Won't everything collapse?

[Holocene]

Society in general, human beings, etc...?

Will something non-human one day rule the earth again?

[TheStatutoryApe]

Ummm... did you have anything more to add to that? More of a jumping off point maybe? The Mentors tend not to like such brief and simple thread starters.

So far, short of major catastrophe, I don't see it happening any time soon.

[Evo]

Society in general, human beings, etc...?

Will something non-human one day rule the earth again?Please state specifically what you mean.

Do you mean that one day humans will be gone? Of course. How far into the future that is no one knows, only that a time will come when this planet will no longer be abe to support human life.

[marcus]

Will something non-human one day rule the earth again?

Around here it's the squirrels.

I think it is their more focused sense of purpose. Humans seem aimless by comparison.
And the fact that they never seem to forget where they put things.

[marcus]

But seriously, Holocene, that is what life is all about, isn't it?

We can't ever say anything definite about the future----the earth could be swallowed by a black hole or pulverized by a collision----life and evolution could simply end.

But if it doesnt end----if evolution continues----then isn't it reasonable to expect other species eventually to take the lead?


It might not be squirrels :wink:, it might be robots (if they get so they can reproduce) or corporate entities (analogous to hives, flocks of birds, antheaps, perhaps involving several biological and machine species). One should be prepared for surprises.

It might be something like a human, but a different species from us created by genetic engineering.

If conditions on the planet become unfavorable to what we think of as higher forms, then some microorganisms might become predominant-----or let's say a giant fungus which has acquired the ability to consume plastic and aluminum beercans and which also constantly synthesizes and disperses viruses toxic to other types of organism, if any are still around.

Holocene, I suspect YOU of having some notions about the future course of evolution. Why don't you tell us your ideas.

Anyway the direct answer to the question Won't everything collapse? is, I think, yes obviously it will.

In the meanwhile I hope that humans succeed in extending earth-type life to a few exoplanets, so the game can be played out in different ways under different circumstances, each endlessly varying and utterly fascinating.

[baywax]

Society in general, human beings, etc...?

Will something non-human one day rule the earth again?

Its actually the other way around in that the earth rules what's on it and always has.

Marcus has an exciting idea where we might continue on a similar planet, with the lessons of our mistakes from this one. But, just look at the failing memory of all civilizations and you'll see how our mistakes will repeat themselves just as history seems to do the same.