What in the galaxy do the extraterrestrial and the octopus have in common? They have astounding intelligence of a sort which is mostly unknown to humans. However, we must admit this intelligence does exist; if we fail to perceive their intelligence, we demonstrate that we ourselves are not so intelligent. It is time (past time!) we open our human portals and learn all we can about unknown-intelligence itself, whether on Earth or in the universe.
Humans have been arrogant about their own intelligence for eons, assuming that we are the most-intelligent anywhere, ever. Aristotle, for instance, proclaimed the octopus a stupid creature, "for it will approach a man’s hand if it be lowered in the water." At least Aristotle perceived what dangerous predators humans are.
"Ghost" octopuses have been recently discovered to be among the astounding resident life-forms which/who dwell in hydrothermal vents in the Atlantic section of the Southern Ocean between Antarctica and South America and eastward. Researchers finally managed to lower cameras into two areas, 8,530 feet and 7,874 feet deep, catching first glimpses of those Antarctic hydrothermal vents. Among these vents are "black smokers," chimney-like vents emitting dark-hued, super-heated water.
The background temperature of the Southern Ocean is 32 degrees F., but the black smokers gush water was hot as 721 degrees F.
And in these incredibly difficult conditions, life flourishes! There are hairy-chested yeti crabs which/who cultivate gardens of edible bacteria on their chests, there are barnacles, anemones and large spiral-shelled snails. And, the ghost-like albino octopuses head over to the light of the ROV camera. Here is an entire flourishing alien world!
Just as on the moons of Saturn and Jupiter, until recently, we humans assumed there could be no life except maybe microbes, beneath a frozen or near-frozen ocean. We were wrong! Life prevails – anywhere. "Anywhere" is almost literal. Life finds a way.
Let’s consider just any old octopus now, not just the Antarctic ghosts: How smart are they? They are smart enough to leave their aquarium, squish across the floor, enter the aquarium of the crab they hope to eat, grab the crab, and squish back across the floor into their own container, at night, when they think human researchers aren’t watching. Well, that sounds rather human, how about more alien behavior?
One octopus does an uncanny impression of a flounder. Another mimics coral before darting away from a pushy camera. A third slips its arm around a jar and unscrews it, dining on the crab inside. Research papers have been published on octopus learning, personality, and memory. The Octopus is even now in the journal "Consciousness and Cognition," along with its fellow cephalopods the squid and the cuttlefish. The title: "Cephalopod Consciousness: Behavioral Evidence."
http://www.livescience.com/17715-yeti-crabs-antarctic-vents.html
About 700 million years ago, humans and octopuses diverged. How many years ago would we guess humans and extraterrestrials diverged? Of course we don’t know for sure that we share any evolutionary paths with ETs, but it seems we humans are more like extraterrestrials (what little we can see of them), than we are like octopuses.
If we become researchers and observe ETs as we do Ms Octopus—we mostly have only ET behavior to observe as they "drive" their UFOs, because it is unusual to observe ET behavior in person. There are abductions, encounters, and there are relationships of symbiosis between human-friend and alien-friend which in some cases, last the human’s lifetime. These are a whole subject for another day, perhaps.
So, let’s consider the very common UFO sighting which is (unless a holograph), an example of ET "driving." What ARE they thinking? In almost every sighting, there is something unexplained to us humans; why did the UFO "bother" to manifest, only to zoom off again a second later at incredible speed or simply wink out? Why did it depart when we began to really focus on it, perhaps establishing something similar to telepathic contact?
I watched two huge, transluscent UFOs over Tampa Bay in 1979; many other people saw these two. I documented this sighting more extensively in my UFO Digest article, "The Paranormal, Bridge Collapse, Mothman and UFOs." I was concentrating on one of the two huge white orbs, and I felt "contact." I looked down for a second, and that particuloar orb was gone. Just GONE! The other orb stayed for hours over Tampa Bay. I have noticed in other UFO reports that just as the human focuses personally, so to speak, the UFO vanishes. What is that all about?
UFOs are known for their illogical but absolutely mind-boggling manuevers and behavior. Oh yes, there is intelligence there too! Unimaginable intelligence.
Of course it is different from ours. Of course it might be frightening at first but we really must get ourselves together and see if we can begin to understand ET intelligence! A good start is to begin to understand that life forms exist in the most inhospitable places on our own planet and comprehend that they have evolved a true intelligence as well.
And what of earth life-forms we are more familiar with?
Sharks, lions, elephants, parrots? The list is endless. However, the list grows shorter, because humans have decimated habitats, mercilessly hunted, selfishly just not-cared: "Oh, they are just dumb animals," this is the mindset of many humans, solidified by the major religions which dictate that humans are the lords of Earth, the only species with "real" intelligence.
If we continue this ignorant, cruel, stupid behavior, perhaps we as a species do not deserve to continue. Maybe the ETs are researching this as they fly low overhead?
However, in a lifetime of exploring the intelligence which Tibus has allowed me to perceive in him, an alien, I have found enormous compassion and love for the human species. I feel we are being given every chance, and that ETs know we deserve continue our evolutionary path (but so do sharks!).
Incidentally, there is news that two shark species have begun to mate in an attempt to survive the current destruction of their species. A new shark has just emerged. Now that’s intelligence!
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011
What ETs, octopuses and humans have in common is that each of our unique species intelligence evolved over billions of years as we each walked our unique evolutionary path. We are the result of vast experiences and we apparently have all survived enormous challenges. ETs and octopus are the result of their own experiences and have survived their own enormous challenges. Their unique intelligence reflects this – IS this.
To undertsand this is certainly a starting point for respecting each other, and then beginning to value each other and ultimately to treasure each other as part of the infinite diversity in infinite combinations in the unvierse. Intelligence abounds!
Intelligence/consciousness itself may be what the universe is composed of!
It is time (past time!) that we humans realize Intelligence belongs not just to us, but to the other life forms of Mother Earth and to an uncountable number of species throughout the galaxy and universe! Open your eyes, Human, then welcome to the galactic commnunity!
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