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matt writes...

both Proto-Mammals and Dinosaurs evolved from Reptiles. Proto-Mammals were very reptilian, but with some very Mammalian characteristics. they laid eggs, but probably nursed their young sometimes too. they lived at the beginning of the age of dinosaurs and most are considered "dinosaurs' in a very broad way, though scientifically they are not. Proto-Mammals would go on to evolve into mammals and what i'm wondering is if they also went to evolve into Gargates. from everything i know and you've told us, they fit the profile. some, like Dimetrodon, even had primative solar radiaters which could have evolved into the ability to store solar energy. in fact, Dimetrodon looks very similar to a garg beast to me, with a sail. i once asked you if gargs were related to Platypus cause of the varied similarities they have, and if Gargates did evolve from Proto-mammals than they were related since platypus is one of the few remaining Proto-Mammals not extinct. are proto-mammals the ancestors of gargates?

Greg responds...

matt, how many ways can I say I DON'T KNOW enough about biology to answer this question?

You're theory (assuming the facts are accurate) is interesting. So... MAYBE!

Before I say yes, I'd have to do a lot of research that I haven't yet done.

Response recorded on September 08, 2001

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GLITCH

okay something very weird just happened. I was answering a question that Matt posted about the 'chameleon gene'. Then suddenly, the question just changed. My answer (which I was in the process of writing) remained , but there was now a new question listed above it.....

Hmmmm.... Okay, I think Gore just re-activated the question answering function while I was typing and we had a little glitch here. Matt's question was lost. I'll try to recreate it a bit...

1. Matt wrote something like, "I know you're not a biologist, but how does this chameleon gene' work."
2. Matt thought gargoyles were the sources of various legends, but does the chameleon gene cause gargoyles to look like legendary characters.
3. He asked whether the gene would start changing the looks of familiar clans over time. Or something like that.
4. He stated that he had his own theories as to heredity, etc. And he challenged me to 'sell' him on my chameleon gene theory.
5. He had at least a fifth part to the question (maybe more) but I didn't even get the chance to read it.

My answers to his original question; not to the paraphrased versions above. (Man, this is a mess.)

1. I have no idea. It was just a random thought.

2. No. Definitely not. You're first thought was correct.

3. Natural Mutations (not the Sevarius kind) are likely to occur. They occur to some degree in all species. I was simply positing (and only positing) that Gargoyles might have a gene that causes mutations to occur more frequently. But mostly, garg appearance is defined by heredity.

4. I don't have to sell you on anything. For starters, I'm not sure I've sold myself on it. Second, I'm under no obligation to compete with your personal beliefs. Third, if it isn't in the 66 -- I'm not guaranteeing it. Even some of that is suspect. Sevarius theorized that gargs absorb solar energy while stone. But that was just a theory. He may have been right. He may have been wrong. He may have been partially right. Or he may have been lying intentionally. See?


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matt writes...

in 1996, is Lex and his clone the only gargoyles in the world with their particular wing structure?

if not, what other clans have members with wings like that? Avalon?

Greg responds...

No.

Again, I'm not going to answer this so as not to some day limit the artists I work with.

Response recorded on September 01, 2001

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Saber writes...

Are humans and gargoyles genetically compatable as far as having children?

Greg responds...

Not without help from science or sorcery.

Response recorded on September 01, 2001

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kmd writes...

Hi Greg,

First I must say I adore Gargoyles.

I hope these questions don't offend you.

1. Do gargoyles have sex like humans do?

2. If so, do they experience pleasure?

3. Could a human and a gargoyle have sex? (i.e., Goliath and Elisa)

Greg responds...

1. Largely but not exclusively.

2. Yeah, duh.

3. They can certainly give pleasure to each other. But I'm not going into detail in this forum.

Response recorded on September 01, 2001

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Jacob writes...

I've got a few questions about the wings of a garg:

1) Are there bones inside the wings? Or instead of bones cartilage? Or anything else?

2a) If the answer to 1) is the former, does it mean then that the wings are something like a second pair of arms?
b) But that doesn't seem to be right, because nothing on the wings looks unflexible, in especially when they are "not in use" and laid round the body, or have I just not looked carefully enough to notice anything else?

3) Their wings don't seem to be very thin and light, but more thick and heavy. Is this to prevent major damages like a big hole? Has it any other advantages?

