LNH: War Without Worlds #3

[Jamas Enright]

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005, Jesse Willey wrote:

>>       "Forced mating? I doubt it," said Vel.
>> "Besides, it's not as though
>> loonihumanity would be a compatible species. Despite
>> what you may have
>> heard on some channels, aliens and humans can't
>> breed, pretty much by
>> definition. The amount of genetic engineering or
>> other handwaving that
>> they would need for a large scale breeding program
>> would be way beyond
>> the point of diminishing returns.".......
>
>   So if aliens and humans can't breed how is Vel
> there to say that in the first place?  After all he is
> half human and half Dorf.  If humans and aliens can't
> breed than he shouldn't exist.

I should probably let Saxon answer this, but there could have been a lot 
of genetic manipulation in Vel's creation (which would also let him be 
fertile).

But basic definition of species means that only two creatures from the 
same species can produce fertile off-spring (and it helps if they are 
opposite genders as the species requires :) ), so if humans and Dorfs can 
easily procreate, then they have to be of the same species. (Yes, wolves 
and dogs could be an exception, or they could just have not speciated far 
enough apart to really be different species yet.)

(A quick look on the net implies that wolves and dogs etc hybridization is 
related to a high number of chromosomes, Dorfs might have a higher number 
than humans that allows for hybridization.)

At least, in the real world...in the superhero universe, this doesn't 
appear to be as big a problem. :)

(And let's ignore the whole "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" problem. :) )


-- 
Jamas Enright
"Answers answered and questions questioned."
Homepage: http://www.eyrie.org/~thad/
Blue Light Productions homepage: http://www.blue-light-productions.com/

"If a great state has decided by law that twice two is five, it would be
foolish to allow mathematicians to testify." - Comment during the Scopes
Monkey Trial.