Octopuses could dominate Earth if humans vanish

Just imagine a world where humans no longer exist, who would take over? Well, it may not be another mammal. Believe it or not, octopuses could be the ones to dominate Earth after humans.

Scientists have recently made a riveting claim that these eight-limbed, marine invertebrates could become the dominant species on Earth should homo sapiens vanish from existence. It’s an intriguing idea, but how is it possible?

Hypothetical world without humans

What if humanity were utterly wiped out through wars or climate change? It’s a grim concept but it is fascinating to wonder about the potential successors of our civilization.

According to leading experts, octopuses possess the “physical and mental attributes necessary” to evolve into the next civilization-building species.

Octopus taking over humans

Tim Coulson, a professor at the University of Oxford, presents an interesting case for these eight-legged creatures. His argument hinges on the octopuses’ “dexterity, curiosity, ability to communicate with each other, and supreme intelligence.”

These traits, according to Professor Coulson, equip octopuses with the potential to develop complex tools and methodologies necessary to birth a vast Atlantis-like civilization under the ocean.

Why not primates?

One might think that primates, our closest relatives, have the best shot at stepping into our shoes if we were to vacate the world. They have opposable thumbs, use tools, and walk on two legs, right? But according to Professor Coulson, it’s not that simple.

He reasons that primates would face the same threats that could potentially wipe out humanity and thus are also at risk of extinction.

Octopuses competing with humans

In an interview with The European magazine, Professor Coulson, who has held positions at institutions like Imperial College London and Cambridge University, elaborates on why octopuses are a strong contender.

He refers to them as “the most intelligent, adaptable, and resourceful creatures on Earth,” lauding their abilities to solve complex problems, manipulate objects, and even camouflage themselves with near-perfect precision.

Their decentralized nervous system and advanced neural structure, coupled with their exceptional problem-solving skills, make octopuses uniquely suited for an unpredictable world.

Professor Coulson sees these intelligent cephalopods as an underappreciated contender who could step up as the planet’s next intelligent species after humans.

Adaptable survivalists

If humans were to go extinct, most scientists concur that the creature to “replace” us should be dextrous. Dexterity, in this context, pertains to the ability to modify their environment and colonize the planet using complex tools, much like humans.

Octopuses’ abilities to distinguish between real and virtual objects, solve puzzles, manipulate their surroundings, and adapt to a broad range of environments make them a viable candidate for future rulers of Earth.

They are also adept at surviving in harsh conditions and are formidable hunters with a wide variety of prey including clams, shrimp, lobsters, fish, sharks, and even birds.

Octopuses and human-like settlements

With relatively short lifespans, from between 1.5 to five years, one could argue that octopuses are on the back foot for the long evolutionary race. But here’s a counterintuitive thought.

What if their hasty reproduction and quick intellectual maturity actually give them an advantage in rapidly changing environments, thereby accelerating their evolutionary progress?

According to our Professor Coulson, while octopuses are unlikely to evolve into land-based animals due to their lack of a skeleton and associated challenges with mobility out of water, they could potentially develop underwater cities and towns akin to human settlements on land.

Possible? Yes. Probable? Maybe.

In the end, as Professor Coulson reminds us, these are all just speculations. “It’s important to remember that these are just possibilities, and that it’s impossible to predict with any degree of certainty how evolution will unfold over extended periods.”

However, given the octopuses‘ remarkable intelligence, adaptability, and diverse range of survival strategies, they could indeed emerge as a potential successor to humanity.

Now, whether the octopuses would build vast underwater cities or venture onto land to hunt terrestrial mammals is yet to be determined, and we may never really know.

For now, we will continue to marvel at these fascinating creatures and their potential for becoming the torchbearers of intelligent life on Earth, albeit in the far-flung future.

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