Why Vulcans Have Green Blood

It looks like CBS is making sure that we all remember Star Trek. Tonight’s CSI had a fun conversation between Hodges and Simms discussing a case with green blood and the agent that caused it which turns into a talk about Vulcan blood and Mr. Spock.

Liz Vassey who plays CSI Wendy Simms just happens to have a Star Trek connection she appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation — Conundrum — thanks Memory Alpha. Someone should really make a six degrees of separation site for Star Trek in general. It would be kind of cool to type in an actor and see how many hops until they are connected to something Trek. Or maybe it’s just me.

Any who here is their conversation.

Simms: What do you think turned it green?
Hodges: I suspect it might be sulfur.
Simms: Sulfur is a naturally occurring component in the blood.

Hodges: But in massive doses it tends to turn the blood a blackish avocado green. When the sulfur atom joins the hemoglobin molecule red blood turns green. Which is why First Officer Spock’s blood is green in Star Trek.

Simms: No it’s not.
Hodges: Ah, yes it is. Trust me I’m an expert.
Simms: Apparently not. Otherwise you would surely know that the oxidizing agent in Vulcan blood is copper. And that is why his blood is green. Or maybe that and the fact that he had a Vulcan father since his mother is actually human. And further more he was promoted to Captain just prior to Star Trek 2 and then he retired as civilian ambassador.

Hodges: You’re like a geeky, nerdy guy trapped in a woman’s body.
Simms: So are you.
Hodges: As I was saying here on Earth sulfur containing compounds could turn otherwise normal blood green.
Hodges: As I suspected.
Simms: Share.
Hodges: She wasn’t Vulcan.

Nice to see them showing women can be just as into Star Trek as guys.


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