The Scientific Accuracy of Tails' Tails

[Michael Westgarth]

The Scientific Accuracy of Tails' Tails

Sonic the Hedgehog's best friend Tails and his ability to fly raises some interesting question.

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[Proverbial Jon]

A fascinating read, thank you. Of course, like all good foxes, I only have the one tail :3

The only thing more terrifying than the specifics of genetics is the knowledge that there are people smart enough to manipulate them!

 

[Rakor]

A question I would have, not knowing much about the nitty gritty inner workings, is even in the best case scenario where a second tail happens to form and technically have the right nerve and muscle structure, would it even be able to move the tail? A brain is set up to send certain signals to move the body in certain ways, as I understand it. If it isn't set up to recognize a second tail, would it even be able to send it signals for movement? I guess best case both tails might just pick up the same signals and move simultaneously? I mean granted it's not exactly a prehensile tail's worth of control, but it still needs the right signal sent to move it, right? Hmm...

Anyway, interesting article. =D

 

[Full]

This was an awesome article, I love trivia and just the "how" of a lot of things.

I vote to keep you.

 

[Somethingfake]

One tail good! Two tails bad! One tail good! Two tails bad!

 

[Namechangeday]

"Reads first paragraph"
I like you already for being a biology nerd(like me).

Overall, great article

 

[Snownine]

A question I would have, not knowing much about the nitty gritty inner workings, is even in the best case scenario where a second tail happens to form and technically have the right nerve and muscle structure, would it even be able to move the tail? A brain is set up to send certain signals to move the body in certain ways, as I understand it. If it isn't set up to recognize a second tail, would it even be able to send it signals for movement? I guess best case both tails might just pick up the same signals and move simultaneously? I mean granted it's not exactly a prehensile tail's worth of control, but it still needs the right signal sent to move it, right? Hmm...

Anyway, interesting article. =D

If it has the correct nerve and muscle structure like you said of course it could be controlled. The tail would be connected to the nervous system through its nerves. If the fox is born with the tail the brains pathways would be set up to accommodate it. The fact is however most extraneous limbs are usually not up to specs so to speak, and are malformed or deficient in one way or another.

 

[Wraithsight]

Lesser know ability of the kitsune: taking all yo yens.

 

[ShadowKatt]

Didnt need this article to tell me it was possible if atronomicly improbable. Thats how evolution works, through random mutation. We see it all the time. Extra digits amd the like. Tails are really no different, just bigger.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Aside from the name, which was changed from "Miles Prower," a pun based off "miles per hour...

HOW THE HELL DID I NEVER NOTICE THIS BEFORE?!

 

[Jfswift]

This was a good read. I like how you investigated both folklore as well as genetics.

 

[lostlevel]

Aside from the name, which was changed from "Miles Prower," a pun based off "miles per hour...

HOW THE HELL DID I NEVER NOTICE THIS BEFORE?!

Oops I've been playing Sonic games for years and yet I didn't notice either.

Good article though =]

 

[geldonyetich]

If you think having two tails is odd, you should see what some furry artists think Tails has going on up front. But then, this series does have an echidna on its honor roll.

 

[Michael Westgarth]

A question I would have, not knowing much about the nitty gritty inner workings, is even in the best case scenario where a second tail happens to form and technically have the right nerve and muscle structure, would it even be able to move the tail? A brain is set up to send certain signals to move the body in certain ways, as I understand it. If it isn't set up to recognize a second tail, would it even be able to send it signals for movement? I guess best case both tails might just pick up the same signals and move simultaneously? I mean granted it's not exactly a prehensile tail's worth of control, but it still needs the right signal sent to move it, right? Hmm...

Anyway, interesting article. =D

As Snownine said, assuming the second tail was fully formed and distinct from the other tail then I see no reason why it wouldn't be able to move.

As for the fox having 'control' over it though, I'm not entirely sure that would be the case. I only say this as as far as I'm aware foxes aren't actively in control of their tails regardless of how many they have, much in the same way cats aren?t.

If the movement of a fox's tail is a behavioural response then it would be expected that a second fully formed tail would move in a similar if not identical way to the first. Don't quote me on that though as I'm by no means an expert on fox behaviour, psychology or neurology!

If you think having two tails is odd, you should see what some furry artists think Tails has going on up front. But then, this series does have an echidna on its honor roll.

Echidnas and the other monotremes are far more bizarre than anything covered in my article. I remember the first time I found out what exactly an echidna was as a child. I couldn't look at Knuckles the same way ever again.

Thanks to everyone else for the positive feedback. It's great to hear the article went down well.

 

[Lieju]

Cool.

Not the same thing, obviously, but two-tailed scorpions are more common than foxes. A friend of mine had a two-tailed Tityus asthenes that had two fully-functioning tails.