Split Personality?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

From Eomer's words, expressing surprise at Aragorn's fitness, it could be that Men are the usual tortoises of Middle-earth, whereas Elves and Dwarves are the hares.

Maybe Eomer was a bit shocked that Aragorn and company followed the enemy for three days on foot, being a rider or personally been inattentive.

I definitely count Elves, Men and Dwarves as distinct species - each has a different origin in terms of the Creation, and each has definite characteristics.

I understand what you mean, but always thought of the word 'species' as being a group that can interbreed, meaning that those not of that species cannot. But that definition may be antiquated.

This if course does not mean that they could not interbreed if they desired it, as there is real world evidence that homo sapiens and neanderthals could have mated, and that does not just come from the pages of a Jean M Auel novel! I have even read that the genes for red hair stem from neanderthals - though we shall quickly brush over that one. Ahem.

They're working on this issue now as seen here.

The Dunedain are more thorny though - maybe their freakish long lives can only be put down to divine intervention as there is little biological explanation for say the long life of Aragorn, besides him having a superior diet and a mega-slow metabolism.

As it could be bred out, I'm guessing it's a gene, but anything more than that I'll attribute to Eru.

And what about Orcses? Right can of worms...

They got the speed of the elves, iron-clad shoes (which allowed them to hover somewhat do to Arda's magnetic field) and the Saruman effect that lowered their wind resistance when they ran towards Orthanc.