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Kryptona; Life, seeing in X-Ray
Topic Started: Feb 24 2010, 06:51 PM (1,414 Views)
Pando
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This is my first exobiology project, but here it goes...

Life on this planet sees X-Ray (just something I've been thinking of recently). The planets inhabitants are quadrupeds with no jaws. Their bodies are also red so that UV isn't reflected but received for some extra energy (something like photosynthesis), and are covered in soft, flexible armor to protect against the X-Rays, endoskeleton, plus that's what allows them to see each other. They have no jaws, but the mouth area is closed and armored, with an open-able hole that can release it's proboscis to eat. The creatures can hear, see in X-Ray, smell, and feel, but can't taste as they have no tongue.

The planet has a similar atmosphere, gravity, size, and temperature to Earth. Because of that, humans only need a radiation suit to go in it, but no oxygen tanks.

I've got only 1 creature for it, and it's an order of bipedal predators with jointless finger-like claws and 2-4 jointed extendable claws on its head to kill. They also have 3 big spikes at the base of the head and small spikes running all along their "spines". They can go from 1 feet long to 30 feet long and be omnivores or carnivores. They are the apex predators on the planet.

There is a sentient species on the planet. It is one of those X-Racian theropods, 5 feet tall and 8 feet long, and omnivores. They have 3 digit-claws (one is a thumb) and 4 head claws (one at each corner). At the time humans discovered it, they had similar technology to today (which means no TV, Computers, or Light Bulbs as they would take more energy to emit X-Rays).

Also due to fact that they can survive X-rays means that any nearby gamma ray burst would be like a UV ray burst on Earth, would case a KT-like mass extinction but not reset life back to bacteria.

Is this planet plausible?
Edited by Pando, Feb 24 2010, 11:29 PM.
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Are you plausible?

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Krypton was also a planet where everything had X-ray vision.

Technically, Kryptonians didn't have X-ray vision until they left their red sun and came to our yellow sun... ;)

So how does x-ray vision influence your pterosauroid's lifestyle?
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Pando
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I doubt that would eat aquatic creatures as they would be unable to see the water line. But besides that they are just like any Kryptonian creature.
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Pando
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I have made a rabbit-like creature for Kryptona, it doesn't hop though. Also, withing the next few days I should have a sketch of Kryptona's sentient species head up on DeviantArt.
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I doubt that would eat aquatic creatures as they would be unable to see the water line.

So they see exclusively in the X-ray bandwidth, then? Water bends (and even reflects) rays of light, and if they can see or detect any light at all, they'd probably be able to figure out where the water line is as well as see right through it to life under the surface.

Which brings up another thought: camouflage. It's such a successful and common method of survival here on Earth, do the kryptonans (kryptotheres? kryptanimals?) have anything to shield them from the "penetrating" gaze of predators?

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I should have a sketch of Kryptona's sentient species head up on DeviantArt.

There are sentients? Do tell!
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yes, they see exclusively in X-Ray as their star emits only X-ray and a little Ultraviolet, so it was more useful for them to develop X-Ray sight.

They can only see in black and white, so I'm guessing they could just stay still with something of their color and hope they aren't noticed?

I didn't know that water reflects X-Ray. If it does then they can feed on aquatic animals.

I said about the sentients on the first post. They are part of the Kryptonian theropods.

I also completed a sketch of their entire body, so that should go up too.
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I didn't know that water reflects X-Ray. If it does then they can feed on aquatic animals.

It does, but only at a shallow angle. It's not like the flyer will see a reflection of itself below, but some sort of strange "sheen" or bright blurring (or however you would prefer to describe it) could be detected and instinctively connected with "water starts here!"

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I said about the sentients on the first post. They are part of the Kryptonian theropods.

I also completed a sketch of their entire body, so that should go up too.

Ah, I must have missed that (stupid schedule never lets me just sit down and read any more... :( ). Can't wait to see the picture!
Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus!

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I'm guessing that there could be some creatures with infrared sight, or limited ultraviolet sight. But most creatures have X-Ray sight. And I will post the Kryptonan theropod probably tomorrow. I'm not currently at my computer, and will not be until late tonight.
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Here is the kryptonian theropods:
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Edited by Pando, Mar 24 2010, 06:28 PM.
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What kind of plants could exist in Kryptona? If they had armor too would the herbivores need something to break it? I have no idea for the plants for Kryptona.
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TheCoon
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Probably with a hard cover but a soft inside. The hervivores would need to break the plants, and then absorb the softer center with the probocis.
Greetings young life form! Procyon Lotor at your service.

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I was thinking that the herbivores could have tusk-like things to break the armor, the they suck the juicy insides of the plants.
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This think of armor-breaking can lead to some interesting adaptations. Maybe a colony of tiny animals that "dig" into the plant to reach the juicy armor. Tusks in shape of hammers and axes. Maybe some specialised creatures that can actually feed off the armor, not only the soft center.
Greetings young life form! Procyon Lotor at your service.

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Those are some good ideas. The armor isn't that hard though, it's just thick enough for the X-rays not to penetrate the flesh.
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Holben
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Rumbo a la Victoria

IU assume they'd be stealth critters, like the transparent shrimp we have here. If the X-rays go through them, and they DNA is shielded by a silcon-based mineral, they could just let X-rays sink straight through.
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.

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actually, the armor reflects X-Ray. And for the roles of producers in the oceans, there could be colonial plankton that form 1 armor that absorbs x-ray instead of bouncing it off, and gets energy.
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