Questions tagged [creature-design]
For questions regarding the viability of a life-form design. These questions should focus on biologically plausible creatures.
1,400
questions
2
votes
0answers
74 views
Large flying creature on super earth?
I am working on a habitable planet that orbits around a red dwarf star and it is about 1.5 times bigger and more massive than the Earth. Gravity there is stronger and the atmosphere is thicker.
Now, ...
0
votes
0answers
30 views
What creatures/monsters in games/movies have retractable claws? [on hold]
I am thinking of ideas about creatures and monsters which have retractable claws for combat. The style of retractable can be either like Wolverine who has his claws hid inside his hands or like the ...
4
votes
2answers
136 views
Anatomically Correct Ettin
I'm fairly certain such a creature is impossible, but I was curious to see if anyone could come up with an explanation for such a creature. How would a two-headed giant evolve/function if it was a ...
2
votes
4answers
160 views
Why would a creature only have feathers on its back?
I have a new creature from my complex remembered dreams.
It's skin color is a dark color similar to the skin of a Silkie chicken. The thing I saw in the dream also has white feathers.
It's body is ...
2
votes
2answers
80 views
Can Owl Ears Instead of Echolocation Guarantee Life in Cave Colonies?
In an alternate Earth, there are no bats. Instead, there are "flying monkeys" (which are actually lemuriform primates, rather like bushbabies or lorises.) And even though they have batlike ears, ...
5
votes
1answer
65 views
Would height and arms length affect the power and effectivness of a longbow like weapon?
My race has evolved in huge flat plains that offered little camouflage (hiding), with the animals having some sort of super-vision much better than an eagle (with no natural predators as the lands ...
6
votes
5answers
140 views
What different biological aspects would facilitate an elite race of warrior aliens?
A bit of backstory: I'm attempting to create a militaristic alien race composed of elite warriors capable of conquering the galaxy. They posses a variety of "enhanced" abilities such as immense ...
4
votes
2answers
123 views
Humans plus Hemocyanin
How would human appearance be different from what it is now if our circulatory system used Hemocyanin for oxygen transport instead of Hemoglobin?
Limitations, restrictions, additional details, etc. :
...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
What would be the wingspan and lifting surface area for a 5kg canard-configuration squid glider?
I need my jet-propelled squid to be an efficient glider, something similar to an albatross but he's built in the canard configuration like a real flying squid (below).
His combined weight is 5 kg
He ...
4
votes
4answers
223 views
How to Justify the Enfield's Long Claws
Here is Carolina Lang's interpretation of one of Britain's heraldic beasts, the enfield:
For anyone not familiar with the creature, here's A Book of Creatures' basic description of it:
It has the ...
3
votes
2answers
96 views
How much energy could be stored in an average human body using electric organs?
I have been playing with the ideas of electricity generating/attacks for my characters using either electric organs similar to electric eels or some sort of bio battery using bacteria that produce ...
5
votes
4answers
243 views
What would make a bigger animal be able to fight effectively against humans with firearms
Basically, I have a creature that is larger than an average human, and smaller than a bigger shire horse. So, size is adjustable. The bodyplan is similar to that of a horse, except for a longer neck ...
6
votes
2answers
92 views
Help cooling living H$_2$ fueled pulse jet engine
A squid-like organism uses gravity powered flight but relies on jet propulsion for launch, pouncing, and evasive tactics.
It’s aerodynamically based on the way a true squid flies however it has ...
3
votes
4answers
119 views
How to make a viable aquatic mount
Just as in the real world where horses were tamed to travel long distances quickly across land, would it be realistic for an animal to be tamed and used as an aquatic mount for quick transport around ...
7
votes
4answers
183 views
Dragon fire As Powerful As Possible
So we have seen questions stating or asking how a dragon could breathe fire. Although, I want to know what substance would make it as powerful as dragon fire could be. I envisioned a biological napalm ...
5
votes
2answers
91 views
How can compressed air jet from a characters hands?
I was wondering if there is a way to have a person with added organs and systems to be able to shoot jets of compressed air out of their body without them needing a giant gas bag or massive lungs?
...
