Questions tagged [anatomy]
For questions about the physical structure of an organism.
199
questions
2
votes
2answers
85 views
How to inflict as much pain as possible with the injection of a syringe? [on hold]
A character of mine is supposed to be tortured to death. Most of the pain will be inflicted by nanotechnology injected into her, however the guy injecting her is a real sadist and likes the personal ...
3
votes
1answer
160 views
Could Humans Evolve to be Digitigrade?
Assuming humans remained hunter-gatherers, would it be anatomically possible for us to evolve digitigrade legs? Or, is our anatomy too specialized and are we stuck the way we are?
I am not asking ...
6
votes
2answers
126 views
Would it be possible for my fantasy creature to have black blood?
A friend of mine has a race of creatures in her headworld and has been wondering about a biological answer to justify the color of her race's blood even though magic is a bit sprinkled in there.
One ...
9
votes
4answers
175 views
How would a quadruped walk with one limb longer than the rest?
I have a (digitigrade) quadrupedal alien creature with one of it's front limbs having a longer metatarsals, I'm trying to visualise how it would walk with this deformity for an animation.
I'm having ...
0
votes
1answer
147 views
Dodging bullets [duplicate]
We all know dodging bullets is impossible but how bout a person with super vision or just decent vision, seeing exactly when the person pulling the trigger predicts where the bullets gonna go and ...
4
votes
1answer
146 views
Could a living tube kite creature evolve/ exist?
On Deviantart I found a sketch of this creature:
It's called a "flying tube beetle" or more often a "flying lampshade". Think of it like a living tube kite that makes its own tether and catches what ...
6
votes
4answers
178 views
Visible light from the brain
I'm building a magic system where magic isn't just controlled by human brains, but is actively produced there. As a byproduct, when casting a spell, the brain generates a large quantity of visible ...
35
votes
6answers
8k views
How many years before enough atoms of your body are replaced to survive the sudden disappearance of the original body’s atoms?
A magician summons a person to the material world to be their servant. Their body is not made from true atoms per se, but is some kind of force projection.
In most ways though, they act as a person ...
25
votes
8answers
6k views
Would this winged human/angel be able to fly?
I take no credit for the image below. All artwork and information belongs to Blue-Hearts on DeviantArt:
(click on image for a higher resolution)
I'm personally very impressed at her level of detail ...
5
votes
2answers
208 views
Humanity with the Ears of a Fox--What Differs as a Result?
In this question, we're looking at a humanity that has adapted one of the most conspicuous ways of keeping cool--larger ears. Desert animals usually have larger ears to have more room for blood ...
25
votes
8answers
4k views
Where to place an artificial gland in the human body?
An artificial endocrine gland is cultured in the lab and is to be inserted in a person. This gland functions by secreting special substances in the blood stream.
It needs to be placed in a position ...
6
votes
5answers
470 views
The Giant Roc and Pulse Jet propulsion
I am currently in the process of making a world, and am trying to ground it in scientific fact as much as possible. The world is a hard magic setting, and while fantastical creatures exist, they are ...
2
votes
2answers
111 views
Segmented Endoskeleton
I have a primarily marine creature that needs to be able to move around effectively outside of water yet still be extremely flexible. My idea is having an anatomy based largely on bony disks similar ...
2
votes
2answers
261 views
Anatomically Correct Ego Sword
I'm reading a comic set in a really unique fantasy game. One of the creatures that really caught my attention were a type of slime/sword called ego sword. In their normal form they're a blob but can ...
9
votes
7answers
2k views
Hygienic footwear for prehensile feet?
Prehensile hands have the advantage of not having to constantly touch anything they don't have to - with the exception of things like doorknobs.
Feet don't have that luxury, and so in a sense will ...
8
votes
1answer
169 views
Developing a scientifically accurate species of dragon-like humanoids
I'm trying to figure out a way to make this species as I envision it while still maintaining scientific realism. I want to get it as close to "yes, this could exist in the real universe" as possible. ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
If quadruped mammals evolve to become bipedal will their breast or nipple change position?
As the title says, you know stuff like minotaur, lycanth or werewolf, cat or dog folk, etc especially for the female specimens.
