#Protective Hard External Shell

[subbalakshmisastry]

Cute Indian Star Tortoise , Endangered Species , Mysore Zoo , Mysore To...

#youtube #Tortoise #Star TOrtoise #Endangered Animal #Reptile #Herbivore #Mysore Zoo #Protective Hard External Shell #Long Life Span #Walks Slowly #lives On Land

[whispering-about-the-tmnt]

Some headcanons regarding TMNT physiology

Over the years, I have come up with some headcanons regarding how I believe the Ninja Turtles' bodies work. I thought that perhaps it might be nice to finally share them with all of you.

These don't apply to all the iterations, of course, but they are pretty well universal in my mind, and I tend to incorporate most of them into my fanfics.

The Turtles (like leatherback sea turtles, echidnas, and some dinosaurs) are mesotherms, meaning they are neither warm nor cold blooded. They are, instead, in a middle-ground: they internally generate heat, but not to a constant temperature. In the Turtles' case, they will shiver when cold, and their bodies will not shut down right away when the temperature dips too low, though they may lose some energy and find it hard to concentrate.

Unlike many other modern reptiles and amphibians, who have a three-chambered heart, the Turtles have four-chambered hearts (like mammals and dinosaurs) that are larger and stronger than average human hearts and located at the center of their chests.

While the average human blood capacity is around five liters, the Turtles have about seven. Much of the blood flows under the shell -- a remnant of their lives as ordinary turtles, whose own blood does so in order to warm them when they bask. This means that the Turtles could lose close to three liters of blood before dying, while a human would only be able to lose two.

Their blood is also highly efficient at clotting, but that also means that storing blood for transfusions is difficult, and so must be directly transfused from one turtle to another in emergency situations.

Owing to their extensive circulatory system, they also have a larger lung capacity than humans and more oxygen-rich blood, and so are able to hold their breath for extended periods of time without adverse effects. Other than this, the Turtles' respiratory system is very much like humans', utilizing a diaphragm to inflate and deflate their lungs.

Like regular turtles, they do not have ribs, but rather their carapaces and plastrons serve that purpose, and they have muscles under their shells that keep their internal organs right where they belong.

Also like regular turtles, their spines curve along the insides of their shells. A direct hit on the center of their shells, then, could cause damage to their spinal column and nervous system, but fortunately their vertebral shields offer a fair amount of protection, so it would take quite an impact.

The Turtles are highly resistant to most infections and diseases, which increases their immunological responses. They do not get sick easily, and they recover quickly.

While their scales are not apparent, they are integrated into their skin, making it tougher than human skin. It takes a very hard hit to raise a bruise, and it is difficult to cut through without a very sharp or pointed blade.

Their bones are similar to humans, but are more resistant to breaking. They also heal quicker and stronger if they are broken.

Their muscles are also very close to human-like, but they are stronger than an average human due to compensating for the extra weight they carry in their shells. Because of this, their ligaments and tendons are also tougher, and it is difficult for them to have a joint dislocated.

Their sense of smell is more acute than humans, but not to an extreme degree. They are also not as bothered by foul smells (though this has more to do with living in a sewer than their physiology).

Their eyes are a bit tougher and more resistant to damage than human eyes due to a protective membrane that covers them. They see a bit better than humans in dark places and underwater.

Their hearing is somewhat more attuned to lower frequencies than human hearing, and is not dependent on external ears but rater an internal auditory system (making direct damage to their hearing unlikely).

They are capable of being knocked unconscious, but it takes a significant impact. Permanent or lingering damage to their brains is unlikely due to their structure, and so they also do not tend to suffer the same side-effects that humans would in the same circumstances (nausea, memory loss, etc.).

Although their nutritional needs are similar to humans, they do not need to eat every day, and in fact can get by quite well without food for a week if necessary (though they won't enjoy it). When food is readily available, however, they will eat as much as possible to store up energy. Their metabolism does not slow down when they do not eat, so overexerting themselves when they haven't had any food for a while can burn them out suddenly.

Their sleep schedules are much like most diurnal animals, though they are able to stay awake for extended periods of time and can get by on little sleep, if necessary. There have been times when they have been awake for days on end, getting by on short one hour naps here and there. In general, though, they like to have a regular sleep/wake cycle.

Like other reptiles, the Turtles never stop growing throughout their lifetimes; however their growth is slow, topping off at about 1-2 inches every five years.

Does anyone have anything they would like to add to the list? I actually had fun compiling it!

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #ninja turtles #fanfic #fanfic reference #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles trailer #rottmnt #tmnt 2003 #tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2007 #tmnt bayverse #tmnt vs batman #tmnt comics #tmnt mutant mayhem #tmnt mm #whump #whump reference #tmnt 1987 #tottmnt #tales of the tmnt

[dougdimmadodo]

Chambered Nautilus (Nautilus pompilius)

Family: Nautilus Family (Nautilidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Unassessed

