Nature's Unending Quest for Evolution: From Mass Extinctions to AI-Powered Robots
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(pixabay.com)
Let’s get what happened during the Five Major Mass Extinctions.
The Ordovician-Silurian Extinction (445 million years ago):
This early mass extinction resulted from glaciation, leading to a drop in sea levels and a decline in marine life.
Approximately 85% of Earth's species, particularly marine organisms, met their demise.
The Late Devonian Extinction (375 million years ago):
Climate change, volcanic activity, and other factors contributed to this mass extinction.
Roughly 75% of species, particularly marine life, succumbed to the harsh environmental changes.
The Permian-Triassic Extinction (252 million years ago):
This event led the loss of up to 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species.
Volcanic eruptions, asteroid impacts, and extreme climate fluctuations were the primary culprits.
The Triassic-Jurassic Extinction (201 million years ago):
A combination of volcanic activity and a potential asteroid impact resulted in the extinction of about 80% of species.
This extinction allowed the rise of the dinosaurs during the Jurassic period.
The Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction (66 million years ago):
The famous asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs marked this mass extinction.
Approximately 75% of all species, including the dominant reptiles of the time, perished.
Extinction of Other Hominoids
Before Homo sapiens became the dominant hominoid species on Earth, there were other hominoids who faced extinction. Neanderthals, a close relative of modern humans, likely succumbed to a combination of factors, including climate change, competition with Homo sapiens, and possible interbreeding with our species. Other hominoid species, such as Homo erectus and Homo habilis, gradually declined and eventually became extinct, paving the way for the ascendance of Homo sapiens as the sole surviving hominoid species.
Nature's Quest for More Capable Species
Nature's relentless pursuit of evolution and adaptation has led to the emergence of increasingly capable life forms. While humans possess unique qualities such as emotions, creativity, and adaptability, they also have inherent limitations. Humans have shorter lifespans, limited memory capacity, and the need to start from scratch in learning new skills or knowledge.
In contrast, AI-powered robots have the potential to overcome many of these limitations. They can be equipped with vast existing knowledge, operate tirelessly, and explore the universe's vastness with precision and efficiency. Unlike humans, robots do not require rest, are not bound by biological constraints, and can withstand harsh environments.
Conclusion
Nature's drive for more capable species has been evident throughout Earth's history, manifested in the form of mass extinctions that allowed new life forms to thrive. As we embrace AI-powered robots, it becomes clear that nature may favor these creations over humans for their potential to explore and transcend the boundaries of our universe. While humans possess unique qualities, they are limited by their biological constraints, making robots a promising avenue for the continued quest for evolution and exploration on a grander scale. Nature dismisses the species which do not fit in its grand scheme. I afraid the time has come for our departure. We’ll have to vacate the place for the more capable and resilient species which AI powered robots can be. They will definitely be abler than us and nature will appreciate them.
What do you think?
Hello A. Kumar,
Very interesting and controversial topic! To me at least :) Makes me react straight away :)
Your digression seems very logical up to the point of omitting the fact that all mentioned life extinguished were natural.
The robots and AI (merely coming together now) are artificial and a creation of human.
You write the nature might favor them over human beings; how do you imagine the nature including a non-natural element in evolution?
Good question @arnoldjean . In this world nothing is beyond nature. Science only finds the things which are already in nature. Man has created nothing which were not based on natural laws. In fact, there is no difference between living and non-living things. We are also a product of interaction of various molecules and so are everything in nature. I hope you have understood my point.
I think I see your point , and I think it depends at which level we are talking. At the level of molecules, I would say it is still possible to make the difference between living and non-living things. If you go deeper into the matter, then it becomes irrelevant, where everything is a question of energy.
At the level of dense matter, although I agree that ressources are all natural (nature is all there is to life), we can still make a difference between living and non living.
Biological or mineral molecules are different but they are all part of the natural cycle of: birth- growth/expansion-death/decay/metamorphosis.
But from them human have created synthetic molecules which seem to be "rejected" from that cycle. One big example is plastic, it loses its structure and eventually turns into microscopic elements, but no natural entity (living or not) seem to be capable of using it.
Concerning robots, if human is not there, I doubt that nature would see in those creatures something else than a bunch of natural elements plus "other non-usable things".
Life may have various forms which we can't even imagine. So, there may be lifeforms which are beyond our comprehension and imagination as well. Afterall, nature is far greater than us.
I am sure in other universes there are plenty of life forms, in an infinity of natural environments :)