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

[Spaceship Jo]

Oh come on, universe spanning fungus is in a whole different... ahem... universe from things that can be easily handwaved (all new engines had new nacelle yada yada tech that didn't f up space... or even they just teched a tech and fixed the current engines) or are limited in scope (yes, crazy earth like planets, even thousands or millions of them, are far more likely than anything at all being midichlorians of all time and space). If you can't see the difference in scope of absurdity, I've got a lovely bridge to sell you that's just one bridge but it will lead you to every city on earth.

 

[Midquest]

Yeah, I just don't see anything far-fetched about the mycelial network within the scope of the world as described on screen for the last few decades.

The core ideas that the writers based the network on are these:

1. Earth-based mycelial networks go everywhere, connect distant points together, and enable the transfer of materials along their filaments.
   
2. Real-world Stamets notes that dark matter, which makes up roughly 70% of the universe, expresses the same "architecture" seen in mycelial networks.

Thus, the writers drew on Stamet's work to speculate that the underlying structure of the universe, as universal as dark matter, is in fact mycelial-based. Is it really? No. However, this is one "what if?" that is far more grounded in real-world concepts than, say, Q, or a ton of other notions Trek has suggested over the years.

 

[Timo]

Also, try it the other way around. The underlying structure of the universe (call it "subspace" if you wish) connects everything. And it's a place that can be accessed with technology. So of course it has been accessed in the billennia that have passed. And somebody forgot to wipe their feet, so the place is now overrun by mushroom goo. What lifeform more likely to grow there than one of the simplest and most efficient exploiters of the most demanding and diverse eco-niches known on Earth? Sure, humans can walk there, too. But they are unlikely to fill a zillion universes even in four billion years, while fungus would surprise us all if it did not...

No need to think "mycelial-based", any more than we should think Earth is mycelial-based. It just so happens that fungi are everywhere anyway, and do their stuff. Which then facilitates all sorts of other stuff, including exploitation by other types of life and phenomena.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Longinus]

Yeah, I just don't see anything far-fetched about the mycelial network within the scope of the world as described on screen for the last few decades.

The core ideas that the writers based the network on are these:

1. Earth-based mycelial networks go everywhere, connect distant points together, and enable the transfer of materials along their filaments.
   
2. Real-world Stamets notes that dark matter, which makes up roughly 70% of the universe, expresses the same "architecture" seen in mycelial networks.

Thus, the writers drew on Stamet's work to speculate that the underlying structure of the universe, as universal as dark matter, is in fact mycelial-based. Is it really? No. However, this is one "what if?" that is far more grounded in real-world concepts than, say, Q, or a ton of other notions Trek has suggested over the years.

"On the real world horses have long been used for locomotion, and we know that the Horsehead Nebula in space looks like a horse. So is it really so far fetched that in the Star Trek's reality instantaneous travel to anywhere could be achieved by giant space horses pulling the starships?"

 

[Rahul]

"On the real world horses have long been used for locomotion, and we know that the Horsehead Nebula in space looks like a horse. So is it really so far fetched that in the Star Trek's reality instantaneous travel to anywhere could be achieved by giant space horses pulling the starships?"

That hit's the nail on the head!

Really, the problem isn't humans sharing DNA with mushrooms (that's a fact).

A multiverse-spanning funghi-like super being is already suspect, even for Star Trek.

But a mutliverse-spanning mushroom that shares it's DNA with humans and humans only simply is so absurdly ridiculous, quality control in a fucking comicbook publisher would throw that idea out!

 

[drt]

I’m also as aged as BillJ, but I’m pretty sure they never said the fungus originated on Earth* or the DNA was only compatible with humans, so I think everyone is arguing a moot point.

*=but presumably the subspace-spanning species can be found on Earth, so humans were most likely to first encounter it there.

 

[Rahul]

I’m also as aged as BillJ, but I’m pretty sure they never said the fungus originated on Earth.....

Yes, that was never said.

...or the DNA was only compatible with humans.

Sadly, that was said. Only humans are compatible with the multiverse-spanning mushroom network, because only "humans" share so much DNA with (human) mushroom.

Thus leading to the speculation that the mushroom network is connected to human mushrooms.

Edit:
And of course Tardigrades, because they copy DNA from other beings (say, giant mushrooms) into their own (Which was a new, real scientific discovery when DIS was made, but at this point has been proven to take place in all species - humans have mosquito DNA and vice versa!). Stupidly, making the mushroom travel genetic enhanced humans & Tardigrades only.

 

[ITDUDE]

I can't drive Warp 5.5

Oh I dunno, I see lots of drivers ships on daily basis driving warp 5.5 or slower when the speed limit clearly say "speed warp 6.5" Arrrrgghh

 

[Alan Roi]

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.

Um, exactly where did you get this from anywhere shown in the show?

 

[Alan Roi]

Yes, that was never said.


Sadly, that was said. Only humans are compatible with the multiverse-spanning mushroom network, because only "humans" share so much DNA with (human) mushroom.

