Questions tagged [anatomy]
For questions about the physical structure of an organism.
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4answers
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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
64 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
324 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
89 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
234 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
132 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 ...
11
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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 ...
141
votes
7answers
14k 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
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6answers
240 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
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4answers
187 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
158 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
167 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 ...
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3answers
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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
3k 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
158 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
186 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
138 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
276 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
310 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
183 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 ...
24
votes
12answers
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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
163 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
182 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
263 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
165 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
343 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
614 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
165 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
601 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
291 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
203 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 ...
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votes
23answers
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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
360 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
138 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 ...
3
votes
3answers
158 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
261 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
201 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
300 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
431 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
528 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
250 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
122 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 ...
49
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
318 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
390 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
187 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
419 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
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9answers
5k 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 ...
