{{
`${userDetail.user.displayName}${userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode ? `#${standardizeBungieGlobalCode(userDetail.user.cachedBungieGlobalDisplayNameCode)}` : ""}`}}
{{getUserClans()}}
9/20/2010 6:29:16 AM
35
Sangheili biology, anyone?
I'm mostly speaking of the Sangheili central nervous system. More specifically, the brain. Has anyone given any thought to the shape of a Sangheili brain? Is it like a human brain, elongated, or is there a completely different structure? Assumably there is a centralized nervous system, as usually more advanced races show some form of cephalization- as Sangheili indeed do.
Also, on the microscopic scale, what about a Sangheili nerve cell? Would it have a similar structure to that of a human, simply because of it serving a similar function? In other words, is the term "neuron" applicable?
On a completely different angle, why are Sangheili so tall if their world is known to be an environment with higher gravity? Is it something to do with the internal structure of the bone?
Just some questions that came up when I was drawing up some Sangheili bone structures- started wondering where the brain would go XD
-
I looked up stuff about their heart and it said they are belived to have two hearts. It also said something about having two hearts made their blood blue. I'll more into it.
-
What if originally, Elites were quadrupedal like us, and evolved into the 2 legged stance we see in Halo? And the brain thing. Do they have a left and a right side of their brain, or is it one blob? I know nothing about nervous systems and the like, but is it possible for Elites to go into shock? Would they get PTSD? TOO MANY QUESTIONS, sorry. I can't answer the ones already posed because I'm not a xeno-biologist, but I can have a crack: The Elite brain is about a third bigger than a human brain, and it has more Neuron connections due to the increased brain size. This causes the brain to heat up faster, requiring two hearts to cool it down because the blood does not flow fast enough from one heart.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] A Rabid Pie Small birds? I would assume they eat larger animals if you consider the relationship between predator and prey sizes seen on earth (excluding insectivores and filter feeders). Pack hunters and tool users are able to (and generally do) bring down even larger prey; humans fall into these groups and Sangheili likely do too. [/quote] good point! I forgot entirely about pack hunting!
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Epsilon Eradani [quote] On a completely different angle, why are Sangheili so tall if their world is known to be an environment with higher gravity? Is it something to do with the internal structure of the bone? [/quote] That's actually a very interesting point... A world with higher gravity would evolve smaller and lighter creatures so that they would be less fatigued by just walking around. Of course, if the Elites were only as tall as grunts... it wouldn't make for much of a game...[/quote]Yes, but gravity isn't the only limiting factor for animal size. Atmospheric oxygen content is a very significant factor. When oxygen level were higher on earth we had huge dinosaurs, but now we have lower oxygen levels and consequentially smaller animals. Sangheilios could easily have just enough extra oxygen to counteract the higher gravity.
-
[quote] On a completely different angle, why are Sangheili so tall if their world is known to be an environment with higher gravity? Is it something to do with the internal structure of the bone? [/quote] That's actually a very interesting point... A world with higher gravity would evolve smaller and lighter creatures so that they would be less fatigued by just walking around. Of course, if the Elites were only as tall as grunts... it wouldn't make for much of a game...
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Slaskia[/quote]Hmm...Where have I heard this name? [quote]You can probably tell 99% of my fiction work deals with Sangheili with questions like that :)[/quote]Aha! That's where I heard that name before! I like some of your earlier work.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] THUMBS OF FIRE and as far as prey items go (assuming exclusive carnivorous behavior) they could prey on small birds and whatnot which would make the birdlike ankle structure more advantageous. [/quote]Small birds? I would assume they eat larger animals if you consider the relationship between predator and prey sizes seen on earth (excluding insectivores and filter feeders). Pack hunters and tool users are able to (and generally do) bring down even larger prey; humans fall into these groups and Sangheili likely do too. As for their leg structure, Sangheili are digitigrade (they walk on their toes). The advantage to this leg style is improved speed and agility, which is why we see it in chase-style predators here on earth (wolves, lions, etc.). If you're wondering what our plantigrade legs are good for, it's stability. [Edited on 09.20.2010 6:38 PM PDT]
-
i dont normally post, but i've read too much of this thread not to throw in my two cents. it would seem to me (not a neurologist) that the social acclimation to combat would be due to an enlargement of the area responsible for aggression. (i always think of the waterboy quote with the mendula oblongata) so the shape of their skull makes sense if you do sketch it after alligators crocs or other "saurians" but the mouth cavity is also sort of explained by the alligator analogy. nile crocs dont chew, they rip and slide. but in order to keep the esophagus clean they would need a sort of informal soft pallet to keep out dust and other particles. and as far as prey items go (assuming exclusive carnivorous behavior) they could prey on small birds and whatnot which would make the birdlike ankle structure more advantageous.