(BTW: How's my English? Because I'm not sure that everything is understandable)

Greg responds...

1. I assume there are bones. But I'm no biologist.

2a. Yes. Most gargoyles have seven limbs (including the tail).

2b. I'm not sure what you mean here.

3. I'm not sure I can confirm your premise here.

But your English seems pretty good to me, generally.

Response recorded on August 30, 2001

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Lord Sloth writes...

I think you said that the loch ness clan live in caves and Grottos. If you didn't, then sorry. If you did, how do the gargs get their solor energy? The same for Demona's clan in 1020 who spent a lot of time in caves.

Greg responds...

Heat absorbtion. (Like I know.)

Response recorded on August 30, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

Just got done reading the Greg Weisman section of the archives. Time for a LONG rant.

I wanted to tell you at the gathering, but I forgot. which angers me to no end, because i went on and on about this at work for months before i left for LA. in awakenings, elisa makes the number three on her hand. you said how odd it was that the japanese animation studio had her make three in that particular way, with the thumb, index and middle fingers. the reality is that thats the PROPER way in AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE to make the number three. they must have looked it up to see "how americans do it." what people usually do as three, with the thumb holding down the pinky, is actually "six" in sign language. and the thumb holding down the index finger is "nine" (with the middle being eight and the ring finger being seven.) a 'hitchikers thumb' is ten. :)

speaking of awakenings, the "nice mask" comment isnt in the "movie". i was mad. i pouted all night last night.

re: goliath and elisa needing help to have a child
technically, theyre closely related enough that they prolly could have a child. that child would not be fertile tho. a Stallion and a female donky can have a hinny, a Mare and a male donky can have a mule, but neither a mule nor a hinny can have offspring. though, in your book, a garg and a human may be way farther from eachother than a donkey and a horse. despite the fact that donkeys and horses arent nearly as related as they look.

I know you dont think this way, but humor me for a second. if you were an animal, what would you be? Tore (my fiancee) would be a polarbear. he likes red meat. he likes the cold. he LOOKS like a polarbear, even when hes not overweight. he acts like one. people give him the respect of one. and he's all white collar(fur) on the surface, and blends in with the crowd(snow) but underneath hes jet black(covered in tattoos, a closet freak ;P) it took a long LONG time to find an animal for me. im nocturnal. im cute. im mostly herbiverous, but not completely. i like florida's hot and muggy weather. i sleep a lot. we went through many rodent and lemur species before settling on flying squirrel.

on the topic of what names mean (oh wise one :) my full name is Kelly Leigh Creighton. Kelly started as a gaelic name, i think spelled calleach, pronounced ka-LEE-ack(phlem sound here). Then the irish clan the O'Kellys took the name. and they were a big factor in the liberation of ireland. so it became fashionable to name boys Kelly. then in 1958 i believe, there was an actress named Kelly. so it became okay to name girls kelly. which is more the case now. anyway, Kelly means "warrior of the king" or "female warrior" Leigh is an english word still used today (in britan) which means "meadow". my last name, Creighton, started as a scottish name, and then spread to england and ireland, where it took many diversion such as Crichton, etc. my family roots have been traced to scotland. it means "near the creek." so fully, my name means "Female warrior of the King, in the meadow near the creek." i always wonder if i will find a meadow near a creek with some unmarked grave in it or something.

along the same track, have you seen the gargoyles code? its a long string of letters and symbols that, if you know how to read them, describes one's character. part of the code is for real life, and asks how obsessed you are. the maximum obsession is defined by one who would be willing to be a test subject for a mutagen that might make them a gargoyle. im one of those silly people. are you? doubt it... (thats not meant to be offensive, i just doubt youre that kind of person :)

at the gathering, while talking about all the spinoffs, specifically i think you were talking about 2198, you said "and its really sad that im still working on this." actually, i dont think its sad at all. im pretty happy about it. because it really is something special. and we all believe in you. its pretty cool that youre as obsessed with your own shows as your fans.

i also recently learned that you dont drink, and think smoking is pretty haneous (sp?). that rules. its nice to see other people out there like that, not just in the fandom too. its really rare these days. not that i didnt respect you before, but i really respect that, and in a way, appreciate it.

