seventy-two types of hissei

[ex_fatalist246]

[Ahh, the most familiar sight on the Plane: a desk with paperwork. Such visions still haunt the nightmares of many.]

[This particular desk comes with a boy and his notebook leaning against it. He's still in his school uniform, but when is a Japanese manga teenager not?]

I'm taking a census on the natures of the worlds from which people here come, including any changes made to that world since an individual's arrival here. Any information would be helpful.

Comments

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Are you sure? Overconfidence is a very bad thing.

[ex_fatalist246]

If it's a problem, I can just reorganize the data.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Won't that take a lot of time though?

[ex_fatalist246]

Not with modern computer processing programs.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes... Odd that; it's moved on a lot hasn't it? [She sounds faintly wistful]

[ex_fatalist246]

The last fifty years have seen rapid developments in technology. It's expected to continue into at least the next quarter century.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

How much is possible?

[ex_fatalist246]

Dramatic increase in computer processing and database working, mobile phones, advanced radiometric dating processes...

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Can you get to Pluto yet?

[ex_fatalist246]

No. As far as I know, there have only been manned flights to the moon.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

...That's quite close though, isn't it?

[ex_fatalist246]

Not really. The distance from Earth to Pluto is much further than Earth to the moon.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it terms of the universe that's barely a step out of the door.

[ex_fatalist246]

Both of them are.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

...I thought you'd have hover cars by now.

[ex_fatalist246]

...no. That type of propulsion isn't efficient.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

It looks cool though.

[ex_fatalist246]

So do wings. That doesn't make them practical.

[you have no idea how many shirts he's ruined because of those goddamned things]

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

...But you can fly places with wings, doesn't that make them more practical than walking?

[ex_fatalist246]

Wings can't carry human bodies in a practical way. Birds have hollow bones and are designed to be light-weight and aerodynamic. Humans aren't, so flight would have to be augmented by either changing the bone-structure of humans, which would be highly impractical and would involve dramatic changes to our physiological structure in general, or by adding magical adjustments which would compensate for the physical incompatibility. That sort of magic would be costly.

Then there are the placements of wings to consider. If we are to model the body after that of a bird, then the wings would replace human arms. This would sacrifice dexterity and, because of these losses, the human body would again have to change. Alternately, the wings could be made extension of the shoulder blades. At such a size, wings that can't retract are too large and would be troublesome in most environments. Something as simply as lying on your back would be an impossibility. Wings that can retract would be extremely painful to grow out and then draw in. They would also be costly in energy, as bone and feather structure would have to be grown and then discarded in short periods of time.

It's a nice fantasy, but as a reality it would be a nightmare.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

[Blinkblinkblink] So... Angels aren't really going to occur naturally then?

[ex_fatalist246]

They're unlikely to ever evolve into existence. If they're angels and one supposes the existence of a God, it doesn't really matter if it's practical or not.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

Why not though? Shouldn't they still have to live by the same rules as us?

[ex_fatalist246]

Assuming God created the Earth in six days, the logistics of winged angels don't seem that difficult.

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

...I suppose none of it actually makes sense.