Science of Avatar: Na'vi Evolution

Part one of a series focusing on the science behind James Cameron's Avatar.

Featurette http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geNv6FUK0HU

Trailer Review http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPTiyr0BaFc

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Avatar
• Na'vi
• Science
• Fiction
• James
• Cameron
• Trailer
• Featurette

[Skywalker91]

Where did your video "Alien boobs" go? I miss the more detailed talk about "alien taxonomy", if you could call it that.

[SimKoning]

@Skywalker91 I took a few videos down because I was planning on doing new versions that are not so "Avatar-centric". I've been really busy lately so sadly I simply have not got around to it. I really want to do some on the Mass Effect series. I'm hoping to put one up in the next few days.

[Revolucionario02]

I was disappointed to see the Na'vi as human-like beings with 1 pair of arms instead of 2 pairs like those monkey like creatures showed in the movie. It doesn't feel like a real world to me, more like a fantasy world such as LOTR. I love the movie and I understand JC has to take some liberties so audiences can connect with the Na'vi so the project could be financially successful.

[SimKoning]

@Revolucionario02 True on all counts, but I think some scientists are jumping to conclusions when they assume that aliens would have to look very, very different from us. If a planet has oceans and trees, a very primate like creature could evolve for the same reason icthyosaurs, dolphins, and sharks all have essentially the same body plans: convergent evolution. For very alien flora and fauna, check out the work of Wayne Barlowe. In fact there is documentary called alien planet on you tube.

[FiverBeyond]

I would actually love it if Avatar were making an effort to make evolutionary sense, and I'll even grant the filmmakers the sociological necessity of making the Na'Vi ultra-human-like in order to evoke empathy.

And I VERY much like the prolemuris inclusion. Now I know that I'm being very, very nit-picky here, but... what about the avians? Aren't they tetrapodal? Wouldn't this violate the nested hiearchy showing tetrapods growing strictly from the fused-limb prolemuris?

[SimKoning]

@FiverBeyond If you look at the leonopteryx, you'll notice it has a reduced 2nd pair of wings. I think the idea is that there are two lineages of "dragons things" a 4 winged clade with all six limbs, and a 4 winged clade in which the hind legs have evolved into wings (like a microraptor) while the middle set was lost.

[Winner8501]

I always suspected that the Prolemuris is in fact the missing link between Na'vi and other creatures on Pandora.

But frankly, I wouldn't have mind if the Na'vi had 4 arms, like some of the Hindu deities. But I understand Cameron had to make the Na'vi as human-like as possible to make them aesthetically appealing to the larger audience.

[viicISrotcib]

If its possible to build an "alcuviere drive" then traveling faster than the speed of light is actually possible!

And no offence, but I would like to see a scientific analizis on avatar made by discovery channel or science channel, etc, but you say things that make more reason.

[RhysGarrish]

@FiverBeyond just because i wrote it quickly and as one sentance doesnt mean that it point is not made, read it through, i am just explaining what there queue does

[FiverBeyond]

@RhysGarrish

I'm very sorry, but because your post was written entirely as one sentence, and other reasons, I simply have no idea what your point is.

[RhysGarrish]

i would just like to say that the hair the na'vi have is called a queue and it i used to connect the conciousness of the na'vi with the ikran and direhorse so they can ride them, and it is used to create an emmotional bond between a na'vi couple that lasts a lifetime, and i can see how the world of avatar, the moon pandora is a possibility