A Future Forest: Star Trek: First Contact

In this first episode, our hosts explore the ecological themes and textures in the eighth Star Trek movie, 'First Contact' (1996). This movie explores the foundational themes that arise in the ST series, such as the meaning of being alive, the driving forces behind change, and the interweaving of social and ecological forces for future human flourishing. Tom Snyder joins as a guest to unpack two narrative moments in the movie: Data's relationship with the Borg Queen, and the environmental adaptations that suit and shield humanoids and Borg. The episode concludes by drawing lessons that can be learned from the movie to help create a world of abundant life, a future forest.