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.
this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2024
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Sure, but have you ever tried to disarm a crab and lived to tell the tale?
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.
A meme consisting of text is not a meme.
You need a picture too.
No, a picture of text doesn't count.
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
Howvabout Lizard people?
There are sexy lizards
Funny to think about it: Crabs are a huge local maximum of peak evolution
Taste like crab, talk like people.
Crab people. Crab people.
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.
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.
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.
Octopods only live a few years though.
So we're back to square one. We got a serious luck of the draw with the whole package.
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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.
You guys should read the Stormlight archives. Fuckin everything is a crab, even the plants.
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reminder:
Neal Asher's Praedor Moon is a fun read if you want to see what advanced humans would do against space faring crabs.
Rumors say that the upcoming new Children of time book will also involve crabs
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Project Hail Mary got this really right. The aliens are big rock crabs
It was such a good book. I can't wait for the movie release! Apparently its due to he released in 2026.
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