Could two intelligent species evolve on the same world?

[The Oblivion]

No such distinction. Race =/= Species

To give more specifics Klingon and Humans are the same race they can breed because they are the same species human.

Jaguars and Tigers can breed because they are the same species.


Dolphins and Human are different species both evolved certain intelligence


Could two different species coexist? Probably. That would all depend on the needs of one vs the needs of another.

Dolphins might have a completely different idea on how to develop and progress in this environment.


If said ambition is similar in other words Dolphins are as intelligent as humans and have the same desires.

Then NO. We’d have a pretty big problem.

The example every other variable of human that seem to be intent on destroying each other.

No way is that going to then mesh well with another similar species.

everything in this is factually incorrect lmfao

[Shadowferal]

Pfft...can't even evolve past the idiocy of the current socio-political climate...

[Rustedsaint]

I say yes if they were separated enough by an ocean or other obstacle long enough that both species had a large enough population to prevent either from absorbing/killing the other.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Evolve for sure. Live together? Be a lot harder. I mean look at how we have tried, and often found great success in, killing or enslaving each other over what skin color we have, what religion someone follows, or even how a group of people govern themselves. Imagine having all those differences but then also not actually being human on top of that.

Always love Issac Arthur videos though. This guy really thinks the if, then, but's pretty deeply.

[Krakan]

It comes down to how abundant resources are and if they compete.

If one evolved on land and the other in the ocean I can't see much strife occurring.

[Shadowferal]

. If one evolved on land and the other in the ocean I can't see much strife occurring.

Of course using the oceans as a dumping ground/toilet won't affect anyone....(re: ocean dead zones)

[Krakan]

Of course using the oceans as a dumping ground/toilet won't affect anyone....(re: ocean dead zones)

That is fairly high up in the tech tree though.

[Shadowferal]

That is fairly high up in the tech tree though.

And that means very little.

[P for Pancetta]

No such distinction. Race =/= Species

To give more specifics Klingon and Humans are the same race they can breed because they are the same species human.

Jaguars and Tigers can breed because they are the same species.


Dolphins and Human are different species both evolved certain intelligence


Could two different species coexist? Probably. That would all depend on the needs of one vs the needs of another.

Dolphins might have a completely different idea on how to develop and progress in this environment.


If said ambition is similar in other words Dolphins are as intelligent as humans and have the same desires.

Then NO. We’d have a pretty big problem.

The example every other variable of human that seem to be intent on destroying each other.

No way is that going to then mesh well with another similar species.

About species:

In biological taxonomy (the study of naming, defining and classing things) we came up with this tree (subject to change and not entirely undisputed):

Life > Domain > Kingdom > Phylum > Class > Order > Family > Genus > Species

For humans it goes something like this (there are sub orders and other things you could add):

Life > Eukarya > Animalia > Chordata > Mammalia > Primates > Hominidae > Homo > Homo Sapiens

Within species can exist sub-species and below that we got race, which is not a formal classification within taxonomy. In biological taxonomy the term race is rarely used for describing animals.

About Star Trek:

In star trek lore life is seeded by a predecessor race from which at least the Klingon, Vulcan and Human species are the product. In star trek lore when they have babies together these are called hybrids. In biological taxonomy a hybrid is a being that's the product of two separate species or breeds through the act of sexual reproduction. Some real life examples are Ligers or Tigons (Tiger + Lion, based on who's the mother or father it's either a liger or tigon), and the much more common mule. Often these hybrids have problems reproducing as often they're infertile.

About jaguars and tigers:

Yes they can reproduce but they're not the same species, they're the same genus however.

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That is fairly high up in the tech tree though.

How far up percentage wise? I myself haven't unlocked the future sight tech yet.

[Logwyn]

Bonobo vs Chimpanzee exist. No reason this couldn't continue to extend to higher intelligence.

Give two species a reason to keep the other around.

[Cosmic Janitor]

On the same world? Yes. In the same territory? Questionable. Maybe if they had a symbiotic relationship. There is always the chance though. It depends on their individual resource and habitat requirements.

It's not like intelligence requires them to reach as far as the point where they have to colonialize the whole planet, hence 2 species evolving on different sides of the planet is an easy enough scenario.

