Created by Captain Michael Turlogh Kane on Aug 16, 2016 @ 2:27pm

REPLICATOR

Since the first types were invented in the early 22nd century, the REPLICATOR has changed how everyone lives. Not only has it eliminated hunger, it has also eliminated money, and forced the Federation to adopt a new model of economics that does not use currency.

Replicators, like transporters, work by converting energy to matter, and vice versa. By storing the molecular makeup of food in its databanks, for example, the replicator can create fresh food on demand. This food tastes and gives the identical nutritional value as food grown from the ground. Industrial replicators, being larger, are capable of replicating machine parts, clothing, and housing. Medical replicators produce drugs, chemical compounds, and in the 25th century, replacement organs.

Mass production of goods has led to a new economy where acquiring currency is no longer a priority. Energy is abundant enough so that everyone (in the core worlds, at least) has access to consumer-grade replicators. People no longer need to work to survive, eliminating the need for a cash economy. The replicator remains the cornerstone of life in the 25th century.