-
It is scientifically believed that higher gravity creates larger creatures as being larger makes it better able to cope with the constant G forces of the planet's gravity.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Spartan1065 [quote]SomeoneStole MyID[/quote] It was sarcasm. And on topic I don't think that a schematic for the Sangheili nervous system exists your guess is as good as ours.[/quote] Bleh, I figured. Honestly, just wanted to write the phrase "Troll be trolling in here". Also, that image is pretty hilarious. Back on topic we go. So, I've seen the idea that the Sangheili brain is size-wise smaller than the human brain. Are we just speaking an excess of connections, then, between the neurons (or, Sangheili nerve cells)? A different way of connecting? I'd also love to see a list of different neurotransmitters that would appear in a Sangheili brain. Now I know it will never get that detailed, because let's face it, these conjectures are often left to a select few who have both the free time and the obsession with xenobiology necessary to form such opinions. Anyhow, I'd love to see if the chemical compounds floating about are anything similar to ours. Still loving the idea of psychopathology, too. I wonder about psychoses? Is a Sangheili capable of hallucinating?
-
Actually all elites perpetually wear braces that keep them so tall. The UNSC has taken a snapshot of an elite when his brace is off and [url=http://www.bungie.net/Online/Halo3UserContentDetails.aspx?h3fileid=32365027]THIS[/url] is what it looks like.
-
I'm thinking that the brains are in fact smaller than humans (as size does not matter in this case).
-
[quote]SomeoneStole MyID[/quote] It was sarcasm. And on topic I don't think that a schematic for the Sangheili nervous system exists your guess is as good as ours.
-
I'd still love to see an actual schematic of the Sangheili circulatory system. Actually, I'd love even more to see a schematic of at least the central nervous system. Bungie should totally do that. XD Were it so easy. Hm. Has anyone considered brain shape, mass, and texture? The current running hypothesis on my end is that it's elongated, and perhaps similar in texture to the human brain. Mass-wise, I'd say larger. I've tried working in terms of sheet like brain tissue structures, and even dabbled in the idea of liquid-based clumps (ganglia), but the only thing that seems to provide the necessary cross-connections and speed for cognition on the level that Sangheili show is something akin to the human brain- everything else seems too slow, too imprecise, or both.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] JDYeash937 MkII [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Sp4rksLT Anton, what happens when you shoot a human into chest? He dies. Instantly. There are a lot of insta-kill vital organs. Sangheili's heart might be in their heads. Just cause it's a one shot kill it doesn't mean it's the same vital organ you've shot.[/quote]Sangheili have two hearts, to keep high blood flow even under high gravity. Lose one heart = no problem.[/quote] Would it though. I donno. Heart failure in Humans results in poor physical performance. Basically sections of the heart lose pumping power. If the Sangheili lose a heart, blood flow is halved, you could assume, so it would be similar to Heart failure. So, they would useless on the field. Also, they would end up bleeding to death and going into anaphylactic shock. Heart has a lot of blood vessels going into it. In many ways it is an advantage, and also a disadvantage. "Heart Attacks" would not be fatal for example, but if your shot in the chest, there is more chance of it hitting something vital.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Sp4rksLT Anton, what happens when you shoot a human into chest? He dies. Instantly. There are a lot of insta-kill vital organs. Sangheili's heart might be in their heads. Just cause it's a one shot kill it doesn't mean it's the same vital organ you've shot.[/quote]Sangheili have two hearts, to keep high blood flow even under high gravity. Lose one heart = no problem.
-
They do have tongues, there was a brief, one sentence reference to it in [i]The Cole Protocol[/i]: unfortunately I do not remember the page number (it was after Thel and co ran into the ship on the Unggoy loaded planet). As for senses, sense of smell they do seem to have, though how good it is, is unknown (Rtas/Half-Jaw sniffing in Halo 2, just before you meet the Flood). Taste is unknown, though I wouldn't be surprised if Taste/smell was linked like it is with our own species. Anyway, they are diffenately carnivorous, due to their teeth structure. It is likely they rip off huge chunks of flesh with their mandibles and swallow those chunks whole, with the tongue aiding in guiding it down their throat. I've also noticed that their mouth/throat seems to be their sole respitory intake and outtake. Back to mental related things, I wouldn't be surprised if individuals with certain mental 'traits' are culled the moment it became known (mental retardation for sure, for things like homo-blam!-ity though it is a bit in the air), especially if they cannot be 'fixed'. I bet the suicide rate for such individuals is high. We do know that the physically weak are culled either due to infant diseases or through the war games (Bloodlines, issue 3 again). The mention of the former does suggest they can get sick like us, at least when very young. How good their medical tech is though, is unknown, considering how much they dispise doctors. Ech...sorry, I went all over the place this time.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] A Rabid Pie On a relate note, do you think they have a sense of taste? I don't think they have tongues. Maybe they have taste buds on the roof of their mouth?[/quote] They do indeed have tongues. Near the bottom of page 201 in [i]The Cole Protocol[/i] tells of this. Someone asked about thier hearts. This novel states them as having double hearts. (Middle of page 161) Whether that means two hearts or one heart with twice as many chambers I don't know. ;)
-
I don't really think that taste matters that much, since Sangheili just rip food apart and in giant chunks, push it into their throats. It's not like they feel it in their mouth as long as humans do.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] tinyohyeah[/quote]It's yooouuuuuuuuu! OT: Well, since their teeth are pointy I would say they are primarily carnivores. They have no flat teeth like our molars for chewing, not to mention I would imagine mandibles aren't that effective for chewing. This leads me to believe that they swallow their food whole or in large chunks like other pointy-toothed animals on earth. On a relate note, do you think they have a sense of taste? I don't think they have tongues. Maybe they have taste buds on the roof of their mouth?
