Also, all or most Vulcans should actually be dark-skinned if Vulcan truly is a desert planet. Most canon Vulcans would die of skin cancer.
well Vulcans have copper-based blood. copper (in humans/mammals at least) is an antioxidant, so it clears bad things from your blood and boosts your immune system.. that could have helped stop their skin from being damaged by heat/sun/wind that youd have in the desert
(sidenote copper also builds collagen in tendons so Vulcans are probably very..stretchy)
You know what, this is a great point!
it also would depend on whether there were other evolutionary advantages to light skin over dark (eg: fair skinned humans can be as much as 6x as efficient at making vitamin D from sunlight than dark skinned humans - however as you point out light skin in humans also = much more susceptible to skin cancer). Assuming the predominance of fair skinned vulcans is not just a side product of racism in media :| , perhaps there is some biological reason - like vitamin D production in humans - that groups of vulcans evolved light skin. Vulcan has a thin atmosphere, which would provide less protection from solar radiation, so I like the idea @of-themysciraa forwards that maybe their copper based blood counteracts the UV damage?
In fairly new to the fandom,(I’ve seen the AOS films and I’m barely on ep.7 of TOS) so forgive me if I come across as incredibly dim or uninformed, but have there been any dark skinned Vulcans within canon??
Yep, Tuvok was a main cast member in Star Trek: Voyager!
His wife and whole family are also black.
There were a few more background character Vulcans played by people of color: a few Asian Vulcans from The Search for Spock and another black Vulcan in AOS come to mind.
But there should definitely be more! Even if the copper in their blood does help negate the free radicals from sun damage, it would still be better to have dark skin. (And also they would get sun burn all the time? Ouch!)
The evolutionary advantage of Vitamin D production mentioned by @startrektrashface is the only benefit to pale skin I am aware of, but obviously it wouldn’t be relevant in a sunny desert planet. As you say, they are an alien species and perhaps there is some benefit we don’t know about. I’m gonna have to go with it being a product of the times and racial bias in media!
@greenbeanspock for most of the series I don’t have a favorite character, but for Voyager I can say without qualm or equivocation that Tuvok is 100% absolutely my fave. I think most actors struggle to convey ‘in control of emotions NOT emotionless” when they play vulcans, and Tim Russ fuckin’ NAILS IT.
This is just my personal trauma as a Trekkie, but though Tuvix definitely is on the better side of Voyager episodes, one of my favorites as a matter of fact, it also is the straw that broke the camel’s back. I have not enjoyed Voyager ever since.
Now, that was kind of a downer artist’s note… true nonetheless.
here’s some of my Trek merch *blows a kiss to husband Tuvok*
art credits: the adorable drawing on pink paper was done by @mopbucketwizard and @robotalittlebit sent me that beautiful picture of Spock, drawn by lostconner :3
