Spoilers A big hint about the finale/season 3 has dropped...

[DaveyNY]

Yes, it is much more unbelievable than any of those. First of we are talking about terrestrial lifeform we actually know pretty well, evolving to have such fantastic capabilities, and furthermore leaving no traces on the planet that such thing had happened. But the overwhelmingly most unbelievable part would be that if such thing would be possible, it would have happened only once. The universe should be teeming with dimensions where countless species of space fungi, celestial daisies and star badgers originating from different planets would roam.
.

Your argument falls completely apart when you try to limit the Star Trek we already have, to just Daisies and Badgers.

 

[Longinus]

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141114-the-biggest-organism-in-the-world

Is it really so far fetched that a larger scale version of this may have evolved with subspace/interdimensional properties in the futuristic Trek universe? We've already been shown that in Trek there are beings that exist in different dimensions out of phase or live in subspace itself. And there are giant Space Amoeba...I mean, how is this so hard to fathom?

The writers deliberately used the word mycelial because of the root structures and how they could pass information and chemicals quickly. They took a real world phenomenon and then expanded on it and transformed it in a way which was pretty inventive. And, in my opinion, much more well thought out than say a roaming Space Amoeba, or giant cat chasing our heroes through a mansion, or crew members devolving (or evolving in the case of Threshold) into giant spiders or salamanders.

Yes, it is far even more far fetched. It is bloody multiverse spanning fungus. Do you understand how big universe is? How big galaxy is? Also, it really doesn't help you case that as a comparison you use some of the most ridiculed episodes in the entire franchise.

But I give up. I am sure people here would also think that Dr Who's 'Kill the Moon' was perfectly plausible scifi.

 

[BillJ]

Yes, it is far even more far fetched. It is bloody multiverse spanning fungus. Do you understand how big universe is? How big galaxy is? Also, it really doesn't help you case that as a comparison you use some of the most ridiculed episodes in the entire franchise.

They broke the barn door on plausible sci-fi many, many moons ago.

 

[Mudd]

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141114-the-biggest-organism-in-the-world

Is it really so far fetched that a larger scale version of this may have evolved with subspace/interdimensional properties in the futuristic Trek universe?

Yes.

Next question.

 

[fireproof78]

They broke the barn door on plausible sci-fi many, many moons ago.

Exactly. I know this is a YMMV thing but good grief-I cannot fathom that this mycelial network is the straw that broke the camel's back... O_o I mean, if it was called anything else it would have been accepted, it feels like. Instead, it gets treated with disdain, while giant planet eaters, weird evolutionary viri, and the like.

 

[Nerys Myk]

They broke the barn door on plausible sci-fi many, many moons ago.

 

[BillJ]

I would prefer the shows had better science overall. But it is what it is. Star Trek was never remotely hard sci-fi.

Though my beef with Discovery's Spore Drive isn't in the science, it is in the unimaginative use of the device. Boldly going where the franchise has already went over and over again.

 

[Longinus]

In any case, my original question was that whether it was actually said in the show that only humans were compatible with the tardigrade DNA and whether the terrestrial origin of the magic space shrooms was something that was actually stated or even implied? Because I don't remember such thing, though I could have missed it.

 

[BillJ]

In any case, my original question was that whether it was actually said in the show that only humans were compatible with the tardigrade DNA and whether the terrestrial origin of the magic space shrooms was something that was actually stated or even implied? Because I don't remember such thing, though I could have missed it.

I don't remember either being stated. Though I'm getting old and forgetful.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I don't remember either being stated. Though I'm getting old and forgetful.

Implied, I think.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

Yes, and the problem is what exactly? The fungi evolved from a species that originated on Earth. In the process of that evolution exotic matter was introduced in their physiology and they became extra dimensional creatures capable of traversing space. Is that so outrageous in a universe that include beings that are a bucket of goo who can transform into solid objects and lifeforms, beings that exist a pure mental energy and various species with psionic abilities and include telepathy, mind transfer, illusion casting and matter manipulation? Suddenly an inter-dimensional fungi is "bollocks" and a step too far? I don't think so.

The problem isn't that single issue, there are several that add up. Add to the above that the network becomes so prevalent throughout existence, that the infection of it threatens to destroy all life in all realities - it does get a bit much.

 

[Nerys Myk]

The problem isn't that single issue, there are several that add up. Add to the above that the network becomes so prevalent throughout existence, that the infection of it threatens to destroy all life in all realities - it does get a bit much.

In Star Trek? Nah.

 

[fireproof78]

In Star Trek? Nah.

Let's try to collapse the transwarp network

 

[DaveyNY]

Let's try to collapse the transwarp network

Anything over WARP 5 is breaking Subspace!

So WARP 7 is OK, right?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Anything over WARP 5 is breaking Subspace!

So WARP 7 is OK, right?

I can't drive Warp 5.5

 

[SolarisOne]

So WARP 7 is OK, right?

Voyager's "variable geometry" nacelles fixed that problem. Good thing, because Warp 5 (even using the TNG formula) is SLOOOOOOOOW.

I can't drive Warp 5.5

Well, fractional warp factors do require significantly more energy to maintain.

 

[DaveyNY]

Voyager's "variable geometry" nacelles fixed that problem. Good thing, because Warp 5 (even using the TNG formula) is SLOOOOOOOOW.

YEah, uUmmm... Anybody else see those particular nacelles on ANY other ship?

 

[SolarisOne]

YEah, uUmmm... Anybody else see those particular nacelles on ANY other ship?

I was being sarcastic.

 

[Alan Roi]

But I give up. I am sure people here would also think that Dr Who's 'Kill the Moon' was perfectly plausible scifi.

Except no one here does. And no, there is no comparison.

 

[fireproof78]

I can't drive Warp 5.5