The fossil record shows that hard external shells were common among early cephalopods, but today the six living species of nautilus are the last cephalopods to retain the external shells of their ancestors, limiting their agility and flexibility but providing them with a highly effective defence against predators (primarily octopuses and large fish) and granting them a high degree of control over their buoyancy: within the shell of a nautilus there are several chambers with a tube-like structure across which gas and water can be transferred, known as a siphuncle, running between them - by filling a chamber with gas the nautilus can increase its buoyancy, by filling a chamber with water it can decrease its buoyancy, and by balancing the number of gas-filled chambers and water-filled chambers it can maintain neutral buoyancy. The Chambered Nautilus is the largest living nautilus (with exceptionally large individuals having a shell diameter of up to 25cm/10 inches, although smaller sizes are more typical), and can be found in the Indian and western Pacific oceans where it typically inhabits shallow coastal waters and coral reefs. It swims by forcing water out of a flexible tube-like structure near its head called a siphon (which can be aimed to alter its direction of movement), and feeds largely on carrion and detritus which it locates using a pair of chemical-sensitive structures that protrude from above its eyes, known as rhinophores. Although they lack true tentacles, Chambered Nautiluses possess as many as 90 small limbs beneath their eyes (called cirri), which lack the strength and adhesive suction cups of the limbs of squids and octopuses but are capable of grasping carrion (as well as the occasional live animal, such as small crabs) and transporting it to the small, parrot-like beak hidden beneath them. When food is abundant Chambered Nautiluses often gorge themselves, storing excess food in a muscular pouch-like organ called a crop where it can be slowly released into the stomach when it is needed. Chambered Nautiluses reproduce by laying eggs (which are typically hidden in cracks in rocks or between lobes of coral, and hatch after about a year into small but fully-developed young instead of the larvae seen in most cephalopods), and while most cephalopods reach maturity, mate and die within just a few years nautiluses are relatively long-lived, reaching maturity at around 5 years old and potentially living for 15-20 years. The interior of a Chambered Nautilus’ shell is lined with a beautiful silvery substance known as nacre or mother-of-pearl which helps to protect the internal organs if the outer shell is damaged, and the demand for nacre (as well as full nautilus shells) for use in decorations and jewellery has led to a high rate of both legal and illegal hunting of this species, resulting in the Chambered Nautilus being classified as a CITES Appendix II species in 2016 (essentially meaning that they are not currently threatened with extinction, but are now legally protected so as to prevent them from being put at risk of extinction in the future.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------    

Image Source: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/123467-Nautilus-pompilius

#Chambered Nautilus #Nautilus #naurtiluses #nautiloids #cephalopods #zoology #biology #Teuthology #animal #animals #marine wildlife #marine biology #cephalopod #wildlife

[pokemonshelterstories]

hello!! got any cool facts about minior? they seem to be popping up a lot in my area, especially after last week’s meteor shower. i’m thinking about catching one, but i hear they’re really difficult to take care of and i don’t want to accidentally hurt it

minior are really interesting pokemon- we really aren't sure to what extend they exhibit any form of consciousness, or whether their responses to external stimuli are entirely automatic. some people claim that they can be trained for battle, but that would be 1. very difficult to do and 2. not worth the danger it puts the minior in, since their protective shell is liable to break, which puts them at risk of death. they live in the ozone layer, where exposure to high levels of UV-B radiation seem to have played a large role in their creation.

as far as caring for one, you do need to be mindful of their shell. it's durable, but if it gets broken, you need to ball your minior and get it to a pokemon center so they can help it reform the shell. they don't actively need to eat, as they absorb particles from the air to sustain themselves on, and to be honest they don't need a ton of enrichment either aside from plenty of exposure to the sun and a UV-B bulb to bask under. they do respond to touch and sound, but not much.

you also need to keep an eye on your own health, since the nanoparticles they shed can potentially be harmful, especially to the lungs. while they aren't hard to care for, current research does recommend against keeping them as pets until the effect of their presence on humans and other pokemon is better understood.

#charlietalks #pkmn irl #pokemon irl #pokemon care #pokemon biology #minior

[tribbetherium]

'With its nigh-impenetrable defenses and stems and leaves armed with razor-sharp silica spines edible only to the most specialized and hardiest of herbivores, the saberleaf grass has become one of the most widespread and successful flora on HP-02017. Found across most continents, this well-defended plant has become quite diverse over the eons, some becoming short, stocky sabershrubs, and others, in certain parts of Gestaltia where tall plants are otherwise scarce, grow into the towering sabertrees, forming lethal forests that accommodate only the most adapted and defended wildlife. Yet, due to its abundance, saberleaf too has become a practically-limitless resource to those that had evolved to exploit it. Most obvious are the ungulopes, whose constant grazing prevents saberleaf from crowding out other species of plants: yet, on a smaller scale, other creatures have found ways to take advantage of the saberleaf's overkill defenses to benefit their own survival.

The saberleaf gallwasp (Spiculoformator scorpiocauda) is a small species of parasitic wasp that, while descending from ancestors that once parasitized other insects, now has adapted to parasitize plants: using their long, sharp and retractable ovipositors to deposit an egg, one at a time, into the tissues of plant hosts: specifically, saberleaf hosts. The insertion of the egg triggers the surrounding plant tissues to form a sort of botanical tumor that surrounds and encloses the egg: on the outside forming a fractal array of snowflake-like silica spines radiating from a hard external shell, yet inside, becomes full of soft, pulpy tissue that makes an ideal nursery for the developing wasp larva, serving as both food and shelter for it. Safe inside the gall, the larva is well-protected from predators and parasites alike, and even ungulopes--otherwise specialized saberleaf eaters-- can suffer painful mouth injuries when they ingest the galls on accident.'

-------------

#speculative evolution #speculative biology #spec evo #speculative zoology #hamster's paradise #art one shot

[echoing-gravity]

Can Marinette Bench press a building?!

(Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles, are able to carry objects that are up to 1,000 times their own weight due to the unique structure of their exoskeletons. An exoskeleton is an external protective covering that provides support and protection to the insect's body. This covering is made up of a material called chitin, which is a strong and lightweight polymer. The exoskeleton also gives ladybugs their characteristic shiny, hard shells. Ladybugs use their powerful leg muscles to lift and carry heavy objects, such as large leaves or other insects. The unique structure of their exoskeleton allows them to distribute the load evenly across their body, making it possible for them to carry heavy objects without being weighed down. Additionally, their strong legs and other muscles are equipped to sustain this weight too)

But like with her legs???

I wanna see a MLB x DC fic where Marinette is working with young justice and like a building fucking falls on them but marinette just fucking kicks it away. Or picks it up. Itd be even more absurdly funny if she wasn't transformed and the super strength is like a kwami side effect.

WHAT IS MARINETTES WEIGHT? IS THERE A CANNON ANSWER??? DO I HAVE TO PULL A MATPAT AND DO PIXEL MEASUREMENT MATHAMATICAL BULLSHIT???? I WANNA KNOW IF SHE CAN LOFT A BUILDING OR NOT!!!

