mechanoforms

Mechanoforms are a theoretical concept in speculative biology and science fiction describing organisms whose biological structure and function are significantly influenced or even primarily dictated by mechanical principles. This can range from creatures with exoskeletons that are more akin to engineered structures than natural shells, to beings whose internal organs operate like sophisticated clockwork mechanisms or hydraulic systems. The term suggests a fusion of organic life with mechanical properties, blurring the lines between living creatures and animated constructs.

The concept often explores how evolutionary pressures might favor the development of such integrated biological-mechanical systems. For example, an environment with extreme physical stresses could select for organisms with exceptionally robust, precisely engineered skeletal or muscular components. Alternatively, mechanoforms might arise from symbiotic relationships where a biological organism incorporates or mimics non-biological mechanical components, or even develops biological equivalents of mechanical technologies.

In fictional contexts, mechanoforms can serve as unique antagonists, allies, or subjects of study, highlighting themes of artificial life, biomechanical integration, and the potential future of evolution or genetic engineering. Their existence challenges conventional definitions of life and biology by proposing that the fundamental processes of life could manifest through engineered, rather than purely organic, means.