Thus leading to the speculation that the mushroom network is connected to human mushrooms.

Edit:
And of course Tardigrades, because they copy DNA from other beings (say, giant mushrooms) into their own (Which was a new, real scientific discovery when DIS was made, but at this point has been proven to take place in all species - humans have mosquito DNA and vice versa!). Stupidly, making the mushroom travel genetic enhanced humans & Tardigrades only.

Sounds like future discoveries might make Stamets claim inaccurate then. Well, that's how science works.

 

[Nyotarules]

They never bring the good snacks.

The humans are the snacks

Fire Gorn, Grass Gorn and Water Gorn?

Gorn here, gorn there, gorn everywhere. Where have they gorn?

What would this show be called? Just 'Star Trek'? Too confusing. Star Trek: Enterprise is taken.

Star Trek: Pike?

Pike Series of TV movies
Star Trek - The wrath of the time crystals
Star Trek - The search for a radiation suit
Star Trek - The voyage away from that training
exercise
Star Trek - The final beeps
Star Trek - The undiscovered cure

 

[SJGardner]

Pike Series of TV movies
Star Trek - The wrath of the time crystals
Star Trek - The search for a radiation suit
Star Trek - The voyage away from that training
exercise
Star Trek - The final beeps
Star Trek - The undiscovered cure

Don't forget the tragic opening scene at the beginning of Star Trek - Generators (of an old J-class starship)

 

[Rahul]

Sounds like future discoveries might make Stamets claim inaccurate then. Well, that's how science works.

...what?

 

[Timo]

As regards the mushroom network, no, "Choose Your Pain" does not specify humans as the only critters compatible with it. And no, it's not stated to be built upon an Earth species of fungus.

Instead, a certain species of Earth fungus is compatible with the network, due to featuring otherworldy components. A zillion species on a zillion planets probably are - it's just that the human researchers Stamets and Straal had easy access to P. stellaviatori, rather than its Andorian counterpart. And any species sharing DNA with said fungus would get the free pass to the network, the way the tardigrade did, but the heroes realize they need a sapient if they want to navigate, so humans it is.

Choosing a Tellarite who agrees to be injected with P. tuskaloosa would be fine as well, I guess, if UFP laws are fine with it. But that issue never really arises - Stamets isn't self-selected as the pilot after careful legal consultation, but because Stamets is the only possible choice in that practical jam, after which there's no point in asking for a Tellarite volunteer.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[TrickyDickie]

"On the real world horses have long been used for locomotion, and we know that the Horsehead Nebula in space looks like a horse. So is it really so far fetched that in the Star Trek's reality instantaneous travel to anywhere could be achieved by giant space horses pulling the starships?"

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

Um, exactly where did you get this from anywhere shown in the show?

Towards the end of the episodes in the MU it was said that if they didn't destroy the Charon and halt the destruction of the network, it would destroy all life in all universes.

 

[Alan Roi]

Towards the end of the episodes in the MU it was said that if they didn't destroy the Charon and halt the destruction of the network, it would destroy all life in all universes.

Ah... I took that as a bit of quick extrapolation based on the very little they knew of the network. Was it accurate? Who knows.

But then, According to Lazerus he and his alternate had to be locked away in the tunnel between realities it would destroy both universes completely, so such threats or possible hyperbole is nothing really new to Trek.

 

[Jadeb]

Ah... I took that as a bit of quick extrapolation based on the very little they knew of the network. Was it accurate? Who knows.

But then, According to Lazerus he and his alternate had to be locked away in the tunnel between realities it would destroy both universes completely, so such threats or possible hyperbole is nothing really new to Trek.

I agree — the best way to make sense of much of season one is to ignore what is said onscreen.

 

[Longinus]

Ah... I took that as a bit of quick extrapolation based on the very little they knew of the network. Was it accurate? Who knows.

Anyone who stopped to think it for two minutes knows. (So not the writers, as they certainly intended the threat to be genuine.) If the destruction of all life in the entire multiverse can be triggered by one event in one universe, it will happen for certain, and indeed would have already happened.

But then, According to Lazerus he and his alternate had to be locked away in the tunnel between realities it would destroy both universes completely, so such threats or possible hyperbole is nothing really new to Trek.

Yes, that was colossally silly as well. Certainly nothing to be emulated. Though there it was just two universes involved, so at least the story was just silly, but not outright logically impossible.

 

[Spaceship Jo]

Yes, that was colossally silly as well. Certainly nothing to be emulated. Though at least there it was just two universes involved, so at least the story was just silly, but not outright logically impossible.

This drives me nuts: when people accuse criticisms of being in bad faith because other Treks did the same thing. Well, yes, other Treks have made many mistakes, and they are things to be learned from, not emulated.

When people want any of DSC to be more like other Treks (which isn't at all the same thing as having criticisms of DSC, as one can fall into either group or both, no relation to each other), they want more of the good bits, not the awful choices!