RE: Bio-Forces

On Tuesday, November 04, 1997 10:40 PM, Brian Burger 
[SMTP:burger00@camosun.bc.ca] wrote:
>> Sounds interesting except for one thing: Haven't you forgotten the
problem
Status: RO

> of relative scale? Eg if you made an elephant-sized mouse, it'd
collapse
> because it's legs would be too skinny to hold it up...that's why
> elephants/brontosaur etc have such thick legs in proportion to body
size
> vs. a mouse's body/leg ratio.

<snip>

Only on a 1G planet, who said gravities the same? I think SF combat
on other gravity worlds is just as likely.

Another interesting slant would be the Biots in Rama which are combined 
biological
and mechanical constructs. They reach a large size and seem to have
plenty of
power.

Also don't get stuck on the limitations terrestial biology - who's to
say 
that
'out there' there are biological systems we haven't even dreamed of,
which
support the ability to spit gas plasma 2km.

sincerely
tim jones
--
The stars are matter, We're matter, But it doesn't matter.