Creatures from Cthulhu Mythos.Could they be real ?

[Deleted]

Do you think creatures similar to the ones from Cthulhu mythos could be out there somewhere in the universe ?

[Deleted]

It is a remote possibility I suppose, but flying tentacle monsters are very far fetched indeed.

[Kasierith]

It's possible, of course. But unlikely if you follow evolutionary theory

[Stir]

Nopes. They could not be real. The... remote possibility is simply far too insignificant to even consider it.

[rayvio]

nope, but they make for some damned good fiction

[Deleted]

Anything is possible!

[Vladimeir]

It is a remote possibility I suppose, but flying tentacle monsters are very far fetched indeed.

Obviously the flying portion is a bit over the top, but we already have octopus and squids as well as jelly fish and other tentacled creature. I don't think its so far fetched as to say something similar may exist in the universe since something already similar exists here on Earth.

[Deleted]

It's possible, of course. But unlikely if you follow evolutionary theory

Give one reason why natural selection excludes them. Only need one reason.....

[AdriWar]

I'm sure one exists in our undiscovered oceans.

[Vanyali]

Give one reason why natural selection excludes them. Only need one reason.....

Flying without a system that would allow them to do so other than "magic did it". Also the use of all the tentacles and the improbability of the organs composing such a sophisticated creature being present in such mobil areas. While the first one could have the stomach/ reproductive system/ brain in the middle, the second seems to have next to no stable place for organs other than a small section for the brain.

[Deleted]

Give one reason why natural selection excludes them. Only need one reason.....

The OP also didn't say Earth, he said somewhere in the universe.

[Deleted]

Flying without a system that would allow them to do so other than "magic did it". Also the use of all the tentacles and the improbability of the organs composing such a sophisticated creature being present in such mobil areas. While the first one could have the stomach/ reproductive system/ brain in the middle, the second seems to have next to no stable place for organs other than a small section for the brain.

That's got zero to do with natural selection, a.k.a. the theory of evolution.

Perhaps you should read it before borrowing its authority.

---------- Post added 2012-03-09 at 01:25 PM ----------

The OP also didn't say Earth, he said somewhere in the universe.

Natural selection is by no means confined or reliant on an Earth like body, simply a body supporting life with an ecosystem.

[Herecius]

That's got zero to do with natural selection, a.k.a. the theory of evolution.

Perhaps you should read it before borrowing its authority.

---------- Post added 2012-03-09 at 01:25 PM ----------



Natural selection is by no means confined or reliant on an Earth like body, simply a body supporting life with an ecosystem.

But, not all ecosystems are alike. Nor are all creatures seemingly following the same rules when it comes to their bodies. Did you know we've discovered fish - like actual fish, not flatfish, not bottom feeders, not invertebrates, but honest to god fish - at the very bottom of the ocean? Science and logic says that this should be impossible, as their bodies should implode from the pressure, but yet, they exist.

[Vanyali]

That's got zero to do with natural selection, a.k.a. the theory of evolution.

Perhaps you should read it before borrowing its authority.

Any system that is not viable to exist would be precluded.

Natural selection would select out of something that moves through flying without being able to fly. In a sense, in any case; the creature simply would not be able to be, or would be immobile (hence not fulfilling the criteria).

Natural selection would weed out a creature that has no space for organs by such things dying upon birth.

Maybe you should think about things before snapping.

[Deleted]

But, not all ecosystems are alike.

And? How does that have any bearing on what I said? This planet has millions of ecosystems.

[Kasierith]

Give one reason why natural selection excludes them. Only need one reason.....

First, natural selection and evolutionary theory are two related but different concepts. Second, because evolution works by choosing the most viable specimen of a species to survive, and to therefore pass those traits on. It is hard to encapsulate a single-celled organism developing to flying tentacle monsters, especially since we don't know of anything that could let them fly. I guess the land-bound ones are technically possible.. although having an evolutionary trait leading to a big hole in your stomach seems unlikely.

[Herecius]

And? How does that have any bearing on what I said? This planet has millions of ecosystems.

I probably should have said 'and,' not 'but.' I was actually agreeing, it's fairly impossible for us to say whether or not it's possible for creatures as alien and strange as these to exist or not.

[Deleted]

Any system that is not viable to exist would be precluded.

Natural selection would select out of something that moves through flying without being able to fly. In a sense, in any case; the creature simply would not be able to be, or would be mobile (hence not fulfilling the criteria).

Natural selection would weed out a creature that has no space for organs by such things dying upon birth.

Maybe you should think about things before snapping.

No you're making assumptions based on observational logic rather than investigative. "That creature clearly can't exist as I don't know the mechanism for its operation", they've said that about animals on this planet dozens of times.

Viable is so subjective that to use it you must be claiming to understand the required instance for this sort of creature to exist and excluded it from occurring in the known universe.

[Herecius]

First, natural selection and evolutionary theory are two related but different concepts. Second, because evolution works by choosing the most viable specimen of a species to survive, and to therefore pass those traits on. It is hard to encapsulate a single-celled organism developing to flying tentacle monsters, especially since we don't know of anything that could let them fly. I guess the land-bound ones are technically possible.. although having an evolutionary trait leading to a big hole in your stomach seems unlikely.

For all the information we've got, it could be breathing through that hole, or perhaps doesn't have a stomach and just sublimes its sustenance through its outer skin. :P

[Aethilus]

If you're familiar with evolutionary theory, it is very unlikely.

In order for creatures like that to evolve, each addition to their biology would have to provide a distinct advantage that they previously lacked, or would have to have at one time provided one. In the case of the appendix in humans for example, it helped with the digestion of certain foods (grasses) many millions of years ago (first human genus appeared only 250,000 years ago).

Over many more millions of years evolution gets rid of unnecessary parts of biology as well. One of the misconceptions about evolution is that it only ever adds, when in reality it also subtracts parts. For example, the Venus Flytrap(Dionaea Genus) is a relative of the Drosera Genus (more commonly known as Sundew plants). The Drosera genus is another branch of carnivorous plants which instead of trapping prey extremely quickly, traps it with sticky mucilage. It is thought that the Venus Flytrap originated from that genus, but as it evolved to close more and more quickly, evolution eventually rejected having the sticky mucilage at all, because it was no longer necessary for the species' survival.

Over millions more years of Human evolutionary development it is likely that the appendix will be done away with, similarly, if the creatures of Cthulhu Mythos were real, they would either have to have functional reasons for each of their parts, or they would become simpler as the no longer necessary parts were discarded.

There are many people in this thread (as always) that entirely misunderstand what evolution is. Those who are confused and willing to learn, you can see and learn the basics by watching the video below on evolution. (the other videos on the same channel are also well worth the watch, I do not own any of the said videos)