The founding pastor of the Tates Creek Baptist Church, now on Boonesborough Road, Tribble was a friend of Thomas Jefferson and may have helped shape his political philosophy.
Like another alien fuzzball envisioned by Gerrold, they reproduce very quickly, and possess many traits which induce adoration in other species.
The concept is an old one that predates even the Heinlein novel, since it is central to the story "Pigs Is Pigs", which was very popular from its first publication in 1905 and beyond.
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A family of proteins which have a variety of roles, including involvement in the control of the cell cycle in the fruit fly, was named after these fictional animals.
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The episode was written by David Gerrold, and the original tribble props were designed by Wah Chang and, according to Gerrold, made by Jacqueline Cumeré.
He co-wrote the song "Call It Love" (by Poco) with Ron Guilbeau and Rick Lonow; "It's My Time" by Martina McBride (co-writers Kim Tribble and Tammy Hyler); "Another Nine Minutes" (co-writers Tim Buppert and Tom Douglas (songwriter)); and "Let 'er Rip" by the Dixie Chicks (co-written with Sandy Ramos).