this post was submitted on 28 Nov 2024
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Science Memes

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A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



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[–] realitista@lemm.ee 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] fishbone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Sure, but have you ever tried to disarm a crab and lived to tell the tale?

[–] realitista@lemm.ee 1 points 41 minutes ago

I sure the fuck wouldn't want to fight a giant crab. I just don't think they could build an interstellar space ship, that's all.

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 4 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] lowleveldata@programming.dev 15 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

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

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 6 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

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.

[–] letsgo@lemm.ee 9 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I've seen a wasp unscrew a screw I thought was in pretty tight.

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago

What am asshole!

[–] lowleveldata@programming.dev 7 points 15 hours ago

The premise is that they won't invent advanced things such as screws because the survival pressure is less intense

[–] infinite_ass@leminal.space -4 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

A meme consisting of text is not a meme.

You need a picture too.

No, a picture of text doesn't count.

[–] MySkinIsFallingOff@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

If noting else, at least your username is correct.

[–] infinite_ass@leminal.space -1 points 3 hours ago

Wow. Creative and hurtful. You should feel proud.

[–] Matombo@feddit.org 9 points 17 hours ago

Funny to think about it: Crabs are a huge local maximum of peak evolution

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 2 points 12 hours ago (1 children)
[–] infinite_ass@leminal.space 1 points 10 hours ago

There are sexy lizards

[–] UmeU@lemmy.world 12 points 19 hours ago (1 children)
[–] half_fiction@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Taste like crab, talk like people.

[–] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago

Crab people. Crab people.

[–] kerrigan778@lemmy.world 14 points 22 hours ago (3 children)

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.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 6 points 12 hours ago

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.

[–] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 20 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (3 children)

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.
[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

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.

[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Octopods only live a few years though.

[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 4 hours ago

So we're back to square one. We got a serious luck of the draw with the whole package.

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[–] MrJameGumb@lemmy.world 75 points 1 day ago
[–] TheMinions@lemmy.world 48 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (14 children)

You guys should read the Stormlight archives. Fuckin everything is a crab, even the plants.

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[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 51 points 1 day ago
[–] ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works 14 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

You know who's not a coward? Captain James T Kirk.

[–] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Yeah, he was well known for spreading STDs throughout the universe - including crabs.

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