The Curious Case of Berlinghoff Rasmussen

[Ragitsu]

Good afternoon.

I was wondering...why did no on board The Enterprise conduct any research on "Berlinghoff Rasmussen"? Surely there were Earth records from the mid-22nd century? If anyone - from Worf (who should have been on the ball as Head of Security) to a random civilian that overheard scuttlebutt about the new visitor - had fired his name into the ship's database (which, as of "The Neutral Zone", we know is quite extensive), the jig would have been up right then and there. If his name was phony, facial recognition software would have gotten the job done.

There are two explanations that come to mind ->

• "Berlinghoff"'s identity record was never entered into any database.

or

• He expertly erased all records of his existence (if he was somehow able to use the time ship's 26th century computer to expertly interrogate a 22nd century network, it's possible).

The second explanation seems more likely than the first, but, ultimately, neither of them feel especially probable.

 

[Finn]

I believe he was from quite early in the 22nd Century. Lot of the information may have been lost in this time.

Also, the Enterprise computer most certainly did not contain the entire knowledge of Humanity and every Federation world, etc, along with every individual who had lived on one of the UFP worlds, even Earth, in the 22nd Century.

Also, there might have been nothing noteworthy on him. There are plenty of people, whose existence has been documented in some way, without noting something about them that might indicate they may have committed a felony".

 

[Ragitsu]

I believe he was from quite early in the 22nd Century. Lot of the information may have been lost in this time.

I can buy that for the third World War. However, by the early to middle 22nd century, humanity was back on its feet thanks to the Vulcans.

Also, the Enterprise computer most certainly did not contain the entire knowledge of Humanity and every Federation world, etc, along with every individual who had lived on one of the UFP worlds, even Earth, in the 22nd Century.

The Enterprise's computer had records on individuals from the 20th century, so...why not the 22nd?

Also, there might have been nothing noteworthy on him. There are plenty of people, whose existence has been documented in some way, without noting something about them that might indicate they may have committed a felony".

There wouldn't have to be anything noteworthy; the fact that a man purportedly from the 26th century has a record from the 22nd should have raised suspicion.

 

[Tosk]

Even if he weren't likely to lie about his name due to what he was up to, I don't agree with the notion that the Federation has access to every bit of human history. Extensive is not the same as complete.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Even if he weren't likely to lie about his name due to what he was up to, I don't agree with the notion that the Federation has access to every bit of human history. Extensive is not the same as complete.

The Orville had the entire back catalogue of the Real Wives of New Jersey on board.

 

[Ragitsu]

Even if he weren't likely to lie about his name due to what he was up to, I don't agree with the notion that the Federation has access to every bit of human history. Extensive is not the same as complete.

Whereas I think the accessibility and thoroughness of record keeping during the 22nd century is unquestionably superior to what we have today (especially taking their "one world government" formation into account). By the way, chances are good that registration of genetic data would have been a standard practice by his time (as part of an individual's medical record); Doc Crusher would have collected sufficient material for a comparison when she performed her checkup. The simplest out-of-universe explanation that best fits is that the writers of TNG didn't always foresee the advancements of decades to come.

 

[Tosk]

Whereas I think the accessibility and thoroughness of record keeping during the 22nd century is unquestionably superior to what we have today.

I'm sure that's the case, far better than what we have today. It still doesn't mean that the Federation has access to every scrap of originally recorded data from two hundred years earlier.

By the way, chances are good that registration of genetic data would have been a standard practice by his time (as part of an individual's medical record); Doc Crusher would have collected sufficient material for a comparison when she performed her checkup.

That's a big maybe based on pretty much nothing. For all we know, there was a massive swing away from that kind of thing in the 22nd century. That personal freedoms massively outweighed everything else for a time. I'm not saying that is what happened, but it's completely possible.

The simplest out-of-universe explanation that best fits is that the writer(s) of TNG didn't always foresee the advancements of decades to come.

Or they simply didn't let the possibility of it get in the way of telling a story. Trek is littered with stories that fall apart if one thread is pulled.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The real owner of the Time Machine, needed all of this to happen.

Predestination paradox.

They edited the Enterprise's history tapes weeks before Berlinghoff arrived, or recruited an Enterprise crewman to play along.

Worf maybe?

 

[at Quark's]

I'm sure that's the case, far better than what we have today. It still doesn't mean that the Federation has access to every scrap of originally recorded data from two hundred years earlier.

I'm curious as to how much originally recorded data from 200 years ago has survived till this day. Wouldn't be surprised if it were far less than 1%. Of course, it's not just technology or accidents, but a lot of data is also destroyed when it is deemed no longer relevant to store- and even if future generations may think differently about that and desperately wish the data had been kept, once it's gone, it's gone. So I wouldn't be surprised if even between the 22nd and 24th century, 90% of data recorded in the 22nd century would gradually be lost.

 

[Ragitsu]

That's a big maybe based on pretty much nothing.

I heard about this years ago and it looks like it has finally reached a practical stage ->

https://www.science.org/content/article/celebrities-guard-your-dna

$1500 now (a figure inflated at least partially in order to turn a profit) will be nothing in the future; every citizen of the 22nd century could have their genetic combination (either an abridged version or the full sequence) stored on file for the purpose of identification in addition to medical matters.

Also...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6859263/

Keep in mind that is our Earth with only us humans; in a future where many alien species are contributing to humanity's growth (there are the Vulcans, yes, but the Denobulans were also a factor) in both computational technology and medicine, I can easily see their cultural practices blending in with our own.

