The Science of Twilight

[pubesy]

GUH!

why, oh, why did she not use the word "logic" rather than science!

[Amivera]

By the way: For anyone who wants to know what the purpose of Imprinting is, view page 210 of Breaking Dawn. (Somewhere around there, during Leah's conversation with Jacob)

To make a bunch of new little werewolves. Survival of the species, genetic override. You're drawn to the person who gives you the best chance to pass on the wolf gene.

He thinks you're imprinting to make stronger wolves.

SMeyer confirmed that this was the reason in an interview— she's done so many that I can't find it, but if I do, I'll post.

[navarre]

I just came back from SM FAQ's on Breaking Dawn and there is a question regarding vampires and pregnancy. She states that she only mentioned a few legends that she(SM) read through.(She mentions the Danag,Estrie, Upier, etc in Twilight). "The one she did not mention at this point was an entry on the Incubus. The unique feature of that legend was that the incubus could father children. She stated that she wanted to be very careful when she answered questions like "Can vampires have babies?" She certainly did not want to be incorrect on anything that she said on this subject. First let me say that she reminds everyone that this is fantasy and of course it is not possible. None of it is. Within the context of this fantasy story and the creatures that do not actually exist, she offered how it works:

SM talks about how similiar physically vampires are to their human origin. She talks about their skin being hard and non-pliant and reflective like crystal. A fluid similiar to the venom in their mouths work as a lubricant between these cells which make movement possible and it lubricate their eyes so they can move easily.
Throughout their bodies, many versions of the venom-based fluids exist that retain a marked resemblance of the human fluid it replaced. She described a little more on this subject as you read further. Then she talks about how vampires can be aroused because of the same venom-like fluid that acts like blood that can cause arousal in humans - exists. The functions are the same and fluids closely related to seminal fluid still exist in male vampires and carry genetic information and are capable of bonding with human ovum. She goes on to explain that this little fact was not known in the vampire world before Joham and his 'experiments' and before Nessie because it was nearly impossible for a vampire to be near an human without killing her. She does not call this a 'science' just an addition to this saga based on legends.The above information is taken in quotes and paraphrasings from her website under Breaking Dawn and the FAQ tab. Italics - mine and how I see her explanation.

I thought it was and still is interesting.

[sunni]

Amivera: Haha, I know! That mention of chromosomes was just thrown in there and the first thought that came to my mind was that it was a very bad and illogical 'reason' for Nessie and Jacob to be together. Thing is, with that explanation, Nessie would most certainly be sterile...something I can't see Meyer considering. Plus, Jacob's imprinting on her is also illogical considering the werewolf gene would not be carried on if she cannot have kids with him.

The thing is, if you're going to be logical and try to explain things with science, you cannot go and start making your own rules up. Her explanations were inconsistent and simply added for the purpose of wheeling her way out of an unexplainable situation - logic-wise, of course. If Meyer had kept it within fantasy rather than try to pretend she knew what she was talking about, no one would be getting riled up over why most of her explanations scientifically make little sense.

Regarding the pregnancy: I cannot for the life of me understand how she justified this as logical in her mind. It seemed more like wish-fulfillment than anything else. The body of the vampire is frozen - it has not retained most of its functions - and yet for some reason, they can impregnate human females? Vampires are not born, so it isn't a case of needing the reproductive system to pass on genetic information; they're dead, they're frozen! They've kept this ability so that they can impregnate their prey? Their FOOD?

I hope this line of discussion is appropriate. I'm just curious to know what everyone else thinks on the matter :]

[Auctorita]

Regarding the Meyer's Breaking Dawn FAQ and pregnancy, what her lengthy explanation fails to address is why most of their organs (such as those in the digestive system) no longer function since they are unnecessary and yet the vampire male reproductive system continues to work in a vampiric form. Vampires can create other vampires by injecting their venom into a person's blood stream and therefore don't need sexual reproduction to create more of their species making it an unnecessary function. Why does this function conveniently remain while others like digestion or blinking no longer exist when it is just as unnecessary? There would be no problem with vampire's impregnating humans if Meyer hadn't contradicted the logic of her own universe.

Oh, and I completely agree with you Amivera and Sunni.

[EternalLove]

The kissing thing has been hashed out in interviews... SM said that they don't french kiss... she said that their kissing was "chaste." Edward knew that if he was too rough kissing her, that his teeth could cut Bella and leak venom... and of course, now that I'm looking for that article, I can't find it... !

Hmm, maybe she got pregnant because she was ovulating at just the right time?? If she weren't ovulating, would the venom have absorbed through? Who knows! Just remember Edward's reaction to hearing Bella say she's pregnant, and then his question to Carlisle on the phone... is it possible? They had NO IDEA that he would be able to impregnate her. I doubt he would have had sex with her if he had known the stories were true, that it WAS possible... look at all the pain Bella went through and how it tore Edward up. He loves her beyond his own existence, and he never would have put her through that if he thought there was a possibility that she would get pregnant. Just my humble opinion.

Well I read somewhere, on the Lexicon I think, that when a vampire changes, everything is frozen. So all bodily fluids are still present, but they become more like venom than what they were before (such as blood, which becomes a type of venom running through their veins, saliva, and semen) so Edward did get her pregnant because he still had what it takes to do so. A Vampire woman can't have babies because her body cannot change.

[cullen_kissez]

If you guys read SM's website, she discussed all this..
Remember that her kind of vampires are unique - nothing like Dracula, or Blade or Underworld or whichever popular vampire saga.
Her rules only apply to her world, so trying to figure it out based on regular biology and chemisty or whatever science needed isn't gonna do much than give you a headache ..
Thats why I stick to computers ..

[ireadbookstoo]

i really like how some people say vamps have 25 chromosomes like it's a fact. And then use that fact to reason all sorts of theories on sexuality and who can make babies with whom... cuz, now correct me if i'm wrong, but don't the latest research suggest that vamps have 26 chromosomes?

i mean, these are creatures that don't need to breathe, can walk away from train accidents, and be put back together ...and we're hung up on why their DNA might not line up so well with ours or why they don't ever seem to have a need to go potty after din din?

let it not be said that this thread has not put a huge smile on my face.

[Ichigo Kitty]

I do believe that somewhere in the book Carslie talks about vampires having chromosomes and how many I think he said that vampires had 26 or 25... I'm not sure which one but I know he talks about it in BD somewhere... I'll look for it and post back.

[ireadbookstoo]

I do believe that somewhere in the book Carslie talks about vampires having chromosomes and how many I think he said that vampires had 26 or 25... I'm not sure which one but I know he talks about it in BD somewhere... I'll look for it and post back.

You're absolutely right. Carlisle mentioned vamps having 25 pairs and wolves having 24 pairs. And with Bells having 23 pairs, that might explain Nessie, who should have 23 from B and 25 from E, giving her a grand total of 24 pairs.. depending on how the last two line up. I must've missed it. heh sorry, my bad.