10 Important Star Trek Details That Are Almost Never Mentioned

10. The Genetic Manipulation Ban

Anyone who isn't familiar with the history of Star Trek may be confused by the lack of any advancements in genetic manipulation, considering the fact that we're actually very close to making it a reality in the present day.

However, if you look into the lore, especially the backstory of Khan, the stunted development of this technology actually makes a lot of sense.

Khan, along with many other individuals, were genetically enhanced at the end of the 20th century and turned into genius supersoldiers. This started the Eugenics Wars, one of the most brutal conflicts of Earth's history, during which augmented troops took control of huge parts of the planet and nearly plunged humanity into another dark age.

After this war, humanity decided that the risks of genetic engineering far outweighed the benefits and subsequently banned all DNA manipulation, except to correct life-altering ailments.

Genetic engineering is still practised through a black market, which is how Doctor Bashir was able to get his enhancements as a child, but it is highly illegal, frowned upon, and hard to come by.