[Nastard]

Absolutely. Just because humans evolved to be "fuck everything that isn't me" doesn't mean all aliens planets will follow that pattern. A lot of people are basing their responses on what animal relationships are like on THIS planet using a very narrow lens. The universe is freakin' huge and the diversity on this one planet alone is enormous. Now imagine potentially billions of different worlds, each with their own ecosystems and environments. Some worlds where natural resources may not be an issue or territorial instincts may not exist. Animals on this planet evolved to adapt to their environment, but what if the planet itself is vastly different? You get vastly different evolution. In all of those countless outcomes, someone can still say "no, it's impossible even on a hypothetical level"? Not only do I find that shortsighted but extremely jaded as well. To have a mindset that "no, shit's fucked up EVERYWHERE in the universe" and not even be able to think a SINGLE INSTANCE could POTENTIALLY exist out of billions or even trillions of worlds. Nah man, it can happen and in all probability has happened many times already.

Also, here's video proof https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFIGX6EfSSc

[Fencers]

Already happened on Earth.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo

[Magical Mudcrab]

Probably not. Humans evolved alongside our cousins the Neanderthals, who we competed with for resources. We ended up causing them to go extinct, through a mixture of integration and out competing them for resources (i.e.: Neanderthal hunting strategies varied a lot from our own, and our fragility required us to invent hunting equipment like spear throwers while Neanderthals strategies included more risk to individuals). I would assume that two different species would come into conflict over resources at some point and one of them would be wiped out unless they never came into contact, such as if one were aquatic and the other terrestrial, or if they evolved on separate continents and traversing their oceans was too much of a risk to enable mass migration.

[Biglog]

As others have said, we already know the answer to this question and it is no. In fact the only example that we know of that exists in this universe was a no, so that's pretty open and shut. Neanderthals are a different intelligent species from human, there was clearly cross-breeding, but for reasons unknown Neanderthals died out. Whether that was due to disease, conflict with humans, or some other reason we don't know. But they definitely existed and do not anymore, while humans do. So the first test of them living together that we know of was a failure. And even fairly intelligent animals haven't fared well with humans, we allow them to exist and/or use them for labor or entertainment if it benefits us, but looking at climate change, deforestation, pollution, etc. it's hard to argue that we're living in balance with intelligent animal life.

[Shadowferal]

I'm pretty sure...(o noes!) that were an animal species today could speak a human language and organize itself into a tribal group demanding recognition it'd be wiped out sooner than later.

[Nastard]

As others have said, we already know the answer to this question and it is no. In fact the only example that we know of that exists in this universe was a no, so that's pretty open and shut.

We don't know the answer to the question because we haven't explored every known planet in the universe. Basing the entire universe on what happened in a single location is kinda iffy at best. By that logic, every Denny's in existence serves pancakes with cigarette butts in them just because the one I went to did.

...Okay, bad example because I'm pretty sure cigarette butts are Denny's main ingredient! But, a more relatable hypothetical would be supposing that all alien planets always have a bipedal race with opposable thumbs as the dominant species and that some of them are named "Dave." We can't possibly know that there isn't a dominant species out there with more legs, or tentacles or can hover, etc. But I guess it happened here on Earth so that's pretty "open and shut." Hmm, I guess that also means all alien worlds have Denny's... Maybe the universe really does suck after all.

I dunno, I guess I just can't understand the reasoning of basing everything on a single experimental point without further study. It'd be like like flipping a coin and it lands on "heads" so instead of flipping a few more times you just assume that "tails" doesn't exist.

[spanishninja]

There are few notable species with intelligence that could rival humans, but have simply been limited in their physical tools to accomplish as much as we have with our brainpower. If dolphins had opposable thumbs, they could be giving us a run for our money.

[cubby]

Sure - especially if they are separated by their environment. If one was developing on land while another was in the water. At some point they would discover each other as their tech develops, but even humans really didn't know what was in the ocean until the later part of the 20th century (and we still don't have a full accounting), and by then we'd already landed on the moon.

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As others have said, we already know the answer to this question and it is no. In fact the only example that we know of that exists in this universe was a no, so that's pretty open and shut. Neanderthals are a different intelligent species from human, there was clearly cross-breeding, but for reasons unknown Neanderthals died out. Whether that was due to disease, conflict with humans, or some other reason we don't know. But they definitely existed and do not anymore, while humans do. So the first test of them living together that we know of was a failure. And even fairly intelligent animals haven't fared well with humans, we allow them to exist and/or use them for labor or entertainment if it benefits us, but looking at climate change, deforestation, pollution, etc. it's hard to argue that we're living in balance with intelligent animal life.

We don't though. Dolphins and other aquatic species evolved for intelligence. Humans beat them overall, but we still don't know the full depth of our own oceans. The best answer we can offer is either "not yet".

[starstationprofm]

Probably not. I mean look how much countries fought over history. For money, for religion, for sheer psychopatic desire to conquer.

Now imagine if you add a second species into the mix. Hell no. One would be extinct or enslaved.