i read about how you fell out of the bunkbed when you were little. that reminded me of my bunkbet gymnastics. i hate using the ladder, since i can never find it when im sleep walking. (i sleepwalk a LOT). so ive trained myself to grab the bar on the side of the bunk, or if there isnt one, the lip underneat the bunk, and flip over the side to land on the floor. thing is, if i lose my balance i land on the edge of the bunk below, instead of the floor, and wake whoever is sleeping there. usually, though, since im sleepwalking, i wont remember that i did it unless they confront me about it in the morning. so no guilt ;P

on sleepwaling: i have recently discovered that any time someone tells me im dreaming, i get very angry at them and insist im not, even if i am. i have instructed my parents (specifically my mom, my dad did it anyway because he thought it was funny) to just agree with me, pretend i make sense, and send be back off to bed. o_O

ive wanted to tell you about my religion for some time, but ive been a little nervous to, because its a touchy subject with some people. but after reading your views, i feel like i can at least give you a short version, and it shouldnt be too bad. basically i believe that there are an infinite number of universes, all connected by a void. everything is true, in some universe or another. and some things can travel thru the void into other universes. so basically all religions are true, because there are an infinite number of universes. i simply choose to pray to an alternate set of dieties than the normally accepted ones. which isnt to say i put any less faith in God or Budda (sp?), etc. I just choose not to pray to him/them. which i think this kind of falls into your beliefs anyway, since you belive in alternate universes, and that all things are true. which is basically what my religion preaches. so youre Raptorian and didnt even know it ;P

theres actually scientific evidence coming to light to support the "theory" of alternate universes. cold dark matter, morphic fields, time as a fourth dimension, the possible non-existance of time... its fascinating. this thing that i knew all along is now getting proved by science. basically, the theory of cold dark matter states that there is a force in the universe that is more powerful than gravity. but it only partially exists in this universe, so it is hard to see and study. and most of the force it exerts is exerted in another universe, so were not even getting the full effect. morphic feilds is the theory that everything in the universe is connected by lines of force. this explains why when an atom is split, and two electrons go zinging away from eachother at high speed, one can look at the north/south orientation of one electron and know that the other electron is the exact same. because they are connected. which is why dogs know when their owner is comming home, even if the spouse does not. which is why people can sometimes instinctively know that something is wrong with a loved one, even if miles away. why twins, if separated, can still sense what the other is doing, even if they dont have a twin. why sometimes we can predict the future, or get flashes from the past. morphic fields trancend even time. there is also a theory that states that time is the fourth dimension. basically, since were three dimensional creatures, we can see the EDGE of things in TWO dimensions (meaning you can see the edge of a planar surface), and we can COMPREHEND things in the THIRD dimension (you cant see the edge of a 3D object, a coke can for example, the edge curves away from you and you cant see it. technically, it has no edge). fourth dimensional beings could see our EDGE, and comprehend the fourth dimension. we, as 3d creatures, can only measure what we think is the passing of time. a two dimensional creature could only measure the third dimension. of course there is another theory, who's own creator admits that its just a neat theory he came up with and doenst actually believe in. he said that maybe time doesnt exist at all. maybe we think time passes, just like when we watch a movie we think the pictures are going by, but its just many still frames. as in there is an alternate universe for each second in time. and we only think there is motion because at each second, we have the memories of all the things that have passed before. its an interesting theory, but im more inclined to think of time as the fourth dimension.

anyway, im done rambling for the night. please feel free to comment as you see fit, or not at all :)

Greg responds...

Whew...

Random responses...

I think that humans and gargoyles are biologically much further apart than horses and donkeys.

I already AM an animal. Homo Sapiens, I believe.

Even after your explanation, I'm still not sure what the Gargoyles code is. But no, I wouldn't want to be a mutagen guinea pig.

And I was being a bit fecetious and/or self-deprecating (given my audience) at the Gathering when I said it was 'sad'. Obviously, I enjoy still thinking about the property.

I do think smoking is a fairly heinous and shockingly stupid habit. Though I generally try not to preach. As for alcohol, I see nothing wrong with drinking in moderation -- for most people. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people.

I'm Jewish. And a bit pagan. I believe in the religion of the Three Musketeers: "All for one, and one for all." Or something like that.