#mlb x dc #ladybug miraculous #i can't do math #Like 1000 x the weight of a 15 year old is prolly maybe not enough to lift like a skyscraper but like maybe a McDonald's?? #I want to see Marinette throw a batburger building at that one crocodile rouge #Or the joker #Yeah no deffo the joker but durring that arc where he trys to torture Tim. Can u tell I ship ShutterBug? Or is it timmette? #Shutterbug is cuter #Anyway #After Mars throws the building at WHOEVER as marinette and not lady bug #We could have the silly miscommunication of oh! Kryptonian! But like it could go angsty if they assume she's stronger than she is like she' #Got super strength but prolly not on Mr. Clark -I am totally just a reporter who is not suspicious at All- Kent #So if Kon or someone patted them on the back at Kryptonian power levels it would prolly result in an ow #Is this Buff Marinette? Does this count? Am I the only one who remembers that au #Also I now headcannon that ladybug has thin plated armor on her suit like an exoskeleton and whenever anyone #Asks her how she can pick up heavy things she says “Oh! Im just Chitin :3” (cheating) puns are contagious and no one is safe #badass marinette #Buff Marinette #marinette dupain cheng #tim drake x marinette dupain cheng #Also Tim totally has the hots for the girl that could snap his spine. Im just saying what we're all thinking

[musings-of-a-rose]

Okay so for Robbie (Ghost Rider) x Reader, I was thinking where the reader was going after the Watchdogs and the reader got hurt in the process where Robbie see her and then they got into a slight argument where it is dangerous to go after the Watchdogs.

So a slight angst but fluff at the end. It’s fine that you don’t want to do this one.

Promise

Pairing: Robbie Reyes x f!reader

Word Count: 800+

Rating: Mature - 18+ ONLY!

Warnings: Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

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**Reader is not described

Main Masterlist

Robbie Reyes Masterlist

Ok, I really fucked up this time. I had gotten some intel that a higher up member of the Watchdogs that I’ve been trying to find for months was meeting a weapons dealer in a warehouse across town. I probably should’ve planned this better, but it was last minute and I couldn’t wait. 

Which may cost me my life.

As I stare down the barrel of the gun pointed directly at my face, a man with a mask yelling at me to tell them who I work for, I find myself thinking of only him. Robbie Reyes. My Robbie, the love of my life. I should’ve listened to him when he told me to back down from chasing the Watchdogs, but I was so close. And here I am, about to die for nothing. I wish I could see Robbie one last time. I screw my eyes shut, waiting for the end. 

And then screams erupt from all around me, the sounds of people flying and hitting the various shelves and barrels stacked around, smacking against the floor. And the smell. Burning flesh as the screams are silenced one by one, the gunshots that had been going off slowing to a stop, the shells clinking to the cold, hard floor. I crack an eye open, already knowing who I’d see when my eyesight adjusts. A man with a flaming skull head approaches me, tossing a thick chain over his shoulder. He kneels in front of me, his dark eye sockets boring into my own eyes as the flames disappear and Robbie appears, grunting and shaking his head as his skin grows back, his deep eyes the last things I see before I black out.

—----

When I wake, I’m in his room, Robbie sitting next to me on the bed, checking over the bandages placed over various places on my body.

“How long was I out?” I croak, suddenly needing a glass of water. 

“A day or so. Doc checked you out. Slight internal bruising and a shit ton of external ones.”

I try to move and gasp at the pain. “Fuck you slight.”

“Why were you there?”

“You know why.”

“I told you not to go.”

I sigh. “I was so close, Robbie. I had to try-”

“No! You didn’t! You almost died today.”

“But I didn’t!”

He gets up, pacing the room like he does when he’s angry. “But you almost did! And where would that have left Gabe? Where would that have left me?”

“I…what does it matter? I’m trying to protect you both from them!”

Robbie slams his fist on his dresser and I jump at the sound. “I told you, I can take care of them!”

“But-”

He walks over to me, sitting on the bed directly in front of me. “No buts. I can take care of them but what I can’t do is lose you. I…I wouldn’t be half the man I am without you. I love you, chica. Isn’t that enough?”

Tears stream from my eyes and I suck in some air at the pain. “You are enough, Robbie. I just.. I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t useful.”

His eyes soften. “Not useful? Chica, you save my life every day by just being with me. I have no idea what I’ve done to deserve you, but I know I can’t live without you.”

“I love you too, Robbie.”

He cups my face, careful to not upset the bruising and scrapes littered across it. His eyes catch my gaze and I can feel the love pouring from him. “Can you promise me you’ll stop chasing them? If you hear something, you’ll tell me and I’ll- we’ll handle it?”

By we he meant the Rider and him and honestly, after nearly dying, this is an easy answer.

“Of course. I promise.”

“Thank you, chica.”

He cuddles in next to me, careful to avoid hurting me as I snuggle in next to him,  hand in his chest as I feel his heart beat and feel incredibly lucky to have him in my life.

—----

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General Taglist:

@frankie-catfish-morales @chaoticgeminate @janebby @astoryisaloveaffair @balekanemohafe @greeneyedblondie44 @hoeforthefictional @marvelousmermaid @hauntedmama @giuliarogers-blog @icanbeyourjedi @wretchedmo @sunnshineeexoxo @livingmydreams13 @adventures-of-a-noodle @sara-alonso @theewokingdead @punkerthanpascal @giggly-otter @f0rever15elf @phandoz @dirtytissuebox @gallowsjoker @lovesbiggerthanpride @sarahmilesbendrix @booksarekindaneat @mrsudontknowme @swol-bear @charlispersonallyhell @xoxabs88xox @amneris21 @gooddaykate @alindeluce @avengers-fixation @paintballkid711 @harriedandharassed   @ladykatakuri @marrianena  @practicalghost @withakindheartx @batdarkladyvampir @justanotherkpopstanlol   @mermaidxatxheart @alexxavicry @ichigodjarin @justreblogginfics @sullyosully @kmc1989

#Robbie Reyes #Robbie Reyes x you #Robbie Reyes x f!reader #agents of shield #aos #marvel #ghost rider #Robbie Reyes x female reader #Robbie Reyes x reader #agents of shield fanfic #agents of shield ff #gabriel luna #gabriel luna x reader #gabriel luna x you #gabriel luna characters #gabriel luna character fanfic #gabriel lunal character ff #gabriel luna character fanfiction

[noobsomeexagerjunk]

Personal QSMP design hcs and interpretations (PART 1)

1. q!Quackity

ducktaur. predominantly golden yellow feathers and bright orange duck legs

partial heterochromia (dark brown with bits of bluish-grey)

his wear is different depending on which language he is maining at the moment

Eng!Q has an eyebrow scar, calloused hands, and some browning feathers. Wears religious jewelry and warm-colored clothes.

