Dolphins Are Our Secret Overlords

**WakataDreamer** · 01-21-2009 07:05 AM

I was originally going to post this in Extended Discussion, but decided on Senseless Banter because of the ...slight... comedic leanings, and the fact that you guys are generally more fun.

Ohhkay... Where to start, where to start...

Let's start with dolphins' intelligence, because in order to be our secret overlords then they must have an equal or greater intelligence than us (right?). In fact, a species' "intelligence" is determined by brain size on relation to body mass. Basically, how much brain do you have free to think with that isn't just being used to regulate your gigantic body? Less mass+bigger brain=smarter. Of all animals, humans come in second in brain-to-body-mass ratio. Guess which species is first? Dolphins.

Also, dolphins exhibit behavior consistent with intelligence that is simply being expressed in manner unintelligible to us. For example, it is evident that dolphins have a complex language. There is enough room for variation in the field of whistles and clicks as there is in the field of phonetic sounds. Researchers have no way of understanding dolphin communication, but it's obvious that they are communicating, and evidence suggests complex thoughts and ideas being expressed.

Finally, dolphins are the only species other than humans that have sex for fun, to derive pleasure. Truly the separating factor between animals and higher beings.

I'd post more but my battery is running low, so just chew on what I've given you until I edit this and add more stuff.

Cheers.

**Serkat** · 01-21-2009 05:56 PM

I would doubt their language is as complex as human language. Completely useless for fish.

Also they don't have nukes. So in fact they are our bitches.

**tkdyo** · 01-21-2009 06:33 PM

the problem is...they dont have thumbs. This inhibits much in the way of building and tool making which are great for intellectual advancement. If they had a kind of thumb...then maybe they could eventually evolve to our intelligence. But dont get me wrong, I am still very impressed by what intelligence they DO have.

**Man of Steel** · 01-22-2009 02:52 AM

They left me a fishbowl when they left, you know. It said So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish on the bottom.

...yeah, dolphins rock.

**Abra** · 01-22-2009 05:36 AM

Dolphins also have more sulcii and gyrii. But their brains are different. Only one half is fully functioning at a time, the other trully is asleep (no REM).

Regarding language... They see through eccolocation. They communicate through eccoloctaion. They can speak and understand each other in the same medium that they primarily sense their world. That's much more efficient than humans. We use eyesight, but speak with sound.

**WakataDreamer** · 01-22-2009 06:56 AM

If only we could decipher echolocation's language application and communicate with them... We know a bit, but still far too little.

**Bearsy** · 01-22-2009 07:43 AM

**Xaqaria** · 01-22-2009 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Abra

Dolphins also have more sulcii and gyrii. But their brains are different. Only one half is fully functioning at a time, the other trully is asleep (no REM).

Regarding language... They see through eccolocation. They communicate through eccoloctaion. They can speak and understand each other in the same medium that they primarily sense their world. That's much more efficient than humans. We use eyesight, but speak with sound.

Think about this for a second, its a very interesting point. When a dolphin sends out complex sonar pulses, what reflects back creates a picture of their surrounding. When they send out the same pulses and another dolphin hears it, essentially it would most likely create the same images. This is all speculation, but it would seem logical to me that dolphins might be capable of actually creating images in each other's minds.

**Abra** · 01-23-2009 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by Xaqaria

Think about this for a second, its a very interesting point. When a dolphin sends out complex sonar pulses, what reflects back creates a picture of their surrounding. When they send out the same pulses and another dolphin hears it, essentially it would most likely create the same images. This is all speculation, but it would seem logical to me that dolphins might be capable of actually creating images in each other's minds.

Exactly. =)

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