4 ms·

I can not wait to see a 2000 pound cricket, bred for size by conventional means...;)

by aurizon 11y ago

maxerickson 11y ago
Sorry to step on your harmless joke, but big insects can't breathe: https://bioteaching.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/gigantism-in-insects/ https://bioteaching.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/gigantism-in-in...
- Mz 11y ago
  While that exact realization did make me stop being freaked out by giant spiders in movies, technically "they can't breathe" in earth's current atmosphere. Presumably, if it was worth the expense involved, you could grow giant insects in closed biomes with higher oxygen levels and (I assume) higher atmospheric pressure. Also: Jurassic Park is BS for the same reason. The T Rex would not function in earth's current atmosphere -- at least not without tampering with their physiology and/or some kind of extra support system.
  - maxerickson 11y ago
    Even then they probably didn't get much bigger than a cat. http://listverse.com/2013/01/14/10-prehistoric-bugs-that-could-seriously-mess-you-up/ http://listverse.com/2013/01/14/10-prehistoric-bugs-that-cou... The huge dragonflys were still only somewhere between a crow and raven in size.
    - Mz 11y ago
      Well, I don't know what the limits would be on size, but you seem to be presuming that historical limits are hard limits. I think that is as much a mistake as assuming current sizes are hard limits. It might take crazy levels of oxygen and pressure or it might be undoable, but if we were to create environments for this purpose, hell, why stick to recreating historic earth conditions?
- mrfusion 11y ago
  What if we raise them in a pure oxygen environment?
  - x5n1 11y ago
    heh heh heh
- aurizon 11y ago
  Yes, I am well aware of the spiracular limitations of existing insect breathing and blood, but a fictitious mechanism to modify the insects can also adapt their blood and oxygen circulation system to the larger sizes. Grasshoppers have nice hams - can you imagine herding 1000 pound gigantism adapted grasshoppers? What would you ride? Why Kangaroos - of course...;)

I can not wait to see a 2000 pound cricket, bred for size by conventional means...;)

by aurizon 11y ago

I can not wait to see a 2000 pound cricket, bred for size by conventional means...;)

Sorry to step on your harmless joke, but big insects can't breathe: https://bioteaching.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/gigantism-in-insects/ https://bioteaching.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/gigantism-in-in...

Mz 11y ago
While that exact realization did make me stop being freaked out by giant spiders in movies, technically "they can't breathe" in earth's current atmosphere. Presumably, if it was worth the expense involved, you could grow giant insects in closed biomes with higher oxygen levels and (I assume) higher atmospheric pressure. Also: Jurassic Park is BS for the same reason. The T Rex would not function in earth's current atmosphere -- at least not without tampering with their physiology and/or some kind of extra support system.
- maxerickson 11y ago
  Even then they probably didn't get much bigger than a cat. http://listverse.com/2013/01/14/10-prehistoric-bugs-that-could-seriously-mess-you-up/ http://listverse.com/2013/01/14/10-prehistoric-bugs-that-cou... The huge dragonflys were still only somewhere between a crow and raven in size.
  - Mz 11y ago
    Well, I don't know what the limits would be on size, but you seem to be presuming that historical limits are hard limits. I think that is as much a mistake as assuming current sizes are hard limits. It might take crazy levels of oxygen and pressure or it might be undoable, but if we were to create environments for this purpose, hell, why stick to recreating historic earth conditions?
mrfusion 11y ago
What if we raise them in a pure oxygen environment?
- x5n1 11y ago
  heh heh heh
aurizon 11y ago
Yes, I am well aware of the spiracular limitations of existing insect breathing and blood, but a fictitious mechanism to modify the insects can also adapt their blood and oxygen circulation system to the larger sizes. Grasshoppers have nice hams - can you imagine herding 1000 pound gigantism adapted grasshoppers? What would you ride? Why Kangaroos - of course...;)