Humans! A summary.

EXCERPT FROM THE FILES OF PLANET X INTELLIGENCE (PXI)
CLASSIFIED
UNAUTHORIZED EYES SHOULD DISCORPORATE IMMEDIATELY UPON GROKKING

Species Report (summary only, full report classified at a higher level)
Subject: Human (Homo Sapiens)
Homeworld: Sol 3 [XXX-XXX-XXX] (Internal name: Earth, used henceforth)

Biology:
Bipedal Mammalian bioform, most current version of planet's Prime species.  Primate/Hominid derivation suggested.  Enlarged cranium (local comparison only) houses brain (bi-hemispherical neural network) sufficient for sentience, sapience, abstract thought.  However, average brain function capacity shows room for improvement.  Selective breeding could accomplish this in the long term, or direct upgrading through genetic manipulation, biomechanoid alterations or cybernetic implants could improve function in the interim.

Human forms vary significantly between genotypes.  Some feature high physical ability, others high mental capacity, a few are very sexy, and sometimes these traits come in combinations.  A very small number of outliers in the species represent 'prototype' status, either born with or later developing extraordinary capability.

Curiously, the human bioform as it is has been in circulation for nearly 250,000 years, yet the species' recorded history represents less than 10,000 years.  The species may have [CONTENT HIDDEN, HIGHER CLEARANCE LEVEL REQUIRED, CONSULT DOCUMENT 0015672219 FOR MORE INFORMATION]. (Don't worry kids, I can get this info to you somehow, we can find out why they think this is worth cutting from my report.)

Organization:
Presently, the species divides itself into various territorial nation-states, using a variety of hierarchical constructs for internal governance.  The reasoning behind this divisive behaviour varies from nation to nation, be it philosophical variations in governance type,  incompatible religious notions, irrational territoriality,  economic disparity, self-perceived cultural superiority, or several of the above.

Many of these nations maintain active military forces, chiefly to protect themselves from each other, or to encroach upon other nations for varying reasons, necessitating the former reason, and therefore perpetuating an environment of cyclical violence.  There is virtually always an intraspecies war going on somewhere on Earth at any given time.  The human failure to recognize the obsolescence of such ideologies may have enormously detrimental effects on the species as technology progresses.  

Until the species matures further, unification remains unattainable.  Humans will also continue to require governing mechanisms for regulation, as they lack the inherent ability to govern their own behaviour with regard for the well-being of the rest of the species.

Technology:
Fourth-stage industrialization in first-world nations, with other nations falling on the entire spectrum downwards, with some isolated groups operating at second-stage pre-industrial (3rd degree outside influence).  In other words, nothing fancy.  Their metaphysical technology is rudimentary at best as they have a tendency to murder those that try to develop it.  Second-degree technology addiction has be observed in the most developed nations.

A disproportionate amount of resources are devoted to weapon development and mass production.  This is viewed on Earth as being more than necessary, it is an entitlement to possess weaponry, obligatory.  For some decades the Humans have possessed enough thermonuclear devices to render the planet surface uninhabitable several times over.  This irrationality is the result of a persistently escalated deterrence policy carried out over time through a non-conflict that spanned the better part of half a century.

If the species can continue its healthy development of information technologies, we may yet see improvement.  The advent of artificial intelligence may introduce voices of reason that hopefully will be heeded by an unreasonable race.

Social:
Human diversity extends also to the group formations that occur outside of governing mechanisms.  The common trend remains consistent however, that many of these segmentations enable the same manner of divisive behaviour that ruling bodies apply.  Unlike the territoriality of nations, these boundaries formed by these divisions are mostly ideological in nature.  In humanity, a difference of opinion is often enough to drive an impassable wedge between two entities, be they individuals or groups.  Human emotional patterns are powerful enough to overwhelm logic, making objectivity a difficult state to achieve or maintain.

Perhaps the most pervasive and divisive group dynamics on Earth would be organized religion.  These systems of belief run the gamut from monotheism to abstract spiritual philosophy, which makes clear why they would have difficulty coexisting.  Even the most similar belief systems allow small semantic variations in the source material the power to divide.  Religious groupthink among humans makes it easy for these organizations to spread misinformation, irrational statements, nonfacts, and infectious malthought through their memberships, regardless of how damaging the consequences of such dissemination will be.

Assessment (Useful/Threat):
The Human race cannot be reliably counted upon to respond peacefully to a first contact attempt unilaterally.  The fragmented nature of the species makes this virtually impossible at this juncture.  Nor are they ready to become active participants in the galactic community at large.  Despite the potential of their cultural contributions to the greater galaxy, the species is immature and unfit to intermingle with other sentient life forms.  The relative position of Sol would also make this problematic at best, taking into account its great distance from the border of [REDACTED], not to mention the other locals, as the Orion arm of the galactic disc is a pretty bad neighborhood really.

As can be deduced from the preceding content, the Human race is also not a significant threat to space-faring lifeforms.  Their space travel capacity isn't sufficient to get them outside their own system, and destinations farther than Earth's own orbit are currently only reachable by probes and robots. Humanity's nuclear arsenal would offer little danger to targets in space, given the limitations of the warheads and delivery systems involved.  The rest of their weaponry is pretty weak sauce.  Seriously, the Humans are a greater threat to each other than they are to anyone else.  We can only hope they don't wipe themselves out before growing the fuck up.

Standing recommendation:
Continue observation.  Avoid contamination.  Interference prohibited. 


-SchnozBott

"If you ever get close to a Human..."