ESP!Q has ear piercings and blue-dyed feathers. Always has a clip-on tie and cool colored clothes.

Post-Tilin death, he either has their ribbon as a necktie (ESP) or belt (ENG)

has a pin of the QSMP logo always on his person

Brushes his feathers before teaching class

2. q!Jaiden

she is the cartoon character reflected by the mc skin, though is nonetheless perceived as human

she magical girl transforms into the vtuber fit whenever she wants to. Most of the time, it's to fight or to protect Bobby

she transforms using a magical brooch that resembles the emblem on her vtuber fit. she can add stuff on the brooch to alter her transformed appearance (like changing the bird wings to butterfly ones, or having a shiny rainbow mode)

she made a smaller, less powerful replica of her brooch for Bobby so he can get into armor much faster

she "draws" things out of her inventory with her fingers in the air (think the spellcasting of the witches in The Owl House, but with different symbols)

When Bobby died, her transformed look takes on a more dark and brooding appearance

3. q!Roier

he's not a spider hybrid but like, an actual Spiderman—literally got bit by a radioactive spider and everything

alternates between his superhero suit and a civilian fit. like jaiden, he transforms between fits superhero style

can fire webs from his hands, has slight spider sense, and also venomous saliva (so i beg of you, do not get head from this man)

wears natural makeup bc he likes to. he darkens it a little when he feels particularly vengeful (this is canon but yk)

the spiderman traits also apply to Melissa, whose dyed lingerie is literally weaved from spider webs

Post-Bobby death, he wears more blacks (both in civilian and superhero fits) and a lot more eyeliner

4. q!Bad

humanoid looking demon. resembles a void-like shadow in extreme emotional states

distinctly has a glowing halo. it has long horns growing out of it + a shadowy demon tail

has his mc skin's hoodie but sleeveless. collared shirts of any color is usually under that + beige khakis, white socks and various sneakers!

His hoodie has a small embroidered symbol of the Order Theoritas, hidden near the collar of the hood

his hair is long and usually tied loosely. wears glasses as well

sharp canines make him look a bit catty

his reaper get-up is well-sewn cursed cloth. wearing the fit makes his halo and tail larger, darker, and more shadowy

there's a block of diamond + an image of skeppy always on his person

He lets Dapper wear the ghost chat bell as a tail accessory

5. q!Spreen

werebear. He turns into a human during sunny daytimes, and is otherwise an anthromorphic bear-man.

black bear, like the mc skin

fashion sense however matches the CC; generally street-looking even with the bulk of armor

canines and claws glow when he's fighting someone in bear mode. he grows them out fighting during his human state

smells like cigarettes

6. q!Slime

a player equivalent to minecraft slime

prefers taking on a humanoid appearance, and has taken it long enough to master recolorization of said state. feels uncomfortable taking any other form as well

experiences pain when shifting (i mean that's also canon but yk)

behaves like a magma cube in extreme negative emotional states. will resemble one if you piss him off enough

he has no actual clothes, he shapeshifts the appearance of clothing. (q!Mariana has noticed, and he doesn't like to think too hard about it) his most external layer is armor and glasses.

he and q!Mariana have each a piece of Juanaflippa's shell on their person

7. q!Cellbit

human. well, not completely according to genetics but is more or less perceived as one.

The CC but wearing the blockman-cubito's fits

wears eyeliner to hide the eyebags. This doesnt work and only makes his eyes more expressive

a shadow looms the upper half of his face whenever he's being super weird and mysterious. It darkens when he's consciously about to do something really bad in a dramatic anime way; this is much more emphasized if he puts on his goggles

he paints his nails and the paint always trails. these glow sailor moon style when he comes into contact with the blood of any living creature

has a caffeine addiction

The chainsaw scars are deep enough that Cellbit doesn't like looking at himself when changing; he forces it though to remember why he's doing anything at all

Taught Richas how to draw the symbol for the Ordo Theoritas. He also has the symbol pressed into the leather of his gloves

8. q!Wilbur

humanoid man of unidentified species. perceived as human.

really is human looking, minus the pointy ears and prismatic irises

wears clear glasses. yellow sweater + sleeveless brown longcoat + grey jeans + black boots

has a black scarf and red beanie both made of wool and embroidered with gold threaded flowers.

always has a guitar on his person. since tallulah entered his life, he's let her put stickers and draw all over it.

They jam together when they can

may or may not have an enchanted singing voice

part 2

#qsmp #qsmp headcanons

[max1461]

I really love organisms with unique types of hard tissue. Trilobites (probably) had mineralized lenses in their eyes made of calcite crystals. The lenses were literally part of the exoskeleton. The scaly-foot snail is the only known animal to use iron sulfide as part of its shell. The armored fish of the Devonian period had armor plates made of bone protecting their head (most depictions show the armor as an exoskeleton, although IIRC there is no actual evidence it was external). Diatoms are a type of algae whose cell walls are made of transparent silica—literally glass.

They're just so cool!

#organismsposting #not sure if hard tissue is actually the correct term of invertebrate exoskeletons but like

[aethelaum-pages]

Armistice

The Armistice is a Pilot bar. Everyone is welcome, of course, but when your establishment is located half a mile from the Mid-South Gate, you attract a lot of Pilots who want to drink off their post operation stress. Pilots like Onager.

She's much like every other Pilot in the bar – staring dumbly into her drink, nothing behind her eyes until Vesa, the orange-haired bartender, snaps her fingers and she sits bolt upright, eyes wheeling around as she remembers how her Handler used to do that and the conditioning kicks in. Vesa doesn't do it again. The bartender's seen that look before. If the look hadn't given Onager away as a Pilot, the dark, swirling neck tattoos surrounding a jagged mess of interface ports on the back of her neck would have.

