Kerbal Biology

[ZoidPool]

Can we get this thread started? I have, and so ahve many others, wondered about kerbal biology, and how they work. How do kerbals work? What does their skeleton look like? How do their organs function? All these questions and many more, will hopefully be answered by you!

Thanks,

President of the UKN

[r4pt0r]

well It has been confirmed through official squad videos that they have a pulse(kerbal selection video), it is heavily implied in the halloween 2013 video that they have skulls, though other bones are not referenced.

Also we can assume from the toilet easteregg in the destroyed version of the vab i think, that they have a digestive tract of some sort and have bowel movements in a similar manner to humans.

[cicatrix]

What possible evolution twist has shaped their sculls? Cylindrical shape of the head has become an evolutionary advantage at some point. I wonder why.

[Madrias]

I'm fairly sure their green skin allows them to conduct photosynthesis, explaining why we never see Kerbals eating. Also, the explosion into dust, I think, is a last-ditch attempt to keep Kerbal-kind surviving, as with the violent death of one Kerbal, thousands of spores are released.

[kerbiloid]

1. There no buildings on Kerbin, except of high-tech KSC.

2. Kerbals are produced ad infinitum on demand in a KSC building.

3. No matter how many Kerbals exist in the world, only one of them is active.

Others can just perform routine job until you stop them.

(In MKS/OKS modules, RemoteTech command center, Interstellar telescope, so on).

4. All Kerbals arre equal are equal, but three of them are more equal than others: Jebediah, Bill, Bob.

Jebediah is even more equal than Bill and Bob.

5. All three super-Kerbals can respawn if died.

So, a theory appears here.

Kerbals  semi-autonomous androids, artificially constructed by humans, with some AI. A "Kerman" model droid.

Player  an evil mad scientist who found himself on a small planet with derelict KSC. This person lurks in the KSC dungeon and says "Mua-ha-ha" from time to time.

Player can control Kerbal as avatars  that's why there can be only one active Kerbal.

Jebediah was the only Kerbal found by Player in KSC. He/it is the most efficient and perfect Kerbal, as designed by professionals.

Bill and Bob are first hand-made clones of him/it, created by Player. A bit less perfect, but still cool.

These three are rare and expensive equipment. So no tragedy if some of them dies, but in any way they would be re-created. That's the matter of their immortality.

Other Kerbals produced by KSC are simplified serial copies, expendables. Expensive, but not unique.

In such case:

So, gender question is answered.

Biology question is answered.

No-more-cities-on-whole-planet question is answered.

Only-one-active-kerbal question is answered too.

[Levelord]

My theory is that Kerbals multiply when they explode in rocket launches, which disperse their spores all around the KSC, growing into new Kerbals.

[NWDogg]

Well, by looking at their characteristics we can deduce several things about Kerbal biology, evolution, and the natural ecosystems around them. For one, Kerbals are highly intelligent, obviously. That means they probably have a comparatively large brain, which explains the very large head. The short stumpy body must certainly contain bone (or bone-like material) and muscle, as they move around and support their own weight.

The fact that they have stumpy, slow bodies and are not at all concerned about the survival of their species might indicate that they have no natural predators. They must have evolved this way over a long period of time, so it makes sense to assume they may have never had any natural predators...in fact, they could be the top of a non-predatory food chain. We can guess that they aren't predators themselves, as violence and survival are not hard-coded into their DNA like Earth predators. This could help explain why they evolved the way they did, but without further evidence the following is a big guess.

My best guess is that they are highly evolved hybrids somewhere between the Plant and Animal kingdoms. Being able to freely and safely evolve without interruption on their home planet, plant-like organisms began to move around in search of the best locations for photosynthesis.

--Simple plant-like creatures would first begin to develop muscle structure for movement. It would start out very simple, moving their stalks towards the sun. Eventually this movement would become much more advanced, to the point where plants would appear to be actually 'walking' around, though not entirely effectively.

--The ability to plot out maneuvers to track the sun throughout the day must have been a huge advantage, and so basic intelligence was favored. This early form of intelligence was favored so highly, and reproduction happen so quickly, that these organisms began to resemble Earth-like animals in a short period of time. Though still relying on photosynthesis for nourishment, their movement and intelligence became more complex.

--Soon, the ability to utilize natural materials for simple construction arose, and the organisms now had access to long-range transportation such as basic rafts. This trait, of course, was favored through reproduction and would eventually lead to a complex organism with limbs for manipulation of objects, fine motor skills, and an incredibly advanced nervous system with problem-solving and communication abilities.

--The Kerbals we see today are the result of this evolutionary path. They still utilize photo-synthesis for food, but their constant migration habits in search of better sunlight is still ingrained into their instinct, which leads them to build ever more crazy contraptions to reach the stars.

So if any of that above is true, then Kerbals should function similar to plants internally, with no squishy organs other than the huge brain. They have bone-like (wood fiber, perhaps?) skeletal structure, with muscle tissue for movement, and a highly effective if simple reproductive system (not even going to speculate how this works.) Their large heads are simply the result of an ever-growing, hyper intelligent brain, with little need for the body to keep up.

This is just my little personal theory, anyway, feel free to tear it apart if you like (The photo-synthesis hypothesis does admittedly have some holes.)

[Tw1]

The wonderful thing about kerbals,

Is kerbals are wonderful things.

Their bodies are made out of rubber

Their bones are made out of naturally occurring adamantium.

[airelibre]

I'm fairly sure their green skin allows them to conduct photosynthesis, explaining why we never see Kerbals eating. Also, the explosion into dust, I think, is a last-ditch attempt to keep Kerbal-kind surviving, as with the violent death of one Kerbal, thousands of spores are released.

