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Jacob writes...

Like you, I'm not a biologist, but this thing about a garg's wings bug me. You said that there are bones inside the wings, though you were not sure. But if there are some, then they can't be like the ones inside the arms or legs. Just watch one episode and you should notice what I mean. To fold them over the shoulders with only two large bones, they must be made of rubber, but that seems pretty unlikely. I would say that either instead of two large bones there are many vertebras, or instead of bones something else like cartilage.

I hope you understand what I mean.

What do your thoughts about it?

Greg responds...

I have bones in my arm and it still bends at the elbow.

Response recorded on November 29, 2001

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matt writes...

can a female gargoyle born, raised and living her life on Avalon generally have more than three eggs in her lifetime if she wanted to?

Greg responds...

Potentially, I think.

Response recorded on November 29, 2001

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The Cat writes...

Hi Greg,

Last one from me, for awhile anyway.
Ok, these are about disabilities. I'm disabled and I was wondering about this because it seemed to me that the only gargoyles that had anything wrong with them (such as blindness or missing a limb) aquired it in battle.

1. Are any gargoyls born with problems that cause a disability?(Like, I have heart problems and they caused me to have a stroke when I was 4 years old which caused the right side of my body not to work properly.)
2. Are any gargoyles born blind, mute, deaf or missing any limbs?
3. If yes, what does the rest of the clan do with them?
4. If no, why not?

Ok, I'm being chased off the computer. I better run. Bye.

Greg responds...

1. I don't know. I won't rule it out, but I have their healing factor to figure in. It's also possible that some eggs just don't hatch. But I'd have to think and do more research.

2. Same answer. I'm not sure at this point.

3. The clan takes care of its own in any case.

4. The answer, if the answer is no, would have something to do with the healing factor which begins to work even in the egg. But again, I haven't considered this yet, honestly.

Response recorded on November 29, 2001

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Gipdac writes...

Can gargoyles make their eyes glow or is it an involuntary action?

Greg responds...

I believe it's involuntary.

Response recorded on November 06, 2001

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matt writes...

ok, another kinda silly question:

is Leo's mane kinda just a beard that most other male gargoyles can grow? could Leo shave it off if he wanted too?
could Goliath or another male garg grow a "mane"? or is that mane not like a beard and strictly genetically connected with the English gargs?

Greg responds...

Well, of course, Leo could shave it off. He could theoretically use Nair too.

I doubt Goliath could grow a mane, however.

Response recorded on November 06, 2001

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Vashkoda writes...

Hey Greg. I haven't asked you any biology questions in a long time. I know that this topic has a tendency to irk you a little, so I limit myself to one subject: the gargoyles' stone-like skin.

1a) Is this substance more porous (like lava rock) than most kinds of stone (like granite)? I ask because you've said that a gargoyle's weight doesn't change when they transform, yet stone tends to be denser and far heavier than, say, a similar-sized piece of flesh or bone.

1b) If it is more porous, does that mean that it is easier to break apart than most kinds of stone? Would it have a greater tendency to crumble than to break into clean fragments?

2a) Would you say that this stone-like subtance is "alive", in the sense that biological processes are going on inside of it?

2b) If so, then would there be any changes in the substance's cohesion or other properties when a gargoyle dies in their sleep? i.e., does it become easier to break, or more solid? If Goliath and the others were only able to stay in such good shape over the centuries (no erosion by moss or ivy) because they were still "alive", I'm surprised that there were fragments of the Coldtrio preserved well enough to be used by Xanatos and Demona.

3a) Is it the "light energy" (for photosynthesis) or the "heat energy" of sunlight that gets stored and used by the gargoyles?

3b) Where would this energy be stored? Throughout their body, or only in their outer layer of skin where it is captured?

3c) Must it be solar energy, or could they also harvest artifical forms of light?

3d) Can they only capture this energy when they transform into the stone-like substance? (i.e., are the mechanisms needed to capture the energy only present when they are 'stone'?). Can the Mayan gargoyles, for example, still absorb any energy from sunlight when they are awake?

Thanks Greg. I hope this wasn't too painful for you (no more biology questions from me for at least several months, I promise).

Greg responds...

1a. I don't know.

1b. What does your observation tell you?

2a. To some limited extent, yes.

2b. Fragments is the key word.

3a. I'm guessing THERMAL energy. Just a guess.

3b. I don't know.

3c. I'm thinking heat, but I don't know.

3d. They need to be stone, but the pendants may compensate to some extent.

It was relatively painless, Vash, thanks.

Response recorded on October 10, 2001

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Mooncat writes...

If Gargoyles are biologically inclined to take a monogamous mate (as well as traditionally) why is it so easy for Thailog to discard Demona?

Can a gargoyle have physical relations with more than one other gargoyle before the "imprint" sets in? Or does the "imprint" set in during the first full physical relationship?

Greg responds...

Opportunistic programming allows Thailog to override certain impulses.

Generally, the latter.

Response recorded on October 10, 2001

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Anonymous writes...

Care to explain why the gargoyles in the British isles are so different since in London we have animal headed ways, in Loch Ness aquatic gargoyles and in wyvern the generic ishimura/guatemala kind?

Greg responds...

'Generic ishimura/guatemala kind', huh? Don't agree with that.

But no, I don't currently care to explain it.

Response recorded on September 11, 2001

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icemann writes...

Don`t think this ones been asked be for

Is there any way that technology in the future (2158 and beyond) could bypass the Gargoyles turning to stone? Cause if magic can do it, I can`t see why technology couldn`t replicate the same effect in some way.

Greg responds...

Not by 2198, or 2199 for that matter.

Response recorded on September 09, 2001

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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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