Human: Difference between revisions

[[File:Human-Race-Male.png|thumb|250px|Human Male]]

'''Humans''' are a sentient [[species]] of bipedal mammals, native to planet [[Earth]] in the [[Sol]] system. Since the discovery of faster-than-light [[hyperspace]] travel, humans have rapidly expanded beyond Sol. They primarily populate a region of the [[galaxy]] known as the [[Core Systems]], where they have colonized thousands of worlds and constructed tens of thousands of orbital [[station]]s, and in the 34th century, the advent of the [[Frame Shift Drive]] has enabled colonization efforts in several remote clusters across the galaxy. While a plurality of modern humans belong to a vast array of [[independent]] factions that constantly jockey for influence and power, the majority belong to one of the three superpowers: the [[Federation]], the [[Empire]], and the [[Alliance]].

[[File:Human-Race-Female.png|thumb|250px|Human Female]]

Humans have a robust physiology. They are bipedal mammals and generally strong, fast and agile. They reach physical maturity at around 25 years old with the brain completing development. Then they enter the workforce or continue their education for a profession. The maximum human lifespan is naturally about 120 years, but advanced biotechnology and cybernetics have substantially increased longevity. [[Progenitor Cells]] are used to restore damage in older human cells and greatly extend human life expectancy.

Since the late 20th century there has been increased mixing of different human ethnicities. This resulted in improved genetic pools and certain recessive physical traits becoming rare such as blue and green eyes as well as blonde and red hair.

The human species (Homo sapiens) evolved from apelike ancestor over the course of 6 million years BCE (Before Common Era). Scientific evidence shows that humans and the great apes have a common ancestor that existed 8 to 6 million years BCE. Earth's African continent is where much of human evolution occurred. Fossils dating from 6 to 2 million years BCE originate only in Africa.<ref name=":0">[http://humanorigins.si.edu/education/introduction-human-evolution Introduction to Human Evolution - Smithsonian]

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A defining human trait to walk on two legs (bipedalism) evolved 4 million years BCE. Other human characteristics like a complex brain, using tools and capacity for language developed much later. Advanced human traits such as art, cultural diversity and symbolic expression developed during the last 100,000 years BCE.<ref name=":0" />

During much of human history, people lived hunter-gatherer lifestyles. The invention of agriculture in 12,000 BCE allowed people to live in permanent settlements which became cities and civilizations. Food could be produced to meet population demand so Earth's population grew from 5 million in 8,000 BCE peaking over 8 billion by the start of early space colonization 21st century CE before wars dramatically reduced the population.<ref>[https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/development-of-agriculture/ The Development of Agriculture - National Geographic]

</ref> As agriculture secured people's primary needs for food, this allowed attention to be focused on other things, like science, trade, technology, art and innovation.

The demand of individuals and businesses to trade easily led to innovations in commerce and finance. In 9000 BCE people bartered goods they had in surplus for things they lacked, such as cattle, sheep, vegetables and grain. The first known currency was created by King Alyattes in the ancient kingdom of Lydia, modern-day Turkey, in 600 BCE. The first coin ever minted featured a roaring lion design. Bank notes were developed in around 1661 AD. An advantage of paper money was that it could be mass-produced without relying on rare or expensive raw materials like gold and silver; in spite of this, its value is more unstable than precious metals. The first credit card was introduced in 1946. The first decentralized digital currency, Bitcoin, was invented in 2009 and wireless payments gained popularity. The invention of money and commerce has been essential to developing trade networks, fostering cooperation and understanding between different cultures and peoples across Earth.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/money/11174013/The-history-of-money-from-barter-to-bitcoin.html The history of money: from barter to bitcoin - Telegraph.co.uk]

In the 16th century to the mid-20th century several European maritime powers used their technological and military advantages to establish colonies and claim vast territories in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. European culture and technology spread throughout the less developed world. During the 19th century and early 20th century most of Earth's landmass was controlled by European powers.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperialism</ref>

