Well, Now. That's Just Rude

I've long thought the Octopus will be the next species to dominate the planet, equal to that of homo sapiens . . . its either the octopus or the raccoon, not sure which (and probably way too much Jack Kirby's Kamandi comic book as a kid). The octopus is rather intelligent, able to open jars and use tools and it has 8 arms with the ability to manipulate objects much like we do with our thumbs (the raccoon is right behind us, just feed some of your locals and see what they are able to do, clever little fellows). So it stands to reason that after whatever global event kills us off (I'm betting a pandemic, unless we get to the moon and beyond) that after a few million years the octopus will come to dominate the oceans like we do the land.

It will be interesting because to travel on land they'll have to make diving suites, except some will like to go 'landing' and crawl out of the water and slide around the sandy beach and then back to the water. They'll of course have to worry about land sharks…I mean dogs and cats…but they will like their landing.

But this article over at Scientific America makes it seem less likely. As it turns out female octopus's can be rather, rude. Seems that during love making they like to pull their lover in and embrace them . . . to death. Then they haul them into their dens and eat them.

Well, that might slow down the evolutionary band wagon . . . or it might speed it up now that I think of it. If women strangled men after mating what might the world look like?

Food for thought!

Check out Katherine Courage's book Octopus! The Most Mysterious Creature in the Sea.

Dude's too close! Dude's too close!