5
votes
3answers
110 views
Anatomically Correct Propellers
NOTE: I previously asked the same question regarding wheels, because I thought that the answers would still help me and that wheels were more applicable to a wider audience than propellers. However, I ...
4
votes
1answer
142 views
All my species have their languages based on the same few words. How do I keep them from inventing more words through combining existing ones?
What I want this system for:
Language wouldn't be 'the one cool thing' only intelligent creatures have and
all cultures would be as far/as close from understanding each other
as from understanding ...
2
votes
4answers
211 views
Bioengineering the ultimate predator [closed]
Bioengeneering the ultimate hybrid predator
Much like the Indominus Rex from Jurassic World I seek to create the ultimate killing machine. However these hybrids that we often see in science-fiction ...
6
votes
1answer
94 views
How could a scientifically plausible Rust Monster quickly erode iron-based metal objects?
Rust Monsters are one the few original monsters in D&D that didn't fade into obscurity. Probably because of their ability to turn James' favourite metal items into dust.
Rust monsters are ...
1
vote
4answers
214 views
Anatomically Correct City-leveling monster
In many fantasy stories, dragons are portrayed as giantic monsters that can destroy cities, if not, then at least a castle.
Now, we can theoretically create something flight-capable even with masses ...
7
votes
1answer
130 views
Can a horse-sized flying creature grab and carry a human's weight while flying?
As you know, mythical animals like the gryphon, dragon, wyvern, roc, etc can carry things as they fly.
For a big creature to fly, it either needs to massively increase the spread of their wings or ...
8
votes
2answers
136 views
Could an electroreceptor organ work above water?
Could a species with an incredibly advanced electroreceptive organ (such as that of a shark) be able to use it above water? The gas-mix in which the sense works must be breathable to humans, and it ...
2
votes
5answers
309 views
How were racial differences treated in pre-modern civilizations?
So, I have a setting where there are three different races: Elves, Humans, and Dwarves.
Humans are the same as normal humans, Elves are weaker and shorter, and have pointy ears.
Finally, Dwarves are ...
9
votes
1answer
83 views
Anatomically Correct Dancing Brooms
Consider the following GIF:
The brooms from this Fantasia scene are always busy. They dance around energetically in a military-like march, never stopping to rest. When their wizard overlord is on ...
4
votes
1answer
80 views
is it possible for biological creature to spew/breath explosion instead?
i want to make my dragon spew/breath explosion mix with the gizzard stone fragments/shrapnel rather than common fire breath like a flamethrower but more like a shotgun.
so is there any explosion ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
Could this organism be viable?
I was wondering how the species described below could survive in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate zones and in mountains, forests, wetlands, deserts, open plains, rainforests and coastal ...
12
votes
8answers
2k views
Dragons have an armor that is similar to that of sungazer lizards. Why would the dragons have the spikes as well?
A Smaug giganteus. If you do as much as think about slaying it, I'll force feed you gasoline and shove a match down your throat.
Sungazers are awesome. They're so awesome I decided to base some parts ...
5
votes
3answers
107 views
Type of feet for large creature in shallow freshwater
A quadruped creature, similar in size to a small cow has found its niche in shallow freshwaters in a tropical climate.
What type of feet would be suitable for this environment?
I speculate that the ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
What adaptations would be advantageous given a regular, but extreme variation in climate?
In a fantasy world I am constructing, a planet goes through regular, but extreme temperature cycling. Roughly every 500 years, the planet begins to heat or cool, dependent on its current temperature. ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
is it biologically possible for a creature that can be compatible to reproduce with any creature?
just as the title, my question is can it possible for a creature that can reproduce with any/all creature despite it was different species/family? (not the alien xenomorph or parasite one/way but real ...
5
votes
5answers
130 views
Environmental factors that would result in my fantasy creature's traits and appearance
Have this hoofed biped with pale nearly furless skin with a bit of thick blubberyness. I imagine a bit like some of our sea mammals. Green blood can be seen somewhat through the skin. Around human ...
2
votes
1answer
81 views
Convergent Evolution of Polycephalic (Multi-Headed) Organisms [closed]
In my fantasy story, various two- and three-headed creatures have evolved from past magical experiments.
For this question assume that:
Although originally created in experiments, they can breed and ...
