Specposium 2021 abstracts

July 31, 2021

ZERO Extinction: Eggs Short
Emil Krebs

The short is set in the Okavango Delta and much like the Mammals of our Timeline, some dinosaurs moved down to Africa but a Few Original Dinosaurs did make till today

Leotyrannus is the apex predator of Africa, a member of the Neoalioraminidae, these giant tyrannosaurs took over giants like T. rex at the End of the Eocene and became the super predators of the North and made it down towards Africa and South America, replace the giant Abelisauridae at the top of the food chain, however in Africa they have to fend off against the giant Crocutasaurus rex, much like lions and hyenas in our timeline, in addition their tongues are spiky and used alongside the jaws when feeding or attacking.

Alcelaphardo is one of many African hadrosaurs who spawned from Asian ancestors, the Alcelaphardo is an animal much akin to the wildebeest of our timeline, these giant plant eaters live either alone or in small herds, using their headcrest to make a musical sound as communication, in a herd they usually run away from a predator but alone or in a pair of two, they ́ll likely fight off any attack.

The Grubcock (Daucuscomedesaurus vermis) is a smaller cousin to the Giant Crocutasaurus. These smaller predators hunt alone, feeding on dinosaurs they can overpower or kill, even if they do team up, they ́ll never attack prey together, rather the Grubcock will have one rush into another animal’s area and the other enjoy the spoils of a nest, they do not care for each other and one may even let the other die just to have the eggs for themselves. Much like their bigger cousin, their arms are smaller and only used for arm waggling.

Crocutasaurus rex may show up in a future short, Lucy’s Homecoming – it is the biggest Abelisaur, and a real foe to Leotyrannus, fights between the two super predators do happen, the tyrannosaurs have even been known to kill their other rivals as prey.

The New Dinosaurs: 'Predictions' and Changes
JunHyeok Jang

Back to 1988, the book , written by Dougal Dixon was released. The book basically shows 65 Mya of Earth after “Latest Maastricthian” without the asteroid impact. In this fictional world, dinosaurs are still present, so does pterosaurs and various of marine reptiles. Between 1988 and 2021, so many things in dinosaurs has changed thanks to numerous of significant discoveries. In this presentation, first, we will see what Dougal Dixon 'predicted' about dinosaur paleontology. Second, we will look for new cladogram of , which is part of Japanese manga project based on Dougal Dixon's book. There is a ongoing crowdfunding about this manga project, the deadline is July 1th. Based on websites of The New Dinosaurs Manga and personal communications with the Takaaki Ogawa, the Manga Artist of this series, It is sure that Dougal Dixon suggested about new classifications of his dinosaurs based on latest dinosaur research. So we will basically look for how he changed it.

Trolling from Fantasy to Science Fiction
Lucas Petrin

In "Trolling From Fantasy to Science Fiction", a short introduction to the concept of the troll, including modern depictions, is contrasted with a crash course in the speculative works of Lucas Petrin, a.k.a Fracas. From inspiration to realization, the subject of making a fantasy more grounded will introduce you to the iconic cave dwelling beasts of legend.

Dragon Evolution in Dracones Mundi
Charlotte Bowman

From horned serpents to firedrakes, dragons in mythology and folklore can be found allover the world - but how would one take a fantastical animal and put a scientific spin on it? Dracones Mundi is the latest in a long line of projects breathing life into dragons, a new spin on an old concept, and this talk will discuss some features of dragon anatomy and diversity.

Hypothetical Enclosed Asteroid Ecosystem 58
Schwefel Kamm

HEAE 58 is a collaborative speculative evolution project that is set inside of an asteroid. There are 4 sections of the asteroid, which each has its own individual, alien life. It is part of the Janjira universe. It is early in development so now is a perfect time to join, as you have a chance to create entirely new lineages that could change the course of history. We even have our own wiki!

A Short History of Pixel Evogames and Janjira
NeoBioHazardus

A short history of pixel evogames and Janjira, desribing the difficulties of Janjira and what I've learned as the creator and admin of one of the longest running evogames of that tradition.

August 1, 2021

Introduction to ACSC's Competitions and Creatures
Rell Lee, Raho, and MNMZ

(impromptu presentation; no abstract)

How to Start an Ice Age
Henry Thomas

Ice ages are some of the most interesting periods in the history of the earth. These cold periods usually have big impacts on the planet's climate and the life that lives on it. Here, we will look at the factors that trigger the formations of glaciations - and how this could factor into your speculative projects.

Speczoo in Fiction and Pop Culture
Ilari Pätilä

Most SpecEvo media is presented in an educational context, like as a documentary, but there is also a place for SpecEvo in fiction and pop culture. However, what separates SpecEvo from standard creature design, and how is it used in media and storytelling? And how do you portray SpecEvo effectively in fiction? That's what will be examined he

30 Million Years in the Future
Miguel Moreira

This is a project focused on my take on what life may be like, 30 million years in the future. Following the Holocene extinction event, caused by often careless human intervention on planet Earth, life has had the next 30 million years to evolve and recover. A myriad of evolutionary achievements have occured after all this time, followed by continental shifts and climatic disruptions that make this world a mix between the recognizable and unrecognizable, after several subsequent faunal turnovers occur. Now we witness a world without humans and other fantastic creatures, but taking their place are many other species with their own level of uniqueness, like large predatory secretary birds, corvid-like meliphagids, old world deirochelyines, omnivorous horses, hungry canids, zealandian goats, bizarre linsangs, stupendously diverse dolphins, a myriad of future pigs, as well as a few inconspicuous vireonids, among many others. Meet the future.

On Beyond Holocene
Henry Thomas

On Beyond Holocene is a thought experiment of how the next 600 million years of life on earth may play out. We will discuss the project's foundations, explore the timeline of the future, highlight ecosystems and fauna, and outline what's coming next.

The earth has been around for millions of years before, and it will be around for millions of years ahead. Let us explore one possible future

Nordic Archipelago: A Visual W.I.P.
Ilari Pätilä

The Nordic Archipelago is a world not that far from our own, but it's an odd place morphed by climate change and invasive species. Long ago abandoned by humans, it serves as a living laboratory for island evolution and the changes brought about in the Anthropocene. Here we will examine the inspiration, basic ideas, and a visual walkthrough of a WIP Spec project, set 5000 years in the future

Lansdell Island
Tristan Landis and Sail

A powerpoint that will be showing natural history of the island, select endemic clades, culture, and formal release. Nothing *too* detailed.