I'm curious as to how much originally recorded data from 200 years ago has survived till this day. Wouldn't be surprised if it were far less than 1%. Of course, it's not just technology or accidents, but a lot of data is also destroyed when it is deemed no longer relevant to store- and even if future generations may think differently about that and desperately wish the data had been kept, once it's gone, it's gone. So I wouldn't be surprised if even between the 22nd and 24th century, 90% of data recorded in the 22nd century would gradually be lost.

Genealogical records of relatively unimportant late 20th century people? A government photograph of Gabriel Bell (prior to the act that catapulted him into the history books, before anyone brings up a "But he was famous." argument) taken before the atomic horror of the third World War? Yeah: their practices and of course technology (e.g., longer-lasting storage and data compression) are far better than ours.

 

[Oddish]

1. There are people in the world who just don't really show up on any radar. Maybe Rasmussen was one of them.
2. We know who Rasmissen really was because we had seen the episode. Picard had not, so he would have had no reason to search past archives... any research Worf did concerning a search for flimflam artists was probably concentrated in the here and now.
3. Another example of what I call the Durable Timeline... Gillian Taylor, Berlinghoff Rasmussen, and Zefram Cochrane's entire ground crew all get removed from history as a result of time travel... but stuff doesn't change much.

 

[Finn]

I can buy that for the third World War. However, by the early to middle 22nd century, humanity was back on its feet thanks to the Vulcans.



The Enterprise's computer had records on individuals from the 20th century, so...why not the 22nd?



There wouldn't have to be anything noteworthy; the fact that a man purportedly from the 26th century has a record from the 22nd should have raised suspicion.

The 32nd Century Earth couldn't tie Discovery to the mid 23rd Century (I don't think their database was damaged by the Burn). Their estimate was in a range of nearly three centuries. Information get lost no matter what.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Up until the reveal, Rasmussen seemed quite friendly and harmless. I doubt the crew were inclined to check up on him. They'd have no reason to suspect he was anything but what he said he was.

And even then, in his old life, Rasmussen was unimportant. Why WOULD there be any hard data on him? He's just some washed-up inventor. History steps on people like that.

 

[at Quark's]

Well, if I were to lie about my identity, I would adopt a fake name as well. Without the correct name to search for, how would they tie him to a failed and obscure inventor that lived 200 years ago? Take a DNA sample or scan his DNA against his will and order the computer to search for a match? That might conflict with some privacy laws even today. Of course a refusal would be suspicious though. Same for facial recognition software, even if they'd find a match from 200 years ago there's no telling there couldn't be a person with a near-identical face from 200 years from the future.

Of course, if he were really careful he might have made sure his DNA wasn't on record anywhere before he attempted his 'heist'.

 

[JesterFace]

Time travel episodes can be such a brain puzzle.
I usually stay away from episodes where there's traveling backwards in time, is it even possible?
Traveling into the future is possible, we know that but coming back in time, maybe not.
I do break this "rule" of mine few times because few episodes are too good to ignore: 'All Good Things...', that was Q doing his tricks. 'Yesterday's Enterprise' is a bit more tricky.... I guess there is a fanfic/weird science explanation to be found. Data said the anomaly Enterprise-C came through was symmetrical, so.... there you go.

 

[at Quark's]

2. We know who Rasmissen really was because we had seen the episode. Picard had not, so he would have had no reason to search past archives... any research Worf did concerning a search for flimflam artists was probably concentrated in the here and now.

They would've known though that he wasn't just any 'flimflam artist'. They couldn't explain how his shuttle suddenly appeared, they couldn't penetrate his hull with scans, not even when it was in the shuttle bay, and they had never seen the material of his hull either.

 

[Oddish]

They would've known though that he wasn't just any 'flimflam artist'. They couldn't explain how his shuttle suddenly appeared, they couldn't penetrate his hull with scans, not even when it was in the shuttle bay, and they had never seen the material of his hull either.

So, they would likely have assumed that whatever his intent, he wasn't from the past. So, it's unlikely an investigation would have gone in that direction.

 

[at Quark's]

So, they would likely have assumed that whatever his intent, he wasn't from the past. So, it's unlikely an investigation would have gone in that direction.

Yep, they see unfamiliar technology, so they need to assume either future technology (corresponding to his claim), technology that hasn't gone public for some reason, or technology from an unknown alien race. But not the past.

 

[JoseNoodles]

I always interpreted it that Berlinghoff Rasmussen was the real name of the time traveler who came to the 22nd Century and got killed by the con man. The con man then took the time traveler's identity, since he figured that if he used his real name, it probably would be searchable on a database. By the end of the episode, the TNG crew have had enough of "Professor Rasmussen" and so they weren't interested in learning his real identity at that moment. They could always find it out later.

 

[Ragitsu]

The bottom line is that if a man appears on the flagship of The Federation without contest via advanced technology, someone would be researching every scrap of data they have on the guy in order to ensure that he isn't A) a genuine threat and/or B) an otherwise harmless fake. "Berlinghoff" comes from a time when technology is all-around superior and his Earth is either already at or close to the "one world government" stage. Anyone even mildly invested in this task would have a computer search through historical as well as contemporary records (assuming the computer isn't intelligent enough to spit out "anomalous" results originating from the past in the first place). Barring an absence of information stemming from a lack of registration or a deliberate erasure, it is likely that an entry would have betrayed him.