Octopuses, future masters of the world?

What if, after the extinction of humanity, octopuses became the dominant species on Earth? An Oxford zoologist puts forward this hypothesis, supported by the extraordinary intelligence and capacity for adaptation of these cephalopods.

Could octopuses take over from humanity? Professor Tim Coulson, a zoologist from the University of Oxford, shared an intriguing hypothesis in an interview with “The European”. According to him, these marine creatures, endowed with impressive intelligence and a great capacity for adaptation, could become the dominant species on Earth if humanity were to disappear.

Humanity faces many dangers, ranging from climate change to the threat of artificial intelligence, including nuclear conflicts and even asteroids. If the human species were to become extinct, like the dinosaurs before it, Professor Coulson believes that octopuses could become the new masters of the world.

Octopuses are known for their intelligence and their ability to solve complex problems. They manipulate objects, are excellent at camouflage and have several neural clusters in their tentacles, giving them exceptional motor skills. These faculties could allow them to develop a civilization in a world without humans.

“Octopuses, an underestimated candidate”

Unlike human intelligence, that of animals is assessed by their ability to solve problems and anticipate. Octopuses, for example, use coconut shells to hide.

Although these cephalopods, which also include squid and cuttlefish, live solitarily and do not form social structures, Tim Coulson imagines that they could one day use tools to hunt on land, like humans at sea. .

Over millions of years, octopuses could adapt to life on land or develop breathing devices similar to those of divers. “In a world dominated by mammals, octopuses represent an underappreciated candidate to become the next intelligent species. Their advanced cognition, tool use and adaptability offer a potential model,” says the zoologist.

However, developments remain unpredictable. “The rise of octopuses is just speculation. We cannot predict with certainty what direction evolution will take after the extinction of humans,” explains the professor.

Provocatively, some scientists even suggest that the abilities of octopuses and squid to modify their DNA could indicate an extraterrestrial origin, arriving on Earth as frozen eggs millions of years ago.

This article was written using artificial intelligence (AI). All content taken up by the AI ​​is verified by the editorial staff.