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Speculative biology is simultaneously a science and form of art in which one speculates on the possibilities of life and evolution. What could the world look like if dinosaurs had never gone extinct? What could alien lifeforms look like? What kinds of plants and animals might exist in the far future? These questions and more are tackled by speculative biologists, and the Speculative Evolution welcomes all relevant ideas, inquiries, and world-building projects alike. With a member base comprising users from across the world, our community is the largest and longest-running place of gathering for speculative biologists on the web.

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Collaborative Evolution Projects
Topic Started: Jan 12 2009, 07:03 PM (4,141 Views)
Viridian
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Amateur Xenobiologist
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Being new to the site I havn't gotten to know anyone yet, but I was wondering if there are any artists here who would be interested in starting a collaborative-type evolution project.

I would like to begin a project in the same vein as sagan 4, although with a few differences in format.

A few years ago I ran a shortlived project of this kind on the Sporeum forums, unfortunately it failed due to time constraints suffered by some of the artists on the project.

However, over the last six months or so I have been working on a format that would be less reliant on regular artistic submissions by artists and would be able to continue to run regardless.

If there are any talented artists here at the Speculative Evolution forums who are interested in being a part of this kind of project, please reply here or PM me.

Thanks.
Out of nowhere, you are attacked by a snarling, biting mass of felt shaped like a raccoon! This is the single angriest puppet you’ve ever seen, and it’s not cookies that it wants to eat…
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zypher
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ooh, thanks!

I made a map! :)

http://www.bin.sh/gaming/tools/world.cgi
because there are an infinite number of alternate realities, withen them an infinite ammount of infinite things are possible... infinitly.

two samples of my artwork
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/zaraquexon/img016-1.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/zaraquexon/img018.jpg

<embed width="384" height="206" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" src="http://www.spore.com/flash/csa_widget.swf?userid=2263016807&username=zaraquex&host=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spore.com%2Fview%2Fuser-thumbnail" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" scale="showall" name="latest-creatures" /></embed>
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KayKay
Adult
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Yes, I still have it. I never got to try the other two games you mentioned, mostly because I don't have an A: or I: drive.

This is an example of the kind of map graphics you get on the game (if you haven't seen an example of them already)... I got really really bored one day and decided to play historical scenario all the way through taking a screencapture of the map each time it changed. Then I made an animation from each screencapture.

There are limmitless amounts of random maps that can be generated that change just like this one, and you can see them in different modes like elevation, precipitation, temperature, etc, but I only have an example of the historical map currently (set on the mode that lets you view the biomes).

Link here
Edited by KayKay, Jan 15 2009, 02:10 PM.
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Canis Lupis
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Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.

In that case, I'll definantly keep my advisor position.

BTW, if I'm an advisor, can I still submit concepts?
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Rodlox
Superhuman
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Viridian
Jan 14 2009, 05:56 PM

Artists:

Kaykay

The32ndPie

CarrionTrooper - Sometimes

Zypher - Sometimes

Viridian - Sometimes

Possible Artists:

Mnidjm

Dacmat22
I might be a Sometimes.
.---------------------------------------------.
Parts of the Cluster Worlds:
"Marsupialless Australia" (what-if) & "Out on a Branch" (future evolution) & "The Earth under a still sun" (WIP)
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mnidjm
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King of Mars
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My project is basically like sagan 4 but more scientifically acurate and members can subimt planets, but only one every 50 contributions, and they can't just focus on that planet. My avatar is one of the planets.
Edited by mnidjm, Jan 16 2009, 08:43 PM.


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evo-dragon
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Infant
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Viridian
Jan 15 2009, 04:41 AM
I'd been thinking along the same lines actually. There is a game by Maxis from the 90's that had a really good simulation of tectonics. It was called SimEarth. Does anyone here still own a copy of it by any chance?

Do you have "Evolution" Kay?
yes, i have one copy, it`s a good game,
the six great races

meet them...
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evo-dragon
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Infant
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evo-dragon
Jan 16 2009, 09:34 PM
Viridian
Jan 15 2009, 04:41 AM
I'd been thinking along the same lines actually. There is a game by Maxis from the 90's that had a really good simulation of tectonics. It was called SimEarth. Does anyone here still own a copy of it by any chance?

Do you have "Evolution" Kay?
yes, i have one copy, it`s a good game,
i am talking about simearth
the six great races

meet them...
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mnidjm
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King of Mars
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I've been looking for a copy for a while.


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Viridian
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Hi again everyone! Sorry that I havn't updated for a while, I've been away over the weekend looking for fossils.

Anyways, I've decided a few things while I was away, and here they are:





  • The planet will be called "Nimbus" which is a latin word meaning "Raincloud".

  • Nimbus will have one small moon with 39% of the mass of Luna.

  • The star which Nimbus orbits will be a K class "Orange Dwarf" of around 0.76 solar masses.

  • Seas will cover 83% of the planetary surface.

  • The primary photosynthetic pigment will be Green/Blue-Green due to the abundance of red/orange light from the star.

  • The project will start at a point which is analogous to Earth's "Ediacaran Period".





I have made a simple outline of a foodweb which probably needs a few more additions before we get under way.

Producers:

Phytoplanktonic Algae - These will not be an evolvable life form but they are important to the foodchain.

