How the nervous systems/neurology/perceptions of other organisms may differ from our own.
Strange Minds
- Thread starter Tim Walker
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Book, copyright 2015. The Soul of an Octopus. Written by an oceanographer, Sy Montgomery.
Besides vertebrates, cephalopods are the only group with highly complex nervous systems.
It wasn't until I started reading that I realized just how alien those cephalopod nervous systems are. "Collaborative" nervous systems. Much of the processing of information is not in the brain, but in the arms. Indeed, it seems that a severed arm can function on its own for awhile, as if it were an independent creature. In fact, each arm may have its own distinct temperament; one arm may be relatively bold or aggressive, while another arm of the same octopus may be relatively timid.
Imagine if your left and right arms were semi-autonomous, and each had its own temperament.
Also, the nervous systems between different arms seem to be highly entwined not only with the brain, but with each other.
An octopus seems to be able to multi-task far more than a human.
On the other hand, an octopus as a whole seems to be a cunning creature.
Besides vertebrates, cephalopods are the only group with highly complex nervous systems.
It wasn't until I started reading that I realized just how alien those cephalopod nervous systems are. "Collaborative" nervous systems. Much of the processing of information is not in the brain, but in the arms. Indeed, it seems that a severed arm can function on its own for awhile, as if it were an independent creature. In fact, each arm may have its own distinct temperament; one arm may be relatively bold or aggressive, while another arm of the same octopus may be relatively timid.
Imagine if your left and right arms were semi-autonomous, and each had its own temperament.
Also, the nervous systems between different arms seem to be highly entwined not only with the brain, but with each other.
An octopus seems to be able to multi-task far more than a human.
On the other hand, an octopus as a whole seems to be a cunning creature.
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Sounds like that closing scene in DR. STRANGELOVE where his hand is trying to choke him.
It would probably lead to extremely embarrassing situations in public.
Octopi have also been known to engage in rudimentary tool use, and have advanced problem solving ability. This ability, however, is severely handicapped by their short lifespans (Only about three years) and the fact that they die during reproduction and therefore cannot transfer cultural knowledge between generations the way other intelligent species are known to do (humans, dolphins, etc.)
I've always wondered what would happen if we genetically altered an octopus to live longer and be granted the ability to survive reproduction.
I've always wondered what would happen if we genetically altered an octopus to live longer and be granted the ability to survive reproduction.
Book, copyright 1995. Dolphin Chronicles by Carol J. Howard.
An example of a highly intelligent critter, but very different in its sensory perceptions.
The author tried.
No sense of smell. Approximated in a human with a stuffed up nose.
Vision. Apparently dolphin eyes lack color vision. Also, dolphin eyes are positioned on the sides of the head, like a prey animal. Not great for depth perception (as when both eyes are on the front of the head), but the wide angle if useful for detecting predators. Like a shark sneaking up on you.
Hearing, as a passive sense, has almost ten the range of human hearing in terms of frequencies.
My imagination fails me when she describes the echolocation abilities of dolphins. Human built sonar may have greater range, but dolphin echolocation can do things it can't. Not only determining location, but also speed, size, shape, texture, density, and even the internal structure of an object.
The author thinks of the dolphin's echolocation as a long distance version of touch.
Howard says that dolphins/whales have the most impressive echolocation. Bats would also be rated well, though probably not quite as well. A few other critters, such as oilbirds and cave swiftlets, have primitive echolocation abilities, but nothing compared to dolphins (though better than a blind human tapping a cane).
An example of a highly intelligent critter, but very different in its sensory perceptions.
The author tried.
No sense of smell. Approximated in a human with a stuffed up nose.
Vision. Apparently dolphin eyes lack color vision. Also, dolphin eyes are positioned on the sides of the head, like a prey animal. Not great for depth perception (as when both eyes are on the front of the head), but the wide angle if useful for detecting predators. Like a shark sneaking up on you.
Hearing, as a passive sense, has almost ten the range of human hearing in terms of frequencies.
My imagination fails me when she describes the echolocation abilities of dolphins. Human built sonar may have greater range, but dolphin echolocation can do things it can't. Not only determining location, but also speed, size, shape, texture, density, and even the internal structure of an object.
The author thinks of the dolphin's echolocation as a long distance version of touch.
Howard says that dolphins/whales have the most impressive echolocation. Bats would also be rated well, though probably not quite as well. A few other critters, such as oilbirds and cave swiftlets, have primitive echolocation abilities, but nothing compared to dolphins (though better than a blind human tapping a cane).
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Blind humans can learn to echolocate.
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