6
votes
5answers
258 views
How can I explain the functionality of a partial humanoid grown from sperm
Deep within each sperm cell is a fully formed, miniaturized individual called a homunculus. These microscopic "little men" simply need time to gestate until they grow large enough to be born. This is ...
2
votes
2answers
493 views
Consequences of a creature with exposed musculature
In the video game Dino Crisis 3, a recurring boss that the player fights called the Australis (a bio-engineered human-Tyrannosaurus Rex hybrid) that has skin exposing the muscles of its body. An in-...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Anatomically Correct Baku
In the mythological stories of the Baku, they eat the nightmares of those who call upon it, but if not satisfied they will eat the hopes and dreams of their summoners.
Since the visual portion of an ...
28
votes
5answers
4k views
A fast aquatic predator with multiple eyes and pupils. Would these eyes be possible?
I’m currently in the works of an alien design, one which lives in the ocean most of its life and occasionally surfaces in shallow waters to mate. It has 4 eyes, with each side of the head having a ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Can I hide one of my siamese twins heads in public? [closed]
The Siamese twin character is actually a product of a mad scientist sewing two halves of separate female bodies together and keeping both heads.
Their body will essentially look like one body apart ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
Most effective shaped horn (horns)/ crest for a head butting human?
If a human /human shaped creature were to have a horn, horns or crest on their head, what shape, positioning and number of horns would be the best for the most damage?
The human will be very muscular ...
4
votes
4answers
150 views
Could two separate creatures' health, or life, be dependent on each other?
This is a question for an alien species.
Is there anyway to scientifically justify having two separate beings/creatures that depend on each other for life? In other words, two separate bodies that ...
4
votes
2answers
68 views
Design for a long and short distance radio wave communicating lifeform
Having read previous questions on radio wave communication on biological creatures would it make sense for race of alien creatures to have developed dish like bone structures for radio wave ...
6
votes
2answers
224 views
Giant bug noises
I understand, vaguely, how human voices vary with the overall size/shape of the individual(s vocal chords), and I can use that to make reasonable assumptions about what the voice of non-human fantasy ...
4
votes
1answer
90 views
what liquid or substance for rainbow colours oil patterned alien skin?
I was thinking of an alien humanoid charcter for my super powered beings story that would be completely black and faceless with similarities to venom and its strings of symbiotic goo but this ...
3
votes
3answers
279 views
If mammals with paws were to evolve to have human hands or fingers what would their paws/pads look like if they still retain it?
Inspired by One Piece by Eichiro Oda.
from https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Nikyu_Nikyu_no_Mi
Fiction has many examples of humanoid animals - things like lycans or werewolves, cat/dog/rabbit folk, ...
6
votes
4answers
250 views
Cool way to see through fog and darkness
My planet is frequently set with thick fog. What is the best way to have its residents see accurately?
One species called Hell Fires fall from the sky, landing on top of prey and killing it. How ...
2
votes
5answers
221 views
What would the optimal beast of burden created by biotech look like?
Assume an Earth-like planet.
The task is to transport a very heavy object through mostly light and some difficult terrain. The object is resting within a basket or pouch, formed like a slingshot and ...
4
votes
1answer
46 views
Fluid Organisms Using Long Chain Perfluorinated Ethers
I recently heard about "self-siphoning fluids" like polypropylene glycol and was reminded of Venom. My thought process is that the cell could have polymer chains extending from its cell membrane that ...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
Bones for bigger creatures
Aye so, so I been thinking about the square cube law and such and I was wondering if say, for a humanoid or a human or some creature, to be larger than average but keep similar proportions to the ...
3
votes
4answers
154 views
How do semi-sapient yeti/ogres live in the wild?
Assume that a species of bigfoot-type animal/person exists. Most of this also applies to ogres or trolls, whatever big dumb giants your particular setting has.
My world's specs:
They range 7-10 feet ...
6
votes
2answers
125 views
Anthropomorphic flying squirrel, gliding capability
(maybe this should be part of the "anatomically correct" series. If so, feel free to edit accordingly, as I don't know how to add it to that list)
Could a roughly human sized, human weight, bipedal, ...
