UPL: Octopi in Space!

Twink (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Sat, 22 Nov 1997 20:37:00 -0500 (EST)


At 04:43 PM 11/22/97 -0800, Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin <warrl@blarg.net> wrote:
>Of all these, I think that octopi are the only short-term viable
>candidates for uplift, and at least in the case of the Pacific giant,
>may already be uplifted without human intervention.

As all know, I agree at the present.:)

>By the way, I've heard it plausibly suggested that octopi don't
>really need to be constantly immersed in water to do well.

According to some of the literature I've read, they often leave their
tanks to raid other tanks, and then return to their original tanks.
I don't think any of the squid have the same capability -- for
comparison.

>They do
>require high humidity, and they do require near-neutral bouyancy with
>regard to the space around them. And gills out of water usually
>don't work well, so they may need some help with respiration. But
>high humidity we can do in air, and near-neutral bouyancy is readily
>achievable in space.

I knew that's where this was going!:) Of course, if/when we uplift, we
might be able to overcome the gill problem...

>And, given comparable brain power, I would expect octopi
>to be better (or at least have a stronger aptitude) than humans at
>three-dimensional navigation.

Perhaps... Let's find out!

Daniel Ust