If humans disappear, which species will ‘take the throne’?

Humans are the highest and only intelligent species among all life on Earth today. We develop language, writing, labor and create outstanding scientific and technical advances to master the Earth – Photo: ISTOCKPHOTO

We can find history, but it is difficult to know the future. Specifically, until now, science has not been able to confirm whether there is an event that threatens the survival of humanity as it does with the dinosaurs.

In the assumption that someday people disappearan intelligent species will evolve vigorously and replace, take over the Earth, with modern gene sequencing technology and our understanding of evolution, scientists have come up with prediction is possible.

According to research from the University of Manchester (UK), a trait that helps humans evolve, become intelligent and reason is dexterous hands. To fulfill the same ecological role as humans, the surrogate would need to develop a similar capacity to manipulate objects. In other words, that species must also have hands with flexible fingers like humans. And that’s the chimpanzee.

Scientific studies have found that humans and chimpanzees have 98% similar genes. Similarities in body size, reproductive characteristics, and skeleton structure are factors that lead us to believe that this is a species that can evolve and replace us one day. This process can take up to millions of years.

But according to scientists, because of this great similarity, if there is any disaster strong enough for humans to disappear, it will also have the ability to wipe out chimpanzees.

Chimpanzees are genetically very similar to humans – Photo: GETTY

Therefore, the second best candidate is birds.

66 million years ago, the great dinosaurs became extinct and the small surviving species gradually evolved into birds.

According to a study published in the journal Science in 2020, birds are very intelligent. For example, crows and parrots have intelligence comparable to that of chimpanzees. Some birds can use their feet and skillful beaks to hook strings, learn to speak up to 100 words and do simple math, including understanding the concept of zero.

Birds can also congregate in large flocks, building shared nesting sites. If humans disappear, it is possible that birds will take over our roles as the most intelligent and skillful land animals.

Another animal that is also considered to be very intelligent and highly evolved is the octopus.

Jennifer Mather, an intelligence researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, said: “Intelligence adjusts a species’ behavior based on influences from its environment. Octopuses can learn to differentiate They can even design their own habitats by removing unwanted algae from their nests and shielding their “homes” with seashells.

However, the octopus will find it difficult to adapt to life on land. The reason is that vertebrates often have iron in their blood cells. This substance binds with oxygen very effectively. In contrast, octopuses and their relatives have blood cells from copper. These molecules are still bound to oxygen, but less so, and as a result, the octopus is restricted to living in oxygen-saturated water instead of thin air.

A “city” of termites in Africa – Photo: GETTY

According to researcher Jennifer Mather, the most intelligent and ecologically impactful terrestrial animals are insects.

Insects can adapt to different types of environments. They have existed for about 480 million years. During that time, they have evolved to exist in every conceivable corner of the Earth. From flying to burrowing, swimming and even building elaborate nests that resemble human cities.

Insects also live in colonies and maintain order in a very organized manner. According to a study published in 2017 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society Bthe organization of colonies of ants and termites is probably more similar to human civilization than to any other species on Earth.

Ants can “make their own food” by storing leaves to create fungi, instead of just going foraging and depending entirely on nature like other species. Termites can communicate over long distances within their colony using vibrations.

If humans go extinct, maybe these insect swarms will take over the world.

Of course, all of this is just speculation; It is almost impossible for science to actually predict how evolution will actually unfold on geologic time scales. There are many unexpected factors that cause variation. A species may be on the verge of extinction, but it may also lose much of its genetic diversity.

Which is the most intelligent species in the ocean?

TTO – Meeting this question, many people often think of dolphins. However, by many different experiments, scientists have concluded that the octopus is the most intelligent.