I have the feeling Star Trek writers just forget about this.

Occasionally we get the reverse retcon where they realize they made a mistake and then try to never speak of it again. Breaking the warp 10 barrier, turning into cuddly and horny komodo dragon fish, is another example of this (although Lower Decks made fun of it later).

You know, when the new effects were done, I liked them. Years later, I always watch with the original effects. The new ones just feel plastic and odd. The old ones, for all the grain and noise, have charm.

Oh, that was just an early Genesis prototype Carol Marcus had left behind. Or something.

I thought they did some in TNG