Star Trek and History by Nancy Reagin

storms and inhibits any technological devices from functioning. What makes this miserable-sounding place a landmark? It was supposedly the site of Surak’s pilgrimage where he began his teachings and the site of many devastating battles during the great wars of ancient Vulcan. Later it became the hiding place of the Syrrannite movement during the Reformation, discussed below. The Forge is also home to one of the most important historical sites in all of Vulcan, Mount Seleya, home to the great T’Karath Sanctuary, a fort at the base of Mount Seleya where Surak lived with and trained his followers. Mount Seleya and T’Karath are the landmarks where Surak created his philosophy and eventually died, as well as the sites for many sacred Vulcan rituals such as kahs-wan, during which Vulcan children are forced to survive for ten days without food or water, and the Kolinahr, the Vulcan ritual of purging the emotions ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ; ENT , “The Catwalk”).
Is Biology Destiny?: The Nature of Vulcan Difference
    Vulcans share common physical traits: pointed ears, dark hair, and arched eyebrows. 2 Some Vulcans’ hair and eyebrows are curly or scruffier than others: Tuvok has short, curly hair, and Vorik has unkempt eyebrows. Some Vulcans, such as T’Pring and T’Pau, have long hair. The harsh environment of Vulcan has affected other, less visible Vulcan biological traits. Vulcans have an inner eyelid to shield their eyes from intense desert conditions such as heat, light, and sand storms. The higher gravity of their planet has also made the Vulcans naturally physically stronger than most humanoid species.
    There is also some connection between the planet’s environment and their green, copper-based blood, since it is possible that Vulcan blood is copper based because of the planet’s high temperatures and thin atmosphere. Copper hardens in low temperatures, so it is logical to assume that the intense heat enables the blood to flow easily through the arteries. The thinner atmosphere could also have had affected the green pigmentation of deoxygenated Vulcan blood. It is important to note that Vulcan blood, much like ours, is also a different color when deoxygenated (that is, in the veins). Because Vulcan blood is mainly copper and uses little to no sodium chloride (salt), the deoxygenated blood is a rusty color; but when oxygenated, the blood is green. Vulcan skin has a greenish tinge, probably the result of oxygen making its way into the bloodstream ( TOS , “The Naked Time”).
    Vulcan organs have the same basic functions as human organs, but they are distributed differently. The Vulcan circulatory system is similar to ours except that the Vulcan heart is located where the human liver would be and the liver is where the human heart would be. Vulcans have a very well-developed respiratory system that enables them to withstand the low oxygen levels of their planet. Vulcan metabolism enables Vulcans to digest many “alien” foods and to go without food or water for several days. During a camping trip with Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk, Spock was forced to try McCoy’s bourbon and beans. Dr. McCoy commented on Spock’s inability to feel the “explosive” effect, stating, “With that Vulcan metabolism, he could eat a bowl of termites and it wouldn’t bother him” ( Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ).
    The Vulcan brain is vital to the Vulcan psychology as it is highly evolved, allowing Vulcans to suppress their emotional responses and to develop telepathic abilities. Unlike many other species, especially humans, Vulcans are able to regulate consciously many of their biological functions and mental states, which leads Voyager ’s holographic Doctor to comment that the Vulcan brain is “a puzzle wrapped inside an enigma housed inside a cranium” ( VOY , “Riddles”). The Vulcans possess so much