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Intelligent life is more likely to evolve in oceans

Intelligent life is more likely to evolve in oceans

July 16, 2023

A new study looks at whether technology-based intelligent life was more likely to emerge in oceans or on land.
The researchers found oceans were more likely to support such intelligence.
But being on land may offer factors that made it easier for intelligent life to develop.

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Underwater or On Land: Where Does Intelligence Thrive?

Is the vast ocean or the more familiar environment of land more likely to see the emergence and growth of technologically intelligent life?

This question, once the realm of science fiction, has now been rigorously explored by a team of astrobiologists led by Manasvi Lingam of Florida Tech.

By applying Bayesian analysis to their research, they concluded that oceans might be more likely to harbor technologically-advanced species, provided all other factors remain equal.

This hypothesis may strike many as curious because it goes against our established perception of humans, a land-based species, as the sole technological intelligence on Earth.

But the oceans cover approximately 71 percent of the Earth’s surface and offer a multitude of habitats, which should theoretically increase the probability of the emergence of oceanic intelligent life.

Despite this, the team proposes that crafting tools and further developing technology could be a more complex task in the water than on land.

Although life probably began in water, Lingam suggests that certain characteristics of the aquatic environment — such as reduced sensory information and restricted sources of energy (try building a fire underwater) — could hinder the evolution of technology.

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Understanding the nature of intelligence

Lingam’s team used data from a variety of sources, including astronomical observations, field studies of animal behavior, and an analysis of the role of oxygen in the development of complex life.

Their examination spanned species from primates to cephalopods and cetaceans, and applied mathematical and physical models to calculate the odds of intelligent life evolving in water versus on land.

In a conversation with Interesting Engineering, Lingam clarified that by “technological intelligence,” he's referring to species that use technology as intensively and extensively as humans do.

However, he made it clear that he does not necessarily equate this with humans being “more intelligent.” He noted that many oceanic species exhibit high intelligence markers, such as complex communication and basic tool usage.

The study suggests that the eventual emergence of humans on land could have been influenced by some of the advantages of land-based life, such as lower energy expenditure for movement, superior vision, and the potential to control fire.

The team’s findings provide a new perspective that we can use to broaden our search for intelligent life beyond Earth, one that challenges our established notions and renews our curiosity about the universe’s inhabitants

For a more detailed understanding and to read the insights that Lingam shared with us, check out the full article.

“I think there’s a lot of different animals that could be further assessed to refine the study. All these questions can, and hopefully should, attract people from a very wide range of fields.”

Manasvi Lingam

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