I want to know what happen if quadrupedal mammals which usually have ...
3
votes
1answer
289 views
How long to recover from muscle atrophy?
For context, I'm currently working on a short story series centered on a young man living in a dystopian America. This U.S. government keeps its 'undesirables' in medically-induced comas (long story ...
3
votes
3answers
347 views
Could a person replace half of their body with gold and still live? What technology would be needed in order to be successful?
My character is male and eighteen years of age. He has no health issues.
'Gold' can be replaced with any type of metal - silver, bronze, steel, iron, it doesn't really matter to me. The ideal type ...
8
votes
1answer
105 views
Rib size to body size conversion
In lots of barren, deserted or otherwise destroyed landscapes, there are bones of long dead animals to be found. Sometimes, it's a skull, sometimes, these are rib-cages, or ribs alone.
And ...
7
votes
3answers
345 views
After the head, what part of the body is most vulnerable to blunt force trauma?
I'm in the process of re-evaluating what weapons my superhuman characters would find useful when fighting each other, and something recently occurred to me regarding blunt weapons like hammers, maces, ...
9
votes
2answers
161 views
Anatomy of a walking octopoid
I have some alien creatures which are essentially land-going octopoids somewhat larger than humans. Tentacles not being a good form of propulsion on land, they have rudimentary 'legs' with one bone ...
12
votes
5answers
3k views
Plausibility of squid whales
I am considering the possibility of having massive cephalopods evolving on my world and having them fill the niche of whales.
I've heard about how whales have evolved to increase in size for the ...
147
votes
7answers
15k views
Anatomically Correct Strange Women In Ponds Distributing Swords
Chaos plagues the land. In the West, the King in Orange blusters and bloviates endlessly in barely comprehensible gibberish. Perhaps he is attempting to call forth the Elder Gods? In the East, the ...
10
votes
6answers
290 views
Reality Check: Plausibility of a new kind of sentient alien race: Split prehensile tail, quadrupedal, very floofy!
In building an sentient alien that is unique among the sea of humanoids, I aspire to explore quadrupeds. For a quick visual reference, this is what I have:
proportions are definitely off, but in ...
8
votes
4answers
216 views
Retractable Tusks?
Is there a way to make retractable tusks anatomically plausible in a creature design without relying on an articulated bone structure? Basically, relying fully on musculature instead of articulation ...
2
votes
1answer
183 views
Anatomically correct Triceraton
The Triceratons are a imperialistic race of, well, space triceratops' from TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). From what I can gather they breathe nitrogen and judging by their build come from a high ...
4
votes
3answers
183 views
Performance enhancing drugs (mostly realistic)
I have a character in my story who is immortal and heals very quickly (think Wolverine). Ignoring physical side effects (but keeping in mind psychological ones) what sorts of drugs could he take to ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it theoretically possible for the human body to not defecate?
Assume that I have some way to introduce nutrients into the body of a healthy human but I do not have any method of changing their biology. No surgical procedures nor special "drugs" that would affect ...
20
votes
7answers
4k views
Anatomically Correct Vampire Teeth; Location, location, location
In pop culture Vampire teeth are often assumed/shown to be just like human teeth except that they have fangs instead of canines. After spending way too much time in front of the mirror, making weird ...
26
votes
5answers
5k views
How big is my Giant?
The hero saves the captured giant, and as a reward, the giant presents the hero with a magic ring... However, the ring is made for giant fingers, so the hero decides to wear it as an armband instead.
...
3
votes
2answers
198 views
Anatomically correct Pushmi-pullu from Dr. Dolittle
Note - I'm primarily interested in the beast from the original Dr Dolittle books by Hugh Lofting rather than the movie version.
The Pushmi-pullyu
The pushmi-pullyu (pronounced "push-me—pull-you") ...
1
vote
3answers
291 views
Self selective breeding humans [closed]
Many dogs, as well as other animals, were bred to the point of becoming nothing but mere tools or toys.
For example, wolves certainly were already strong, fast, or intelligent creatures but some ...
