Octopuses are the species that, according to researchers, has the best chance of taking over the world after humans disappear. The world’s top experts claim that these eight-armed creatures are poised to become the dominant force on Earth should humanity disappear.
What would happen after the extinction of humans? PHOTO: Shutterstock
In the event of a cataclysm caused by wars or climate change, marine invertebrates are said to possess “necessary physical and mental attributes” to evolve into the next species capable of building a civilization, according to the Daily Mail.
Professor Tim Coulson of Oxford University states that “dexterity, curiosity, the ability to communicate with each other and supreme intelligence” of octopuses would allow them to create complex tools and build a vast underwater civilization similar to Atlantis.
Although it is “unlikely” for these creatures to become fully terrestrial, the professor argues that their intelligence could allow them to extend their time out of water to develop new hunting methods.
Professor Coulson, one of the world’s leading zoologists and biologists who has advised governments, claims that cephalopods are now “in a favorable position” to colonize the world in the event of humanity’s extinction.
Octopuses are among the most intelligent creatures, say researchers PHOTO Archive
Primates – long considered the natural successors to humans – would face the same challenges and disappear too, he says.
The professor explains that these predators – which can breathe for 30 minutes out of water – could, over millions of years, develop their own methods of hunting on land, similar to how humans learned to fish in great.
Octopuses, among the most intelligent creatures
Speaking to The European magazine, Professor Coulson – formerly Professor of Population Biology at Imperial College London and with previous posts at Cambridge University and the Institute of Zoology in London – said:
“Octopuses are among the most intelligent, adaptable and resourceful creatures on Earth.
“Their ability to solve complex problems, manipulate objects and even camouflage themselves with amazing precision suggests that, given the right environmental conditions, they could evolve into a species capable of building a civilization following the extinction of humanity.
“Their advanced neural structure, decentralized nervous system, and remarkable problem-solving skills make octopuses well-suited for an unpredictable world.”
These qualities could allow octopuses to exploit new ecological niches and adapt to a changing planet, especially in the absence of human influence.
In a world dominated by mammals, octopuses remain an underappreciated contender. Their advanced cognitive ability, tool use, and adaptability to changing environments provide a model for what could become the next intelligent species after humans.
Professor Coulson, who has received awards from prestigious institutions including the Royal Society and has published more than 200 scientific articles, added:
“Of course, the rise of octopuses is purely speculative: evolution is unpredictable, and we cannot say with certainty what path it will follow in the event of humanity’s extinction.“
Primates could also become extinct
Primates have long been considered the natural successors of civilization due to their ability to manipulate objects. However, primates would likely face extinction alongside humans because they are vulnerable to the same threats that affect us.
Even if they survive, experts say the primates are vulnerable to predation and competition, are limited in the environments and ecosystems they can live in, and have slow rates of reproduction and development.
Primates also depend on tight-knit communities for survival—with coordinated social behaviors like hunting, grooming, and defense against predators—and their small population sizes could make it difficult to adapt to a changed world.
“Octopuses, on the other hand, are a potentially better candidate to fill an ecological niche in a post-human world,” Professor Coulson added.
