Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > rec.arts.sf.written > #487372

Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like

Show all headers | View raw

Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:

>Aside from that objection: any limitations of Terrestrial elephants 
>might be ameliorated in an alien elephant-like creature.
>
>As well, the five fingers of either of my hands cannot exert as much 
>force as an elephant's trunk, so I wouldn't worry too much about "the 
>limitations of head and neck muscles".
>
>However, I do have trouble imagining an Elephantine _watchmaker_.
>
>Still in all, an alien civilization could get far enough before that 
>issue arose to be able to find workarounds; it's not as if today's 
>microprocessors are made by the nimble-fingered descendants of those 
>who used to string core memories for us.

One thing that people never think of is the value of joints in knowing
where your fingers are.  Close your eyes and touch your index
fingertips together.  You can do that because your brain has learned
to integrate the angle of the many joints involved to have a pretty
good idea where each fingertip is.  An octopus has good eyes and a big
brain just to keep track of where its arms are.  Without joints, you
have much less idea of where things are.

I think Niven's mini-elephants had reasonable opposability.
-- 
We are geeks.  Resistance is voltage over current.

Back to rec.arts.sf.written | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> - 2018-02-25 19:57 -0800
  Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Jaimie Vandenbergh <jaimie@sometimes.sessile.org> - 2018-02-26 10:06 +0000
    Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Panthera Tigris Altaica <northerntiger@outlook.com> - 2018-02-26 07:42 -0800
      Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2018-02-26 22:26 -0500
        Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Dimensional Traveler <dtravel@sonic.net> - 2018-02-26 21:44 -0800
          Re: Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Cryptoengineer <treifamily@gmail.com> - 2018-02-27 20:53 -0600
        Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Panthera Tigris Altaica <northerntiger@outlook.com> - 2018-02-27 14:35 -0800
          Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2018-02-27 21:55 -0500
            Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2018-02-27 21:46 -0800
              Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2018-02-28 08:27 -0700
            Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2018-02-27 21:49 -0800
            Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like Panthera Tigris Altaica <northerntiger@outlook.com> - 2018-02-28 07:46 -0800
              Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> - 2018-02-28 11:55 -0800
              Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2018-02-28 22:19 -0500
                Re: OT suspected - Here�s what aliens probably look like Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> - 2018-03-01 16:37 +1300
      Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like "Michael F. Stemper" <michael.stemper@gmail.com> - 2018-02-27 15:29 -0600
        Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like D B Davis <g@crcomp.net> - 2018-02-28 06:56 +0000
          Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2018-02-28 07:18 +0000
            Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like D B Davis <g@crcomp.net> - 2018-02-28 14:53 +0000
          Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2018-02-28 00:23 -0800
            Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like Sjouke Burry <burrynulnulfour@ppllaanneett.nnll> - 2018-02-28 13:42 +0100
            Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like D B Davis <g@crcomp.net> - 2018-02-28 14:54 +0000
        Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> - 2018-02-28 10:33 -0800
          Re: OT suspected - Here's what aliens probably look like nance@math.ohio-state.edu (Anthony Nance) - 2018-03-01 14:07 +0000
    Re: OT suspected - Here’s what aliens probably look like a425couple <a425couple@hotmail.com> - 2018-02-26 10:17 -0800

csiph-web