Time has also been referred to as the fourth dimension in the sense that it spots any point. You can spot a point in three dimensions and still miss it if you don't also measure it's location in time.

Response recorded on August 30, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

another science question (can you tell i have no life?)
i had a discussion with my biology teacher, specifically regarding the effects of a mutagen. she said it was actually possibly toalter the DNA of a creature, but the metamorphosis would take a long time, since it would only happen as the individual cells divided. some cells divide frewquently, like skin cells. bone cells do not. so basically the metamorphosis would have taken a lot longer. except im assuming sevarius would have taken this into account, and added a stimulant. sorry, not really a question, im just going on and on and on at this point ;P

Greg responds...

Stimulant works for me. Not that I take them, of course.

Response recorded on August 24, 2001

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matt writes...

ok, now that we know for a fact that "nearly amphibious" gargoyles exist, and in Scotland no less, it causes me again to wonder about the aquatic-looking garg of the Avalon clan seen in "Ill met by Moonlight" i swear he looks half gargoyle half fish. he doesn't seem to have the Manta Ray wings described in the Loch Ness clan, but he does have aquatic looking wings (webbed and scaled and the like). he has large fishy looking gills on the sides of his neck, and he has webbed digits! so, would any of the Loch Ness gargs resemble this aquatic gargoyle or are they totally different races of gargoyle?

on a related note, i find it really interesting, but confounding that three distinct races of gargoyles live on the same island, and have for generations! its strange cuz you'd think that races so different from each other would be more geographically seperated, but there they are. and its also interesting how Japanese and Guatemalan gargs look more similar to Wyvern gargs than English do, and perhaps Loch Ness too.

Greg responds...

Once upon a time, this world more or less belonged to the gargoyles. Until man started using tools (stone or iron or bronze age) gargoyles were evolutionarily superior than most other species.

Tough as hell, and largely tireless when awake.

Tasteless and uninteresting when asleep.

Intelligent.

Familial, territorial and loyal to each other (largely).

If you go back far enough -- long before 994 -- gargoyles were everywhere. The evolutionary cosmetic differences are not recent.

I've gotten some flack for my 'chameleon gene' theory. But that's all it was. Maybe a better explanation is simply time. And the ability to still mate despite minute cosmetic genetic differrences.

Hopefully, that explains both diversion locally and similarities globally. You are seeing three surviving clans on the British Isles that each survived for a distinct and unusual reason. But they are the three that survived out of many, many.

As to the specifics of the question in your first paragraph, well (a) I do not specifically remember the gargoyle of which you speak, and (b) as usual, I do not want to tie the hands of eventual artists by committing to something here and now.

Response recorded on August 23, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

1. there is a big difference in the styles of gargs the animation and gargs the comic. notice that the animated gargs have solid hands and feet, with hardened toes and fingers, and in the comics they actually have CLAWS. i can attribute this to the fact that the comic version would be much harder to animate. so, ignoring the out-of-universe explination, which do you prefer, the animated style or the comic style?

my personal opinion- i prefer the animated style. maybe because it came first. maybe because it separates gargs from humans more. maybe because its easier to draw. *shrug*

2. we havent seen them, again because of the obvious irritation in trying to animate them, but do you imagien that theyre are striped and spotted gargoyles? (okay, before I corrected the typos that was stripped and spitted. lol)

Greg responds...

1. Prefer animated versions for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, it was little old me that encouraged the comic company (among other licensees) to do their own interpretations of the characters. What works in animation visually, doesn't necessarily make for the best, well, whatever. Plus you want to give artists a measure of freedom.

2. Not ruling it out.

Response recorded on August 23, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

oh, heres one. someone asked about how much Demona could bench. you gave a smartass response. without giving specific numbers, i had always assumed gargs could basically bench twice the poundage as a human of similar mass. again that goes back to the "gargs are made out of different stuff than humans are" theory. please comment? *expecting smartass response*

Greg responds...

I'm not good with numbers. It's more of an intuitive thing, deciding what she (or any of them) can or cannot do.

Response recorded on August 22, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

o.O im a little miffed that im spending so much time in the archives, and yet ppl are still asking questions that are RIGHT HERE... yeesh. sorry if im being annoying asking so many questions, im just in the mood. SO...

1. I noticed that hudson is the only wyvern garg with a scottish accent. why dont the other gargs have one? all four guatamalen gargs have 'guatamalen' accents.

