Humanoid
:
Humanoids links here. For the comic book publisher, see
Humanoids Publishing. For real humanoid robots, see
humanoid robot.
The term "
humanoid" refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a
human. In this sense, the term indeed describes
primates, as well as mythological
creatures and artificial organisms (
robots), especially in the context of
science fiction and
fantasy fiction. An
android or
gynoid is a humanoid robot designed to look like a specific gender, although the words are, in principle, synonymous.
Usually, a fictional humanoid species has the same basic body outline as a human, being bipedal with hands which include opposable thumbs, but differs in details such as coloring, ear form, presence of hair, average height and weight, size of nose, form of skin, "extras" such as horns, plates, claws, tails or multiple appendages, limb structure (such as having
digitigrade legs) and taxonomic lineage (being descended from
reptiles,
fish,
rodents,
marsupials, or a
phylum not evolved on Earth, perhaps, instead of
primates).
Reptilian humanoids are a common concept.
Most of the
aliens in
television and
movies are humanoid, since it is easier for a
fictional character to be a disguised human
actor. However, there are various methods for presenting non-humanoid characters, for example
computer graphics, creative
costuming, and
puppetry.
Some people find it unlikely to have a universe populated by unrelated creatures that all look human, while others (including some biologists) believe that a species would naturally drift towards bipedalism when achieving sapience as we know it (e.g. Russell's hypothetical
troödon-descended sapient). Occasionally, shows present a reason for this to be the case. For example, the episode "
The Chase" of
Star Trek: The Next Generation explained the humanoid denizens of the
Star Trek universe by advancing the story of a primordial humanoid civilization, the
Progenitors, that seeded the galaxy with genetically-engineered cells that guide evolution toward humanoid life (see
panspermia). In most cases, however, the reason for the similarity is not explained, and it is regarded simply as a
dramatic convention.
*
Anthropomorphism*
Hominid*
Humanoid robot*
List of fictional humanoid species.
*
UFO Casebook*
UFO*
Australian UFO Research Network*
UFO Casebook*
Malevolent Alien Abduction Research Homepage*
Albert S. Rosales *
Albert Einstein Hubo: by Hanson Robotics and KAIST
