X is for Xenology #atozchallenge

[Image by Denis Bourez, CC 2.0. Source]

Today I'm continuing with the Blogging from A-Z Challenge hosted by Arlee Bird and his team of awesome bloggers. My theme is: Elements and features of speculative fiction and entertainment. So throughout April I will be blogging about characters, objects and themes that appear in sci-fi, fantasy and dystopian series. Today's post is all about Xenology.

Xenology is the scientific study of all aspects of extraterrestrial (alien) life, intelligence, and civilization.

Star Trek

The Enterprise's mission statement is: 'to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before'. Starfleet has discovered numerous alien species on its travels through space and many of their scientists are involved in studying alien species. For example, in The Next Generation, Dr.Kila Marr is a xenologist renowned as the foremost expert on the Crystalline Entity. 

However, Starfleet's Prime Directive states that there can be no interference with the internal development of alien civilisations, especially those that haven't developed warp technology and don't yet know about life on other planets. Starfleet conducts a lot of its research in secret, using hidden observation posts or disguising themselves a local lifeforms.

The X Files

In the X Files, Mulder and Scully investigate marginalised unsolved cases that often involve extraterrestrial life. They attempt to uncover a government conspiracy to hide the existence of extraterrestrials on earth.

Avatar

In James Cameron's Avatar, humans are mining a precious metal called unobtanium on the planet Pandora. A team of biological scientists accompanies them to observe and research the local tribe of Na'vi-ten foot tall, blue aliens. The team investigates the Na'vi's social structure and cultural practices as well as their physiology. Dr.Grace Augustine believes that the trees found on the planet form a biological neural network with which the Na'vi can interact-'uploading' or 'downloading' their memories and experiences and communicating with their deity.

Men in Black

Men in Black (M.I.B.) is a secret non-government agency that polices extraterrestrial alien refugees, monitoring about 1500 aliens around the world. They also try to keep the existence of these aliens secret from the general public.