1. Introduction
2. History of Contact
3. Technological Profile
4. Physiological/Medical Profile
5. Cultural/Historical Profile

6. Threat Assessment
7. Strategic Objectives
8. Tactical Considerations
9. Vessel Database
10. Intelligence Reports

11. Return to Main Page

12. ASR Home Page

PHYSIOLOGICAL/MEDICAL PROFILE

Asexual the Gorns reproduce in the same manner as humans, but choose mates freely from amongst their own race. Although very rare, there have been instances of a Gorn marrying outside of their race. On average they are 7 to 8 feet tall, and weigh between 500 and 900 pounds. Extremely strong, they are usually capable of lifting up to 3 or four times their own body weight. Similar to a humanoid version of a lizard, they vary in color but are most commonly a dark green that lightens towards the extremities. Their eyesight is not as keen as a normal human, but they have a much wider area over which they see giving them comparatively remarkable peripheral vision. Although hearing is roughly equivalent to human norms, their sense of smell is markedly more sensitive.

The Gorn body is designed for hardship. Covered in a thick epidermal layer, the skin is very close to being a hide that is difficult to penetrate. The nerves are deeper under the skin than a normal human, lending to their resilience to pain and phaser stuns. Except in the very tips of the fingers and the tongue, which harbor small nerve bundles for better tactile sensation, the Gorns have a very poor sense of touch. Their thick hide also acts as a natural insulator keeping extreme temperatures at bay. This enables them to live comfortably in temperatures ranging from -30 C to 40 C, and survive in much harsher climes.

Three separate hearts provide the constant flow of blood to their massive frames. Despite this it is uncommon to see a Gorn bleed more than slightly, unless cut very deeply. This is due to the lack of capillaries in their system., instead blood is carried to small sacks buried well under the skin. These sacks periodically open multiple tiny valves, similar to a heart, and release blood into the surrounding tissue. From there it is carried to the upper layers of the skin through microscopic channels that exist in the tissue itself. Although capable of surviving in colder weather, the race prefers much warmer climates. Temperatures below freezing slow the flow of the blood to the outer layers of skin, which causes the hide to harden and severely impair mobility.

In addition to multiple hearts, the race is blessed with three spines and the brain is composed of three hemispheres instead of two. The third section of the brain seems to only function as a backup, and usually is not active until needed. This same redundancy in systems is repeated throughout their physiology including the bone and muscle structure. The protection around the chest area is a prime example of this. Beneath the skin and muscle of a Gorn chest are two sets of bone plates that run horizontally across the body. These are spaced evenly to the left and right, and also vertically. Although the two separate sets of plates are independent, each plate within a set is connected by a similar plate of cartilidge interspersed between the plates of bone. Under these bone plates is another set of muscles that perform the exact same duties as the ones beneath the skin, and just beneath these muscles is another set of bone plates. This second dual pair of plates line up with the set above to place the bone plates under the cartilidge of the upper layer. Finally there exists a third muscle structure under this second set of plates, and then the ribs. A similar arrangement protects the head with a solid bone plate that protects the nose and upper area of the skull, a series of plates interconnected by cartilidge and sinew beneath it, and finally the skull itself.

All these factors combined would make a species very difficult to kill. When combined with the races ability of slow. natural regeneration, they are nearly impervious to anything besides total annihilation. Although the natural ability of regeneration would seem to make them completely indestructible, this is not the case. At least one hemisphere of the brain must be active and connected to the body, in order for this function to work. Additionally the process is very slow, requiring fourteen months to regrow a hand. This regenerative process also interferes with non-natural healing attempts such as surgery or dermal regenerators, as the body will still try to heal a damaged area even after it has been repaired by a procedure other than its own. This can cause horrible disfigurement, and the eventual loss of the ability as the body starts to assume that something else will heal it.