Hi, ecologers,
Have you ever noticed what bad biology we see in science-fiction
stories? How almost every mention of DNA or evolution shows that the
writers don't really know much about these topics?
One thing that really bothers me is how unimaginatively alien
biologies are portrayed. Why must every intelligent species be basically
humanoid, or clearly inspired by some familiar Earth animal? It is
understandable in old movies, where the alien had to be played by an actor
in a suit, but what's the excuse nowadays? Every alien is just about our
size, almost never anything as small as a mouse or as big as a mountain. All
bipedal, all with mouth, nose, and sense organs arranged in a face,
clustered on a head with ears on the side. Arms with elbows and fingers
(although, sometimes they'll throw in a tentacle or two). Etc., etc.
Sometimes, in the science fiction world, this is attributed to
primordial DNA having been spread around the galaxy somehow. How that
could result in the evolution of such similar beings is never made
clear. After
all, humans and yeast presumably evolved from that same seed-DNA, and we
don't look much alike.
Another thing that bugs me is the assumption of genetic compatibility;
that humans would be able to hybridize with bipedals from distant solar
systems, when we're not even cross-fertile with chimpanzees. Almost as
bothersome is the assumption of biochemical compatibility: If the aliens
are bad guys, they're able to eat us, or lay eggs on us so their larvae can
eat us. Never is the issue raised that if the two species had just one
amino acid different (assuming the other biochemistry even uses amino
acids), the result would probably be severe metabolic damage and a horrible
death. And let's not forget that a good percentage of species right here
on Earth are poisonous to us!
And how about planets with no ecological basis: Ice-cover worlds with
no plants, no sign of any primary producers (possibly chemosynthetic, down
in caves somewhere?), but lots animals, usually big furry ones. What do
they eat?
Well, I am one biologist who is striking a blow for better biology in
science fiction! My new novel, *Wind World Warriors*, (written under the
pen name of Manfred Autrey) tackles these issues head on, without letting
the biology get in the way of a rollicking good tale. And I apply some
imagination along with the science. For instance, one of my species has
wheels! How do the tissues in those wheels get blood (or what passes for
blood) without the delivering vessels getting all twisted up? And how
would wheels have evolved in the first place? Hah, good questions! Also,
in *Wind World Warriors* there are sentient organisms that aren't
cephalized: sense organs, breathing holes, neurological processing, etc.
defused over the entire body. Why not? Scarcely any place is more
vulnerable than any other! How do you kill them?
Are you curious about whether I pulled it off? Can a biologist really
have written a novel with good biology AND a good story? Why not check it
out here:
http://www.amazon.com/Wind-World-Warriors-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00OQJF9JI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413930029&sr=1-1&keywords=%22Wind+World+Warriors%22
It's not indulging a guilty pleasure; it's research!
Martin M. Meiss
