Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
…and this is a pharyngula stage embryo.
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One point that should be made is that although we may be able to show that life as we know it could not possibly exist in any of the alternate universes, there is no proof that other forms of life with mind or intelligence could not exist. In fact, theists themselves believe that since God existed prior to our universe, it is thus possible for a life form with mind or intelligence to exist apart from the physical constants of our particular universe. Therefore, they should concede the possibility that some other combination of physical constants could, over time, produce a universe that contains mind or intelligence, even if it is in a form quite different from any life that exists on our planet. Schlesinger's claim that only the particular combination of physical constants in our universe is of a special kind is totally unsupported. There is no reason whatever to believe it.
Theodore Drange, "The Fine-Tuning Argument" (1998)
Regulatory evolution of the Hox1 gene
Digit numbering and limb development
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Category: Art • Environment • Organisms
Posted on: July 23, 2006 9:32 PM, by PZ Myers
I have no idea what the cephalopods flying over the city have to do with the ecological message in the small print, but heck, it's a cool picture anyway.
Maybe it has something to do with octopuses swimming over flooded cities, but they look airborn to me.
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Comments
Well, I for one welcome our new airborn octopus overlords.
Ok, sorry.
Posted by: Castaa | July 23, 2006 9:57 PM
Looks like L.A. on an unhealthy air day.
Posted by: George | July 23, 2006 10:22 PM
i think they're swimming in water covering a city
Posted by: cution | July 23, 2006 11:01 PM
with.. cloud boats.
Posted by: cution | July 23, 2006 11:02 PM
I, for one, welcome our new tentacled overlords.
Posted by: Avian | July 23, 2006 11:15 PM
I don't think there would be clouds underneath the water. Unless it's squid ink?
Posted by: craig | July 23, 2006 11:20 PM
Agh! Missed the first comment up there. OKay, have to make amends.
Caption: "The new Boeing 888 offers business class passengers extra leg room!"
Posted by: Avian | July 23, 2006 11:21 PM
The poor things don't look comfortable, either. More like they've been shot from a catapult than like swimming... why global warming will cause people to do THAT, I don't know.
Posted by: mjfgates | July 23, 2006 11:29 PM
Ia Ia Cthulhu! Ia Ia Azathoth! Ia Ia Yog Sothoth! Ia Ia Nyarlathotep! Ia Ia, Shub Niggurath! Ia Ia Odhra-guoa! Ia Ia Tasthogguoa! Ia Ia Hastur! Ia Ia Zoth Omog!
Posted by: chapmanbaxter | July 24, 2006 12:07 AM
Photographically, they're airborne. The point of the ad is that, should the city be submerged, this whole place will be flooded: "Right *now*, there's air here."
Posted by: William | July 24, 2006 12:42 AM
That's a beautiful pic. Must be a vision of that glorious day when the Great Old Ones return, and teach us new ways of revelling in joy...
Posted by: Marc | July 24, 2006 1:43 AM
Cool! Found my new wallpaper for the week.
Posted by: Jeremy | July 24, 2006 1:53 AM
This is what happens when you combine environmentalism, abstract thinking and graphic design all into one.
Posted by: James C. | July 24, 2006 2:28 AM
This is what happens when you combine environmentalism and bongs.
It's not the heat that's causing them to fly. The city is very, very humid.
Posted by: mike | July 24, 2006 3:40 AM
Flying octopii are the new unicorns. I love this.
Posted by: frumiousbandersnatch | July 24, 2006 4:44 AM
Dateline, 2009. Disgruntled science blogger PZ Myers hijacks a planeload of trained Army cephalopods and commences carpet bombing of the capital.
Posted by: Alexander Whiteside | July 24, 2006 6:11 AM
I'm surprised that WWF would say "nature is revolting". I thought they were pretty much contractually obliged to approve of nature...
Posted by: wintermute | July 24, 2006 8:27 AM
That sounds like... Squids On a Plane!
I think we need Samuel L. Jackson to star in THAT movie.
Posted by: Sunny | July 24, 2006 10:02 AM
So global warming is gonna be like the Beatle's song Octopus's garden?
That doesn't sound so bad.
Posted by: PaulC | July 24, 2006 10:02 AM
Anything to do with the fact that global warming might cause an increase in number and size of giant squids? http://www.abc.net.au/news/scitech/2002/08/item20020801155009_1.htm
Posted by: gillo | July 24, 2006 10:15 AM
Oooh, they've got to give me a walk-on role in that movie. I could happily be the science nerd sitting in coach when the tentacle descends and strangles him. There's a lot of potential there: a scene with tentacles rising out of the toilet would be good, or with the cephalopods using their suckers to cling to the side of the plane and crawl forward towards the cockpit...
Posted by: PZ Myers![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/nav-commenters.gif)
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July 24, 2006 10:18 AM
I was thinking that Detroit Red Wings fans were celebrating by flinging octopodes/octopi/octopuses in the air. Except that Steve Yzerman is retiring, and I can't think why they would be happy about that.
Posted by: aiabx | July 24, 2006 11:33 AM
a scene with tentacles rising out of the toilet would be good
How about if the cabin loses pressure and the oxygen masks drop down, but in your case down come some tentacles to wrap around your face instead?
Posted by: xebecs | July 24, 2006 12:17 PM
Those octopuses look as if they've been launched from giant catapults and are just starting to get their bearings. Does global warming entail cephalopod warfare?
Posted by: trillwing | July 24, 2006 3:47 PM
I'm just sure that flying octupi has something to do with pirates and the FSM, but I'm too sleep-deprived to suss it out right now ...
Posted by: andrea | July 24, 2006 11:50 PM
I think the idea is that the smog in LA is getting so thick you can swim in it. Or something.
Posted by: Sophist | July 29, 2006 9:28 PM
Since I didn't see the birth, at the moment I think they're airborne . . . ;)
Catherine - who believes scientists can also spell.
Posted by: paul | August 2, 2006 8:05 AM