Activity for cobaltduck‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: What would influence an alien race to map their planet in a way other than the traditional map of the Earth The aliens know some mathematics that we don't. In the question, there is mention of a particular rectangular projection, best known as the Mercator projection. However, there are many other ways we Earth people have figured out for projecting a sphere onto something flat, including conic, conforma... (more)	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: How Would a Filter-Feeding Marine Turtle Feed? Real World (TM) sea turtles might not have teeth, but they do have esophageal papillae that are quite gruesome to look at, but help the turtle snare and consume jelly fish. These hard, spiky projections are made of keratin, similar to baleen. As the link mentions, the turtle does ingest a little w... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: The Galaxy has been colonised but why the big feet? Schmell gets the snow. Man, does it get the snow. You think it snows where you live? You should see the snow in Schmell! To walk around on all the deep, white, frozen precipitation, it helps to be able to distribute your weight over a large surface area, that is, to have big feet. Small-footed p... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Abnormal Freezing Weather Like the comments already state several times, your whole idea is a long-shot. But given that, perhaps your planet can have some set of conditions that provide the Mother of All El Niño - La Niña cycles. Here on this Earth, said cycle takes the form of periodic variations in the winds... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What kind of animals are my trolls? I'm going to go add a fourth possibility to your crocodilian, amphibian, mammalian choice list: dinosaurid. First, the hair could be explained as pycnofibers, " hair-like filaments ... similar to, but not homologous ... with, mammalian hair". These are known mostly from pterosaurs, but could have o... (more)	—	almost 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Humans with a scorpion-like tail? Let's take inspiration from the claws of mantis shrimp. Their club- or spear-like claws are deployed by flexing and releasing bands of chitin. In the same way, your creature's tail would need such a structure, and there would need to be a strong group of muscles at the base. Also, just as the shri... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do 21st century C.E. submersibles enter an underwater dome swiftly and safely? Have you tried this thing as a kid, when you are swimming in a pool or at a lake, where you take a small bucket, turn it upside down, and competed for who could push it down the farthest? It is hard, since the bucket will hold air inside itself, which wants to float. However, it is possible to forc... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Could elves revolve their ears to listen to sounds? Go backwards just a few small steps in our evolutionary tree, and you will encounter the primate sub-order strepsirrhini, consisting of lemurs, galagos, and lorises. These are perhaps not our fiercest cousins, but arguably the cutest. Relevant here is that these creatures all have the feline-like p... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: "Night" sky between galaxies Allow me to introduce you to the Cosmological Principle. According to this, the universe looks the same everywhere, from wherever one stands, and in whatever direction one looks. After all, our planet Earth is in some ways nothing but a big space ship with one really big all-around window. Because... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Could planets be at relative rest with respect to each other (in a game universe)? You need to take advantage of Lagrangian Points. Whenever one massive body orbits another, there are five points surrounding them where other massive bodies will be in equilibrium, in terms of gravity, with the first two bodies and with each other. Several of Jupiter's moons orbit at each other's L... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Would a 2 thumbed hand increase grip significantly? Reptilian with multiple opposing digits? Sounds like chameleons: photo source Yes, our little Madagascan color-changing friends already have the arrangement you are looking for. Why? Because their arboreal life almost demands it. While moving along from branch to branch, from tree to tree, ev... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Two or more advanced civilizations aren't even aware of each other You need to make their anatomies, societies, means of communication, nature of technology, and other seemingly small details so radically different from each other, that even when they see each other, they fail to recognize it. I can see a small parallel with the Real World (TM) humans, chimpanzees,... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Human echolocation for spies. What sound to use? Your own question, a prior answer, and a comment collective already give us several parameters: The human body must be able to produce the sound. The sound must not attract the notice of others. The sound must produce an echo that can be used to interpret the surroundings. I believe the solution ... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can a small island realistically have all these environments? Welcome to the "Big Island" of Hawaii Using your own list: A Forest: the island is dominated by Tropical Rainforest A lake: Lake Waiau A snowy mountaintop: Mauna Kea A desert: Ka'u A bustling modern city: Hilo All five link are from Wikipedia. It seems that volcanic origin is a necessary condit... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How could a creature get off a planet without technology? Your creature needs to accomplish two things: 1) escape velocity and 2) survive the harshness of space, all without the benefit of so much as a sharpened stick or flake of rock. This is going to be difficult, but not impossible. For #1, I think you are going to have to start out with a low gravity ... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How would a human species evolved to survive high radiation take a new nuclear strike? You've heard the expression whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger? Well, in some cases, what does kill a few of us, leaves the average of what's left of us stronger. Consider a couple real-life examples, starting with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Some people got a staph... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can a river delta not be at the mouth? (Mississippi example) This exists. In Botswana, the Okavango River branches out to create a wide, swampy area called, appropriately enough, the Okavango Delta. To quote the first line from the Wikipedia entry (emphasis added): The Okavango Delta (or Okavango Grassland) (formerly spelled Okovango or Okovanggo) in Bot... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What would the sky look like in the SHADOW of planetary rings? I think the result will be very similar to what happens here on this Earth during a solar eclipse. I like this quote from http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/whatyousee.htm: You'll get the shrinking sliver of Sun, which is kind of cool but is not the real show. As the sliver thins, though, you get t... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is plausible biology of ocean-dwelling, tool-using, intelligent creatures? As far as we are currently aware, the most intelligent things in the oceans are the cetaceans (dolphins and whales) and the pinnipeds (seals, walrus, sea lions). Further, it is more tempting to want creatures close to us biologically to behave more like us as well, especially in fiction. Again, the... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Question	—	You eat this plant, it eats you right back. Can it work? Based on an answer of mine from a few months ago, I've been inspired to adapt the concept to my own Life Ball. Fair warning- this question and some of its links are not for the squeamish. May contain graphic images and descriptions not suitable for all readers. All is not rosy on this world, and t... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Question	—	Civilized Dolphins and their Record Keeping On the Life Ball of my fantasy stories, a particular species of delphinidae- I call them black dolphins- have evolved and advanced at least as much as humans and other intelligent races. A prior question gives additional details about the black dolphins, but the answers and comments also exposed a g... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: What would we need to stop a hurricane? What a hurricane boils down to is a large difference in air pressure between two parts of the earth. Air from the high-pressure region attempts to move toward the low pressure region. Along the way, coriolis forces influence its path and it ends up spiraling around the center of the low pressure. ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Could water be extracted/harvested from clouds? Consequences? The core idea you have is very similar to that of an air well, and these have been around since ancient times. You are simply talking about building yours higher up in the atmosphere. The air well works by encouraging dew to form. By allowing air to flow around stones, the natural moisture in the ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can swine be used as beasts of burden? Riding or Carrying a Pack - NO Suitability for this is somewhat a function of the shape of the spine. if you want a saddle or pack to hold on the animal, you want gravity to work for you and hold things in position, and not to cause them to slide off. Consider this crude doodle: The leftmost ou... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Planetary Surface of Trees? In order to get to the final state you mention, you are going to have to radically alter your initial state, which other answers hint at. Our planet's surface is mostly water, and your planet will also need this trait, but it will need to be much more evenly distributed. Instead of a few giant ocea... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How would an Ai convince humans to worship it? The two ways historical kings, emperors, and such have gained the worship of their constituents is to either make the people love them or make the people fear them. Several other answers already discuss variations of the love side, so I will go ahead and present to fear side. (sarcasm on) It is an ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Question	—	How might the pterosaurs survive an end-cretaceous-like event? Cobaltduckworlda has had somewhat of a similar biological past as earth, but not exactly. As examples, sentience has happened multiple times, and not just in primate-like species. Beasts that didn't survive our ice-age continue to roam the plains of cobaltduckworld. Mammals arose and eventually le... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: Caste in non-Eusocial animals I think you may have been slightly mixing cause and effect. In your example insects, every egg the queen lays has equal potential to become a worker, drone, or future queen. It all depends on how the larva is fed. Likewise, in the one eusocial mammal, the naked mole rat, pheromones in the queen's ... (more)	—	over 7 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to realistically explain a creature that eats dreams and nightmares? Plants contain chlorophyll, which absorbs electromagnetic energy in the range 400-800nm, which happens to coincide with light tossed toward earth by the sun. Quite convenient. The plant uses this to synthesize glucose, which it later consumes for its energy and growth. Dreamivores contain handwavi... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Planet of the Aves: Quadrabirds Your quadrabirds don't have to loose flight to have a walking fore-limb. Another answer already mentions that some groups of pterosaurs folded their wings when on the ground and used them for walking. There is an excellent article about this terrestrial locomotion at pterosaur.net, which includes s... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Question	—	Anatomically Correct Boar Troll I request some help with the design of one particular denizen of my fantasy world, tentatively named Boar Troll. It needs to be an ungulate or closely related creature with emerging sentience, and that's as far as I am right now. In fact, some of its requirements happened while drafting this questi... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Planet of the Aves: First Steps The meteor missed. The end-cretaceous mass extinction event didn't happen. Velociraptors and their friends lived on. They continued to evolve, to be large, and to eat whatever they wanted. We now understand that late "dinosaurs" were very close to birds. They had feathers, hopped on two legs, an... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Anatomically Correct Tomte There are some real-world examples we can point to that indicate the possibility of a realistic small humanoid. Since we don't need anything exotic like antlers, carapaces, or magic, this should be simple. The shortest human on record was a mere 54.64 cm (21.51 in) tall. I'm not sure how that comp... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How plausible is a photosynthetic parasite that targets animal hosts? I think evolution could handle this, given enough time and the right pressures. Here are the steps, in brief: Start with an existing carnivorous plant like a butterwort or bladderwort. Increase the potency of the mucilage for both its stickiness and digestive abilities Develop topipotency, the abi... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can asteroid fields exist in local systems? I contend that the Trojan, Greek, and Hilda groups associated with Jupiter in our own solar system constitute "fields" as opposed to "belts." The Hildas are perhaps more scattered, but they do not fit the word "belt" as I assume you mean it. Certainly, the green and orange dots in this image seem f... (more)	—	almost 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Could a large bird be used as transportation? I decided to try to extrapolate from some known data. I used various sources to find that: The Harpy Eagle at 6 to 9 kg can lift a Three-Toed Sloth of 3.5 to 4.5 kg A Peregrine Falcon of 0.3 to 1.0 kg can lift a feral Pigeon of 0.25 to 0.4 kg An adult Human is typically somewhere around 60 to 100 ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to determine one's position in space? Triangulation does not require being able to determine distance. Here is an example on an earth-bound maritime navigational chart: The ship in this situation would need to know in advance that it is somewhere off the west side of Cayo Santiago. After that, it just uses compass bearings to the no... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Anatomically Correct Harpy To me, it is clear we need to start with a bird and evolve human-like features, as opposed to vice-versa. I will start with a bird whose name already implies where we are going- the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja). To address your definition point-by-point: Human hair - The double crest of this eagl... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How does an AI keep its Human Pets Happy? What are some ways we (ancient, non-AI-merged) humans have sought to enhance our relationships with our pets? We've put them to work! There are: Search and Rescue Dogs Bomb-tech Dogs Law Enforcement Dogs (drug sniffers) Professional Athlete Dogs Assistance Dogs for the Impaired Assistance Horse... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can a jet-propelled horse work? My answer is going to go well beyond what we can ever expect from reality, so I hope your definition of "rational SF" is fairly liberal. This is going to be a major undertaking in genetic engineering, probably requiring several generations. As you suggest, we will start with equine DNA- horses and ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Any reasons for a primal aquatic race to build land-based villages? Nesting. Your creature has reached a key stage in its evolutionary development. It has advanced from digging a hole on the beach, laying its eggs, and trusting to fate. Its instincts now compel it to protect and nourish the valuable next generation, and even provide some rudimentary parental care ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: If I had an alien race, how would they interpret our numerical characters as being numbers? This question has already been debated by exo-astronomers. The best answer they could come up with (using 1974 technology) was the Arecibo Message. The details might change, but the essential idea is that in the first part of your message, you teach the aliens, "this is how we count." 0 1 . 2 .. ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the basis for a hot summer and a cold winter climate? Other answers and comments mention axial tilt, and I agree that should be part of your thought process. You might also add something akin to the El Nino - La Nina cycles. On an irregular but roughly seven-year oscillation, Pacific Ocean currents change from relatively warm to relatively cold. With ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Great Flying Cthulhu The largest so-far known flying animal on this here earth was the quetzalcoatlus. At 10 meters, its wingspan falls far short of 1000 feet you mention. (image from wikimedia) However, the mechanics were the same. Here was an animal larger than a Cessna which did have thin membranes spread over l... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What earth conditions would make a permanent bronze-colored sky? Turns out this is happening- right now, on this planet, in reality. All you need is some smog. This photo from Beijing last year looks rather bronze-ish to orange-ish I think. (image source: International Science Times) (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Mermaid architecture I will derive my solution by comparing to real-world precedents, and analyzing how these might be adapted by merfolk. (TL;DR: Rock domes.) Why do humans have houses? Shelter from the elements. As mentioned in another answer, houses provide protection from storms and from extremes in heat and col... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Question	—	How to justify digging claws and opposable thumbs in the same being The fantasy creature I am imagining (planning a short story or two around) satisfies the following analogy: Human is to Chimpanzee as "This Thing" is to Badger. That is, the creature has a clear relationship to badgers, such as similar anatomy and behavioral inclinations. But it has also becom... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago