Alien Animals? Use Your Imagination!

JupiterKid

Now that planets approximating Earth have been discovered orbiting distant stars we can begin to speculate what life forms might exist on these worlds.

And I'm not talking about the "grey" aliens commonly pedalled around the media by pseudoscience advocates. That stuff - and 99% of UFOlogy - IMO is pure rubbish and is dated and boring.

I'm talking about the animals that intelligent alien life forms might have on their worlds - the animals they keep for food, like humans do with cattle, sheep and chickens - their pets...and their wildlife.

What sort of weird and wonderful forms would alien animals take? We can only imagine and speculate but the human imagination is a wonderful thing.:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZeYYyotOTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEq793g8Ivc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0l41VoEjZQ

The Backwards Man

All earth animals look pretty much the same when you think about. I'd imagine alien animals would probably have a sensory, nervous and digestive system.

Kichote

Maybe there are no intelligent beings and these planets have only animals. Or only plants

Kind of like how earth was for most of its days

OneArt

Thank Buddha. The convergent evolution theory is going to make writing sci fi novels so much easier.

Full.Duck

It will have claws as big as cups. It has no mouth, but instead it has 4 arses. It has a retractable leg, so it can leap at you better. It has a fear of stamps and a magnet on its tail so if your made of metal it can attach itself to you. Its the size of a jaguar, tha cat not the car. The locals think its some sort of giant fox. It only has eyebrows on saturdays and it lights up at night. When in howls it sounds like liam neeson chasing aload of hens in barrel.

Capt'n Midnight

real lack of imagination in those videos compared to what we actually have here - quadrupeds with an upright gait ?

even moschops is more strange



starfish

octopus

Anomalocaris

Opabinia

and some trilobites had mad eyes

xenophyophores -
water bears, not so much for the shape but for the environments they can live in

Capt'n Midnight

and jellyfish

remember a story about us meeting deaf aliens that communicate by microwaves - you could add in other deaf aliens that communicate by infra-red (some moths here have high gain IR antennas ) and you'd have three sets of aliens that were telepathic relative to each other

fonda

Spider-Baby- It's got the body of a spider, and the mind of a baby.

Duckworth_Luas

If Star Trek has thought me anything it is that all aliens will look just like us, there will only be a few of them on each planet and they will be in dire need of moral lessons!

JJJJNR

basically what would have happened here if a mass extinction didn't wipe out dinosaurs, can't imagine this place without humans, we would probably be considered rats.

Obviously I'd say there's a chance they could be reptilian based and are millions and millions of years more advanced than we are, they probably know im typing this now....

Capt'n Midnight

JJJJNR wrote: »

basically what would have happened here if a mass extinction didn't wipe out dinosaurs,

Dinosaurs only got their chance because previous mass extinctions wiped out the "mammal like reptiles"

could have been very different

sphenacodon

edaphosaurus

moschorhinus

lystrosaurus - at one stage these guys represented 95% of all terrestrial vertebrates

eryops was sort of a cross between a frog and a fish

and all the cynodonts / dicynodonts

JD DABA

The paddus. Lives on a planet characterized by a thin mist of alcohol.
The paddus feeds on minwaj which is buried in the surface material known as shizez.
Minwaj has recently become sparse due to the judit (a clawed creature which manipulates the levels of minwaj causing the paddus to dig down through more shizez upon which the judit then stands. (all female creatures on planet fujd prioritize mates based on how much minwaj another creature stands)

The immigi - the immigi lives a transient life between the various caves of the creatures of planet fuj'd. It will often enter the cave of the paddus (the paddus is a docile creature) and take a portion of the paddus' minwaj, the paddus normally tolerates this but can become visibly upset if it discovers the immigi is actually living between many caves or if the number of immigi consistently grows. The paddus also dislikes the speed at which the immigi female travels on the main pathways of planet fujd with her several offspring.

JupiterKid

I did an online course on Astrobiology and looked at the possible ecological niches that life could occupy but alas the course didn't examine the possibilities of complex, multicellular life on other planets.

