I had the thought a while ago that it would be possible to predict possible directions different species might take in the future of evolution.
Coinidently, I just stumbled on a website for a documentary that apparently aired on animal planet recently addressing this subject. It was called "the future is wild", did anyone see it?
I didn't, I don't get animalplanet but damn I wish I did. The very idea is extremely fascinating to me. I would be content to dedicate my life to it actually.
But from viewing the website I got the feeling the documentary would have been disappointing. They said it was made by a crew of diverse scientists but I just can't see flying fish that nest in cliffs ever evolving. That is one of the many animals they imagine(and apparently have good reason to imagine). Also the names for the animals they come up with are very lame and distracting, the "flish"?
There was however, one of their ideas that , although again not particularly believable, was incredibly cool. The "squibbon"(yeah, I think they should have fired whoever came up with these names) was an intelligent air breathing social tree squid. As intelligent as humans they say. They are small and live high in trees where they build little huts and villages out of twigs and branches.
Very creative if nothing else. They vaguely explained how and why squids adapted to life on land, I don't think it would be absolutely impossible. Pretty improbable though.
I think it is possible to predict short term evolutionary changes within species, the predictions "the future is wild" made were meant to be in 200 million years and stuff like that but I think by examing the breeding habits of todays species you could predict likely physical changes.
For example maybe lions will develop armadillo like neck and chest armour, the "manes" they possess today seem to be in the process of becoming something like that.
What do you think?
Any animals you want to invent? Make sure to give them ridiculous immature names
.... "flish".... I can't get over that...
Coinidently, I just stumbled on a website for a documentary that apparently aired on animal planet recently addressing this subject. It was called "the future is wild", did anyone see it?
I didn't, I don't get animalplanet but damn I wish I did. The very idea is extremely fascinating to me. I would be content to dedicate my life to it actually.
But from viewing the website I got the feeling the documentary would have been disappointing. They said it was made by a crew of diverse scientists but I just can't see flying fish that nest in cliffs ever evolving. That is one of the many animals they imagine(and apparently have good reason to imagine). Also the names for the animals they come up with are very lame and distracting, the "flish"?
There was however, one of their ideas that , although again not particularly believable, was incredibly cool. The "squibbon"(yeah, I think they should have fired whoever came up with these names) was an intelligent air breathing social tree squid. As intelligent as humans they say. They are small and live high in trees where they build little huts and villages out of twigs and branches.
Very creative if nothing else. They vaguely explained how and why squids adapted to life on land, I don't think it would be absolutely impossible. Pretty improbable though.
I think it is possible to predict short term evolutionary changes within species, the predictions "the future is wild" made were meant to be in 200 million years and stuff like that but I think by examing the breeding habits of todays species you could predict likely physical changes.
For example maybe lions will develop armadillo like neck and chest armour, the "manes" they possess today seem to be in the process of becoming something like that.
What do you think?
Any animals you want to invent? Make sure to give them ridiculous immature names
.... "flish".... I can't get over that...