Yes, someone on my flist did some calculations and said the BSG population is nowhere near small enough yet to worry about long-term survival and genetic diversity. Baltar is either wrong or lying, either of which could be interesting. My fear is that the writers actually think he's right.
Buffy: How bored were you last year? Giles: I watched 'Passions' with Spike. Let us never speak of it.
'Beneath You'
Boxed Set, Vol. II: "It's a Cookbook...A Cookbook!!"
A topic for the discussion of Farscape, Smallville, and Due South. Beware possible invasions of Stargate, Highlander, or pretty much any other "genre" show that captures our fancy. Expect Adult Content and discussion of the Big Gay Sex.
Whitefont all unaired in the U.S. ep discussion, identifying it as such, and including the show and ep title in blackfont.
Blackfont is allowed after the show has aired on the east coast.
This is NOT a general TV discussion thread.
Consuela - Feb 24, 2006 12:41:19 pm PST #7317 of 10001
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix
Polter-Cow - Feb 24, 2006 12:43:21 pm PST #7318 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
In "The Millenium Ark", Soulé et al. conclude that 6 is the absolute minimum number of founders, and that with fewer, the group will lose more than 10% of its genetic diversity as soon as it reproduces. Twenty is a much safer number. Furthermore, the population size should be increased to 200-300 as quickly as possible to prevent significant loss of diversity. The necessity for increasing the population size is to prevent random loss of alleles that may be important.
Nutty - Feb 24, 2006 12:48:32 pm PST #7319 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
BSG population is nowhere near small enough yet to worry
Well, but the population is all over the place larded into closets and cubbyholes, right? Unless they have the galaxy's coolest roommate lottery every couple of months, how are all the members of the population going to meet and mix their genes?
(That would be hilarious! Random grannies on the prison ship; that ship full of gamblers invaded by a Beadazzling housewife!)
§ ita § - Feb 24, 2006 12:50:55 pm PST #7320 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
how are all the members of the population going to meet and mix their genes
Well, there are more than 6 per ship. More than 300 too, unless I'm sizing the fleet way wrong.
Kathy A - Feb 24, 2006 12:59:14 pm PST #7321 of 10001
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil
They have got to have a BSG version of match.com or even an old-fashioned matchmaker, possibly working aboard Cloud 9.
Nutty - Feb 24, 2006 1:10:32 pm PST #7322 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
They have got to have a BSG version of match.com or even an old-fashioned matchmaker, possibly working aboard Cloud 9.
Interstellar Yenta!!
Kathy A - Feb 24, 2006 1:22:13 pm PST #7323 of 10001
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil
Damn, now I'm trying to filk "Matchmaker," with Laura/Bill for Hodel/62-year-old man, and Ellen/Tigh for Chava/drunk, but since the drunk's also "tall, that is from side to side," that won't work.
Strega - Feb 24, 2006 1:35:07 pm PST #7324 of 10001
6 is the absolute minimum number of founders
Am I missing something or is that specifically about canines?
For people, estimates seem to be between 150 and 200.
Jessica - Feb 24, 2006 1:42:47 pm PST #7325 of 10001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
I think Baltar was lying -- his whole "Oh, I did this math months ago, so it was easy peasy to comply with your too-little-too-late request which offends me with its triviality" riff sounded to me like he was buying time enough to come up with an answer that sounded dire, but not so extreme that he was making it up in order to push Roslin into political suicide.
Polter-Cow - Feb 24, 2006 1:46:44 pm PST #7326 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Am I missing something or is that specifically about canines?
Possibly. The page is about wolves, but it's citing a specific book that may or may not have extrapolated results to humans.