Questions tagged [anatomy]
For questions about the physical structure of an organism.
8
votes
4answers
146 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
67 views
Silently killing someone [on hold]
How does one kill a person in the most silent possible way without using poisons and guns?
The victim is a friendly approached by the main character and killed in a pubblic but hidden place, how ...
2
votes
1answer
117 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
128 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 ...
7
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 ...
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
130 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
141 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
129 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
228 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 ...
0
votes
4answers
300 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 ...
5
votes
3answers
144 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 ...
23
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
152 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
163 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
252 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
159 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
333 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
611 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
150 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
587 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
253 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
177 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 ...
37
votes
23answers
12k 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
309 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
125 views
Hive Minds - Part 1: Genesis
EDIT: As suggested by L.Dutch, I turned the original post into a series of its own.
Some Context
A "Hive Mind" is an aggressive type of shared consciousness (for more information on shared ...
2
votes
3answers
148 views
Shared Consciousnesses - Part 1: Genesis
EDIT: As suggested by L.Dutch, I turned the original post into a series of its own.
Some Context
Though the name "Shared Consciousness" is pretty self explanatory to me, the best I can do to ...
8
votes
10answers
3k views
Cryomancer, combat style
Cryomancy is cool, ice is cool and ice mages too. But does it actually hold any utility other than keeping your food fresh, specially martially wise(?)
How could an individual with ice magic powers ...
6
votes
2answers
252 views
Giant shoulders
Many fictional characters,specially in the anime art have shoulders bigger than any other upper body muscle. Normally the obliques,chest and latissimus dorsi are the biggest muscles in the upper body ...
3
votes
3answers
195 views
What happens to the human body when hit by a magic lightning and a frozen arrow at the same time? [closed]
What happens to the human body when hit by a magic lightning and a frozen arrow at the same time? The lightning power is strong enough to shock but not to kill.
The point where the ''combined spell''...
3
votes
1answer
247 views
How do I explain the compound eyes of my creatures?
Previous to this question, I made a post regarding many questions about the biology of the creature I had been designing. Looking back on it, I realized that I asked a LOT of questions for just one ...
3
votes
1answer
427 views
How to maximize cancer growth? [closed]
Given the modern knowledge of human anatomy and biology what are the things one must hypothetically do in order to maximize human colorectal cancer proliferation?
7
votes
4answers
456 views
Would carbon fiber be a good choice to strengthen human bones, and how would that work?
Background
Hi all, I'm revisiting my musings on plausibly strengthening the human skeleton to better withstand the stresses of combat, melee in particular. If y'all don't care about background, skip ...
5
votes
4answers
234 views
Can land-living endotherms exist without hair, feathers, scales etc.?
Aliens are very rarely portrayed as being furry, at least in proper xenobiology worldbuilding. They're virtually never depicted with feathers, and only sometimes with scales.
Currently, there are ...
6
votes
2answers
119 views
Feasibility of Bipedal Chelonians
I'm creating a creature that possesses an outwardly Chelonian-like appearance. However, the creature is bipedal. Specifically, the creature possesses upright, pillar-like hind limbs, as well as a ...
48
votes
11answers
15k views
Given immortality can animals become intelligent?
The animal in question starts off with reptile like intelligence, classic gecko and is a singularity, the only individual of his species to be immortal.
It can die and be killed but for the sake of ...
4
votes
4answers
307 views
Evolution of polymorphism
What are the cost and restrictions or benefits of a creature being able to slowly morph from an animal to another while retaining memories?
The creature morphs to giant eagle then morphs into fish ...
6
votes
6answers
338 views
What would be the physique of a damage immune teenager?
I have this protagonist who has has the ability to magically nullify newtons of force when they would harm him. Functionally speaking, this makes the character immune from most forms of damage, both ...
5
votes
2answers
165 views
What would the size constraints on my creature be?
Context
This creature right here is one of the decedents of placoderms that that transitioned from rivers to land. The got onto land during the Middle Devonian and remained isolated from all other ...
6
votes
5answers
398 views
Why would a biped evolve into a monoped?
Say that you have a medium-sized, bipedal, vertebrate-like creature. It no longer has the need to have arms, so they atrophied until they disappeared entirely.
Now imagine an animal that shares ...
17
votes
9answers
4k views
How does a mimic move?
Alright, so take your basic (not DnD or any other universe specific) mimic: an unassuming treasure chest that turns out to secretly be a monster as soon as you open it. This particular creature is one ...
3
votes
2answers
158 views
How many shots would it take to sever a limb? [closed]
Modern (or near future, 10-20 years) setting. Mostly regular humans. Regular firearms.
The scene goes like this: the Big Bad Villain of the story fought the Big Good Hero in hand-to-hand combat and ...
13
votes
2answers
276 views
What would a hexapodal skeleton look like?
Having looked at some of the questions regarding creatures with more than four limbs, I've found some useful info, like the idea that additional limbs increase stability while requiring more brain ...
3
votes
2answers
114 views
Secondarily Plantigrade Limbs
So, this came about when I was attempting to construct create a unified Kaiju universe, and wondering about a hypothetical evolutionary path of Godzilla. However, I figured that it could also open up ...
3
votes
5answers
402 views
Avian Crocodylomorph
Today, dinosaurs, alligators, crocodiles, gharials and caimen are all that remains of a special group of reptiles called the archosaurs. Recently, it has been accepted by the public that birds did ...
9
votes
3answers
365 views
Asymmetrical Limbs
So, I've been designing an alien species, actually a redesign of something from childhood. However, I've recently come into an issue with its limbs.
The creature possesses two arms. The right arm is ...
-2
votes
3answers
126 views
If a human's lungs stretched to the lower abdomen, what would it feel like? [closed]
I was considering a human-like race of aliens, where their lungs are huge. Their lungs would reach to the lower abdomen. Due to the science-magic of the setting, they can survive just fine with ...
8
votes
2answers
241 views
What type of acid could burn through skin and any type of metal?
This is my first time using this site and i'm excited to get answers to roadblocks that have prevented me from finishing my writing in the past. However, you may have to excuse some mistakes I make ...
58
votes
12answers
7k views
Justifying why a troll's skin would turn to stone in sunlight
It's a fairly common legend that trolls turn to stone when exposed to daylight, and I was thinking about using such a creature in a story. I'm searching for a plausible way of justifying such a ...
13
votes
5answers
2k views
Plausibility Check: Armored Birds
How plausible, or implausible, would it be for a lineage of birds' feathers to evolve into sharp, hardened plate-like scale armor (and/or blades), comparable to that of pangolins? And if it is ...