I personally think life is abundant throughout the Universe but that intelligent life is probably rare.

Alien animals could be cuddly, they could be friendly, they could be aggressive and could be deadly.

--Kaiser--

The Backwards Man wrote: »

All earth animals look pretty much the same when you think about. I'd imagine alien animals would probably have a sensory, nervous and digestive system.

They really, really don't you know. You need to watch more David Attenborough

Hownowcow

JupiterKid wrote: »

I did an online course on Astrobiology and looked at the possible ecological niches that life could occupy but alas the course didn't examine the possibilities of complex, multicellular life on other planets.

I personally think life is abundant throughout the Universe but that intelligent life is probably rare.

Alien animals could be cuddly, they could be friendly, they could be aggressive and could be deadly.

Absolutely.

ScumLord

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

They really, really don't you know. You need to watch more David Attenborough

For the most part all life is pretty similar. Mammals and reptiles have more in common than separating them. Most mammals are just a slight variation on the last one.

If the other planet is earth like it may be likely that the animals there would look very similar to here. Nature has tried every combination and configuration there is at this stage and what win's out in the end seems to have a distinct shape and set of tools.

--Kaiser--

ScumLord wrote: »

For the most part all life is pretty similar. Mammals and reptiles have more in common than separating them. Most mammals are just a slight variation on the last one.

You seem to be speaking in evolutionary terms, that poster (and I) were speaking of looks, in which case there is a massively diverse range amongst the animal kingdom

csallmighty

I hope there is a pokemon planet.

ScumLord

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

You seem to be speaking in evolutionary terms, that poster (and I) were speaking of looks, in which case there is a massively diverse range amongst the animal kingdom

It's diverse but more or less the same. I think there's more similarities between a dogs body and a human body than there are differences. It's basically the same machine in a different configuration. It's the same even with reptiles, they've just got modifications on the same basic design. I know there are animals that are very weird but the vast majority are pretty similar. There is a winning design.

GLaDOS

ScumLord wrote: »

It's diverse but more or less the same. I think there's more similarities between a dogs body and a human body than there are differences. It's basically the same machine in a different configuration. It's the same even with reptiles, they've just got modifications on the same basic design. I know there are animals that are very weird but the vast majority are pretty similar. There is a winning design.

To be fair, you're comparing extremely similar animals here. More extreme examples would be better, say a sponge and a human or a nematode and an eagle, would produce a hell of a lot more differences. I am using the strict biological use of the word animal though

That said I agree with your point that animals for the most part have a basic model to work off.

--Kaiser--

ScumLord wrote: »

It's diverse but more or less the same. I think there's more similarities between a dogs body and a human body than there are differences. It's basically the same machine in a different configuration. It's the same even with reptiles, they've just got modifications on the same basic design. I know there are animals that are very weird but the vast majority are pretty similar. There is a winning design.

Can you read or what? Does Portuguese Man-of-War look anything like a giraffe? No, it does not

ScumLord

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Can you read or what? Does Portuguese Man-of-War look anything like a giraffe? No, it does not

I never said it does, but you're comparing the extreme ends. There are thousands of animals that look like the Portuguese man of war.

--Kaiser--

ScumLord wrote: »

I never said it does, but you're comparing the extreme ends. There are thousands of animals that look like the Portuguese man of war.

This is the sentence I was disagreeing with:

All earth animals look pretty much the same when you think about.

You seem to be having a conversation with yourself because it certainly has no relevance to my posts

Capt'n Midnight

JupiterKid wrote: »

I personally think life is abundant throughout the Universe but that intelligent life is probably rare.

From the Galaxy Song

The universe itself keeps on expanding and expanding
In all of the directions it can whizz
As fast as it can go, the speed of light, you know
Twelve million miles a minute and that's the fastest speed there is

So remember, when you're feeling very small and insecure
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space
'Cause there's bugger all down here on Earth

JupiterKid

Alien plants on other planets might be of a completely different colour to the familiar green that we see on Earth.

