Alteran

"Well, it stands to reason they weren't always called the Ancients."

- Daniel Jackson

The Alterans were the first evolution of humanity. They would eventually split into two factions: the Ancients and the Ori.

History
Tens, possibly even hundreds, of millions of years ago, the Alterans (the first evolution of humanity) lived together as one society in a distant galaxy along the evolutionary path to ascension. They developed many advanced technologies, such as the Stargate, advanced healing technologies, and intergalactic communication devices. However, a philosophical division soon emerged among the Alterans, dividing them into two factions: the Ancients (still calling themselves the Alterans), who came to rely more heavily on science and rationality, and the Ori, who continued to become more and more fervent in their religious beliefs.

Ultimately, the Ori became so extreme in their beliefs that the two factions split apart and began to oppose each other, culminating in the Ori attempting to wipe the Ancients out. The Ancients numbers were too few, and were ultimately forced to hide their ways. Though they considered using their knowledge to defend themselves, they faced a war of attrition, one they ultimately believed that they could not win. To avoid genocide, the Ancients built a ship and left their galaxy, where the Ori remained, eventually coming to the Milky Way, where they would later influence much of galactic history.

Physiology
Although the Alterans are human in appearance, their physiology is much more advanced, with a heightened intellect and capacity to store knowledge. The main characteristic differentiating Alterans from baseline humans is the ATA gene, which occurs naturally in all Alterans. Due to genetic inheritance from the Ancients who returned to Earth after they were forced to abandon Atlantis, a small percentage of the Tau'ri (humans from Earth) also possess the gene. The gene has, however, been introduced to other's genetic makeups via gene therapy, and it is not known as to whether or not the Alterans always possessed this gene, or if it was introduced by the Alterans themselves via genetic manipulation.

It has been suggested by not only Carson Beckett, but also the Ancients (Janus) themselves, that the human Alterans, those who would later become the Ancients and the Ori, were the first evolution of humanity. It is implied that the current human species evolved as such due to the actions of the Ancients and the Ori, since two species progressing along identical evolutionary paths is almost impossible. The Ancients later created the "second evolution" of their species, in both the Milky Way and Pegasus Galaxy, and it is also likely that the Ori created their own second evolution in their home galaxy to serve as worshippers of the Origin faith.

Towards the end of their evolutionary development, but still before they ascended, the Alterans developed numerous advanced and varied abilities, such as:


 * Telepathy
 * Telekinesis
 * Superhuman Senses
 * Superhuman Speed
 * Superhuman Strength
 * Precognition
 * Perfect Health
 * Healing Factor
 * Healing Touch
 * Kinetic Mind: ability to use many parts of your mind and fully focus on something.

These abilities are varied between individuals. Usually not all the abilities listed are present in one individual, but are all potentially possible, including abilities not yet known.