17. Sensation - Speculations about the alien species (Movies: Alien)
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This article is from the Alien Movies FAQ, by Darryll Hobsonand Eelko de Vos E.W.C.deVos@TWI.TUDelft.NL with numerous contributions by others.
17. Sensation - Speculations about the alien species (Movies: Alien)
Since the creatures do not posses any eyes by terrestrial standards, they
must have some other means of sensing their environment. If the body
plan is conserved between juvenile and adult stages, it is reasonable to
assume that the same types of sensors are used in each case. The eggs
appear to be able to detect motion and proximity, and to be able to
distinguish between hosts and nestmates. The sensation of heat may not be
important to this process, as the natural host may have had a similar
ambient body temperature. The larvae are capable of locating and
determining the distance to the host implantation orifice, and of leaping
through space to that orifice. The adults are capable of distinguishing
between nestmates and potential hosts, and are capable of detecting
movement. They are probably also possessed of pattern recognition
systems, and spatial arrangement recognition systems. Adults have been
observed to fixate on objects using their heads, suggesting that their
primary sensory organs are located in the anterior portions of their heads.
All adult stages are capable of producing a variety of sounds, and
it is probably the case that they can hear and communicate via sound.
Communication with "stripped down" eggs is probably better facilitated
via chemical means than sound. It is likely that recognition of nestmates is
achieved via a combination of chemical and sonic communication. Eggs
might communicate with each other via chemical signals. Some degree of
communication between eggs is likely, as only one egg ever responds
when presented with a viable host, even if there are numerous eggs in
proximity to the host.
The detection of motion and proximity may be facilitated via sonic
systems. In terrestrial nocturnal, subterranean and aquatic environments,
these have proven quite successful, and accordingly, the shape of the head
is reminiscent of cetacean crania. However, the large curving structure of
the head might serve as some other sort of sensor as well. It could be used
to detect EM wavelengths other than visible light, although it is not
obvious how useful such a structure would be in detecting longer or
shorter wavelengths. Possibly, the creatures posses a sensory system
similar to the "motion tracking" technology developed by humans.
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