I know that it's a video game, however I've been wondering lately if the minecraft forum go-ers would be able to make a way for the suicidal life of the creepers would be biologically and evoltuionary possible.
What we know about creepers:
Their attack method is to do a suicidal bomber attack, killing themselves and anything near them.
Possibilities for reproduction:
Creepers lay thousands of eggs in blocks, making it their nest. Creepers are asexual, allowing them to fertilize their own eggs. This keeps all creepers looking the same, but doesn't allow for much evolutionary change. The creeper buries his eggs far enough underground that his explosion, should it be required, would not harm the eggs. After laying his eggs, the creeper protects his young until they hatch, and which point the newly hatched creepers protect their own hatched bretheren.
This above method would explain why some creepers are alone and others are in packs of 3-5.
Anyone else have any ideas or opinions about how creepers could be possible? As I said, I understand its a game, I just find this interesting.
Many, but I can't think of a single reason a species would do well while exploding is one of their traits...until now.
I don't think eggs are needed at all, but like where you're going with being asexual. Think of basic bacteria and how they mulitply with exact copies and cell seperation, but just larger. No babies needed as they'll be fully grown and ready to ssssss. They don't lower in number or get killed off because of this rapid cell seperation. Solo Creepers are getting ready to split, packs may have just split.
Just a thought, and thanks for the idea to ponder these sorts of things...it's fun!
It seems pretty impossible, though one could assume that exploding is how it would reproduce, such as exploding into a mess of spores, which could explain how creepers spawn.
The spores idea isn't something I'd thought of. That's a pretty good idea also, as the spores could settle and grow. The cells inside the spore could be super sensitive to light, thus dieing out and not spawning in light levels abouve 9, while those that fell in the shade could slowly grow bigger until they became full creeper sized.
The biggest problem I see would be storing up enough energy to make a good boom. How many calories do you think a block of explosives contains?
Assuming they can produce energy-packed stuff in their bodies like gunpowder/dynamite, it becomes an issue of setting it off. Rubbing bits together until they make a static shock might work.
My theory, too, was that they exploded to spread their eggs/spores, the same way "reproduction" works for dandelions (except they don't explode either, of course). The fact that the explosion wounds or kills nearby living things could help the spores with nourishment (if they attach itself to the corpse of whatever has been killed).
Or the explosion part could have a separate evolutionary explanation. Suicidal bees have been brought up before. Their suicide stings have nothing to do with reproduction. Their explosions could be the same principle; you sacrifice yourself to protect the herd. Then maybe they've figured out that humans are the only real threat to them, and so they only attack us when they see us.
All interesting points. RSwordsman, it could be possible that they use their body and natural methane gas to cause the explosions. It is theorized that, if dragons did exist, they could expel their body's natural methane through special sacs in the mouth, like snakes have, and have metallic teeth they could snap together to create the spark (this would also explain why the horded treasures, they needed to eat the metals to keep their teeth working.)
A similar thing could work with creepers. They could store their methane gas in a powder form and then use some time of natural acid they produce to ignite it. If they kept it in condensed sacks in their body, they could cause enough containment force to cause a decent sized explosion.
The biggest problem I see would be storing up enough energy to make a good boom. How many calories do you think a block of explosives contains?
Assuming they can produce energy-packed stuff in their bodies like gunpowder/dynamite, it becomes an issue of setting it off. Rubbing bits together until they make a static shock might work.
I think the exploding for reproduction is the right path here.
If you had some sort of suicidal attack, for most creatures, they would use it as a last resort. This way the creature could live as long as possible and hence more chances for reproduction. The problem here is that creepers don't use their explosion as a last resort. They will go out of their way in order to blow you up.
So the obvious solution is that the explosion is the reproduction. Otherwise they would only use it as a last resort.
But then why don't they just explode in private? Why do they seek you out and explode near you?
I believe the reasons are twofold. One, the reproductive spores/eggs/etc. are lodged into you and when hatched will feed off your corpse, but if you survive will fall off an die. Hence why creepers try to get as close as possible and don't waste their explosion on walls trying to get to you. The second reason is self defence of the species. You are less likely to try and kill a creeper if the last one almost took you down with it.
Of course, then you have the problem of creatures running away from creepers instead of the creepers blowing up and reproducing. But that is why they are stealthy.
The biggest problem I see would be storing up enough energy to make a good boom. How many calories do you think a block of explosives contains?
