Speculative biology is a branch of biology that has many varying theories and explanations. Some of these include theories about extraterrestrial life, the origins of life, and the origins of mankind. The science of speculative biology also encompasses other philosophies such as metaphysics and theology.
Origins
In a nutshell, speculative biology is the study of biological evolution in the future. It is typically harder to get your hands on, but it is a popular genre among animal fans. However, there are some exceptions. This article takes a look at a few of the more popular subgenres of speculative biology.
One of the most interesting of the genre is xenobiology, which explores the shapes and traits associated with alien life. It can also be used to describe a number of different subgenres, such as Alternative Evolution, which attempts to recreate an alternate version of Earth. Speculative zoology, on the other hand, is a bit more improbable.
The best way to describe speculative zoology is to say that it combines a number of other sci-fi tropes, namely creature design and speculative fiction. Among other things, it is a great way to introduce fictional characters that make a biological sense. For instance, a predator in a science fiction novel provides a little bit of conflict.
The best example of this genre is After Man, which is a groundbreaking work of speculative biology. The book is an exploration of life 50 million years into the future. It focuses on a variety of species, including a neanderthal, a chimpanzee, and several humans. The book is well regarded for its visual design, which is not only impressive, but is also easily readable.
Speculative biology is also a popular genre in science fiction fandoms with a penchant for creatures that aren’t quite real. A common scenario, for example, involves the emergence of non-avian dinosaurs. Regardless of your stance on the topic, speculative zoology can be a lot of fun, and is a popular method of explaining many of the more fantastical forms of life.
Main themes
Speculative biology is a scientific study of the future. Its themes range from studying the evolution process of living creatures to the possibility of life on other planets. The genre is not as widespread as other fiction genres, but it has been used as a teaching tool.
Various speculative biological works describe the development of a world in which humans are extinct or no longer exist. Some works explore an alternative Earth history while others attempt to recreate the present biosphere. Another subgenre of speculative biology, xenobiology, describes alien life and the shapes it takes.
The earliest sample of speculative biology is “The Snouters: Form and Life of Rhinogradentia”. This work details a fictitious group of live creatures – snouters. Numerous publications have been made in different languages.
A later example of speculative biology was “Man – 500 000 Years from Now”. Written by Harry Lionel Shapiro, the book extrapolates human anthropological data to the distant future. According to this scenario, humans have evolved into a variety of animal species.
The most prominent subgenre of speculative biology is “Future Evolution”. This genre involves the development of humans and other creatures in the future. One common scenario explores the potential existence of non-avian dinosaurs on a world without a moon impact.
Although the genre has been around for a long time, a number of important books have appeared in recent years. These include Dougal Dixon’s After Man: A Zoology of the Future, which focuses on the development of an organic world in 50 million years. Other notable works include John Conway’s All Your Yesterdays and Darren Naish’s Ancestors: Speculations of Human Origins.
Speculative biology is also a popular means of explaining the development of fictional creatures. Unlike traditional novels, which usually use a real organism to represent a fantastic one, speculative biology uses imaginary creatures.
Speculative zoology
Speculative biology and zoology are fields of science that use creative and scientific principles to answer hypothetical questions about the future. Generally, these forms of science fiction deal with evolution in a distant future or a different timeline. In many cases, these works obey real world laws of science. However, in some cases, there is a point of divergence.
Speculative biology and zoology draws inspiration from a variety of sources. Some of the most popular examples of these works are the time travel genre. Other works re-design the mythical creatures of ancient times to be more realistic. This includes the mer-people and the dragons.
After Man by Dougal Dixon is a groundbreaking work of speculative zoology. The book deals with life on a planet that has not had human civilization for 50 million years. Most mammal groups have gone extinct, and most bird groups have also died out. Nonetheless, the species that have survived are diverse.
Another example of speculative zoology is the Speculative Dinosaur Project. This project explores the possibility of Earth without the extinction of the K-T period. It also includes a Russian version.
Many speculative evolution projects explore the possibility of an alternate history of terrestrial life. These projects generally include an alternative biosphere, and sometimes add new species to the planet. Xenobiology, meanwhile, focuses on the shapes and characteristics of alien life.
There are a number of science fiction films that have featured speculative biology and zoology, such as Avatar, After Earth, and Terra Nova. Additionally, there are a few books that have been written about this topic.
There are several artists involved in the Speculative Biology and Zoology movement. Some of the most prominent are Dougal Dixon and Henry Thomas.
Extraterrestrial life
Speculative biology is a subgenre of literature that explores how life evolves. It can be found in both fiction and nonfiction works. The genre generally involves scientific research and the study of the chemistry and biology of living organisms. Speculative biology is also a popular literary movement. Speculative biology books often discuss topics other than evolution.
Speculative biology books are most common in the United States, where it is an accepted form of science fiction. These books are not necessarily devoted to an alternative form of evolution, although there is some debate over whether or not such a scenario exists.
Some authors have tried to address the subject of extraterrestrial life in a speculative fashion. They have considered the possibility of intelligent alien societies and have even attempted to simulate meteorites to test the hypothesis that lithopanspermia is possible.
Other specialized pathogens may have been introduced to Earth from space. For instance, Zika virus has been the subject of many theories. Another example is MERS, a disease that has been attributed to the presence of an alien organism.
Speculative biology literature is sometimes called the bestiary. It is a genre that describes and illustrates animals and plants from other planets, often combining descriptions of actual animals with fanciful ones. Among the most ancient forms of literature are fairy tales, myths, and bestiaries. All of these texts, though, have never been scientifically proven or disproven.
Speculative biology is an interdisciplinary field that has been a source of controversy. Specifically, it focuses on the study of how microorganisms and lifeforms that have been studied on Earth might behave if introduced to other worlds. This includes questions about whether or not their genes would have been able to survive on alien planets.
Literary works
Speculative biology as a literary genre was first seen in the early XX century. It was based on two ideas – hypothesizing and scientific evidence. During this time, speculative biology works appeared in purely scientific magazines and educational journals.
Some authors of speculative biology have used zoology and anthropology to explore the shape of human descendants in the distant future. Others have created fictional creatures and re-envisioned the history of our planet. In some cases, the biosphere of Earth is restored after global warming.
Speculative biology works include a number of literary sub-genres. One of the most popular sub-genres of speculative biology is the Alternative Evolution.
The Alternative Evolution genre explores the development of Earth in an alternative timeline. Unlike the classic way of evolution, the alternative method of evolution ignores the evolution of other taxa. Instead, it is devoted to the development of a group of organisms. Examples of this type of speculative biology are intelligent dinosauroids and pterosaurs.
One of the most acclaimed literary works of speculative biology is The Martian. This book shows us a convincing world.
Another literary work about speculative biology is Tomorrow. Described in this book are new animals and plants that were re-created after human-induced global warming. These species are also illustrated. After Man: A Zoology of the Future by Dougal Dixon explains the evolution of an organic world without the presence of human civilization.
In addition to the literature mentioned above, many sci-fi books describe technological advancement. For example, Michael Crichton’s novel about a nuclear war on the earth includes technology, but he does not claim to be the first author to write such a work.
There are several other speculative biology novels, but each is different in its style. While some authors are concerned with the evolution of animals, others are more focused on the evolution of technology.