If their parent sun(s) are a different type of star to our own familiar yellow G2 sun and emit different wavelengths of light, then plants on other worlds may be red, blue and even black in colour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD9FrS_1kb8

coolemon

The gravitational strength I would imagine would have a dramatic impact on the sort of animals that would evolve on different planets.

A weak gravitational pull would have skinny/thin animals. Animals evolved to 'leap' large(er) distances, perhaps as a more effient methods of movement than walking/running. Perhaps due to weak gravitation most animals will have evolved some type of flight capability like what we see with some tree dwelling mammals which can glide, or at least those which have developed this could be much larger.

A strong gravitational field would have the opposite effect. Perhaps no flight at all. Large slow moving muscular animals. Or animals without a bone frame to withstand the consequent high pressures, or even exoskeletons.

Another thing affecting possible life forms might be the air density. A massivley dens atmosphere may make it far easier to fliy (thus much larger flight animals/shorter wings). Low desity would mean the opposite.

Hunchback

coolemon wrote: »

The gravitational strength I would imagine would have a dramatic impact on the sort of animals that would evolve on different planets.

A weak gravitational pull would have skinny/thin animals. Animals evolved to 'leap' large(er) distances, perhaps as a more effient methods of movement than walking/running. Perhaps due to weak gravitation most animals will have evolved some type of flight capability like what we see with some tree dwelling mammals which can glide, or at least those which have developed this could be much larger.

A strong gravitational field would have the opposite effect. Perhaps no flight at all. Large slow moving muscular animals. Or animals without a bone frame to withstand the consequent high pressures, or even exoskeletons.

Another thing affecting possible life forms might be the air density. A massivley dens atmosphere may make it far easier to fliy (thus much larger flight animals/shorter wings). Low desity would mean the opposite.

Did you compose the youtube video at the beginning of the thread?

coolemon

CKonetheonlyone wrote: »

Did you compose the youtube video at the beginning of the thread?

No but its something iv thought about before. A good imagination you could say.

bb1234567

I hate when people try to guess what aliens will look like. Because thats all it is, a guess. Theres as much a chance of any man on the street correctly guessing what aliens will look like as there is any scientist in nasa. These aliens may not obey our laws of physics, they may not even have a biologcal makeup, they may be something completelynew. Non carbon based lifeform. They could be a gas for all we know, our sense may not be able to detect them. We may be incapable of comprehending their existence. There are endless possiblities, I think the chances that the aliens will be biologically similar to life on earth and need oxygen,water, sunlight,atmosphere,temperate climate etc everything that we need to survive, are very low.

seamus

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

They really, really don't you know. You need to watch more David Attenborough

Outwardly, perhaps, but in overall terms the variance isn't that much.

Especially with mammals, the morphology is stunningly similar. Mammals are basically built in the same way, just the format varies. The difference between humans and dolphins is about as big as the difference between a Ford Fiesta and a Mini Cooper.

Of course it's the small outside variances - colour, faces, hair, hands, etc - that give the appearance of difference and this is why aliens animals will look so alien to us.

However convergent evolution doesn't theorise that animals will evolve in exactly the same way. In fact convergent evolution is a discussion on how animals don't evolve in the same way. It discusses how lifeforms evolve to adapt to situations, but do so in ways which while visually similar, are biologically and mechanically completely different.
The most obvious examples of this being whales -v- fish or bats -v- birds.

So in the most general sense we can say with some certainty that on other planets there will be life which will evolve that can swim and/or walk and/or fly. But how they will achieve this is completely up in the air.

--Kaiser--

seamus wrote: »

Outwardly, perhaps, but in overall terms the variance isn't that much.

Especially with mammals, the morphology is stunningly similar. Mammals are basically built in the same way, just the format varies. The difference between humans and dolphins is about as big as the difference between a Ford Fiesta and a Mini Cooper.

Of course it's the small outside variances - colour, faces, hair, hands, etc - that give the appearance of difference and this is why aliens animals will look so alien to us.