Most everything a body does takes lots of energy. Our brain is pretty power-hungry, for instance. Running and exercise/work in general eats up lots of calories. Don't see why naturally producing gunpowder inside your body would be any different from naturally producing any other substance, such as bone marrow, blood, sweat or skin cells.
That video also went with the spores idea, though they do it with sexual reproduction allowing for genetic drift. I'm not sure how the two types of sulfer form to make a tree though.
The biggest problem I see would be storing up enough energy to make a good boom. How many calories do you think a block of explosives contains?
Assuming they can produce energy-packed stuff in their bodies like gunpowder/dynamite, it becomes an issue of setting it off. Rubbing bits together until they make a static shock might work.
Yes, bees die when they sting, but there is a slight difference between evolving to have a little stinger full of poison that rips off your body and exploding completely. How would the explosion ever evolve? It doesn't really help the creature in any way, and the fact that after they blow up they are completely dead kind of defeats the purpose of blowing up in the first place because they are dead. Not to mention creepers aren't in nests/swarms like bees. Also, all the people saying the stuff about the spores. First off, spores apply to plants, they aren't any sort of animal reproduction method, and the spores would most likely be destroyed by the blast anyways. Of all the other ways a creature could defend itself, blowing up is not the one that natural selection would pick.
Spores are not known to cause animal growth on earth, it doesn't mean it isn't biologically possible. The "spores" could easily just be a hardened shell surrounding a fertalized egg.
What we know about creepers:
Their attack method is to do a suicidal bomber attack, killing themselves and anything near them.
Possibilities for reproduction:
Creepers lay thousands of eggs in blocks, making it their nest. Creepers are asexual, allowing them to fertilize their own eggs. This keeps all creepers looking the same, but doesn't allow for much evolutionary change. The creeper buries his eggs far enough underground that his explosion, should it be required, would not harm the eggs. After laying his eggs, the creeper protects his young until they hatch, and which point the newly hatched creepers protect their own hatched bretheren.
This above method would explain why some creepers are alone and others are in packs of 3-5.
Anyone else have any ideas or opinions about how creepers could be possible? As I said, I understand its a game, I just find this interesting.
I don't think eggs are needed at all, but like where you're going with being asexual. Think of basic bacteria and how they mulitply with exact copies and cell seperation, but just larger. No babies needed as they'll be fully grown and ready to ssssss. They don't lower in number or get killed off because of this rapid cell seperation. Solo Creepers are getting ready to split, packs may have just split.
Just a thought, and thanks for the idea to ponder these sorts of things...it's fun!
Assuming they can produce energy-packed stuff in their bodies like gunpowder/dynamite, it becomes an issue of setting it off. Rubbing bits together until they make a static shock might work.
You clearly haven't played Resident Evil.
Or the explosion part could have a separate evolutionary explanation. Suicidal bees have been brought up before. Their suicide stings have nothing to do with reproduction. Their explosions could be the same principle; you sacrifice yourself to protect the herd. Then maybe they've figured out that humans are the only real threat to them, and so they only attack us when they see us.
I support gas pockets in MC (see thread in Suggestions)!
A similar thing could work with creepers. They could store their methane gas in a powder form and then use some time of natural acid they produce to ignite it. If they kept it in condensed sacks in their body, they could cause enough containment force to cause a decent sized explosion.
http://listverse.com...ical-reactions/
Liquid filled sacks. Stress or physical damage could cause the sacks to burst, causing an explosive chemical reaction.
ETA: The sacks would be, calorie-wise cheap to fill & maintain.
If you had some sort of suicidal attack, for most creatures, they would use it as a last resort. This way the creature could live as long as possible and hence more chances for reproduction. The problem here is that creepers don't use their explosion as a last resort. They will go out of their way in order to blow you up.
So the obvious solution is that the explosion is the reproduction. Otherwise they would only use it as a last resort.
But then why don't they just explode in private? Why do they seek you out and explode near you?
I believe the reasons are twofold. One, the reproductive spores/eggs/etc. are lodged into you and when hatched will feed off your corpse, but if you survive will fall off an die. Hence why creepers try to get as close as possible and don't waste their explosion on walls trying to get to you. The second reason is self defence of the species. You are less likely to try and kill a creeper if the last one almost took you down with it.
Of course, then you have the problem of creatures running away from creepers instead of the creepers blowing up and reproducing. But that is why they are stealthy.
I support gas pockets in MC (see thread in Suggestions)!
Here bro this is you need to know.
If anything is the story of a creeper's life this is it!
Something like the bombardier beetle, but on a larger scale?
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