Volmjir III was plagued by sandstorms. The high walls surrounding the few cities the planet had did a solid job keeping the sand mostly out, but development outside the periphery was difficult, as the tiny grains had a knack for working themselves into mechanical joints. Enter the biolith rigs: looming biomechanical monstrosities made of melded metal and flesh. Owing to their thick skin and armor plating, they fielded much better outside the walls, as well as on hundreds of other "difficult" planets.

Every biolith was a veritable colony of both micro and macro-organisms, all lab-grown and designed for mutually beneficial relationships. The crucial flaw, however, was their inability to distinguish between humans. To them, while they were in active mode, everything that moved was a target, because training them to slaughter everything was easier and cheaper.

This problem was solved with the Pilots: neurochemically conditioned humans who rode inside each rig's protective shell and acted as a living targeting unit for the machine. A human, linked to the brain matter of the biolith through external neurons and arteries, could detect a target, process it, and approve a kill order faster than any mechanical computer and with more reliability than wetware – and receive a massive dopamine reward for each confirmed hit. A trained Pilot was essential to the successful operation of each rig, and the most valuable piece of the weapon.

Wars end. Pilots age and retire young because the stress and emotional highs of Piloting a biolith take a toll on the brain and the dopamine rush from driving a massive cannon shell through an enemy becomes hard to replicate. Many Pilots find themselves chasing anything that makes them feel good to try to feel that again.

Onager sleeps under a weighted blanket half her weight and wears a compression vest under her duster – she needs the feeling of the biolith's muscular internal sac squeezing around her, fleshy walls compressing her arms to her sides, thick secretions slicking her dark wolfcut against her unused eyes, to feel comfortable. She feels exposed without the pressure.

Her curiously absent drinking partner Ballista, who she trained with, feels phantom shoulder cannons and wears knee and ankle braces and has for years. Being pinned down and having her biolith panic and clamp down on her with enough force to liquify a normal human, messing up her legs, wasn't enough to disqualify her brilliant brain from the NKD's Pilot program. When someone talks to her, she still subconsciously pulls back her left wrist to extend the arm-mounted blade she no longer has.

When they drink together, they usually have about a dozen drinks each, each setting one aside for Mortari and drinking it last. They never found her.

Onager stares lifelessly into her drink, completely still except for her jerking eyes, which lurch back and forth in her head, scanning across a nonexistent targeting interface. Vesa worries about her. Most Pilots aren't the most mentally stable after a career of operating a rig, but Onager was different. Pilots who stayed inside too long were at risk of developing rig-rot: their brain functions would shuffle with the rig's, causing loss of brain function when extracted.

"Onager?" Vesa knew her name. It was tattooed on the back of her right hand, her serial number on her left. "Are you alright?" No response. Vesa sighed.

"KV846?" Onager's head snapped up, the light returning to her eyes as she heard her serial number.

"Command-ready, ma'am." The Pilot didn't recognize her. She drank here almost every night, but the bartender was just another unimportant face. Vesa had taken a course on how to help rotted Pilots. The phrases were just as burned into her head as they were to each Pilot she saw.

“Run internal diagnostics and report.” She felt bad to activate Onager’s conditioning, but she didn’t know how else to reach her.

"I feel... wrong." That made sense. Formerly rig-rotted Pilots pulled from their bioliths described the feeling as similar to losing a limb and experiencing constant phantom limb for an entire second body.

"Here." Vesa laid her hand on the bar, and Onager practically snatched it up, serial number twisting as she squeezed it.

"It hurts." Her voice was thoroughly broken, even compared to other Pilots Vesa had helped.

The bartender just nodded. "I know."

...

Onager cries in her sleep sometimes. When she does, Vesa holds her close and squeezes her. She makes wonderful breakfasts on those mornings. She knows Onager isn't used to eating anything besides NKD rations yet. She loves pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries – expensive to get this far from agricultural worlds, but worth it for the way she laughs and smiles.

Legally, they had no connection. How could they? Onager didn't exist and Vesa had died. In every other manner, though, they never needed one.

They both have new lives. Vesa designs buildings, and Onager helps build them. They save money to go somewhere nicer – A beautiful world like Hiho VII, perhaps. It's forested and temperate, and housing isn't very expensive.

Rig-rot never fully goes away in most cases. Onager still has bad days. She wakes up shaking and sweaty or freezes up in the middle of tasks, crushed by the immense feeling of everything being wrong. But Vesa is there to take her hand and rub her thumb gently, and when Onager looks at her lover her eyes don't flick up and right to access the threat assessment menu anymore.

#writblr #wlw love #wlw post #wlw #sapphic #lesbian #writing #mecha #mecha pilot #fantasy #scifi #worldbuilding #mech pilot

[rusty-jester]

QSMP x PORTAL AU

ok ok, so hear me out ^ both aperture and the federation have vvery similar vibes, with the white walls, extremely dubious morality and silly little creatures that they employ. (theres even this beta intro that is some disfruta la isla type shit, like; a fake island? that fits so well) Aperture is still called Aperture, but there's a subset within Aperture called the Federation! The Federation controls mostly managerial work and Human Resources, their manager is The Duck/Pato, and although they are indeed an AI, they are not the GLaDOS of this au! :D The EGGS (Encouragement for Generalized Groups) are part of a new joint testing initiative, where they try and motivate you to test by making it so that if you don't complete 3 tests a day, your Robo-Child might die! Egg partners all get a unique gun and or tool along with a portal gun to make all of their tests unique! (Such as Slime & Mariana having a Gel Gun and a Portal Gun & Roier and Jaiden having a portable Excursion Funnel and Portal Gun) the GLaDOS of this au is called BLUEBRD (Biotechnical Logic Upload (with a) External Branching Research Database) and you can probably guess who it is just by the name lol. I wanted Jaiden to be the GLADOS solely because of the 'Welcome back' scene and how in the opening of portal 2 the facility is in such disrepair, and i think it would be neat if the BLUEBRD chassis is empty at the start :) Cellbit would be Rattmann ofc, maybe Romero Richas could handle the more artistic side of Rattmann? (or being the oracle turret!) I'll ramble on a bit more abt this stuff under the cut, but hoo boy i have a lot of ideas

