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Species name: Human (Homo Sapiens)
Species homeworld: Earth (Terra), Sol System
Description: Humans are a mammalian species of the primate lineage. Their adults are on average between 4 and 6 feet tall, though there is a large amount of variation. They stand upright on their hind limbs, making use of the front limbs to use tools. They come in a variety of colors, mostly resulting from the amount of melanin, a pigment that protects the skin from solar radiation, present in their skin. They are not covered in fur, but rather thin, short hairs, which serve only as a minor sensory auxiliary, and are considered vestigial. The hair around their genitals, the joints between their torsos and forelimbs, and on top of their head (as well as around the mouth and chin, on those possessing higher levels of testosterone) is thicker and longer, serving an aesthetic and reproductive role, rather than for keeping in heat. They are omnivores, capable of eating many plants, animals, and fungi. They are a particularly social species, known for being friendly and charitable, although they are prone to destructive rage when provoked. They are extremely empathic, capable of connecting to even inanimate objects. It is likely, given time, that they will make friends with almost anyone or thing. They are also rather clever, able to adopt and modify technology at a pace that rivals even more intelligent species. They're not particularly strong, compared to many other species, though under extreme stress they are known to be able to perform extreme feats of strength. Their senses are acute, though not necessarily exceptional. Overall, humans are considered second best at most things, which might not seem impressive until one combines those skills as humans do.
History: Humans originated from a relatively isolated planet in the Orion Spur, called “Earth” or “Terra”, both words which mean “ground” or “soil” to humans. This is no mere happenstance; humans have a very strong connection to “solid ground”, many viewing it as the place from which their species originates (see the old human saying “From dust you came and to dust you shall return”). This idea isn't completely incorrect. Humans evolved from originally arboreal primates. When they became ground-dwelling rather than tree-dwelling, they were able to develop agriculture, leading to their further development.
This period of time offers insight into the many startling traits humans possess. For one, their impressive tolerance to a great many toxins (alcohol, caffeine, cacao, nicotine, menthol, and capsaicin are all regularly and intentionally consumed). Once they abandoned the trees, they relied partially on foraging for plants to eat, including fermenting fruits and leaves that contain otherwise toxic chemicals to repel those who'd eat them.
Their other main source of food produced another few traits many galactic citizens find both amazing and terrifying. Humans evolved as endurance hunters. They abandoned the broad covering of fur often associated with mammals in favor of extremely efficient sweating, allowing humans to track animals at a slow jog for many miles, where their prey would have to stop to pant in order to cool off.
But remember humans come from a deathworld, and both their prey and fellow predators were extremely dangerous - some many times the size of humans, others were venomous, and many had sharp teeth or horns or antlers. To counter this, humans have a strong ability to throw projectiles accurately, be they stones or sharpened sticks.
So how did these so-called “hunter-gatherers” become such an advanced species? In a word: curiosity. The unstable environment that forged humanity instilled them with a constant drive to discover and innovate (often observed by outsiders as a lack of focus and impatience). Humanity's own research shows that they would rather experience physical pain than “boredom.” This, combined with their social skills, which they evolved to work together to hunt their dangerous prey, allows them to quickly accumulate technology and knowledge over time. (Incidentally, this social aptitude leads to the observation of “pack bonding,” which allowed humans to tame a great many species on their homeworld - and even some offworld - as well as allowing them to smoothly interface with galactic society.)
The last thing they evolved in their early years is perhaps the most astonishing. Humans have been observed to have extreme adaptability. Their bodies can function in an array of extreme environments, and their technology quickly fills any deficits. Like this, they managed to establish a population on almost every part of their planet, in all of its biomes, and then to spread across the stars at an alarming pace.
But the humans weren't alone. Homo Sapiens was the newest addition to their genus, with Homo Erectus, Homo Neaderthalensis, and a few others having already spread to many of the Earth's environments (at a considerably slower pace) and adapted to them. As humans spread to locations with their sister species, they fought, but they also interbred. In doing so, they showed an adaptability rarely discussed: genetic flexibility. The humans adopted genes from the other species, allowing them to speedily adapt to their new environments.
This combination of traits has led humans to quickly become a mainstay of galactic civilization. Despite coming from a rather isolated sector of the galaxy, they quickly spread into the more populated galactic core, both in their own colonies and by immigration to already populated worlds.
Threat assessment: Humans are a class A1 predator species from a deathworld. We are lucky they prefer peace and collaboration, and their gifts have helped many species. Despite their seemingly meek stature and lack of obviously threatening features, they and their technology prove unstoppable when turned upon those who've caught their ire. Do not insult or offend humans at all costs, and whatever you do, do not piss off humanity as a whole. If you have gone ahead and done so already, we only have two recommendations: run as far as you can and hide wherever possible, or grovel and beg for foregiveness. May whatever higher power you believe in show mercy on your poor souls.