Surface algae - A simple "Slimy" photosynthetic organism that attaches itself to sun-lit rocks - Unclaimed

Larger Photosyntetic colonies - Colonies of photosyntetic cells that can be up to a centimetre across - Viridian

Planktonivores:

Fixed feeders - Primitive "Anemone" type creatures - Unclaimed

Drifting feeders - Tiny animals that sift or filter plankton - Unclaimed

Detritivores :

Worms - Worm analogues - Unclaimed

Crawling scavengers - Legged, soft-bodied or shelled animals - Viridian

Slowmoving scavengers - Primitive "Starfish"or "Urchin" type animals (Not necessarily hard-shelled, some species might eat algal slime.)- Unclaimed

Fungi - Mould-like lifeforms (Could be parasitic also) - Unclaimed


Are there any other important niches I have missed? (Keep in mind that this needs to be a primitive, simplified foodweb)

Or perhaps someone has ideas for some truly alien families that might exist?




@Rodlox: That'd be great! Are there any samples of your work you could PM to me?

@Mnidjm: Could you also PM me with some samples?


Edited by Viridian, Jan 18 2009, 06:03 AM.
Out of nowhere, you are attacked by a snarling, biting mass of felt shaped like a raccoon! This is the single angriest puppet you’ve ever seen, and it’s not cookies that it wants to eat…
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zypher
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Adolescent
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ooh, sounds cool!!!

what would you like me to draw? (seeing as I should have about 3 or 4 hours to work with later tonight...)
because there are an infinite number of alternate realities, withen them an infinite ammount of infinite things are possible... infinitly.

two samples of my artwork
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/zaraquexon/img016-1.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/zaraquexon/img018.jpg

<embed width="384" height="206" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" src="http://www.spore.com/flash/csa_widget.swf?userid=2263016807&username=zaraquex&host=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spore.com%2Fview%2Fuser-thumbnail" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" scale="showall" name="latest-creatures" /></embed>
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KayKay
Adult
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Suggestion for a family (or niche, I guess many families could take on a similar lifestyle,).

What about a parasitic animal with a motile larval stage and a sessile mature stage? It would hatch from eggs drifting in the sea and would survive on a limmited resource of energy from its egg (much like egg-laying amniotes having yolk in their stomachs after hatching). It would swim around looking for a host. Not sure about sensory input here, I was hoping these animals could be very small and simple so they might not have very complex senses or processing of sensory input, nor would bit be able to cross very large areas of water. Therefore they could produce many eggs so that some may survive, perhaps only few can actually find a host during their motile stage.

Once they find a host they embed themselves into it. Some might have adaptations for different kind of hosts. Some might secrete substances to break down calcite, while others would be equipped with sharp cutting parts to pierce fleshy animals like worms.

The interesting part of this animal is its incubation stage. When they embed themselves they immediately begin to feed on the flesh immediately below the wound. Dormant stem cells in its body begin to rapidly divide. They also begin to secrete the same antigens as their host (would need to somehow be able to incorporate the specific part of its host's DNA that produces the antigen, or perhaps develop the ability of reverse-engineering). These cells begin to replace the cells in the rest of its body, differentiate and form a whole new life form - the original parasite it grew from dies as it is attacked by the host's immune system.

The new life form begins to link itself up to its host's life resources (for example stomach or blood vessels). It grows and matures. It then produces diploid eggs that are exact genetic copies of their parent (except for errors). Then the cycle begins again.

I understand if it sounds a bit too far-fetched. But It was fun to think up. ;P
Edited by KayKay, Jan 18 2009, 03:14 PM.
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Viridian
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@Zypher: You could submit concepts for up to three of the "Unclaimed" concepts and PM them to me. Once I have recieved everyone's subissions I'll choose the ones I like best and post them together in the main thread.

@Kaykay: Sounds interesting... Perhaps you could draw this creature and PM it to me? Also feel free to draw up to three others (As above).

@Canis Lupis: Yeah, I can't see any reason why you couldn't. I'll be setting up a submissions thread once we get under way, so that anyone who has shown interest will be able to submit their organisms.
Edited by Viridian, Jan 18 2009, 03:51 PM.
Out of nowhere, you are attacked by a snarling, biting mass of felt shaped like a raccoon! This is the single angriest puppet you’ve ever seen, and it’s not cookies that it wants to eat…
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zypher
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Adolescent
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ok, I'll try to make some drifting feeders and worm analogues!

those are unclaimed, right? :confused:

anyway, the drifting feeders will definatly be fun to draw!
because there are an infinite number of alternate realities, withen them an infinite ammount of infinite things are possible... infinitly.

two samples of my artwork
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/zaraquexon/img016-1.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/zaraquexon/img018.jpg

<embed width="384" height="206" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" src="http://www.spore.com/flash/csa_widget.swf?userid=2263016807&username=zaraquex&host=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spore.com%2Fview%2Fuser-thumbnail" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" scale="showall" name="latest-creatures" /></embed>
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Rodlox
Superhuman
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Viridian
Jan 18 2009, 05:47 AM

Fixed feeders - Primitive "Anemone" type creatures - Unclaimed


Slowmoving scavengers - Primitive "Starfish"or "Urchin" type animals (Not necessarily hard-shelled, some species might eat algal slime.)- Unclaimed


@Rodlox: That'd be great! Are there any samples of your work you could PM to me?



could I volunteer for the slow-moving scavengers (the urchin-type things)...if those are claimed, the anemone-like ones would be fine.


my work is at DA.


what about chemovores? (like Riftia)
.---------------------------------------------.
Parts of the Cluster Worlds:
"Marsupialless Australia" (what-if) & "Out on a Branch" (future evolution) & "The Earth under a still sun" (WIP)
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KayKay
Adult
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Ok, I'll start drawing these creatures. Won't be done by tonight I'll see what I can do tomorrow.
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