The Island: The Island was their starting chambers all clumped together, hosted on a fake island with a fake sky/biosphere. The Wall is a huge chunk of testing rooms splitting the biosphere in half. The islanders take a little longer to break the wall in this one, having been paired off and given the eggs early. They could sometimes do double tests and could talk to eachother through the panels though :) Brazilians were a chunk of subjects that accidentally crashed into the side of the biosphere? unintentional but it opened the facility up for all the other residents for them to explore, although The Island is often the main meetup point and is one of the safest places in the facility. The French were a group of subjects that were intentionally dropped through the top of the biosphere by the Feds. and the most recent batch of frozen islanders were stored in one of the Old Aperture vaults, probably a ways away from The Island. Being so close to the depths of aperture also brought on the Codes. Mobs are still a problem on the Island, being modified wildlife that has grown within the sphere, or sometimes being entirely artifical creations. Their parts are useful for jerryrigging gear and such, but they're dangerous. The rain is sprinklers :) Codes / Binary Entities: The Codes usually reside in Old Aperture and are far more common down there. They're mishmashed amalgamations of broken screens displaying binary and wires, usually using a husk of a mob (or prototype egg/egg) as a shell and or protection. Its unclear if they were a Aperture experiment went wrong, a worm/virus that has spread itself too far or a old security measure. They have been slowly making their ways upwards from OA, disturbed by all the commotion of the feds and islanders, slowly becoming more and more of a problem. Some of them have been hijacked by the feds, but it's hard to tell between them and the more feral codes. thats all i have for rn but im still cooking.. neurons are firing monkeys on typewriters type beat

#qsmp #the jester jingles #qsmp au #qsmp portal au #sorry if any of this is incomprehensible but i have a Vision #ask me anything abt this au :pray: i have so many little details that are hard to write down

[bethanythebogwitch]

Y'all voted for a crustacean for Wet Beast Wednesday so I picked possibly the weirdest one to go over. We're talking about barnacles. Barnacles were initially classified as mollusks for understandable reasons as they look a lot like limpets. It wasn't until observation of the larvae that they were reclassified as very strange crustaceans. The hard outer shell contains a little crabby critter that will spend its entire life within. Barnacles can be loosely divided into acorn barnacles, who have their shells directly attached to a solid surface, and goose barnacles, who use a thick, muscular stalk they use to attach.

(image: acorn barnacles)

(image: goose barnacles)

Barnacle shells are derived from the same structures as the carapace of other crustaceans, leaving the barnacle within as a fleshy blob. Most species have an operculum that can open to allow feeding or close to retain water and avoid predators. The vast majority of barnacles are suspension feeders who will stick their legs out of the shell. These legs are covered in sticky filaments that snag plankton and organic material that will be pulled down to the mouth. A few goose barnacles lack cirri and require water movement to bring food into their shells. Barnacles that live in intertidal zones (roughly 25% of species) will close their shells during low tide to retain water. Because barnacles are so sedentary, they lack hearts and gills.

(image: a diagram of barnacle anatomy)

Most barnacles are simultaneous hermaphrodites, producing male and female gametes at the same time (as opposed to sequential hermaphrodites, who change sex during their lives), those some species are gonochoric (distinct males and females) or androdioecious (distinct males and hermaphrodites). Because they are sessile, mating is difficult for barnacles and they have developed internal and external reproduction depending on species. Those that reproduce internally have enormously long, flexible penises that are used to reach and fertilize their neighbors. The barnacle famously has the longest penis to body size ration of any animal, with the penis growing up to 8 times longer than the rest of the animal. Other species use a technique called spermcasting in which male gametes are released into the water and picked up by females/hermaphrodites for fertilization. Juvenile barnacles go through two distinct larval stages. The first of these is the nauplius, a one-eyed, free-swimming larva that will go through 6 molts before transforming into the next stage. The next stage is the cyprid and its only purpose it to find a suitable pace to spend the rest of its life. It will use its antennae to examine hard surfaces with a number of criteria including surface texture, chemistry, color, biofilm, and the presence of other barnacles. Cyprids have limited energy stores as they cannot feed and test have shown they get less picky the longer they spend in this stage. Once a cyprid finds a suitable spot it will permanently attach itself headfirst using a secreted glue and metamorphose into a juvenile barnacle.

(image: a diagram of barnacle life stages)

Some species of barnacle aren't content living on rocks and instead attach to animals. Various barnacle species have adapted to latch onto other animals, including whales, sea turtles, mollusks, crustaceans, and other arthropods. In most cases, these barnacles have a commensal relationship with their hosts; the barnacle gets the benefit of a free ride and protection from predators while the host neither benefits or suffers from the relationship. In cases of heavy infestation, the barnacles could cause irritation or drag and could cause problems for their hosts. One group of barnacles, the rhizocephalans, have gone further and adapted a fully parasitic lifestyle. These have become so heavily adapted they are virtually unrecognizable as barnacles or even arthropods, lacking shells, appendages, body segments, and most organs. A female consists of gonads, a few muscles, the remnants of a nervous system, and a cuticle. Males have even less, they are reduced to a cluster of cells that live inside the females to provide a constant supply of sperm. Parasitic barnacles mostly target decapods (crabs, lobsters, shrimp, etc) thous some species target other crustaceans, including other barnacles. When a female larva attaches to a host, it grows a root-like cell mass called the vermigon into the host's body that absorbs nutrients through the host's blood. The most famous group of parasitic barnacles are in the genus Sacculina, who parasitize crabs. When these barnacles attach to a crab, they sterilize it and prevent it from molting or regrowing lost limbs. It also grows a sac where the female crab would hold its egg sac and forces the crab to protect it as if it really were an egg sac. When Sacculina infests a male crab, it interferes with hormones, causing the male crab to take on a feminine body plan and act female. When the barnacle is ready to release its larvae, the crab will assist as though it was releasing its own egg case.

