jtotheizzoe:

The Biological (Im)Plausibility of Dragons

Developmental biology dictates that only certain morphological patterns are possible in the domains of life as we know it. Things like bilateral symmetry and head/tail patterning are all subject to the intricate balance and blending of biological signals from embryo to adult.

But let’s forget all that for a minute.

What would it take to create a dragon, biologically? You know, wings, extra forelimbs, flight … FIRE. Check out the link above for the deep developmental bio answer.

Time to go mad scientist on a chicken?

(via Mad Art Lab, drawing by Eugene Aurenhaus)

(via greatmindsofscience)

What Happened Last Week on Teen Skepchick:

• The Physics Philes, lesson 25: Taking Math to New Heights
• Suspension of Disbelief: Once Upon a Time
• Speak Your Mind: Collecting Family
• Dear Sasquatch: Are Personality Tests Accurate?
• Awesome Sauce Music Friday! Concisely Explains a Phenomenon Edition

What Happened Last Week on Teen Skepchick:

• Science Sunday: Battle Monkeys
• Modern Mythology: Suicidal Lemmings
• Suspension of Disbelief: Eureka
• Britain Hates Pornography
• Speak Your Mind: Unleash Your Geek
• A Teen Skepchick in China
• Shame, Shame, Shame
• Mental Illness and Skepticism
• Awesome Sauce Music Friday! The Universe is in Us Edition
• An Ex-Christian Testimonial
• The Science of Laughter
• Human Rights, Health Care, and Skepticism

What You Missed Last Week on Teen Skepchick:

• Science Sunday: Jumping on Mars and Other Extreme Sports
• Escape from the Woo Zoo: Winter is Coming
• Suspension of Disbelief: The Lies of Locke Lamora
• “Escher Girls”: The Statue of Liberty
• Speak Your Mind: Help Me Become a Video Game Nerd
• Teen Skepchick Interviews: Dr. Merrill van der Walt
• Neutral Words in Gendered Advertising
• Happy Star Wars Day!
• Awesome Sauce Music Friday! The “I’m in Vogue So You Can Bite Me” Edition
• Sorry, Wrong Number
• Phalluses and Fallacies: A Brief History of Freud