5
votes
2answers
158 views
How would the anatomy of a metal-eating bug work out?
Background:
The creature is bug-like, and similar to an armadillo in size. Its diet consists of metal, and is found underground in large colonies. It uses the metal it ingests to:
Enhance it's shell ...
1
vote
2answers
350 views
A reverse centaur walks into a bar - Why the long face?
A centaur as we all know is a horse with a human head (and torso).
I would like to consider a reverse centaur, which, for the purposes of this question, I will define to be a human with a horse's ...
5
votes
5answers
416 views
The Galaxy has been colonised but why the big feet?
Far, far into the future, pretty much the entire Milky Way has been colonised by humans. The thing is that now the Empire has fallen, the technology of FTL travel has been lost in most places. Those ...
6
votes
3answers
213 views
What practical forms can a “branch-tailed” organism have?
So, I made the slight mistake of worldbuilding by starting off with just a planet's local sentient species and working from there.
This species, the Trillek, have a more or less theropod appearance ...
25
votes
12answers
8k views
How can a mortal woman successfully carry a demigod to term?
Demigods are special humans that are born partly divine. These individuals have been extremely rare throughout history, and always have various significant effects for the world around them, leading ...
5
votes
2answers
185 views
Would it possible for a creature to melt down rocks in its stomach and spit out lava?
Worldbuilding and biology have always been two huge passions of mine, especially when it comes to dragons. So well, at the moment I'm working on a little project in which I'm attempting to make ...
6
votes
2answers
215 views
How would a literal eye on the back of the head work?
So I've got a fantasy race of people with four arms. Their second pair is able to reach behind them like how our arms are able to reach in front of us, and so could work with things behind their backs ...
9
votes
3answers
292 views
Could humanoids without a skeleton be viable?
It's tempting to think that anything with the outer shape of a human would simply collapse in a heap if its skeleton were not there. That is surely true if the internal structure was the same as ours ...
3
votes
4answers
170 views
Designing the Scipmylo - The Low-jump
This is a follow-up to The running-backwards Olympics
The designer of the backwards Olympics (aka The Scipmylo) is making good progress but there are some difficulties with the Low-jump.
To be a ...
3
votes
4answers
365 views
One finger, one thumb, one arm, one leg, one nod of the head
One finger, one thumb, one arm, one leg, one nod of the head, sit
down, stand up, keep moving We'll all be merry and bright
https://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/o113.html
I want a creature that ...
9
votes
2answers
623 views
The running-backwards Olympics
In a future world that is obsessed by not repeating the so-called errors of their fathers, there is a backwards Olympics, or Scipmylo.
All the usual disciplines are featured in reverse where it is ...
0
votes
3answers
175 views
Could a creature have a separate pouch to hold food until it is needed?
I am developing a species that gives birth to live young after a very brief pregnancy. The infants are somewhat underdeveloped due to this fact. The harsh environment of the mountains means that those ...
5
votes
3answers
611 views
What kinds of metals will function as a blood base? [duplicate]
I've been working really hard for a while now on a race of creatures called Nordic mountain Valkyrie Dragons. They are large: around 7'ft tall, and 9'ft from nose to tail tip, and I'm trying to come ...
9
votes
2answers
379 views
Anatomically Correct Nekos
I am new at this site, but I've been creating a fantasy story for a while.
Now, I'm stuck. I would really like cat people (neko) in my story, but there is a problem! you can't just stick cat ears on ...
5
votes
3answers
217 views
Digestive System Within Limbs
This one might be a bit weird, but here it goes...
In designing the evolutionary history of my world, I've devised an evolutionary branch of animals adapting to terrestrial environments. Lacking rear ...
40
votes
23answers
13k views
Make slimes great again, but how?
Slimes are seen as merely base-level enemies which don't really challenge the heroic main character, the Chosen One.
My question is how to make slimes incredibly powerful without using magic. They ...
7
votes
5answers
417 views
Is it possible for a terrestrial creature to generate lightning?
Question Context:
I've been developing insect-looking bipeds that have evolved on a mostly jungle/ocean planet in addition to small, scattered grasslands. This is justified (from what I've read) by a ...