The "spore" thing may be how Kerbals are able to spawn back at the Kerbonaut Center after a seemingly fatal incident, (something prevents them from reforming in hard mode!).

[airelibre]

Well, by looking at their characteristics we can deduce several things about Kerbal biology, evolution, and the natural ecosystems around them. For one, Kerbals are highly intelligent, obviously. That means they probably have a comparatively large brain, which explains the very large head. The short stumpy body must certainly contain bone (or bone-like material) and muscle, as they move around and support their own weight.

The fact that they have stumpy, slow bodies and are not at all concerned about the survival of their species might indicate that they have no natural predators. They must have evolved this way over a long period of time, so it makes sense to assume they may have never had any natural predators...in fact, they could be the top of a non-predatory food chain. We can guess that they aren't predators themselves, as violence and survival are not hard-coded into their DNA like Earth predators. This could help explain why they evolved the way they did, but without further evidence the following is a big guess.

My best guess is that they are highly evolved hybrids somewhere between the Plant and Animal kingdoms. Being able to freely and safely evolve without interruption on their home planet, plant-like organisms began to move around in search of the best locations for photosynthesis.

--Simple plant-like creatures would first begin to develop muscle structure for movement. It would start out very simple, moving their stalks towards the sun. Eventually this movement would become much more advanced, to the point where plants would appear to be actually 'walking' around, though not entirely effectively.

--The ability to plot out maneuvers to track the sun throughout the day must have been a huge advantage, and so basic intelligence was favored. This early form of intelligence was favored so highly, and reproduction happen so quickly, that these organisms began to resemble Earth-like animals in a short period of time. Though still relying on photosynthesis for nourishment, their movement and intelligence became more complex.

--Soon, the ability to utilize natural materials for simple construction arose, and the organisms now had access to long-range transportation such as basic rafts. This trait, of course, was favored through reproduction and would eventually lead to a complex organism with limbs for manipulation of objects, fine motor skills, and an incredibly advanced nervous system with problem-solving and communication abilities.

--The Kerbals we see today are the result of this evolutionary path. They still utilize photo-synthesis for food, but their constant migration habits in search of better sunlight is still ingrained into their instinct, which leads them to build ever more crazy contraptions to reach the stars.

So if any of that above is true, then Kerbals should function similar to plants internally, with no squishy organs other than the huge brain. They have bone-like (wood fiber, perhaps?) skeletal structure, with muscle tissue for movement, and a highly effective if simple reproductive system (not even going to speculate how this works.) Their large heads are simply the result of an ever-growing, hyper intelligent brain, with little need for the body to keep up.

This is just my little personal theory, anyway, feel free to tear it apart if you like (The photo-synthesis hypothesis does admittedly have some holes.)

I like your interpretation. I'd like to add that in the same way as humans' large brains mean that we can no longer get by eating just seeds and fruit like our ancestors, I believe Kerbals are only at their most efficient when they have snacks to eat. They can survive on just photosynthesis, but they thrive on snacks.

[r4pt0r]

might be similar to the venus flytrap.

Eat snacks for energy, OR photosynthisize

EDIT: Its 5:30AM and I get NINJA'D?!?!

[justidutch]

I think they are made out of nerf.

[BagelRabbit]

The wonderful thing about kerbals,

Is kerbals are wonderful things.

Their bodies are made out of rubber

Their bones are made out of naturally occurring adamantium.

*ahem*

Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy,

Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun.

The most wonderful thing about Kerbals

is that Jeb's an immortal one.

Sorry.

Anyways, NWDogg, are Kerbals like really evolved protists then? That would be neat.

[pincushionman]

My interpretation is that they are not even native to the planet itself, and are instead from outer space.

Notice how you can aquire kerbals for your program by rescuing them from space…as missions…BEFORE your program has had it's first spaceflight? They're not GOING to space, they're RETURNING there. That's why they're so eager to build high-tech space facilities when they have literally NOTHING else, are so durable, and require little in the way of life support beyond protection.

[Technical Ben]

What possible evolution twist has shaped their sculls? Cylindrical shape of the head has become an evolutionary advantage at some point. I wonder why.

It fits in the space capsule better.

[flyboy67109]

According to version 0.25.0.642, they reproduce by spontaneously appearing in orbit around Kerbin.

[justidutch]

Perhaps the powdery green spawn substance of exploded Kerbals only germinates between 85km and 130km above Kerbin?

[LABHOUSE]

They use anaerobic resperation although when they do they hibernate.

They can use photosynthesis, but again are like hibernating then.

They can eat snacks too.

They have one eye larger because one eye is for a large field of vision but not very sharp and one is for details, but is a small area of vision.

They have a thick skull so they can protect their brain (about 2/3 the size of how big it could be if it had a thin skull)

[CG_Kerbin]

what do you think they eat?

[Red Iron Crown]

I like to think they're boneless and malleable, like Kif from Futurama.

[LordFerret]

what do you think they eat?

Based on some of my hard landings?... I'd say 'turf'.

[CG_Kerbin]

XD and they evolved that to be their main diet XD

[worir4]

Based on some of my hard landings?... I'd say 'turf'.

How else can you explain the short grass around the KSC?

[Aragosnat]

How else can you explain the short grass around the KSC?

Fire from their many exploding rockets and landings keep the grass short.

[problemecium]

As far as Kerbal biology goes, here's my hypothesis: http://parameciumkid.deviantart.com/art/Kerbal-Anatomy-447621056

This is of course subject to revision in light of video evidence suggesting Kerbals have fingers.