Human beings have been at the center of ecological change on Earth for thousands of years. But as history shows, no species lasts forever.

His answer is the octopus. What say you?

  • FundMECFS@slrpnk.netEnglish
    681·
    4 days ago

    But they

    1. Have extremely short lifespan so a limited capacity to learn (1-2 years)
    2. Don’t raise their offspring, in fact after mating/laying eggs they naturally die, so no knowledge sharing
    3. Are extremely solitary and don’t have social bonds or do anything socially, so little communication/passing of knowledge
    • scarabic@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      3 days ago

      I’m not even convinced that intelligence is a requirement to be the dominant species. Intelligence is so expensive that nature rarely ever selects for it.

      Trilobytes did pretty damn well for a hell of a lot longer than we have so far. I think we need a stronger working definition of “dominant” in order to judge any candidates.

        • scarabic@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 days ago

          Sure well if that is a precondition of the conversation, we can talk about it. But IMO it may be a faulty assumption to go on.