The word is Carcinisation
this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2024
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reminder:
You guys should read the Stormlight archives. Fuckin everything is a crab, even the plants.
I couldn't finish the first book. :(( Ironically, I liked how he finished Wheel of Time. I DK. It's not terribly written; it just didn't stick. Robert Jordan was a far worse writer lol.
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If this post is awakening some weird feelings in you, there’s an episode of Futurama you might want to watch.
Oh yeah, that crab could definitely get it
But what if the human form is a prerequisite for evolving into the space age? We wouldn't need so many tools if we were strong as a crab to begin with
I've never seen a crab measure thousandths of an inch, or back a Phillip's head screw out of a hole with their crab strength. Tools are still required.
I've seen a wasp unscrew a screw I thought was in pretty tight.
What am asshole!
The premise is that they won't invent advanced things such as screws because the survival pressure is less intense
A fairly small number of known species evolved to the vaguely humanoid form, but 100% of known species with a human level of higher intelligence have had roughly this body plan, it's really not unreasonable to extrapolate that this could be a common body plan for intelligent aliens.
known species with a human level of higher intelligence
- Humans (allegedly; evidence points to most being dumb as a rock).
- Some species of extinct hominids (sure, but they're extinct).
- Dolphins (and orcas, which are big fancy dolphins); absolute creeps, though.
- Whales, possibly, though they tend to keep to themselves, so who knows.
- Some species of octopods.
- Some species of parrots.
- Some species of corvids.
- I swear some of those black and white sheepdogs seem more intelligent than many of the people I know.
Dolphins and whales might be intelligent, but their bodies do not allow them effective use of complex tools. Same for birds.
Octopods do have a body that is flexible enough, but having evolved in water is a huge limiting factor. But some are able to move around outside water, so it's not too far fetched to imagine becoming a global species.
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Taken more seriously, having the evolutionary background to have:
- fine control over your limbs, like fingers
- 3D-thinking (throwing) and manipulation
- cooperation
another human-like civilization is pretty unlikely.
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Life can have infinite forms and can exist and evolve in the most inhospit environments. But an advanced tecnologig species only can exist in certain environments and with reduced posibility in their appearence. Aquatic beeings can be intelligent, but never can create advanced tecnologies. The basic condicion of advanced tecnology is the domination of fire and electricity, not possible in the water, it need Oxign in the atmosphere.
They must have limbs skilled enough to handle and construct this technology, a complex communication system, and a binocular vision system (for this reason the most used in all species) to perceive their environment. The humanoid shape is one that best fits these maxims and therefore it is quite possible that an advanced species would also have a more or less similar shape.
It is known as convergent evolution, when unrelated species have a very similar physique to each other by living with the same challenges in similar environments. Evolution always use similar solutions for similar tasks. A good example is the genet, which looks and behaves very similar to cats, even with retractil claws), but they are a completely different species (Viverridae)
Land octopi would be pretty cool though.
Tech needs electricity and fire is not universal. That is what we use.
Our brain is lot more complicated and efficient than the computers we make and it uses ions, in liquid media. So something that lives in water could definitely be able to make something that would be able to use similar things to do processing. Water is also really good with doing things, it's flexible but doesn't compress/expand like air does. Think about hydraulic systems. You can make them smaller and smaller as your tech progresses. Mechanical things using metals and such would work in water as well. Think about gold and such that can be used for electricity as well, we don't use it because it's valuable, but an alien world could have abundance of gold for them to use.
Fire as base is needed. To make hydraulic or other tech, you need metal, and to work with metal, you need fire to melt and form it. An aquatic species can evolve to an advanced intelligence, but it can't evolved to an advanced tecnology. Dolphinse have a great intelligence, not far from the humans, but they never can be a tecnologic advanced species, they don't have even hands to manipulate tools. They use tools in a basic way, they even use old fishernets they found on the ground to hunt fishes (observed in the Mediterraneo). But manufactoring it is other thing.
Again, that's because you are human, and you think your way is the only way.
To make hydraulics you need metal
How does your arm work? How does octopus move? You think you can't make an structure like human arm, or octopus tentacles without metal, and then have a tube going through it in a way the water in it can move them. Look up soft robots. There isn't just one way to tap into mechanical energy and move things. We did what we found first, improved on it. But thinking that's the only way just shows narrow mindedness.
You need to heat metal
You don't. You know aluminum used to be so expensive because you couldn't really extract it from the ores like iron. Wasn't found in pure form like gold. Then someone found you can use electrolysis to get aluminum from its ore. Then it became so cheap.
You don't just heat metal and put it in mold for every type of metal work. In micro scale there are 3d printing methods similar to electroplating, it's very precise.
And even if there is a need of heat, how can you say ocean doesn't have it. A species could find out a way to tap into volcanic vents. Similarly how we use groundwater and rivers. They could use volcanos and geothermal energy. We do many many manufacturing processes under water in a tank containing water. They could make air tank and do things there too.
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They must have limbs skilled enough to handle and construct this technology, a complex communication system, and a binocular vision system (for this reason the most used in all species) to perceive their environment. The humanoid shape is one that best fits these maxims and therefore it is quite possible that an advanced species would also have a more or less similar shape.
Elephants meet all of these criteria as well. A complex limb (their trunk), a complex communication, and binocular vision (although I don't see why this is necessary).
You can’t compare an elephant trunk to the human hand
Not with that attitude
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Taste like crab, talk like people.
Crab people. Crab people.
Project Hail Mary got this really right. The aliens are big rock crabs
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You know who's not a coward? Captain James T Kirk.
Yeah, he was well known for spreading STDs throughout the universe - including crabs.
Funny to think about it: Crabs are a huge local maximum of peak evolution
Someone needs to rule 34 crabs. And then delete their Internet history as thoroughly as possible.
(V) OwO (V) What's this? snip snip
I doubt crabs could make it as an intelligent interplanetary species. I mean claws are cool and all, but really tough to use tools with.
Sure, but have you ever tried to disarm a crab and lived to tell the tale?
„disarm a crab“ 🦀🔪
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Neal Asher's Praedor Moon is a fun read if you want to see what advanced humans would do against space faring crabs.
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The squid bois from Arrival are cool
What is this "crabbification" evolution trend you speak of?
Intelligence favours dexterity of making/holding weapons and tools. Claws are not as good. Armour is always a nice to have, but the offense from weapons use from "hands" is better. I do like the idea of 360 rotating "eye arms" to catch backstabbers. Maybe more arms and legs.
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