In case you were wondering how to pay for your drinks on the moon, here is the answer: Quasi Universal Intergalactic Denomination, or Quid. The Q says it all: we don’t know yet, if our alien fellow galactics will accept it as a valid currency. It brings back memories of a session I attended at the Bournemouth Theoretical Archaeology Group conference in 1997: on exo-archaeology. As an archaeologist, you have to be prepared for any future job opportunity, keeping in mind the more than average interest in archaeological matters of Star Trek’s Starfleet officers. No doubt the Quids will sooner than later turn into desirables and collector’s items. Archaeological parallels can be found in situations where the first coins introduced in areas in contact with mint based economies, often ended up in ritual contexts. Another archaeological parallel tells us that we should expect that we ourselves will end up as the main currency. But this is nothing new for those among us that already have been captured and enslaved by aliens.
