Conclave newbie posting mighty wall o' pics.

[O_o]

is it  me  or dose Acolyte Jhonson havea  Wallace and Gromit  kind of quality to him ??

[Dust King]

Just a thought of the descendent of half-eldar idea. It could be possible to create a series of plasmids containing the genes necessary for the hybrid (although it is likely that it would be far less than a 50-50 eldar/human split). Although it is rare for plasmids to be used by eukaryotes it would be possible to create some to transfer eldar genes into a human. The plasmid would have to be specifically designed to be a permanent part of all the hosts cells and their replicates. Also it would be possible for these plasmids to be transferred via sexual reproduction, so long as the plasmids were introduced to the zygote (by one of the gametes). There may be side effects to the stability of the offspring (possibly some minor mutations (genetic, not chaos) and likely a relatively high rate of miscarriage) but it would be possible to have children.

Still you could get away with any old technobabble but I suspect this one might actually work with real science.

[Kaled]

I'm no geneticist, but wouldn't the fact that Eldar DNA is a triple-helix (and I guess uses different base pairs etc) mean it's not compatible for use in that way?

[Adlan]

I'm no geneticist, but wouldn't the fact that Eldar DNA is a triple-helix (and I guess uses different base pairs etc) mean it's not compatible for use in that way?

Pretty much. It's Not just getting the DNA to blend that's an issue,  the biochemistry is (almost certainly) completely different, what enzymes unzipped triple strand DNA? How will the human RNA transcribe it. Even suppose you fixed those issues, a single extra human chromosome results in down syndrome. An extra bit of alien DNA would be havoc to deal with.

Half elder are an idea best left alone.

[Dust King]

Well what it comes down to is how important the structure of the DNA is for the information it's carrying. If it is possible to create a hybrid artificially in a lab it is a safe assumption that most of the proteins used in cell function are similar enough that they could be created using the existing cell structures, even if eldar have different proteins and amino acids it would still be possible for a human cell to produce them with minimal alteration. I think it's hinted that eldar and humans were both results of the old ones creating life forms so it would be safe to assume that most proteins and amino acids are the same (backed up by both having versions of DNA)

The triple stranded DNA wouldn't be much of an issue (aside from the fact it makes no sense from a genetics point of view, little or no advantage (possible a slight decrease in the rate of genetic mutations), but being sci-fi let's say the likely result would be an increased capacity for information (genes)). In genetics the double stranded form of DNA mainly works for proofreading, an error in one strand will mean it will not fit properly with the other strand meaning the error can be picked up by enzymes and fixed. From the point of view of information there might as well be only one strand. Since due to it's basic structure any one base can only pair with it's opposite base (A-T and C-G) adding another strand would either be paired with the other two strands making it largely useless or it would be unpaired making it able to carry more information but also be very unstable. If we assume being sci-fi it actually works and allows the DNA to store more information the effect still would not prevent using plasmids to create a hybrid

Amusing a relatively advanced knowledge of genetics (after all, it's the eldar) you could easily transfer the information from the eldar DNA onto single or double stranded DNA, like copying files from a DVD onto a CD. Even though the medium would change the information and mechanisms for it's translation to protein would still work. Basically as long as it's still DNA the major problem of the format can be solved.

Basically if it is possible to hybridise eldar and humans then this should work and be able to explain how the hybridisations are able to be passed on through descent.

I'm not claiming it would actually work in real life, but for me it's within the bounds of possibility given the sci-fi setting and it works for the character as he described her.

[Inquisitor Goldeneye]

is it  me  or dose Acolyte Jhonson havea  Wallace and Gromit  kind of quality to him ??

Yeah, my faces aren't... great. There's a reason many of my warband wear masks; I had about four or five goes at doing an attractive (or at least recognisably female) face for Celestine before I gave up and made her that face covering hood.

As my sculpting skills (hopefully) improve, my self-sculpted characters will be subject to on-going renovation.



@ Dust King; I'm afraid that all I know about Genetics is what I've seen in Sci-Fi films and some half-remembered high-school biology, however, you seem to know what your'e talking about, so if you tell me that it is at least Sci-Fi-plausable that some Eldar nerds in a lab could whip up an Eldar-human hybrid, witch could then breed with other humans, thus disseminating Eldar D.N.A. (or it's functional equivalent) into a human population for their own neferious perposes (gasp for breath)... Then I'll believe you.

Also, I just learned that 'Plasmid' is a real word, and not something made up by games designers for 'Bio-Shock'. One learns something new every day!

[Heroka Vendile]

just to jump in one quick point for all this genetics talk - as much as I agree with what's being said, the best explination for a hybrid would be "blame the Haemonculi". Seriously, have you read the f%$&ed up stuff their cabals can do according to the new Dark Eldar codex? They are absolute undisputed masters of creating whatever they want from the ground up.

[Myriad]

I can't help thinking a triple helix is probably impossible anyway  .
There is always, as Heroka points out, the "a wizard (read mad scientist) did it angle.  You wouldn't have to incorporate much eldar code to produce some kind of mutant, maybe not actually succeeding in incorporating the eldar code, just producing a mutant anyhow.  It's hard to see such a creation having much place in eldar society.  Dark eldar, maybe, who appreciate the value of deformed henchmen.

[Alyster Wick]

Very imaginative models here.  They are rather Dr. Who/Wallace and Gromit chic (as has been pointed out) but there are oodles of character.

I particularly like the huge servitor mounted on the tracks via mono-pod. That's the kind of inventive 40K we don't see enough of.  Your winged mutant Deadeye is very cool as well, I love the head/body combo, very Cronenberg.  The psychic monk fighter is also great.  There's honestly a lot to like and while your sculpting is crude in many areas your fearlessness in trying is admirable (I'll work up the stones to try sculpting a face one day...)

Anyway, great work, excited for more!

[warhammered]

  great collection

[Kaled]

Welcome to the Conclave.

I'm sure Goldeneye appreciates the compliment, but generally it's considered bad form to resurrect old threads in this manner - you could have just send him a PM. Since you're new, I'm sure everyone will forgive and forget, I just thought I'd let you know for future reference.

Since you are new though, why not head on over to the Community Announcements forum and introduce yourself, or if you have models then post them in the Painting & Modelling forum, or maybe post a character or question in the Rules Discussion forum.

Hope you enjoy your time here,
Dave