Entertainment
Surreal Star Trek Episode Proves Fan Theory About Humanity
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Star Trek is the kind of franchise that fans love to revisit time and again, and that has led to a steady stream of fan theories. Ever since the premiere episode of The Next Generation featured a cameo from a very elderly Dr. McCoy, there has been a fan theory that humans simply live much, much longer. And what most Star Trek fans don’t realize is that this theory was seemingly proven by guest actors playing much older characters in the TNG episode “The Survivors.”
The Survivors
For Star Trek: The Next Generation fans, “The Survivors” is a memorable episode in which Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew encounter an elderly couple who are seemingly the only survivors of a devastating attack. Eventually, the male is revealed to be a god-like creature who settled down on this planet with a human, but she died defending the planet from aliens he refused to fight due to his culture’s pacifism. He reacted by lashing out and destroying every member of the attacking alien race, and while this morality play story is fascinating, we’re here today to focus more on how it proves a longstanding fan theory.
Star Trek: The Next Generation began with the two-part episode “Encounter At Farpoint,” one that laid the groundwork for the theory that “The Survivors” would later confirm. Original Series icon Dr. McCoy makes a cameo in TNG’s premiere episode as an elderly human, one who (as Data tells us with android precision) is 137 years old. Relatively speaking, he seems physically and mentally spry in this cameo, and this led to a long-running fan theory that humans just naturally live longer in the 24th century thanks to various advances in science and medicine.
Outside of the later Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Survivors,” though, it can be difficult to find a confirmation of this theory. For example, in Picard, our title character actually dies at the age of 94 but keeps on trucking because his consciousness is transferred into a robot body. There were some extenuating circumstances involved (he was already dying of irumodic syndrome, for example), but this later Trek spinoff seems to imply that most elderly humans aren’t likely to make it pay 100 without a convenient mind transfer into an equally convenient robot body.
So, enough Star Trek history. How does “The Survivors” seemingly confirm that humans naturally live much longer in this fictional future? Our two guest actors play characters much older than they are. Kevin Uxbridge is supposed to be 85 years old but is played by an actor (John Anderson) who was only 67; his wife Rishon is an 82-year-old character who is played by an actor (Anne Haney) who is only 55 years old.
Now, neither of these characters is actually human…we discover that Kevin is a god-like being and his wife is someone that he used his powers to recreate. But as far as the Enterprise crew initially knows, these characters are completely human. And nobody batted an eye (or VISOR, in Geordi’s case) at the fact that these characters look much younger than they actually are.
While most Star Trek fans have overlooked the significance, this casting for “The Survivors” seems to confirm that humans naturally live longer because it implies many of the human characters we see in this franchise may be older than they appear. And we do see elderly-looking humans who, in turn, must logically be older than they appear. As it turns out, most humans in the 24th century live a long time, and Picard’s death at the tender age of 94 was, contrary to popular belief, the exception and not the rule.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
