Tribbles are fractal

[S'kai]

After (finally) watching some of the animated series, "More Tribbles, More Troubles" in particular, it occurred to me: Tribble are fractal ! That explains why they would appear to be "born pregnant," and also why the giant tribble disintegrated in to smaller tribbles.

Although the development of fractal mathematics goes back a long way, fractals did not enter public awareness until Mandelbrot's work in the 1960's, and the ensuing availability of computer graphics to easily render them. Hence, this idea was not available when "Troubles with Tribbles" was written, and the notion of "born pregnant" could not easily be explained.

I told this idea to David Gerrold at Mission New York 50. His face froze for about three seconds, and he exclaimed, "yes!."

Expect this to appear in DG's next work on tribbles.

You heard it here first.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Nice!

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I thought Tribbles were Flat Cats.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

I thought Tribbles were Flat Cats.

A clear mistranslation of Fractal Cats.

 

[WarpFactorZ]

Coincidentally, I just saw this episode last night (my daughter and I are watching TAS, both for the first time). It didn't really make sense that the giant tribbles "dissolve" into little ones. Surprised at Gerrold's writing there.

Anyway, the thing that I was more interested in was the fact that the grain ships had 5-digit NCC registries. Did these (registries) appear anywhere else in either TAS or the novels, prior to TNG?

 

[Kor]

Coincidentally, I just saw this episode last night (my daughter and I are watching TAS, both for the first time). It didn't really make sense that the giant tribbles "dissolve" into little ones. Surprised at Gerrold's writing there.

Anyway, the thing that I was more interested in was the fact that the grain ships had 5-digit NCC registries. Did these (registries) appear anywhere else in either TAS or the novels, prior to TNG?

The "giant tribbles" turned out to actually colonies of smaller tribbles. I thought for sure it was mentioned in the episode.

Kor

 

[WarpFactorZ]

The "giant tribbles" turned out to actually colonies of smaller tribbles. I thought for sure it was mentioned in the episode.

Kor

It was mentioned -- I just thought it was a stretch. Tribbles born pregnant is believable on some level, but giant tribbles actually being composite structures of smaller ones borders on failing the smell test.

 

[scotpens]

Regarding the "born pregnant" business. The only canonical evidence is a single line of Dr. McCoy's: "The nearest thing I can figure out is they're born pregnant -- which seems to be quite a time saver." From the tone of his voice and the context of the scene, I always assumed McCoy was pulling Kirk's leg and that tribbles aren't literally born pregnant.

And there's no bowling alley on the Enterprise either. So there!

 

[Nebusj]

Regarding the "born pregnant" business. The only canonical evidence is a single line of Dr. McCoy's: "The nearest thing I can figure out is they're born pregnant -- which seems to be quite a time saver." From the tone of his voice and the context of the scene, I always assumed McCoy was pulling Kirk's leg and that tribbles aren't literally born pregnant.

Parthenogenesis and pedogenesis happen in real-world Earth biology, albeit mostly in insects. Why not suppose they could happen on a mammal-like creature on another world?

 

[diankra]

Every egg in a human ovary is fully formed before birth, so if Tribbles are asexual (we never get any suggestion that only half of them reproduce directly) then they're set to go.

 

[ItIsGreen]

And there's no bowling alley on the Enterprise either.

No bowling alley?! *Rips up Starfleet application form*

 

[scotpens]

Every egg in a human ovary is fully formed before birth, so if Tribbles are asexual (we never get any suggestion that only half of them reproduce directly) then they're set to go.

Tribbles are "bisexual" according to the good doctor. He probably means they're hermaphroditic, like snails -- i.e., each individual has both male and female reproductive organs.