This is huge: *current* liquid water on Mars.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Don't know "Uplift" or "Breed to Come". My favorite far future story is "Forgetfulness". Octopi mother died protecting their young. If there was a means of "passed knowledge" they'd have a shot. 'Coons have opposable digits. Bears have flat feet and claws. Not a contest there.

[Cavebear]

Don't know "Uplift" or "Breed to Come". My favorite far future story is "Forgetfulness". Octopi mother died protecting their young. If there was a means of "passed knowledge" they'd have a shot. 'Coons have opposable digits. Bears have flat feet and claws. Not a contest there.

I looked up "Uplift Wars" by David Brin and guess I had the wrong book in mind.  Sorry.  I'm sure it involved the same idea though.  'Bred To Come' was about cats and dogs left behind after intelligence enhancements just before humans left Earth and then returned centuries later.

Bears can be bidedel, are omnivores, and can eliminate competitors.  I admire coons for the agility; good potential.  IIRC, it was Sagan who said that aliens visiting Earth 6M years ago might not have guessed that a primate would hit intelligence.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I looked up "Uplift Wars" by David Brin and guess I had the wrong book in mind.  Sorry.  I'm sure it involved the same idea though.  'Bred To Come' was about cats and dogs left behind after intelligence enhancements just before humans left Earth and then returned centuries later.

Bears can be bidedel, are omnivores, and can eliminate competitors.  I admire coons for the agility; good potential.  IIRC, it was Sagan who said that aliens visiting Earth 6M years ago might not have guessed that a primate would hit intelligence.

And he's still not far off.

[Cavebear]

And he's still not far off.

Well, we can debate that because...  well, we can debate that.  Heard any good raccoon debates lately?  And not the Guardian...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Well, we can debate that because...  well, we can debate that.  Heard any good raccoon debates lately?  And not the Guardian...

There's a short story where the last man and last woman on Earth are hiding in the bushes at some park, looking at statues of humans, but with mantis heads instead of human ones.

[Cavebear]

There's a short story where the last man and last woman on Earth are hiding in the bushes at some park, looking at statues of humans, but with mantis heads instead of human ones.

Was that a Twilight Zone episode? 

But no matter.  Many sci-fi stories shock the thoughts and that is the purpose.  They are "what if"...  And most people don't like to think about those things.

Read 'Ender's Game'?  When did you know the game was real?  More importantly, did all your arm hairs rise when you did?  I met Card once.

[Unbeliever]

And don't discount octopi if they ever learn there is something above sea level.

Charles Sheffield's Heritage Universe series has something called Zardalu, which are a land/sea-dwelling squid-like species, and very nasty. They can, though, be tamed a bit, as some of the characters discovered.

[Cavebear]

Charles Sheffield's Heritage Universe series has something called Zardalu, which are a land/sea-dwelling squid-like species, and very nasty. They can, though, be tamed a bit, as some of the characters discovered.

Anything more lethal than us is impressive.  Which is why 'Alien' was great.

[Unbeliever]

I think that's why humans make up all sorts of horrible monsters, we can't stand being the most evil thing in existence.

But we seem to be.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Was that a Twilight Zone episode? 

I read it as a short story. Car/horse crisis there.

But no matter.  Many sci-fi stories shock the thoughts and that is the purpose.  They are "what if"...  And most people don't like to think about those things.

Scifi is best at explaining science and what-iffing social scenarios.

Read 'Ender's Game'?  When did you know the game was real?  More importantly, did all your arm hairs rise when you did?  I met Card once.

Being a military man I assumed that it was real from the start. Which was absurd but that's scifi for you.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I think that's why humans make up all sorts of horrible monsters, we can't stand being the most evil thing in existence.

But we seem to be.

Beowulf was created to scare kids after supper.

[Cavebear]

Is this mentioned in the Bible?  How can we know it's true then?

Sorry, I'm still reeling from the recent Mouse invasion.

Wait, you mean that idiot Mousetrap?  You've got to be kidding..  Do I really need to pay attention to this person?  I've been mostly ignoring him so far.  Just another cultish theist creationist.

[Baruch]

Beowulf was created to scare kids after supper.

Cavebear definitely descended from Grendel?

[Unbeliever]

In just a few years you'll be able to vacation in space! If, that is, you can pony up 9.5 million dollars:


https://www.curbed.com/2018/7/3/17531322/space-hotel-orion-span-aurora-station


It looks like it would be a lot of fun, but the price tag is a bit out of my range.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I've heard that every few years since the Mercury Project.