Interspecies intimate relationships and offsprings (Star Trek and Mass Effect)

[Pawelk198604]

When i watch Star Trek, i always wondering that Spock is half-human half-Vulcan.

Or how it possible had illegitimate child with Bajoran women.

Mass Effect the same story

It is scientifically impossible for representatives of different species, which in addition are from other planets, and so different environment who are not with each other nothing in common in terms of genetic.

[Paprika]

Well in real-world land, you can get hybrids of different species (eg mules, ligers, etc) but these are from pretty closely related species and are nearly always infertile (hope Spock doesn't want kids!)

For this to work with aliens they'd have to use the same genetic structure as us (ie DNA) and either the same number of chromosomes or a very similar number, I'm not certain about that.

Either way it's super unlikely that they could produce offspring.

[MDBenson]

Just an FYI, Asari (in Mass Effect) don't reproduce using conventional DNA exchange like humans, they use deep telepathy and the offspring is a sum of the two parent's personalities, not genome. The offspring are always Asari. It is in fact considered socially disagreeable for an Asari child to be conceived between two Asari, though it's not totally uncommon. I just thought I'd clear that up before we ended up in an argument about half-Asari I don't actually think it's possible to conceive a child between human and other species but intercourse ant intimate activity is possible to some degree, although you have to be careful with some species who share different biological structure as you can poison each other

In the Star Trek universe there is, supposedly, some kind of ancient common seed to all humanoid life in the galaxy, which is why most species are humanoid to some extent or other and can cross-breed. At least that's the best explanation I ever heard for it within the context of the Star Trek universe. Exactly how that sticks with Bajorans and Cardassians, given Cardassians are essentially evolved from fish, I'm not sure

[Pawelk198604]

Just an FYI, Asari (in Mass Effect) don't reproduce using conventional DNA exchange like humans, they use deep telepathy and the offspring is a sum of the two parent's personalities, not genome. The offspring are always Asari. It is in fact considered socially disagreeable for an Asari child to be conceived between two Asari, though it's not totally uncommon. I just thought I'd clear that up before we ended up in an argument about half-Asari I don't actually think it's possible to conceive a child between human and other species but intercourse ant intimate activity is possible to some degree, although you have to be careful with some species who share different biological structure as you can poison each other

In the Star Trek universe there is, supposedly, some kind of ancient common seed to all humanoid life in the galaxy, which is why most species are humanoid to some extent or other and can cross-breed. At least that's the best explanation I ever heard for it within the context of the Star Trek universe. Exactly how that sticks with Bajorans and Cardassians, given Cardassians are essentially evolved from fish, I'm not sure

Thanks that help a lot, but does inter species relations, can be branded as bestiality

[Holo]

Thanks that help a lot, but does inter species relations, can be branded as bestiality

The partners are both sapient and can give consent, so probably not

[Charzy]

The partners are both sapient and can give consent, so probably not

Aren't apes sapient?

[Holo]

Aren't apes sapient?

Yes, but they can't really give consent.

[softweir]

Apes are sapient, but if a human were as low-IQ as an ape then most courts in developed nations would rule that person was incapable of giving consent. One can argue by extension that apes can't give consent at a human level. The logic of that may be very shaky, but at a gut level I would agree with the conclusion.

Getting back to the biology, there are far too many things that can differ between species from different planets for the idea of interplanetary breeding to be anything but ridiculous. We can't even breed with apes (gorillas and orangutans have the wrong number of chromosomes and there are two inversions within chromosomes that make us incompatible with chimpanzees) and we share the same essential biochemistry; DNA code; DNA structure and chemistry; DNA, protein and sugar chirality and general environmental requirements. Heck: we can't even guarantee that other lifeforms will have DNA, nor that their metabolisms will process energy in any way even slightly compatible with ours - their secretions may be violently toxic to us and vice versa!

So: no, there is no way Star Trek interbreeding can be considered as hard science fiction, let alone scientifically plausible.

[magnemoe]

Well in real-world land, you can get hybrids of different species (eg mules, ligers, etc) but these are from pretty closely related species and are nearly always infertile (hope Spock doesn't want kids!)

For this to work with aliens they'd have to use the same genetic structure as us (ie DNA) and either the same number of chromosomes or a very similar number, I'm not certain about that.

Either way it's super unlikely that they could produce offspring.

Even if the aliens used the same biochemistry you would not get kids. As you say this require pretty similar species, even an humanoid alien should have an dna structure more different than an fish. This is also true if they came from the same single cell organisms.

Only way for this to work if is some aliens took some humans from earth 100-200.000 years ago and put on the other planet, they would then evolve to look alien to us but still be able to get kids.

Perhaps this is that happened in Star Trek for Vulkan and the others.

[magnemoe]

The partners are both sapient and can give consent, so probably not

This was called rikatra on Nivens ringworld, sex outside you species. It still required the partner to be humanoid for some reason even if all the species on ringworld was humanoids.

[Paprika]

Do you think people would want to? I mean, I love animals, and all their different personalities and stuff, but people don't normally 'enter relationships' with animals no matter how well we get on with them. Could that be a general 'species barrier' type thing, that we're only attracted to members of our species? Or is sentience the extra factor needed?

I assume some people would do it but would it be that common?

[Canopus]

Real Aliens would be completely different then us so such a scenario isn't even possible.