retsot

retsot OP t1_iugcnrq wrote

Reply to comment by Nezeltha in ELI5 Are there any practical alternative fuel sources that alien civilizations might have if they weren't lucky enough to have oil and trees? by retsot

That's something I actually forgot to consider. Being able to cook food and using tools to break bones and to cook and eat marrow and stuff helped advance us significantly. I've often wondered what species, if any, would become the next super intelligent earthican and it is interesting to think of it soley in terms of ease of nutritional resources. That being said, there aren't a whole lot of candidates. Thanks for the brain food friendo :)

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retsot OP t1_iufxfs0 wrote

Reply to comment by Niirah in ELI5 Are there any practical alternative fuel sources that alien civilizations might have if they weren't lucky enough to have oil and trees? by retsot

I agree, but even in our own history there was life before trees and I guess that's more of what I'm concerned. Other things are flammable but without substantial things like coal and wood they simply wouldn't really be able to make fires hot enough to be able to forge anything stronger than like...bronze? I guess that's also needing to consider atmospheric content and stuff. Sorry if it feels like I'm arguing with you, I'm absolutely not trying to, I just don't have people that like this sort of thing that are willing to or are knowledgeable enough to talk about it

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retsot OP t1_iufw91v wrote

Reply to comment by Nezeltha in ELI5 Are there any practical alternative fuel sources that alien civilizations might have if they weren't lucky enough to have oil and trees? by retsot

That makes more sense to me. If fossil fuels or some sort of low level fuel source is almost a requirement when it comes to successful ecosystems as we know it, that makes me feel better about it. I have been thinking a lot about some poor intelligent species stuck in a pre caveman era forever because they simply don't have the necessary resources to advance.

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retsot OP t1_iufua43 wrote

Reply to comment by Niirah in ELI5 Are there any practical alternative fuel sources that alien civilizations might have if they weren't lucky enough to have oil and trees? by retsot

They're practical for us because we have had wood products since the dawn of humanity, but how does a budding intelligent species use any of those without wood or petroleum? Unless I'm wrong, early humanity would not have been capable of using any of those without wood burning first. Maaaybe hydro?

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