Did Aliens Evolve From The Ocean?

I was thinking how a species could evolve in the deepest abysses and adapt to the strong magnetic and gravitational forces down there. And if later becoming intelligent, develop anti gravity.

Also, evolving and/or developing locomotion in such dense medium would thus make it easy to move about in our atmosphere.

Additionally, the pressure gradient changes much faster per depth than it does above sea level. Our bodies don't want to explode if we are elevated 1000 ft. But, a 100 ft change in depth under water has a significant change in pressure. So, it would seem they would also be forced to adapt in this area as well, for example, body/hull integrity.

All this would seem to radically help them in space flight.

Comments? I bought a book about this but haven't even had a chance to read it.

jats

Originally posted by jats1
I was thinking how a species could evolve in the deepest abysses and adapt to the strong magnetic and gravitational forces down there. And if later becoming intelligent, develop anti gravity.

I don't think that the magnetic field is stronger at great depts than at the surface, but I do not know it for sure, is just a guess.

Also, evolving and/or developing locomotion in such dense medium would thus make it easy to move about in our atmosphere.

Sure, that is why whales can fly.

Seriously, I don't think that would help, on the contrary. I think it's a very big difference for a species to adapt, it would need a bigger change.

Additionally, the pressure gradient changes much faster per depth than it does above sea level. Our bodies don't want to explode if we are elevated 1000 ft. But, a 100 ft change in depth under water has a significant change in pressure. So, it would seem they would also be forced to adapt in this area as well, for example, body/hull integrity.

You are forgetting water density. The same thing that makes the pressure higher and their need for stronger bodies makes them heavier and cumbersome on land. The amphibious animals that move well outside the water are those that live outside the water.

All this would seem to radically help them in space flight.

I don't think so, and one of the reasons is that they would need to pass from the water to surface, it is not normal to "jump" over an intervening element and go to straight to another.

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss your thoughts on this matter.

I like this theory....
It reminds me of the movie abyss. I can't remember if they were aliens hiding on the sea floor or a species that evolved here with us on earth.

If you think about it the see floor would be an ideal place to hide an advanced civilization. Even with technology of today, the great depths and pressures involved with underwater exploration are just coming into reach.

Ill keep an open mind

I forgot to mention another adaptation. Deep sea fish have been found that illuminate their surroundings with flourecense. Is that how we see UFOs at night?

Also, if Aliens are really just earthly undersea beings, then that could explain why they can't communicate with us very well and all the stealth. They wouldn't be much older than our species and couldn't be expected to be supremely intelligent.

Armap, I will have to argue with all your points.

Gravity: It may not be a lot stronger, but sharks navigate by using the earth's magnetic field. So, the genes are in the pool. And any creatures evolving at a depth with no sun light would need this to navigate it's terrain somehow other than with just feelers.

Density: The material doesn't have to be heavy to be strong. A crystaline structure would do well. Hell, their skin could be in the form of carbon nanotubes.

I don't know what you mean by "jumping". Going from the water to the air? That wouldn't be a jump at all if you could already tolerate expanding and crushing pressures as you moved about.

To be clear, the crushing pressuers at those depths and not actually crushing to anything that evolved down there. We would be crushed but not them. They would feel an expansion as the rose to the surface. Close to sea level would already be like outter space to them pressure-wise compared to us.

jats

Originally posted by jats1
Armap, I will have to argue with all your points.

OK, that's what we here for.

Gravity: It may not be a lot stronger, but sharks navigate by using the earth's magnetic field. So, the genes are in the pool. And any creatures evolving at a depth with no sun light would need this to navigate it's terrain somehow other than with just feelers.

Migrating birds also use the magnetic field (apparently) but I don't know what type of navigational aid other species may use. Also, the need for a navigational aid would only arise on migrating species, those that do not leave their location of birth do not have the need for that.

Density: The material doesn't have to be heavy to be strong. A crystaline structure would do well. Hell, their skin could be in the form of carbon nanotubes.

No, it doesn't have to be heavy, but that is the cheapest way of making things, and Nature always uses the easiest way. And I don't think that a strong skin would be enough to protect some species from the high pressures of the deep sea, a (almost) constant density body is the best way of avoid having something inside being crushed.

I don't know what you mean by "jumping". Going from the water to the air? That wouldn't be a jump at all if you could already tolerate expanding and crushing pressures as you moved about.

Sorry, sometimes I have some difficulty in expressing my ideas in English.

What I mean by "jumping" was not becoming a surface/air species before being a space species, and it would be a jump because of the difference between air and water (or any other liquid). While the sea creatures cruise almost effortlessly because of the buoyancy, unless they created lighter-than-air buoyancy bladders, there would be no way of a swimming species become a flying species without big changes in their bodies.

Close to sea level would already be like outer space to them pressure-wise compared to us.

Yes, and that is why there are reports of exploding giant squids when they reach the surface.

I dont think a deep-sea "alien" species capable of technological achievement make any sense whatsoever, simply due to the hostile enviroment. There is one main quirk IMO: Hands with fingers. These are required for tool working, but arent much use in the ocean. In fact ALL creatures in the ocean that was land living at first has DEVOLVED digits into fins. This is a strong indication that hands/arms dont work.

Armap, you make some good points. Also, maybe you didn't catch it, but I obviously made a mistake in may last comment about gravity and navigating with magnetic fields. I momentarily (late night) confused the two and one doesn't have anything to do with the other.

Howerver, I'm thinking more along the lines that they probably didn't evolve their own bodies into being space flight capable. But, perhaps their bodies did evolve to some extent to adapt to withstand extreme pressure changes and that perhaps their technology would naturally extend from that.

As far as evolving on the path of least resistance is concerned, that's all relative and depends on the organisms needs and the environment it is forced to deal with. I work with genetic algorythms all the time and think about these things quite often. Of course, a hard shell is only one optoin. They may actually have flexible bodies/ships that expand as they reach the surface. I'm thinking of possibly a mineral-based (ideally carbon) super thin skin (for body or craft) that collapses with microfolds when deeply submerged, but when fully expanded has a high tensile strength to keep it from actually exploding.

---

merka, I think you may be think too much along the lines of mammals. The utility of an opposing thumb is simply to manipulate your environment intricately. Some crustaceans, such as crabs, have fairly good manipulators. They are only one "thumb" away from an even better manipulator.

jats

Originally posted by jats1
Of course, a hard shell is only one optoin. They may actually have flexible bodies/ships that expand as they reach the surface. I'm thinking of possibly a mineral-based (ideally carbon) super thin skin (for body or craft) that collapses with microfolds when deeply submerged, but when fully expanded has a high tensile strength to keep it from actually exploding.

After reading this I had an idea that you can use in your theory without any royalties.

A body like that of a sponge (that can sustain any pressure or lack of pressure because it is not a closed body) could evolve to mimic any form and have the additional capability of recreating itself in case of need.

And yes, I found a bit confusing that part about gravity, but as my English sometimes gets in the way and I make stupid mistakes I thought that it was one of those cases.