(Image: Sacculina force-femming a crab)

Goose barnacles are the subject of a famous myth involving geese that granted them their name. The barnacle goose is a species native to Europe but in the days when spontaneous generation was accepted, nobody knew how they reproduced. The geese migrate to the arctic to mate and lay eggs, but nobody knew that at the time. A common myth arose where goose barnacles attached to driftwood were said to be the remnants of goose trees, where the barnacle would grow and eventually release a fully-grown goose. This myth is where the name barnacle came from. The crustaceans were named after the goose.

(image: a drawing of a goose tree)

#wet beast wednesday #barnacles #crustacean nation #crustaceans #parasite #biology #zoology #marine biology #marine life #that one parasite that force-femmes crabs

[murumokirby360]

My Adata HD330 2TB External Hard Disk Drive Review (with my Paper Dolls) - Part 2 [May 11, 2022]

Hello! This is Part 2 of my new item review, the Adata HD330 External Hard Disk Drive (with my paper dolls).😁

In this part, I'm going to show ya my comparison between my recent external hard drive (on the left) & my old broken one (on the right) is my Western Digital My Passport Essential 500GB.

But before that: I would like to apologize for the long delay. My parents are busying extending our house to make more space 🏠🔨, plus the voting election in my country 🇵🇭🗳️, and of course... Umm... I felt emotional & depressed. The latter was the concern of my 160GB (3.5 inch) hard disk drive's life that was on the line 😟 because I made a dumb decision when I disassemble it & see what's the problem via following instructions without my knowledge about the hard disk drive. That 160GB HDD contains my artworks 🎨🖌️, photos 🖼️ & other files 📁 that are my precious memories from 2016 & beyond, and I can't retrieve them anymore. So, I REALLY NEED to find a good professional disk recovery store to save my files, but it'll be very expensive to pay & I don't have enough money. I guess, I DO REALLY NEED a job to earn my profits. *sigh* Without my precious files, there will be no... ME. And my life will be a downward spiral of depression.😔

Anyway, back to my topic... If you haven't seen my previous part, then please [CLICK ME!].

So, without further ado, let's get started:

1st & 2nd Image(s) ↑:

• [1st Image] As I said in my intro, you're looking at my two external hard disk drives. Despite the design & look, my Adata HD330 is taller than my old WD (short for Western Digital).

• [2nd Image] Another thing was the HD330 had shock & drop proof with built-in silicon case around the plastic shell case & also the interior 2.5 inch HDD, though I still need to buy a rugged hard case for extra protection. Whereas my old WD My Password Essential has nothing but four rubber pads on the back.

Little story 📖: My former BF actually purchased this Western Digital external HDD at the local tech store for me as a token of our friendship, and I was very surprised back then when I was in my high school days. *Sigh* 😌 Memories, I would never forget that moment.

3rd to 6th Image(s) ↑:

• Here are their side to side comparison, sandwich style.

• [5th Image (left)] On my old WD external hard drive, you may notice that there's a tiny hole on the left side. That's the light indicator when plugging the Micro-B USB port through the computer via cable.

• [6th Image (right)] And speaking of ports, both Adata HD330 & (old) WD My Passport Essential are sporting USB Micro-B 3.0 port. Well, actually 3.2 gen 1 port for the Adata HD330, meaning it's far superior port than the old 3.0 variant. (Well, I think) It'll be awesome if the HD330 will be sporting the USB type C cable for a modern look & less hassle plugging than the irreversible USB Micro-B. (Just suggesting)

7th & 8th Image(s) ↑:

• [7th Image] Finally, their USB Micro-B 3.0 cables. On the left is from Adata HD330 & on the right is from WD My Passport Essential, which shows up aging from rust on the USB type-A male, but the male Micro-B was surprisingly quite intact & shine.

• [8th Image] On top of that, the old USB Micro-B cable 3.0 is longer than Adata's short-length cable. Also, that cable strap remains wrapped around, to this day.

9th & 10th Image(s) ↑ [without flash for no. 10th]:

• My paper dolls said that these two external HDs are both blue! 💙Well yeah, of course not because I love blue, duh.😊 One is brand new & the other was very old, due to the signing age of fading WD logo on the front, scratch surface, etc. Not to mention not very functional, and hoping it will revive my old one (hoping my old files remain intact without a single corrupt), anytime soon. As soon as I want the 160GB hard drive will be an attempt to save it first (if possible).🤞😟

Overall:

• Well, nothing new. But, I would say it was a pretty good short comparison between my two existing portable/external HD (not High Definition) or HDD. 🙂👍

• Right now, I have nothing to transfer my files for my next & final part. 😟 So, I'm not sure if I could finish this topic this month (May) or not. But, here's hoping that I will find the way while my 160GB HD is putting in rest mode.

Well, that’s all for now. If you want to see my previous topic from March, as well as my current topic from April, then I’ll provide some links down below.↓😉

My Oria 120 in 1 Screwdriver Set Review:

• Part 1 [Mar 15, 2022]

• Part 2 (Final) [Mar 19, 2022]

My Adata HD330 (2TB) External HDD Review:

• Part 1 [Apr 12, 2022]

Tagged: @bryan360, @lordromulus90, @carmenramcat, @gibsonfreak49, @leapant, @alexander1301

#My Photos #My Photo #MyPhotos #MyPhoto #Photos #Photo #Chowder #Panini #Chowder Panini #Paper Dolls #Adata #Adata HD330 #Western Digital #Western Digital My Passport Essential #Memory #Device #Hard Disk #Hard Disk Drive #HDD #External #External Hard Disk #External Hard Disk Drive #External HDD #Photography

[hero2222]

New muse...and material:

Liora

**Gender/Sex:** Female

**Age:** 23

**Height:** 5'6"

**Weight:** 135 lbs.

**Personality:** Liora combines her introspective personality with the laid-back, adventurous spirit. She's fiercely independent and a bit of a loner, preferring the company of her thoughts or the quiet companionship of a few close friends. Her exterior might seem cool and detached, often hiding her emotions behind a facade of indifference. However, beneath this exterior beats the heart of a true hero, driven by a deep-seated desire to make a difference. Liora shuns the spotlight and is uncomfortable with praise, often slipping away after doing something heroic before anyone can even thank her. She expresses herself through her mastery of Flexilum, finding solace in its transformation and the creative outlet it provides.