2. the bushido gargs look japanese. the slanted eyes and general face shape, for instance. would you attribute this to perhaps "external forces of the area" forcing both gargs and humans to develop similar facial traits? or something else?

Greg responds...

1. "Ever" is such a big word.

2. Uh, sure. Just an opinion.

3. got me...

Response recorded on August 21, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

oh look, Im at it agian, with yet more science questions (beware, im going thru the smartass archive next ;P)

1. can gargs eyes EVER turn a different color than white or red? i hope so.

2. do all garg eggs look like the wyvern clan's, i.e. purple speckly? (i know youre colorblind, but just give me your opinion :)

3. this stems from a conversation MANY moons ago on IRC, where a large group of fans were trying to decide some garg physiology. we speculated that:
a. they must have bones made of a stronger, lighter material than ours
b. same with muscle, since muscle is so HEAVY
d. perhaps instead of being carbon based with iron blood, they could be based on some other element, with another metallic blood. octopi have copper based blood. its green. it doesnt carry oxygen very well, so they get tired very easily. maybe there is something that works the other way :)

Greg responds...

1. "Ever" is such a big word.

2. Uh, sure. Just an opinion.

3. got me...

Response recorded on August 21, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

just another FYI

I was watching discovery, learning about human relationships. a theory says that way back when humans were hunter/gatherers, a pair would mate, and stay together long enough for the offspring to no longer "burden" its parents. then the pair would split, and find new mates, therefore keeping a large range of genetic possibilities.

the theory further stats that modern humans seem to have kept this behavior somewhat, which explains the trouble so many humans have staying with a life mate.

another part of the theory says that humans generally have three marriages: the first for sex, the second for children, the third for comanionship.

so gargoyles combine all three into one. cool. but again, that hurts their genetic diversity :)

Greg responds...

I suppose, but only when you put it that way. If humans are only mating once for kids, then they are no better off.

Response recorded on August 21, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

again, looking thru the science archives, someone asked
"3. *DO* the other gargs need to shave? "
and you responded
"3. Not Angela. "

does that mean gargoyles grow ONLY facial and head hair? no underarm hair or leg hair for females to shave? or do they grow such hair, and not shave because theyre not under the same "social obligation" (i can think of no other term for it) as human females?

Greg responds...

MAN, Kelly!!!!!!

I was only talking about facial hair. I have (currently) no comment on the rest.

Response recorded on August 15, 2001

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LeFay182 writes...

I haven't seen the show like a million years. But, I still remember loving it. I just had one question; Do Gargoyles eggs turn to stone in the day time? Thanks

Greg responds...

The shell is permanently stone like after the first day. The insides transform back and forth like gargs.

Response recorded on August 15, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

I was just reading the "scientific posts" and Im wondering about something. You make several references to "whateveryone considers to be dinosaurs" versus "what are really dinosaurs." so lets classift: there are the protomammals, which include demitridon (which Im not sure if im spelling that right), the sprawling legged reptile-esque creature with the large sail on it's back. Dinosaurs didnt actually evolve anywhere near demitridon's line, as he eventually became rodents (or so say scientists, due to the structre of its skull). there are also the "swimming reptiles" which lived at the time of the dinosaurs, and the "flying reptiles" which also lived at that time. SO, given that Ive just split the group into its perspective parts, where to gargates fall in? protomammals? something else that wasnt actually a DINOSAUR, but existed before the dinos, and from which dinos didnt actually evolve?
(okay, you found my other obsession, i give in.)

Greg responds...

No, I give.

Look, I'm not a scientist. I'd need to research this in much greater detail than I currently have to answer this in the kind of detail you all seem to want.

I haven't yet. Sorry.

Response recorded on August 15, 2001

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Kelly L Creighton/Kya White Sapphire writes...

Im sure someone must have asked this before, but there is no "stone sleep" section in the archive, so:

do gargoyles dream when in the stone sleep?

Greg responds...

Yes.

Response recorded on August 15, 2001

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Anonymous writes...

Did the gargoyles contributed to the mermaid legends considering that there are actually amphibious gargoyles?

Greg responds...

There are no literally amphibious gargoyles. But in answer to your question, maybe.

Response recorded on August 14, 2001


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