| 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! |
| The Moon, Pandora, from the film "Avatar" | |
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| Topic Started: Dec 20 2009, 02:13 PM (8,070 Views) | |
| Yorick | Dec 20 2009, 02:13 PM Post #1 |
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Adult
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I took someone's suggestion and created another topic to speculate on the moon's inhabitants' evolution. So...speculate! |
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"I believe, that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...stranger" -The Dark Knight (2008) | |
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| Holben | Jan 3 2010, 08:06 AM Post #121 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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Yeah, my dog is easily connected with, but some people are different- humancentric people. And feli- or cani-phobics. Armour piercing is a bit of a waste vs. scales. |
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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." | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 3 2010, 08:42 AM Post #122 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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I think it's time for a FULL LIST OF KNOWN PANDORAN FAUNA Flyers (Supposedly related) Banshee - dragon-like carnivore, subspecies in mountains and rainforest Leonopteryx - like an oversized Banshee, but with bright blue vertical head crest Stingbat - miniature Banshee, with long, poisonous tail-barb Tetrapteron - beaked animal with two tails, subspecies found in swamp and rainforest Herbivores (Supposedly related) Hammerhead Titanothere - huge browser, similar in behavior to Terran Rhinoceras. Herd animal Sturmbeest - plains dwelling herd beast Hexapede - gazelle-like creature, with twin membranes on head, used for display Carnivores (Supposedly related) Thanator - mighty, lion-like apex predator. Subspecies in rainforest and sub-arctic biomes Viperwolf - pack hunting, highly intelligent carnivores. Subspecies in rainforest, savannah and sub-arctic habitats Other Direhorse - nectar drinking, horse-like animal. Possibly forms herds Fan Lizard - lizard-like creature, with large, circular flap of brightly coloured skin, used to escape predation Slinger - bizarre predator, whose body is the adult and whose head is the infant Dinicthoid - highly aggressive, bottom-dwelling fish. Hunts like Terran crocodiles, dragging prey underwater Invertebrates Hellfire Wasp - swarming, wasp-like insect. Two stingers, agonizing venom Teylu - larval stage of centipede-like invertebrate. Highly nutritious Arachnoid - scorpion-like animal, six-legs, two stingers Glow Worms - large, bioluminescent worms. Feed off decaying plant material Medusa-Aerocoelenterates - massive floating jellyfish, uses tentacles to capture prey Anemenoid - lifeforms that float on the surface of the water, uses tentacles to grab prey Simians Prolemuris - monkey/ lemur-like animal, highly sociable. Odd arm configuration Na'vi - sentient race |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| T.Neo | Jan 3 2010, 10:38 AM Post #123 |
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Translunar injection: TLI
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Different people like different things. If you don't like a dog-like or cat-like alien, tough. And seriously, how many people are "humancentric"? It's an alien, not a human, so by default it will look different. |
| A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork. | |
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| Oceaniis | Jan 3 2010, 01:26 PM Post #124 |
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Adolescent
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I think that Na'vis are in the midle between humans and animals, some of my friends didn't "linked" to Na'vis and say that they're too beasty... But others (most of them are my biology collegues) loved them, some even say that Na'vis are sexy and others would like to become one! Making them more animal like probably would make more people to dislike them... |
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| T.Neo | Jan 3 2010, 02:54 PM Post #125 |
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Translunar injection: TLI
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They're not. They're tall blue skinned humans with three fingers on each hand and a tail. You can't make a creature "more animal" btw. Only "less human". Humans already are animals.
Would figure, since the Na'vi (specifically Neytiri) were apparently designed to appeal to "male fantasies".
I'm honestly surprised there would be such a strong negative to realistic aliens in science fiction, especially in a community that is quite knowledgable on the subject of speculative evolution. |
| A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork. | |
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| TheCoon | Jan 3 2010, 02:58 PM Post #126 |
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Happy merry Jesusmas inhabitants of the Spec Forums!
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That's because of their feline characteristics. People known as Furries love anthropomorphic animals. They love them so much, that they often disguise like one of this creatures, or fantasise with them. |
Greetings young life form! Procyon Lotor at your service.
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 3 2010, 04:16 PM Post #127 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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I don't know if that's the case on this forum, I think the comment was talking about the general public. But, knowledge aside, humans are "programmed" to relate and care about other humans, or human look-alikes. That's probably why they made the queue look like a braid of hair. |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| Holben | Jan 3 2010, 04:17 PM Post #128 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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I don't have anything against Humanoids except probability and their ubiquitousness in sci-fi. I just would like to see a little more randomness and imagination. |
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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." | |
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| Oceaniis | Jan 3 2010, 04:41 PM Post #129 |
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Adolescent
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I was referring to the Na'vi's design not to their biology. If you make a realistic alien a good part of the people would not like to see an avatar (which have a person controlling) falling in love with it, or ending victorious in a war against people.. I heard people saying that didn't like to be the aliens winning the battle, most people aren't worried with animals or the rest of Nature, as you know... those took the side of humans in the film.. "they're just trees" "those salvages are threating the hole operation" people in the real world say these phrases too.. Furies or people that don't have problems in feel connected to a no human life form are just a small part of the public, and J. Cameron wanted to make a movie for everyone like it, Na'vis couldn't be realistic aliens Edited by Oceaniis, Jan 3 2010, 04:43 PM.
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| Canis Lupis | Jan 3 2010, 04:58 PM Post #130 |
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Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.
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And he did create the prolemurids to sort of explain their humanness. The braid of nerve hair, I'd imagine, is for extra protection. The one problem I have with the Na'vi is really their eyes. The 'vertebrate' animals (the hexapods (aka the animals shown in the film)) all have two pairs of eyes. The Na'vi only have one. The prolemurids don't seem to be merging their eyes. Plus, the Na'vi, an arboreal species, would benefit from a second pair. Why lose one pair of eyes? |
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| Yorick | Jan 3 2010, 06:05 PM Post #131 |
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Adult
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Trust me. We wouldn't be able to relate to a non-humanoid being. That's why so many writers create humanoid aliens ie. head on a body with two arms and two legs.
See. You just proved my point. You used the word 'humanoid.' If the Prawns were more different, audiences would not have cared as much of their plight. |
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"I believe, that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you...stranger" -The Dark Knight (2008) | |
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| T.Neo | Jan 4 2010, 08:48 AM Post #132 |
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Translunar injection: TLI
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Indeed, falling in love with an alien is kinda creepy (it's essentially beastiality). I think from a control point of view, it wouldn't make sense to have a human controlling an alien body, but only marginally less sense then a human controlling a Na'vi. ![]() The "winning against people" thing is fine, as long as you make the humans really, really bad people. ![]()
That simply isn't the case, as people around the world do it all the time.
Yes, because the Prawns were humanoid. They were erect bipeds, with two arms, two legs and a definitive "head" (apart from the vestigial arms). I used "humanoid" in the sense of the general bodyplan, not "looking like a human", which the Na'vi do. If it comes to requiring a humanoid "bodyplan", at least be a bit more creative and original (as Holbenilord said). Edited by T.Neo, Jan 4 2010, 08:48 AM.
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| A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork. | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 4 2010, 09:25 AM Post #133 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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Should we? |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| T.Neo | Jan 4 2010, 09:28 AM Post #134 |
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Translunar injection: TLI
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Why not? You get fan art, fan fiction... why not fan creatures?
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| A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork. | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 4 2010, 02:43 PM Post #135 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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I'll start a different thread on the subject - this thread can remain for debate over the Na'vi. |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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9:33 AM Jul 11