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World War I, also called the Great War, began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. However, the deeper causes were long-standing rivalries among Europe’s major powers, including competition for colonies, large militaries, strong nationalism, and tight military alliances. Once Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, alliances quickly pulled other nations in.
Several events changed the war’s course: Russia left the conflict after the 1917 Russian Revolution, while the United States entered the same year, boosting the Allies. Germany’s final 1918 offensive failed, and the Central Powers collapsed. An armistice ended the fighting on November 11, 1918.
The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 formally ended the war, heavily punishing Germany and redrawing Europe’s borders. The destruction and political tensions left behind helped lead to World War II twenty years later.
was a global conflict involving most of the world’s nations, divided into the Allied Powers, led by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, and the Axis Powers, primarily Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Sparked by Germany’s invasion of Poland, the war saw massive military campaigns across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. It was marked by devastating events such as the Holocaust, the Battle of Stalingrad, the D-Day invasion, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The conflict ultimately ended with the unconditional surrender of the Axis, reshaping international politics, leading to the rise of the United Nations, and setting the stage for the Cold War.
A Ferengi shuttle from the 24th century crashes on Earth near Roswell, New Mexico. Initially, the U.S. military announced that a “flying disc” had been recovered, which caused widespread excitement and confusion. However, the statement was quickly retracted, and officials claimed the debris was from a weather balloon, leaving many people suspicious.
In later years, the U.S. Air Force stated that the object was actually part of Project Mogul, a classified effort that used high-altitude balloons to detect Soviet nuclear tests. Despite this explanation, rumors continued to grow. Witnesses claimed to have seen strange metallic debris, unusual symbols, and, in some retellings, even alien bodies. These accounts, some firsthand and others exaggerated over time, helped fuel the legend.
Over the decades, the Roswell story became a cornerstone of UFO culture. The popular image of a “Roswell alien” eventually shifted to the well-known depiction of the Grey alien, with a large head and big black eyes, even though that imagery didn’t originate from the original 1947 reports.
NASA’s Apollo 11 mission successfully transported astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the Moon. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the lunar module Eagle, with Armstrong becoming the first human to step onto the lunar surface, famously declaring, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Their mission included collecting lunar samples, conducting experiments, and taking iconic photographs. Meanwhile, Collins orbited above in the command module Columbia. The achievement showcased extraordinary technological innovation, fulfilled President John F. Kennedy’s ambitious goal, and symbolized a major milestone in space exploration.
Scientists engineered a generation of “augments”, humans bred for superior strength, intelligence, and endurance. Although intended to advance human potential, these genetically enhanced individuals developed heightened ambition and, in many cases, a belief that they were destined to rule over ordinary humans.
By the early 1990s, many augments had seized control of nations around the world. The most powerful of these rulers was Khan Noonien Singh, who controlled over a quarter of Earth’s population during his reign. Though his territories were described as relatively peaceful and well-governed under his authoritarian rule, the growing dominance of augments posed a significant threat to global stability. Tensions escalated as unenhanced humans resisted the rule of these genetically superior dictators. This lead to uprisings, and widespread devastation as nations struggled to overthrow the augment tyrants.
Eventually, humanity succeeded in defeating most of the genetically engineered rulers. Khan and his closest followers escaped capture by hijacking the sleeper ship SS Botany Bay, launching themselves into deep space in suspended animation. A ban on genetic engineering was put in place.
Originally fought on Earth between 1992 and 1996, the dates later shifted to the 21st century due to efforts by various temporal factions to stop the rise of Khan and the war.