What animal will rule the earth after we're gone?

Zach · Post by **Zach** » March 4th, 2007, 3:02 am

Say we royaly mess up the earth and totatly wipe ourselves out. 100,000 years pass and some other animal eventually evolves an advanced society. Who is it? Why? What are the hallmarks of their society?

I know the answer, but I'm interested in what others think.

phlounderphil · Post by **phlounderphil** » March 4th, 2007, 3:09 am

It's octopi & squids.

Haven't you read the Call of Cthulu?

TexasImprovMassacre · March 4th, 2007, 10:50 am

phil's right, scientists decided cephalopods would be the creatures most capable of navigating earth's terrain.

Lindsey · Post by **Lindsey** » March 4th, 2007, 11:21 am

I was going to say ants because they are crazy organized, but I also remember reading that about cephalopods.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » March 4th, 2007, 2:30 pm

Lemmings. We covered this in the Apocalypse run, incidentally

exquisitezombie · Post by **exquisitezombie** » March 4th, 2007, 8:03 pm

cockroaches, duh.

http://www.catherinechalmers.com/cockro ... ew_photo=9

Mike · Post by **Mike** » March 4th, 2007, 8:27 pm

I'd have to go with Lemmings. They will evolve to the point where you'll see huge Lemming armies riding their mutated Grizzly bear steeds into battle.

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » March 4th, 2007, 11:09 pm

exquisitezombie wrote:cockroaches, duh

I definitely think there is a good chance it could be one of the billions of insects... but NOT cockroaches. They are resilient, but stupid. They will not evolve. In fact, I think they are d-evolving right now.

Instead, my vote will be on the arachnid - particularly the jumping spider, who is curious, omniverous (some eat nectar), sited, hydrallic, and currently cover ALL of the world (minus the most northern polar regions).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_spider

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0271367/ ... 7.jpg.html

Zach · Post by **Zach** » March 4th, 2007, 11:59 pm

exquisitezombie wrote:cockroaches, duh.

Yes cockroaches will outlive us all of course, but they (and sharks) have found a niche that they are so fucking awesome at that there really is no need for them to change up their game.

My real question is who is going to come up with the advanced societies and all its trapings; war, lifestyles section of the newspaper, lazy boys, special olympics, music, trophy wives, reality TV, extreme sports, litigation, stand-up comedy, hot air balloons, etc.

Lindsey · Post by **Lindsey** » March 5th, 2007, 9:05 pm

So not just militaristic strength and dominant intelligence but also creativity? I'm sticking with my ant vote, though arachnids are very crafty... Sara may be right on this one.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » March 6th, 2007, 2:16 pm

Zach wrote: My real question is who is going to come up with the advanced societies and all its trapings; war, lifestyles section of the newspaper, lazy boys, special olympics, music, trophy wives, reality TV, extreme sports, litigation, stand-up comedy, hot air balloons, etc.

Whose to say it will ever happen again? The earth was ruled for hundreds of millions of years by lifeforms without "sentience".

We are a blip.