25
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
Since your question is tagged biology...
Your kraken isn't based on the physiology of a giant squid, which uses gills to diffuse oxygen from water. Rather, it's based on the biology of a whale, which ...
20
votes
What is the ideal way for a superhuman to carry a mortal?
Realistically, it’s impossible. No normal human can survive the rapid acceleration and deceleration of “leaping tall buildings” regardless of how they are held. Your internal organs, especially your ...
14
votes
What is the ideal way for a superhuman to carry a mortal?
Tactile Telekinesis rather than super strength
Superhumans are great for comics and cartoons, but if you want to bring physics into it... well, either physics gets unhappy or the superhumans (or ...
14
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
Cat-nip. (Kraken-nip really.)
Everything in the oceans tastes salty and fishy (sea-urchins being the exception, they taste of something quite different and unmentionable), even the seaweed is a bit ...
9
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
The only realistic reason would be pursuing prey species (probably on an opportunistic or season basis) or as part of their breeding cycle.
A simple example could be whale migrations. During certain ...
7
votes
What is the ideal way for a superhuman to carry a mortal?
In wife-carrying competitions, the Estonian lift is generally felt to be the fastest for running in straight lines. This video compares the various lifts. There are other choices such as the fireman's ...
6
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
There is a wonderful theory in many works of fiction as to why a monstrous creature would suddenly appear and wreak havoc...
The Kraken is running away from something even more big and scary in the ...
5
votes
Can copper-based blood be efficient in a rich oxygen alien world?
Rule of Cool is in effect
Surely out of all the non-human sophont characters that have graced the pages and screens of SciFi works over the last 2000 years, Mr Spock is probably one of the most ...
4
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
The need to poop
Depending on what tone you are going for, you may consider they can only poop at the surface, where there is less water pressure. This actually happens with whales, leading to a well-...
4
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
Feeding Frenzy
Krakens are largely deep water adapted (so poor eyesight), sound and smell hunters, who are largely predators of whales. They're also somewhat scavengers, lured in by the sound of ...
3
votes
Is it possible for a naturally-evolved organism to feed on kinetic energy?
Yes, such a mechanism is not only possible, but rather all its component parts are in everyday use.
TL;DR: if there is a source of free energy available then we already know how to use it to make ...
3
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
In some literature, there is the concept that Mankind, through hubris or ignorance, has in some way altered the balance of nature or angered the gods, and thereby brought punishment on himself. In ...
3
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
TL,DR: Because the humans are there, and they're easy prey.
There's a saying in the movie industry, 'Never work with animals or kids', though many directors ignore this... even though doing either ...
2
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
Homo occidentalis has worked over the centuries on their standards of living to reduce the discomfort experienced by homo sapiens sapiens' natural way of living. Wild beasts, weather, food scarcity, ...
2
votes
Why would krakens go to the surface?
They're sentient.
Krakens eat baby whales and whale carcasses. Humans are hunting whales and taking the carcasses with them. The krakens are smart enough to understand that this is happening and want ...
2
votes
What is the ideal way for a superhuman to carry a mortal?
Strapped to a stretcher.
This is similar to how injured people are transported to avoid jostling them and injuring them further. When the accelerations are much greater, you want to avoid jostling ...
1
vote
What is the ideal way for a superhuman to carry a mortal?
faster than the normal can run
Reduce acceleration, not speed
Humans are fine going at high speeds. Concorde passengers sipped their champagne whilst zooming through the air at Mach 2. The first ...
1
vote
Why would krakens go to the surface?
Shiny things make shiny nests
Some animals need to create the most beautiful nests to attract mates. Take pufferfish and birds-of-paradise, for example.
The kraken is no different. Those floating ...
1
vote
Why would krakens go to the surface?
Whaling has upset the balance of nature
Giant squids normally stay deep for two reason. The first is that there is enough food in the deep parts of the ocean that they have no reason to surface, and ...
1
vote
Can copper-based blood be efficient in a rich oxygen alien world?
As Elementilas has said, alternate blood chemistry is cool. As long as the stuff you propose can carry oxygen (and that oxygen is what your creatures need), it doesn't really matter if it's less (or ...
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
Related Tags
biology × 4241science-based × 1414
creature-design × 873
internal-consistency × 728
evolution × 650
xenobiology × 434
humans × 334
anatomy × 216
fauna × 212
biochemistry × 212
science-fiction × 190
magic × 180
physics × 172
fantasy-races × 157
flora × 138
mythical-creatures × 137
chemistry × 129
aliens × 126
genetics × 123
genetic-engineering × 122
bio-mechanics × 119
environment × 115
society × 111
hard-science × 106
dragons × 91