Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
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.

While unregistered users are able to browse the forum on a basic level, registering an account provides additional forum access not visible to guests as well as the ability to join in discussions and contribute yourself! Registration is free and instantaneous.

Join our community today!

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Alien Anatomy, Species, & Genetics
Topic Started: Sep 5 2009, 06:04 PM (1,868 Views)
Giant Blue Anteater
Member Avatar
Prime Specimen
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *




I was insulted by the blatant biological errors in the second video. He was trying to disprove the mythological "lizard men" (which is true that they are complete nonsense), but his evidence against them was really dodgy. He says that non-avian dinosaurs lived for 300 million years, when a quick fact check says otherwise. Reptiles may have been around for over 300 million years, but hello, non-avian dinosaurs only lived for 165 or so million years! He then mentions that there is no evidence for dinosaurs becoming sapient. Of course there isn't! But does that mean it isn't possible? Of course not! Ironically, in both of the videos, he shows a picture of three dinosauroids (Russel's, McLoughlin's, and Ramjet's), and here he dismisses the possibility of sapience in dinosaurs only because they are reptiles. Then he mentions the dinosaurs becoming extinct and stating that modern mammals evolved from RODENTS (anyone who has actually studied the history of life on Earth knows this is wrong, as a rodent isn't just any small mammal). He then states that if humans (a single genus) took a "couple thousand years" to develop advanced technology, what does that say about 300 million years of dinosaur (read:reptiles, a whole class of animals) evolution, then... it just gets frustrating how he set up this biological strawman.
Edited by Giant Blue Anteater, Sep 5 2009, 08:41 PM.
Ichthyostega

Posted Image

cdk007
 
Intelligence is awareness of ignorance. Stupidity is ignorance of ignorance. Think about it.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Replies:
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Plants that eat them selves is silly but what if the are necter eaters as well as Photosynthesisers creating sugers and storing them in their middle and then eating their middle organ when it needs food?

Also the magnifing glass flying animal was also cool though hard to evolve in my mind.

Also I was more inspired by their looks then their abillities in most cases most of which look like Cambrian survivers.
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

The magnifiers could have a middle phase where it acts like an 'eye' to focus vision onto prey.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
TWLM
Nov 11 2009, 01:55 PM
The magnifiers could have a middle phase where it acts like an 'eye' to focus vision onto prey.
That is a good point it could start as an eye though I still think it is a little weird.
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Canis Lupis
Member Avatar
Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.

It could evolve as a silicon-like lens, then it just evolve to focus light like a mignifying glass.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Also I found this on devart by whalewithlegs.

http://whalewithlegs.deviantart.com/art/B5b-Roussa-139833028

It has a really interesting story setting and origin for the lifeforms which is very inspirational plus that art is only part of a series(I showed this one becouse of all the info it contained) which has some awsome ideas(2 of which Thomastapir has made versions of).

Also a silicon lense is also possible for that flying creature from the previous link.

And if any of you watch Sagan 4 they also have the mars video so watch out for future creatures inspired by (dramatic pause then voice) Disney spec Mars!!!
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

I'm not really looking forward to that.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Why/What are you not looking forward too?

Are you talking about Sagan 4 getting ideas from it or something else I'm not grasping?
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

Disney spec mars, but i'm plain weird and i'm not surprised you don't understand these tiny posts which say relatively nothing.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Ànraich
Member Avatar
L'évolution Spéculative est moi

TWLM
Nov 10 2009, 02:20 PM
Isn't eating themselves a bit of a silly idea though?
So is developing weak, hollow bones, but look how well that's worked out for birds. I imagine it's a bit like fat in other animals; when the plant is in a period where materials for making food are poor, it eats parts of itself to gain energy and probably goes into hibernation, slowing it's metabolism so that the energy from eating itself lasts until food is plentiful again.
We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar.

"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

Tree That Owns Itself
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

Well, birds' bones are weak but not brittle, so they won't get easily damaged.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
I don't think hollow bones are even comparable to suicidal canabilism.
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

Plants can't think, they don't care.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
True but they might think if they move like in the video.
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

Plants couldn't think. No brain, no nerves, not even a collective communication unit.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ATEK Azul
Member Avatar
Transhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Well these are aliens and they might need nerves for mucles inorder to eat itself like in the video leading to a brain.
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · The Habitable Zone · Next Topic »
Add Reply