What is the Palmieri Hypothesis?

[Extrocomp]

Fables of the Prime Directive mentions that Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development is no longer in favor since the Palmieri Hypothesis, but we never hear what the hypothesis is or how it invalidates Hodgkin's Law. Anyone have any ideas about what it could be?

And is this "Professor Palmieri" in any way related to security officer Marco Palmieri who encountered the X-Men on Starbase 88?

 

[Jinn]

Fables of the Prime Directive mentions that Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development is no longer in favor since the Palmieri Hypothesis, but we never hear what the hypothesis is or how it invalidates Hodgkin's Law. Anyone have any ideas about what it could be?

And is this "Professor Palmieri" in any way related to security officer Marco Palmieri who encountered the X-Men on Starbase 88?

Both are probably a reference to former Pocket editor Marco Palmiere and I don't think that someone realy thought about what that hypothesis exactly is about.

 

[Christopher]

I think the story answers that question. The next line is "Professor Palmieri always felt that Hodgkins's Law was... deeply flawed." Which probably just means Marco thought it was stupid and the writer was winking at that fact.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Ah, a bit of a Diane Carey-ism!

 

[David cgc]

I think the story answers that question. The next line is "Professor Palmieri always felt that Hodgkins's Law was... deeply flawed." Which probably just means Marco thought it was stupid and the writer was winking at that fact.

I always loved what Five-Minute Enterprise did with it.

Archer: This is just weird. What's the Wild Wild West doing in the Expanse?
T'Pol: One Earth scientist has proposed that independent planets sometimes evolve on parallel courses.
Archer: That Hodgkin quack? No way.
T'Pol: Then perhaps the inhabitants patterned their civilization on a Western novel left here centuries ago.
Archer: (sigh) Go investigate the alien settlement with Trip. If you won't be serious, there's no point in talking.

(I also sometimes forget that Hoshi and Travis's fling came entirely from this bite-sized parody series making fun of their lack of screen-time)