The Future is Wild

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-07-31 12:21pm

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-07-31 12:28pm

Yeah, that was interesting. Hmm, the future is cold. And i'm mildly annoyed to note that the UK will be a thing of the past in a 100 million years.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-07-31 12:33pm

Oops... this was supposed to be in OT, sorry!

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-07-31 12:34pm

Sir Sirius wrote:Oops... this was supposed to be in OT, sorry!

Actually, putting it in SLAM probably makes just as much sense.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-07-31 01:28pm

I thought it was an interesting program. I remember back in the 1980's a scientist had theorized evolution along this scale. One of the models was an evolved bat: a fuzzball that ran on two legs and tracked by sound..

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-07-31 01:32pm

the entire concept of being able to predict evolution on such scales is ridiculous.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-07-31 01:36pm

kojikun wrote:the entire concept of being able to predict evolution on such scales is ridiculous.

Its just imagining what they may look like,there`s no guarantee they`ll resemble anything like that,so chill out dude.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-07-31 01:39pm

I actually don't particularly like that show. It's not as if anyone can predict evolution, and while some of their creatures are mildly cool, there's no real reason for them. For example, the one that I watched predicted that turtles would eventually evolve into the largest land-creature ever to walk the Earth (larger than the huge herbivorous dinosaurs), that octopi would learn to live on land for some time, returning to the water only once every few days, and that a 13 foot fish would develop electricity sufficient to actually kill a full-grown human.

XaLEv · Post by **XaLEv** » 2003-07-31 01:41pm

Montcalm wrote: Its just imagining what they may look like,there`s no guarantee they`ll resemble anything like that,so chill out dude.

They showed this here some time back. They did not present it as speculation.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-07-31 01:48pm

XaLEv wrote:
Montcalm wrote: Its just imagining what they may look like,there`s no guarantee they`ll resemble anything like that,so chill out dude.
They showed this here some time back. They did not present it as speculation.

I guess some confuse sci-fi with reality.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-31 02:28pm

I doubt the scientific accuracy of this, since some of the creatures (particularly the Ocean Phantom, Slithersucker and the Megasquid) looks like the products of H.P. Lovecraft's imagination, while the rest look like something straight out of a D&D Monster Manual.

BTW, One of the predicted creatures is called a "Shagrat"!!! In LOTR, there's an Orc called that! As a Tolkienist, I couldn't help but cheer when I saw that.

BTW, a lot of these beasties make good material for sci-fi/fantasy. If I start writing a fantasy story, all the ordinary animals will be substituted for creatures similar to those featured here. (Except for eagles... they should just be pteranodon-sized)

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-07-31 02:46pm

XaLEv wrote:They showed this here some time back. They did not present it as speculation.

Probably thought that stating something so blatantly obvious is unnecesary.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-07-31 02:54pm

Predicting the evolutionary path of various pecies is iffy at best... I want to know HOW they cae up with these. Sure some of them may be possible, but there are no guaranteens... Personally I would think reptiles would be doing a bit better for themselves. Crocodilians for example arent exactly in decline, and their design hasnt really changed in millions of years. Snakes... well the vipers are some of the most highly evolved predators on this planet, and with 2500 or so species, theri are bound to be a few that develope a bit further... same with Lizards.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-31 03:15pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote: I want to know HOW they cae up with these.

Well, some of the creatures (as I mentioned) looked rather Lovecraftian....

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-07-31 03:28pm

Heh, I like the Flish's Alien-style extendable jaws.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-31 03:32pm

3rd Impact wrote:Heh, I like the Flish's Alien-style extendable jaws.

I also think the name "Sharkopath" sounds like the title of a B-movie. BTW, that "Great Blue Drifter" for some reason reminded me of the Arrowhawk from D&D.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-07-31 03:53pm

Simon H.Johansen wrote:
3rd Impact wrote:Heh, I like the Flish's Alien-style extendable jaws.

I also think the name "Sharkopath" sounds like the title of a B-movie. BTW, that "Great Blue Drifter" for some reason reminded me of the Arrowhawk from D&D.

Yeah, some of the names are unbelievably cheesy, but the artwork is good.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-31 04:01pm

BTW, I'm considering writing fantasy as well as sci-fi (my first foray into the realm of Weird Fiction is "The Wormhole War"), and I hope they don't mind if I use similar creatures in my fantasy tales.

Johonebesus · Post by **Johonebesus** » 2003-07-31 04:40pm

The worst part to me was they gave no explanation as to how or why entire orders vanished. Creatures go extinct either due to competition with better adapted rivals or environmental changes. Why would primates vanish? That is one of the oldest orders of mammals. Why would burrowing rodents disappear when their ecological niche is still present? Why did cats vanish allowing for giant predatory birds to reemerge in South America? No explanation was given as to why mammals declined. Also, why were there no new classes? It was vaguely interesting science fiction, but just too unrealistic. It seemed like instead of really trying to plot a hypothetical course based on observed trends and evolutionary theory, they just got some folks together and told them to create some cool new animals. And it was presented not as wild fantasy, but as scientifically valid theorizing.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-07-31 05:20pm

I thought the program was hilarious in its stupidity.

Majin Gojira · Post by **Majin Gojira** » 2003-07-31 06:49pm

LadyTevar wrote:I thought it was an interesting program. I remember back in the 1980's a scientist had theorized evolution along this scale. One of the models was an evolved bat: a fuzzball that ran on two legs and tracked by sound..

I actually have that book, interesting fantasy.

Saw the special, less interesting fantasy. It seemed the creators had a thing against humans and Mammals while making it. and no new forms of life evolved. the same basic groups stil existed--which was highly annoying.

russellb6666 · Post by **russellb6666** » 2003-07-31 08:42pm

yeah I was wondering why no humans or primates?? you would think that something primate like would still be around if not some form of human

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-07-31 08:46pm

russellb6666 wrote:yeah I was wondering why no humans or primates?? you would think that something primate like would still be around if not some form of human

By then we will have change physicaly,we`ll have bigger heads smaller limbs grayish skin and big black eyes,and we`ll travel back in time to abduct hillbillies,and gangprobed them.

EDIT: Also i ordered the book online i think i`ll recieve it sometime next week.

Stormin · Post by **Stormin** » 2003-07-31 09:54pm

russellb6666 wrote:yeah I was wondering why no humans or primates?? you would think that something primate like would still be around if not some form of human

In the beginning of the first one (5 mil years) it is stated that mankind vanished before the end of today. Our very presence changes the course of evolution.
And they do specifically state that this special is an exercise in the immagination.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-07-31 09:55pm

russellb6666 wrote:yeah I was wondering why no humans or primates?? you would think that something primate like would still be around if not some form of human

They deliberately removed humans because otherwise humans would totally fuck with evolution. I don't know their rationale for wiping out mammals and birds, other than being warm blooded would probably be a disadvantage during exceptionally warm periods.