The exact details of this transformation are up to speculation, but it threatened the race with extinction. In order to save themselves, the Chameleons secretly infiltrated in Earth society and devised a method that allowed them to extract genetic material from other beings and essentially "steal" their appearances and identity (although retaining the memories and personality of the Chameleon), allowing them to regain genetic stability. The process involves placing armband-like devices in the arms of both subjects: donor and receiver. It takes some time to become permanent, during which time the armband cannot be removed from the Human subject, otherwise it would kill the Chameleon.