-
Please, call me Sparks or if you wanna piss me off - Sparky. I have been roaming the Universe forums for almost two years now, never posting always reading... Now, back on topic. I think they could eat by tilting their heads up, and putting in food. That way it wouldn't fall out through the empty space between their jaws/jawbones. I don't remember, but I think some kind of animal eats like that for the food to slide down faster or something. Sangheili have sharp teeth (that's the knowledge from games) so they might be carnivorous (meat eating, for the simple-minded readers), or omni. EDIT: Or adding up to my theory, of "why so tall" if they ate fruit and berries that were above them, they could just put their heads up and take the food down with their mandibles and start digesting it almost the same second they took it. [Edited on 09.20.2010 11:31 AM PDT]
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Spartan1065 Logic is flawless right here. [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] steadman They have no brains, they are like jellyfish. Prove me wrong.[/quote][/quote] Troll be trolling right here. Either that, or sarcasm. I hate how text doesn't aptly describe tone sometimes. I digress. Anyway, I really like Sp4rksLT's comment- and I can definitely agree. They're such an honor bound society that it is doubtful such an anomaly would persist. Although it may still be possible- all it takes is one troubled loner XD Also, in regards to the agility comment, I would most certainly agree. The higher gravity on Sangheilios is probably a factor in their increased strength when fighting humans. And from evidence shown, I think it's safe to assume that there is at least a somewhat similar body structure (as trite of a sci-fi trope that it is), in regards to the location of the brain. Also, how many hearts does a Sangheili possess? In Ghosts of Onyx, there is a line in which it mentions the Sangheili heart in plural. So at least two, then. He listens for three beats- which would be odd for two hearts to define a set pattern for three beats. So maybe three? I'd love to see the Sangheili circulatory system as well. And how susceptible are they to viruses? Bacterium? We know that there is some form of weakness to parasitic organisms, such as the Flood. But could an Elite get the sniffles? On a less serious note, can Sangheili eat churros? Also, how do they eat with their jaw structure? Ah, I love conjecture~
-
Logic is flawless right here. [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] steadman They have no brains, they are like jellyfish. Prove me wrong.[/quote]
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Sp4rksLT Anton, what happens when you shoot a human into chest? He dies. Instantly. There are a lot of insta-kill vital organs. Sangheili's heart might be in their heads. Just cause it's a one shot kill it doesn't mean it's the same vital organ you've shot.[/quote] Ok, you got a point there. Anyway, Headhunters describes the ground being covered in purple blood and brains when an Elite was shot through the top of the mouth. Zuka 'Zamamee describes his chest a tightening when he saw the Chief fighting on board the Truth and Reconciliation. It seems to look like that layout.
-
[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Sp4rksLT Anton, [b]what happens when you shoot a human into chest? He dies. Instantly.[/b] There are a lot of insta-kill vital organs. Sangheili's heart might be in their heads. Just cause it's a one shot kill it doesn't mean it's the same vital organ you've shot.[/quote] That isn't true. Generally, unless shot in the heart, a human can survive being shot in the chest with adequate medical attention. The cause of death when shot in the torso is most commonly bleeding out or excess trauma if shot in the spine. Being shot in the head, in the T-zone kills the nervous system, while being shot in the chest, although obviously damages the nervous system, would not likely be enough to shut it down immediately.
-
Hmmm. I doubt that Sangheili females can refuse. I think they see that as a thing of honor, to breed with a great swordfighting warrior. If your whole life people would tell you it's a honor to do something, I don't think you'd refuse. Sangheili do look like a mix of spartans and reptilians. Also, high gravity explains Sangheili agility. They have to use a bit more muslce for every action in Sanghelios, while on earth where gravity is a bit weaker, they use the same amount of muscle, yet acomplish more with it. That's why they jump higher and are that agile. Also, I think their height could be explained by a bit of evolution. Why giraffes have long necks? To reach food that is high up. Maybe Sangheili used to eat food they found and hunted to add to that?
