They explored the galaxy and colonized several planets, possibly including Vulcan, about 600,000 years before the 23rd century. About 100,000 years later, they achieved such great mental power that they began to regard themselves as gods. War broke out, "a struggle... for such goals, and the unleashing of such power, that you could not comprehend," as Sargon described the event. The war tore the atmosphere from their planet, ultimately extinguishing all life save for a relative handful of representatives. Again according to Sargon, "only the best minds were chosen to survive."