What other species would you want to evolve to also be "advanced space travelling species"?

submitted by hufflepuff-poet from self.Lesbians

I was thinking about how cool it would be and how different our world would be if we had had another species evolve to our level of complex civilizations. Like we had neanderthals at the same time as humans and a few other close relatives but those were cousins.

I'm thinking if like humans evolved, but also bears or octopus or otters or some other animal also evolves societies and speech and we can all learn to communicate. Like how that would impact our view of the world and the universe and our place in it. Like would we have human gods or would we be more animalistic with our deities because we see otber species as more of our equals. I dunno just a thought and I wanted to hear what y'all had to say!

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[–][deleted] 15 insightful - 4 fun15 insightful - 3 fun16 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

Cats!!!

[–]VioletRemi 9 insightful - 6 fun9 insightful - 5 fun10 insightful - 6 fun -  (0 children)

Khajiits are pleased with your choice.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 4 fun4 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

That is terrifying answer. If my barn cats were any smarter I would constantly be living in fear.

[–][deleted] 8 insightful - 3 fun8 insightful - 2 fun9 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

I'm confused about the way you are using the word "evolved" here. What do you think evolution is?

[–]writerlylesbian 8 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 1 fun9 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Eh, I mean, there's quite a bit of evidence already of some mammal species having their own complex societies and forms of communication (if not actual languages), e.g. elephants, dolphins, whales, monkey and ape species, to name some of the obvious ones. I think the issue is that humans have a vested interest in not recognising the rights or sentience of other species, as it were.

And sure, we can't communicate via spoken language with other species, but it doesn't mean that humans and animals can't learn other ways to communicate with each other. Again, I think this is largely humans being too dense/lazy/arrogant to want to take the time to learn how to interact with other species.

But, if we're just talking 'what animal would you like to see in sci-fi/outer space' then my answer would be whales. Artists and writers love putting whales in outer space for some reason, stuff like this: http://www.lassenart.com/MoreInfoForm2.asp?OriginalID=804. I like the idea of whales swimming through the stars.

[–]Innisfree 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I think we're not far from the time when the dolphins will leave us with the mess we made saying: "So long and thanks for all the fish" :)

[–]candiedDagon 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Cephalopods will inherit the earth

[–]MyLongestJourney 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

My zoology professor said once that their limited lifespan is what is preventing them from developing a civilization.

[–]Ricky_Ticky 5 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

I can totally imagine having an octopus as my next door neighbour

[–]Innisfree 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

He'll be called something like Mr. Alfred Longshanks the 3rd, will wear pence-nez glasses and will be in a habit of gently huffing and puffing at the sillinnnes of his other neighbours.

[–]yayblueberries 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Humanity is finding out birds may be far more intelligent than ever understood and have complex communications and in birds that are more social, complex interactions. But I do wish we could understand each other, I have so many things to ask birds! They could even tell us about stuff they see on their migrations. There is one species, the Veery, that knows how hurricane season is going to be months in advance - they are actually way better than humans at detecting this! They could let us know.

[–]whateverman 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Some other great ape relative. If we fuck this all up, a closely-related species might be able to best understand where we went wrong and how exactly they can do things differently. Something like us, but better. Either that or crows.

[–]votkriscan 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Lions and sharks! There could be glowing underwater cities and on the surface, an amalgamation of nature and metallic structures. I wouldn't want any deities though. Society will be an equal one, in and out of itself.

[–]FlanJam 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Some kind of ocean animal like a whale so they can tell us about the secrets of the deep sea lol.

[–]Innisfree 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Apparently the Earth is one huge experiment conducted by mice anyway. Don't shoot the messenger lol, Douglas Adams has all the receipts :)

[–]MyLongestJourney 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I was thinking about how cool it would be and how different our world would be if we had had another species evolve to our level of complex civilizations. Like we had neanderthals at the same time as humans and a few other close relatives but those were cousins.

Not very cool. You would have to compete with them for resources and competition with advanced species leads to war.

Many people believe that it is better we do not come in contact with alien species more advanced than humanity,because they could subdue us with ease.