If humans were wiped out, which species would dominate?

[LazyWinker]

If humans are gone, I'm going to assume the rest of the mammals went with them.

Barring AI being the reason humans are gone, I'll go with ants or bees.

What if fire ants are already the dominate species? They multiply quickly and each year expand their habitat. Their bite sucks. I would rather get stung by a bee than bitten by a fire ant.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

my guess is it would have to be some sort of algae
something mindless and slimy that will clog up all waterways and oceans in the world and eventually would expand onto dry land
there would just be no way to get rid of it

 

[CodeMonkey]

 

[MerlinJones]

my guess is it would have to be some sort of algae
something mindless and slimy that will clog up all waterways and oceans in the world and eventually would expand onto dry land
there would just be no way to get rid of it

Kind of like the Kardashians.
Just swap waterways for mass media.

It may already be too late.

 

[MerlinJones]

What if fire ants are already the dominate species? They multiply quickly and each year expand their habitat. Their bite sucks. I would rather get stung by a bee than bitten by a fire ant.

You should check out the movie Phase IV.
Hyper intelligent ants showing some researchers what time it is.

 

[MerlinJones]

You can't argue with the wisdom of Bubbles.

 

[RamFan503]

No joke... The octopus would be my guess as well. They are crazy intelligent, many people don't realize this. They can solve complex problems and manipulate their environment.

My local fish store (aquarium) carries very exotic fish. A few years back the owner had a octopus in a show tank. He'd put a piece of food in a glass jar with a lid screwed on tight into the tank... that octopus learned how to open the lid a get the food almost immediately.

Then the little freaker decided that he wasn't getting enough food for his liking. The owner of the shop thought that he had an employee stealing some very expensive fish because they were somehow disappearing. So he put in some cameras. He couldn't believe it when he watched the tapes one morning and saw what was happening. The octopus was strong enough to escape from his escape proof tank. This octopus would actually climb out of his tank and climb into the other tanks in the store... sometimes crawling a good distance along the floor and then up a cabinet in order to get to other tanks. Unbelievable. Then he'd eat the fish in their tank be very sneaky about it, and then he would crawl back to his own tank and break back into it so nobody would suspect him. Insane.

The owner got rid of the octopus soon after. Hahahaha

For the record,,, I'm doing my part to stop the octopus take over. I love to eat octopus. Used to eat fresh ones that I caught back in Hawaii all the time... no days I order a crap load of it at my local sushi restaurant. It's one of my absolute favorite foods.

They're watching us... don't freaking trust em.

Pretty freaky.

The entire country of Panama is trying to do it's part. You'll find octopus on the menu at pretty much every restaurant. And still they apparently have an abundance. Not a big Octopus sushi guy - too chewy most times I've had it - but down in Panama we ate it a lot and they really know how to cook it.

 

[LazyWinker]

You should check out the movie Phase IV.
Hyper intelligent ants showing some researchers what time it is.

Looks interesting, I might have to rent it.

 

[Selassie I]

Pretty freaky.

The entire country of Panama is trying to do it's part. You'll find octopus on the menu at pretty much every restaurant. And still they apparently have an abundance. Not a big Octopus sushi guy - too chewy most times I've had it - but down in Panama we ate it a lot and they really know how to cook it.

They serve it in a bunch of local food in Costa Rica as well. I had some homemade seafood soup in a small local restaurant there that I still dream about... loaded with octopus. Soooo good. They must be very plentiful there cause I found one in the rocks off the beach one day snorkeling. Very curious creatures.

I can see were octopus may be too chewy raw. I love it though. I swear I could eat it everyday and never get tired of it.

 

[RamFan503]

They serve it in a bunch of local food in Costa Rica as well. I had some homemade seafood soup in a small local restaurant there that I still dream about... loaded with octopus. Soooo good. They must be very plentiful there cause I found one in the rocks off the beach one day snorkeling. Very curious creatures.

I can see were octopus may be too chewy raw. I love it though. I swear I could eat it everyday and never get tired of it.

Yeah - when we were down in Panama, we would walk in about ankle deep water and turn over rocks with our toes. About every fifth rock a little octopus would shoot out from underneath it. It got to be kind of a mindless game to play when we were wandering around doing nothing.

 

[LesBaker]

One of the tricks to serving octopus is to beat the shit out of it, like it owes you money! That tenderizes it by breaking down the flesh, otherwise it can be chewy whether its raw or cooked. I would bet that both of you guys had it properly prepared, which doesn't usually happen.

 

[LesBaker]

By the way the reason I know that is I was at an Italian place many years back with some people and when I had some of the calamari that was ordered I commented on how it was so much more tender than any I had ever had..........the waiter overheard my remark and explained that it should be tenderized before cooking. It was delicious..........when you don't have the rubbery chewiness and can chew it like normal food all there is to it is the flavor and it is EXCELLENT.

 

[Selassie I]

One of the tricks to serving octopus is to beat the crap out of it, like it owes you money! That tenderizes it by breaking down the flesh, otherwise it can be chewy whether its raw or cooked. I would bet that both of you guys had it properly prepared, which doesn't usually happen.

Same thing with conch, unless it's going in ceviche.

The saying goes... "Always pound your conch". People unfamiliar with that think they hear you saying something a little different. LOL

 

[Selassie I]

And to try and get back on topic here...

Someone already mentioned dolphins being self aware. There are several other animals that are also self aware (my parrot being one),,, but octopuses are extraordinarily self aware. Their ability to camouflage their body to mimic their surroundings or even mimic other animals is really unmatched in the animal kingdom.

They are watching us,,, AND,,, they make themselves invisible while they do. They can't be trusted!

 

[RamFan503]

By the way the reason I know that is I was at an Italian place many years back with some people and when I had some of the calamari that was ordered I commented on how it was so much more tender than any I had ever had..........the waiter overheard my remark and explained that it should be tenderized before cooking. It was delicious..........when you don't have the rubbery chewiness and can chew it like normal food all there is to it is the flavor and it is EXCELLENT.

Calamari is squid. Unless they call Octopus Calamari over there?

 

[RamFan503]

Same thing with conch, unless it's going in ceviche.

The saying goes... "Always pound your conch". People unfamiliar with that think they hear you saying something a little different. LOL

I regularly pound my conch.

 

[CodeMonkey]

 

[RamFan503]

That last gif is a scary one. Was there a drought going on? :eek:

 

[LesBaker]

Calamari is squid. Unless they call Octopus Calamari over there?

Yes it's squid, but pretty much the same idea though.......

 

[Selassie I]

I regularly pound my conch.

It is always recommended. Hahaha