life on Earth, including trees, were dead by 2432. (SG1: "Relativity")

Earth under siege from Ba'al

• In an alternate timeline accidentally created by SG-1, Apophis sent a fleet of Ha'taks to attack Earth in 2378 after a team from the Federation travelled to Chulak and were captured by his Jaffa. He learned that the Federation were a potential threat after implanting Daniel Jackson with a Goa'uld symbiote. (SG1: "Moebius, Part 2")
• In another alternate timeline created by Ba'al in 1939, Earth was attacked by a Goa'uld fleet in 2382. (Stargate: Continuum)

In an alternate timeline created by the death of Gabriel Bell prior to the Bell Riots in 2024, Earth remained a pre-warp civilization, which never expanded beyond the Sol System, in the 24th century. Consequently, neither the United Federation of Planets nor Starfleet ever existed. The USS Defiant, having been protected from the changes in the timeline by a subspace bubble, detected Romulan transmissions emanating from Alpha Centauri. This would indicate that the Romulan Star Empire was able to expand considerably further in this timeline due to the lack of Federation interference. (DS9 episode: "Past Tense, Part I")

Earth is destroyed in an alternate timeline

In another alternate timeline, the Xindi succeeded in destroying Earth in 2154 after Enterprise failed to stop the Xindi superweapon. (ENT episode: "Twilight")

In the alternate reality created by Nero's temporal incursion, Nero attempted to use the red matter device to destroy Earth, but was prevented from doing so by James T. Kirk and Commander Spock. (TOS movie: Star Trek)

In a splinter of this timeline, Nero destroyed Earth via red matter, crippling the Federation and causing it to rebase itself on Vulcan. What survived of humanity established New Earth. (TOS - IDIC comic: "Part 3")

The homeworld of Miri and her friends, the Onlies, appeared at first to be a simple copy of Earth; however, it was later discovered that Miri's homeworld was actually Earth itself, of an alternate timeline. Miri's Earth had briefly drifted into the main universe due to instability in the local sector of space. It later returned to its original timeline. (DTI novel: Forgotten History)

In another alternate timeline where Montgomery Scott rescued Kirk before he could be absorbed into the Nexus, Earth was assimilated due to the time-traveling Borg sphere, launched from the attacking Borg cube at the climax of the Battle of Sector 001 in 2373. The USS Enterprise-E was not present to follow the Borg back in time, and thus they were free to complete their goal of taking over the seat of the Federation, preventing its initial warp flight and eventual founding of the interstellar confederation. The Borg Queen utilized the Sol system as a base of operations, mining all of the worlds for raw materials, and eventually erecting a sensor shield, building thousands of cubes behind the curtain of secrecy. (ST novel: Engines of Destiny)

In one timeline, Earth never recovered from World War III and remained a burnt out husk. Rather than humanity rebuilding, the apes of Earth developed sentience and became the dominant races of the planet, organizing themselves into a strict and rigid caste system while humanity regressed into an animalistic state. This Earth would eventually be rendered lifeless following the detonation of a massive cobalt weapon. (TOS - The Primate Directive comics: "Issue 1", "Issue 2", "Issue 5")

When showing off his powers, Gary Mitchell brought James Kirk to an Earth ruled by the Romulan Empire, noting it was a quite a common sight in the multiverse to find the planet either under Klingon or Romulan rule. (TOS - IDIC comic: "Part 5")

In a timeline caused by Q's interference, Renée Picard never undertook her mission to Europa. Without her discovery to both cure Earth's biosphere and bring out the best of humanity, Earth became the capital of the Confederation of Earth. (PIC episode: "Penance")

Geography

Bodies of Water

• Pacific Ocean
• Atlantic Ocean
• Indian Ocean
• Arctic Ocean
• Southern Ocean
• Caribbean Sea
• Mediterranean Sea
• Sea of Japan
• Great Lakes
• Oceanus
• Victoria Falls
• San Francisco Bay

Continents (and Provinces)

• North America
• Eurasia
• Central America
• South America
• Africa
• India
• Australia
• Antarctica
• Atlantis
• Pangaea

Geographic Features

• Rocky Mountains
• Death Valley

Cities and Settlements

• Beijing
• Berlin
• New York
• Paris
  • Palais de la Concorde
  • Paris Spaceport
• San Francisco
  • Starfleet Academy
• Tokyo
• Toronto

Points of Interest

• Yosemite National Park
• Golden Gate Park
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Eiffel Tower
• Starfleet Academy
• Starfleet Headquarters
• Montana
• Area 51
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Moons and Satellites

• Luna

Notable Locales

Starfleet Academy and Starfleet Command are located in San Francisco.

The Federation's seat of government, the Palais de la Concorde, is located in the Federation capital city of Paris.

There are shipyards located in San Francisco, Oakland and Marin County in California, and Naples, Italy.

Cities such as London house state dinners, and the embassies of various foreign states and Federation Member States can be found throughout the globe. The Federation News Service maintains offices in Tokyo, and Starfleet Command maintains secondary command facilities in Mexico City.

Natural History

Species and cultures originating from Earth

• Voth
• Clan Ru
• Centauran
• Cetacean
• Human
  • Neanderthal
  • Augment
  • Neyel
  • Heran
  • Terratin (a.k.a. "Terra 10")
  • Skagaran
  • Novan
  • Gaian
  • Thirty-Sevens
  • Enterprise multigeneration crew
• Nomad
• V'Ger
• Soong-type android
• Sentient hologram
• Salamander offspring of Kathryn Janeway and Tom Paris
• Proto-Borg fusion, with Caeliar