1. **Flexilum Mastery:** Liora can effortlessly manipulate Flexilum, shifting it between its playful, elastic form and its hardened, protective state. This ability mirrors her dual nature—flexible yet unyielding, reflective yet bold.

2. **Adaptive Constructs:** With a skater's agility and an artist's touch, Liora crafts Flexilum into dynamic constructs for swift movement, armor for defense, or chains to bind. Each creation is a reflection of her mood and intent, sometimes dark and edgy, other times vibrant and energetic.

3. **Defensive Shell:** Preferring defense over outright aggression, Liora can envelop herself or others in Flexilum armor that's tough yet subtly reflective, much like her personality. It's her way of protecting without drawing attention, her form of quiet resistance.

4. **Subdued Influence:** Through the subtle modulation of Flexilum's colors, Liora can dampen hostile intentions or calm a tense situation. This ability allows her to avoid conflicts or resolve them without escalation, staying true to her aversion to the spotlight.

5. **Healer in the Shadows:** Liora uses Flexilum to aid and heal in secret, leaving her mark through the mysterious appearance of Flexilum casts or supports. She doesn't stick around for gratitude, embodying the essence of a hero who doesn't need recognition to do what's right.

Liora is a study in contrasts—stoic yet deeply caring, cool yet passionate about her causes. Her journey is not just about battling external threats but also about navigating the complex terrain of her emotions and relationships. In her, the essence of Flexilum finds its perfect counterpart: an element that is as versatile and profound as the person who wields it.

Flexilum

### Properties

- **Flexibility and Elasticity:** Flexilum is naturally soft and exhibits incredible elasticity, allowing it to stretch and compress with resilience. This property makes it an exceptional material for creating items that can absorb impact or require flexibility.

- **Color Transformation:** Flexilum is light pink in its soft, elastic state, symbolizing its pliable nature. Upon hardening, its color deepens to a rich shade nearing purple, indicating its transition to an incredibly tough state that rivals the hardness of graphite.

- **Adaptability:** This element can adapt to various external stimuli, such as temperature changes or exposure to specific energies, which trigger its transformation between soft and hard states. This adaptability makes it versatile for both creative and practical applications.

- **Energy Conductivity:** While in its hardened state, Flexilum can conduct different forms of energy, including magical, thermal, and electrical energies. This conductivity, combined with its toughness, makes it valuable for technology and magic-based applications.

#### Origin

Flexilum is formed under rare conditions where magical and natural forces converge, such as at ley line intersections or during specific celestial alignments. This rarity and the conditions of its formation add to its value and mystique.

#### Utilization

- **Manipulation Ability:** Individuals with the ability to manipulate Flexilum are rare and possess a deep connection to the natural and emotional world. This connection allows them to guide Flexilum through its transformations, mastering the timing and conditions to harness its full potential.

- **Applications:** The dual nature of Flexilum offers a wide range of applications. In its soft form, it can create protective barriers or cushions. When hardened, it is used for constructing durable structures, crafting weapons or armor, or even forming tools that require both strength and a degree of flexibility to prevent brittleness.

#### Cultural and Mystical Role

Flexilum's unique properties and the nuanced skill required to manipulate it make it a symbol of status, power, and mastery in various cultures. It plays a significant role in rituals, serves as a medium for artistic expression, and could even represent a connection to the divine or the planet's soul.

Integrating Flexilum into your world not only enriches your setting with a unique element but also opens avenues for storytelling through its diverse applications and the depth of interaction required to master its manipulation.

#art #oc #digital artist

[shorter2243]

//body horror (maybe?)

Taking off the disguise +Some demon lore

Demons have a true form that looks like this:

Their humanoid look is what is called a "Disguise". It's not there to hide or lie to anybody, despite the name. Demons put on disguises to protect others, because their real looks cause anybody who sees them to freak out. It's hard to determine what causes this sudden primal fear outbursts or even hallucinations. For a regular person it may be hard to determine how they actually look, because of immense hallucinations that occur.

Interesting fact to mention is that demons don’t really bleed. At least not in a conventional way. When injured (both in and out of disguise) their wounds fill up and “bleed” with foaming and thick, black mucus, looking similar to their true form’s skin. The mucus quickly solidifies forming a crust. That simply means demons can’t bleed out, since they have no blood to lose.

Disguise is an external shell and the true form is simply sitting under the disguise. When the disguise is damaged the inside is visible. While the damage to the disguise hurts the demon, it cannot be lethal. What’s also particularly gruesome and painful to the demon is removing the disguise to showcase their true form. As stated before, the true form is hiding underneath the disguise, so to take it off the demon has to simply rip it off.

#worldbuilding #artists on tumblr #art #oc art #original character #demon #writing #gfr art #gfr writing #gfr worldbuilding

[nightwingshero]

Cancer is a cardinal water sign. Represented by the crab, this oceanic crustacean seamlessly weaves between the sea and shore, representing Cancer’s ability to exist in both emotional and material realms. Cancers are highly intuitive and their psychic abilities manifest in tangible spaces: For instance, Cancers can effortlessly pick up the energies in a room. These crabs are highly sensitive to their environments, as well as extremely self-protective. Much like their celestial spirit animal, Cancers are shielded by hard, external shells. At first, these crabs may be perceived as cold or distant. With time, though, Cancers reveal their gentle nature, genuine compassion, and mystical capabilities. Just don't be surprised if it takes a while to get to know them.

Wren Blake Birthday gift 2/2 - June 24th

Another gift for my favorite knife-wielding crab!

#because i couldn't do just one #and wren is literally the knife wielding crab #i can't look at it without thinking of her #and hopefully this will hold me accountable to post this shit next year #oc: wren blake #my ocs #my moodboards