Wheels?

[BloodStorm]

This isn't compleatly guyver related, but I don't know where else to put this. I'm working on an alien race for a story I'm writing, one that lives on a world with very little mountains at all, 95& of the landmass is flat and relitively smooth. The dominant lifeforms on this planet have evolved a unique source of locomotion.. wheels. Yes, you heard me, Biological wheels..

The creatures have a 3 ft wide by 4 foot long oblong base, with the wheels located at roughly the same places as most cars we have today. In the middle of the front half of this base, it extends into an almost humanoid torso, but the lower arms are larger in comparison to the rest of the arm than a humans. (Think hellboy's arm) They stand about as tall as a human, and some of them have limited telepathic abilities..

What I need help on, thinking up ideas as to how the wheels accually work regarding the bone and muscliture structure of the wheels themselves.. the rest of the body is fine, I'ld just to hear a few ideas about the wheels themselves.

Any ideas about how it could work out?

[*Jess♥]

jayce and the wheeled warriors!!

sorry had to get that in.

perhaps there is a wheel rim that has handles on it and the creature could have multiple limbs to grab the handles and move along like that? a bit like caterpillar tracks.

maybe you could just have a bone structure that is cushioned inside a foot like a snail with mucus to lubricate it... to turn it around you could have gears inside and mini hands to move the gears?

nope thats my 2pence worth.

hope it helps!

[Guest]

The hard part will be the nerve tissue. Any form of connective tissue will be difficult of you want to make moving parts like a car/wheel.

Let's say:

At birth there are no wheel, but squishy wet stumps. The stumps make secretions that will become shell like wheels.

There are no nerves in the shells, but nerves at the stump/wheel base that detect vibrations in the shell (you roll over a rock, you feel the vibration of the bounce. some one taps on the shell, they feel the ticking vibration)

There are no blood vessels that flow into the shell/wheel (this is connective tissue, it would be stretched and torn after a few spins of the wheel). Instead, the shell is spun around by blood being injected into it under pressure. More is needed to explain-

The shells are filled with oil/gelatin, which is a natural extention of the stump from infancy. Blood naturally follows a path through the different oils/gelatin clumps. The flow of blood is angled on a forward rotation through out the shell/wheel, so any high pressure burst of blood will push the shell/wheel in a direction.

Note, the blood will need to be absorbed back into the main body. The surounding joint will probebly have to be very absorbant. Because of it's exposure to air, the joints themselves might be designed to act as a lung/breathing system.

The joints are basically gelatin/oil. This is going to be messy, which meens that these might be very social creatures, grooming eachother to prevent infection.

Since the wheels are shells, the rest of the bodies might also be plated. Since there aren't any blood vessels in the shell/wheel, the main body might not have any either.

The main body probebly has several very strong hearts, capable of varying the pumping power for every minor movement.

[BloodStorm]

Hrmmm.. I'm likeing some of YoungGuyver's ideas...

For the cardiocascliture system, they would be set up without any real central hearts.. with this decentralised system, the blood vessles themselves would do the contracted and stuff to keep the blood flowing through the body. I forget the exact term for a cirulatory system like that.. but I know I'm not the first to think of it.. and if I remember fight, I think there are a few species on earth that have a system like this.. But yes, the pumping power of the vessles does very throught the creature, depending on where it's needed most..

And yes.. they do have a kind of psuedocarapace along there back.. since their only major preditors spend most of thier time in the air and have slashing claws, but offer poor grip.. so thier backs over time developed a resistance to slashing attacks..

I'm working on a few concept drawings for these guys, but I wanted to get the wheel workings down first to get an accurate drawing.. Of course, when I get the stuff finished, I'ld be glad to show you the finish product..

Of course, a few more ideas wouldn't hurt.. I'm especially curious to see what input Zeo can offer..

[Thunder Demon]

Read The Amber Spyglass. That gives one idea for wheels, although it's not entirely all on the creature (if you can call it that).

That's just my input.

[Guest]

There are actuall joints that can move around in a circle constaly. I forgot the names and where though.

[*zeo]

Of course, a few more ideas wouldn't hurt.. I'm especially curious to see what input Zeo can offer..

I would have kept it simple and simply have the creature curl up into a circle and roll like a wheel. Actually having wheeled limbs call a lot of factors into question, at least in terms of science. It's an extreme adaptation that would require specific evolutionary conditions. Not to mention the weather conditions of a near perfectly smooth planet, which btw would require at least two moons to explain why the planet doesn't at least have multiple meteor craters. Not to mention the unlikelyhood of there being a naturally smooth planet unless it was a small planet that cooled off quickly in its creation.

You'll be better off with an artificial planet and genetically engineered lifeforms. Wheels for limbs is not really a likely natural adaptation organic life is likely to take.

[Guest]

zeo you're missing the whole point, we are brainstorming on how creatures could devlope and use wheels biologically. Not talking about how ridiculous it is. Half the things on this site aren't quite possible so why bash on wheeled fiends of terror.

[*zeo]

Because it really is that far fetched and that is compared to everything else on this site to boot.

xaiur this is the science section not the fan fiction section. You want unbelievable concepts then repost this topic in the fan fic section.

I was asked to give my thoughts and in accordance with the purpose of the science section the topic is posted in I gave my opinion on the subject.

Besides YoungGuyver already gave the closest biological design possibility and I'm not one to repeat what has already been said.

[Guest]

Thanks Zeo, and your right. I have a hard time coming up with how a creature could even evolve. I guess that an insect crawling out of the sludge wouldn't crawl, but rather shoot itself out with it's own juices. The idea of it's juices turning muccus like might be the onset of it's evolution.

But a planet that is flat enough? That's a tough one. Yes, two moons works. An ice world that is at just the perfect equilibrium that the melting and freezing creates a constant surface without developing any storm weather (yeah-right. Like that's gonna happen). The creature would have to have bio-anti freeze.

Another type of surface that just might work would be a grass land. The rolling hills of the praries are relativiley flat. Of coarse, glacier action is a really good way to develope the plains. I can't really see how the entire planet can be prarie though.

Honestly, an entire ecosystem is needed. The planet needs it's weather and meens of supporting the flatlands. The surroundings will then help develope their culture (ie, do they have to deal with brush fires?)

I'm too tired and handing in my taxes late. I can't world build right now. I also have to start work in four hours. I need sleep.

[Sully]

This topic is locked.

Can't see a reason for this to be open as it is in NO WAY Guyver related. Even more so as some of you are talking about this with the point of Creators not been envolved.

If they where why bother, they have Anti Grav bio-tech so why bother with wheels? What has been talked about is more than enough info for a fic.