Interstellar Phenomena

In addition to galactic-scale phenomena such as the spiral arms & the core, many dangers and scientific opportunities appear in the vast empty spaces among the stars. In general, such phenomena occur most commonly in regions of denser star populations, but exploratory vessels have found enough exceptions to this rule to fill a library computer complex. The universe remains a wondrous place, and the "laws of astrophysics" 20th-century humanity postulated without ever leaving their planet proved mutable indeed.

This section describes these phenomena, as far as Starfleet understands them, and gives some indications about their distribution and frequency. Their effects on passing (or investigating) ships are included here. If not, see chapter 13 ("Hazards") of the Decipher book, Star Trek Roleplaying Game, v2: Narrator's Guide".

Cosmic String

Resembling a black hole that is one proton in diameter in width but many light-years long, cosmic strings (also called superstrings) pose significant dangers to starships. Although they emit energy on characteristic subspace frequencies, cosmic strings can catch space vessels within their gravitational pull before a ship detects them. Once trapped, a ship may find itself unable to break free before actual contact with the string slices it apart.

The exact nature and formation of cosmic strings remains a mystery. Some scientists speculate that ancient civilizations used them as construction tools to build Dyson spheres and re-arrange solar systems, or as weapons (since a string could easily cut through ships, planets and even stars). Others believe that cosmic strings constitute the majority of the galaxy's dark matter.