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+--- Thread: Realistic fantasy creatures (/showthread.php?tid=5022)
Realistic fantasy creatures - tmazanec1 - 03-25-2021
The April 2021 Scientific American has an article on biologically realistic fantasy creatures such as dragons, angels and pegasi.
Most look like something evolved from pterodactyls.
RE: Realistic fantasy creatures - selden - 03-25-2021
Traditionally the wings of fantasy animals have been far too small for their weight, or, perhaps, it might be more appropriate to say that people have not considered incorporating the weight-saving features used by birds and bats.
Edited to add, the article on their web site explicitly says that they chose to use pterosaur wing features because they have wing muscles on both chest and back, while birds have all of them on the chest.
See https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-make-a-hippogriff-fly-and-other-flights-of-fancy/
RE: Realistic fantasy creatures - Drashner1 - 03-25-2021
Neat images! We have dragons in the setting and I expect various other mythical creatures as well. These are cool and I can totally see them (and variants) running (or flying) around various places in the setting.
Todd
RE: Realistic fantasy creatures - stevebowers - 03-25-2021
Lower gravity on a planet or megastructure would allow many of these creatures to fly more easily. This sort of flight may even become the dominant form of locomotion in many locations.