World War I (28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918) was the first global war, and originated in Europe. World War II was the second global war (1939 to 1945) and had two opposing military alliances, known as the Allied and the Axis powers, comprising the majority of Earth's countries. World wars were different from previous wars, because they were fought between powers that had many colonies overseas. This meant that when two colonial powers went to war, their overseas territories went to war as well. The different ideologies and regimes from classical liberalism to national socialism, fascism and communism clashed in very destructive conflicts which killed tens of millions of people in both world wars. The remaining colonies gained independence in the mid-to-late-20th century, after World War II came to an end.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II</ref>

By the 2030s, major resource problems forced humanity to look to the stars for a way to relieve population pressures on [[Earth]]. Commercial organisations planned missions to build the first colonies on the [[Moon]] and [[Mars]], as well as explore the rest of [[Sol]] for possible safe havens as political tensions on Earth rose to a boil.<ref name="EE" /> The outbreak of World War III from 2044 to 2055 ground these efforts to an immediate halt. The conflict saw multiple nuclear exchanges occur between various countries. The United States of America was able to avoid suffering any nuclear detonations on its soil thanks to its defensive laser grid, which combined ground turrets with armed satellites to disable inbound enemy missiles before they reached their targets.<ref name="UNMD">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b504aeaf04e9240913b9164 GalNet: Unexploded Nuclear Missile Discovered]</ref> When the war finally ended, over one billion people and many countries had perished, and the United States was the only major country left mostly unscathed.<ref name="EE">''[[Elite Encounters RPG]]''</ref> It quickly expanded into the [[United States of the Americas]], a multi-continental hyperpower that dominated Earth, and eventually, as the last countries joined it, changed its name to "the Federation".<ref>Tourist Beacon 0165, "Ancient History"</ref>

The 22nd century saw the dramatic rise of corporate power as [[corporations]] stepped in to rebuild human civilisation. This was followed by the discovery of the first extraterrestrial fossils on [[Mars]], the launching of thousands of [[Generation Ships]] over several decades, and an explosive wave of exploration triggered by the invention of the first [[hyperdrive]] by [[Li Qin Jao]]'s team of engineers. Hyperdrives were originally applied to unmanned interstellar probes, but were soon installed on manned spacecraft which overtook most of the Generation Ships. Despite the huge dangers involved, a massive interstellar land-grab followed, fueled by the voracious corporations.<ref name=":1">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5597abc79657bab1445913c2 The Founding of the Federation - GalNet]</ref><ref>Tourist Beacon 0166, "Early Hyperspace"</ref><ref>Tourist Beacon 0168, "Early Colonies"</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/586f796c9657ba3357039d07 GalNet: Galactic News: Hyperspace]</ref>

The year 2242 saw the ratification of the [[Federal Accord]], a major turning point in human governance and interstellar colonization.<ref>Tourist Beacon 0174, "Federal Accord"</ref> The Federal Accord was adopted by [[Sol]], [[Tau Ceti]], [[Delta Pavonis]], [[Altair]], and [[Beta Hydri]], humanity's first five extrasolar colonies, and the Federation transformed from a global government into the first interstellar superpower, the "[[Federation|Federation of Star Systems]]". The advent of the Federation instilled some order within human space, which until that point had been an unruly free-for-all.<ref name=":1" />

Humans primarily reside in a region known as the [[Core Systems]] in the [[Inner Orion Spur]], which contains about 19,000 [[Star Systems|star systems]] in an approximately spherical zone centered on [[Sol]]. Since the beginning of the 34th century, humans have also colonized several remote clusters of systems, including the [[Pleiades Nebula]], the [[California Nebula]], the [[Colonia Region]], and the [[Witch Head Nebula]].

File:Pale_Blue_Dot

File:Human-Race-Male.png|Human Male

File:Human-Race-Female.png|Human Female