However convergent evolution doesn't theorise that animals will evolve in exactly the same way. In fact convergent evolution is a discussion on how animals don't evolve in the same way. It discusses how lifeforms evolve to adapt to situations, but do so in ways which while visually similar, are biologically and mechanically completely different.
The most obvious examples of this being whales -v- fish or bats -v- birds.

So in the most general sense we can say with some certainty that on other planets there will be life which will evolve that can swim and/or walk and/or fly. But how they will achieve this is completely up in the air.

Jesus Christ, another one who can't read

seamus

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Jesus Christ, another one who can't read

I read what you posted, but I thought I'd try and expand the discussion into something more interesting while not disagreeing with the fundamental thrust of your one-line post.

Fuck me, right?

--Kaiser--

seamus wrote: »

I read what you posted, but I thought I'd try and expand the discussion into something more interesting while not disagreeing with the fundamental thrust of your one-line post.

Fuck me, right?

I find it irritating when people misrepresent or deliberately misinterpret what I have stated in order to argue their own, unrelated point. I was speaking of the purely visual aspects of animals as opposed to the convergent evolution that yourself and Scumlord seem to be speaking of

The Backwards Man

Jaysus lads, didn't mean to start a war. All I meant was that all life on earth follows the same fundamental principles, and there's no reason alien life wouldn't follow the same principles.

Granted 'look' wasn't the greatest choice of words.

ScumLord

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

I find it irritating when people misrepresent or deliberately misinterpret what I have stated in order to argue their own, unrelated point. I was speaking of the purely visual aspects of animals as opposed to the convergent evolution that yourself and Scumlord seem to be speaking of

I'm still saying there's a fairly small variation in the way animals look. Most mammals and reptiles are pretty similar only varying in colour and texture. Most insects are pretty similar to each other. But the discussion is alien animals so I'm not confining my post to just replying to you.

Alien animals may very well be like those found on earth, is me point. Life came up with pretty good designs here and it's just as likely life on other planets will be forced into the same shapes.

--Kaiser--

ScumLord wrote: »

Alien animals may very well be like those found on earth, is me point. Life came up with pretty good designs here and it's just as likely life on other planets will be forced into the same shapes.

This is a good point. I used to look at the lazy alien creations in Star Trek (mostly humanoid with knobbly bits) thinking 'How likely is it that they'd look like us?'. Then again, for a species to have mastered space travel, the likelihood is that they will be as good with handling implements as we are, so probably not too dissimilar in design

Hownowcow

I hope there's a platypus-arsed duck.

ScumLord

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

This is a good point. I used to look at the lazy alien creations in Star Trek (mostly humanoid with knobbly bits) thinking 'How likely is it that they'd look like us?'. Then again, for a species to have mastered space travel, the likelihood is that they will be as good with handling implements as we are, so probably not too dissimilar in design

Yeah that's kind of the problem, even on our own planet out of all the apes only one has the necessary tool set to be an intelligent environment changing animal. Even though the other higher primates have hands the slight difference in the position of the thumb makes a world of difference.

The body problem is apparent throughout the animal kingdom, quadrupeds have used up all their limbs on locomotion, fish are in the same boat, insects have serious restrictions on size due to their exoskeleton design.

It's hard to see a body that would give an intelligent mind the tools it needs to become a sentient civilized creature without being human shaped.

allibastor

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

If Star Trek has thought me anything it is that all aliens will look just like us, there will only be a few of them on each planet and they will be in dire need of moral lessons!

And they all will speak english, with american accents. and have boobies in the same place as we do,

Capt'n Midnight

ScumLord wrote: »

It's hard to see a body that would give an intelligent mind the tools it needs to become a sentient civilized creature without being human shaped.

Octopuses can use tools.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2009/12/14/a-tool-wielding-octopus-this-invertebrate-builds-armor-from-coconut-halves/
"I could tell that the octopus, busy manipulating coconut shells, was up to something, but I never expected it would pick up the stacked shells and run away," Finn said. "It was an extremely comical sight—I have never laughed so hard underwater."