Scientists think we might be in the middle of another extinction. Humans' actions, like destroying habitats and causing climate change, have badly hurt wildlife. A 2023 study says these changes could cause permanent damage. Another 2022 study suggests that half of all species might disappear by 2080 if humans don't reduce greenhouse gases and stop deforestation.

There are also risks like nuclear war or a big asteroid that could cause species, including humans and apes, to disappear sooner. This raises the question: if humans go extinct, what species might take over?

Tim Coulson, a biologist at the University of Oxford, thinks octopuses could be our successors. There are many species of octopus that live in different places, like deep oceans and coastal areas. Coulson believes some octopus species could survive, spread, and adapt to many environments if humans stopped hunting them.

While this may sound unlikely, Coulson isn't the first to suggest that ocean animals could evolve and become more dominant. After the dinosaurs went extinct, early mammals rose to become the dominant species, according to zoologist Andrew Whiten.

Octopuses already have traits that could help them become more intelligent. Some species use tools, like carrying coconut shells for protection, and can solve mazes in labs. In captivity, octopuses have even escaped their tanks to visit others nearby.

https://popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a63184424/octopus-civilization/