51: Carcinization, The Animal Algorithm Mystery, and The Many Lemming Lies w/ Ellen Weatherford
Nov 9, 2023
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Ellen Weatherford discusses carcinization, animal algorithms, and lemming misconceptions. They explore the evolution and benefits of the crab shape, the concept of decarcinization, and the prevalence of animal-inspired algorithms in optimization. They also debunk myths about lemmings and highlight the impact of misinformation. A lively and informative discussion!
Evolution is not straightforward, and not all species are destined to become crab-shaped.
Animal-inspired algorithms, such as swarm algorithms, mimic collective behaviors for optimization in various industries.
The Boyd algorithm, inspired by bird flocking, laid the foundation for many other swarm-based algorithms.
The myth of lemmings' suicidal behavior originated from a staged Disney documentary and is not based on reality.
Deep dives
The Carcinization Phenomenon: Why Animals Evolve to Resemble Crabs
The crab shape is not a final form of evolution, even though it may seem that way in popular culture. Evolution is not straightforward and it is ongoing. While crabs have a variety of benefits, such as mobility and the ability to evade predators, not all living things are destined to become crab-shaped. The crab body plan is beneficial for certain environments and niches, but not for all purposes. Decarcinization, the opposite of carcinization, is also a possibility, where some species may move away from the crab-like shape. Overall, the ultimate evolutionary body shape is still a mystery.
Animal-Inspired Algorithms: An Array of Swarming Simulations
In computational science, there are various algorithms based on animal behaviors, such as swarm-based metaheuristic algorithms. These algorithms mimic the behaviors of animals like bees, birds, and fish to optimize problem-solving and information sorting. These algorithms provide insights into efficient ways to handle complex tasks and solve optimization problems. While many animal-inspired algorithms exist, such as the Kawati Optimization Algorithm, the field continues to evolve, finding new ways to apply animal behaviors to computer science challenges.
The Boyd Algorithm and Swarm Intelligence
The Boyd algorithm, proposed by Craig Reynolds, was one of the earliest and most influential swarm-based algorithms. It aimed to replicate the coordinated behaviors of birds in flight. The algorithm introduced the concept of Boyd objects, or Boyd, which were simple bird-like entities exhibiting simple behaviors. The Boyd algorithm demonstrated how individual entities, each acting independently based on local perception, could collectively create complex, synchronized motion similar to that observed in bird flocks. This foundational work has inspired many other swarm-based algorithms, ranging from bird-related to various other animals.
The Widespread Use of Animal-Inspired Algorithms
The use of animal-inspired algorithms, known as metaheuristics, extends beyond birds to include various other animals. There are algorithms inspired by bees, ants, fish, spiders, bacteria, and numerous others. These algorithms often draw from animals' behaviors to solve complex optimization problems, organizing systems, or simulate natural phenomena. While this vast array of animal-inspired algorithms may seem overwhelming, they provide unique and effective approaches to tackle different types of challenges in fields such as computer science and engineering.
Lemmings: Debunking the Myth
Contrary to popular belief, lemmings do not fall from the sky or jump off cliffs into the Atlantic Ocean. These small rodents are native to Arctic tundras and periodically experience population booms. Lemmings are territorial and fierce creatures, known for their aggression and ability to fight off predators larger than themselves. The myth of lemmings' suicidal behavior originated from a 1958 Disney documentary, White Wilderness, where filmmakers staged lemmings being pushed off cliffs for dramatic effect. This misinformation has persisted in popular culture, but the truth is that lemmings have no inclination to follow each other off cliffs and are capable swimmers. It's important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to lemmings.
Carcinization: The Evolution of Crab-Like Bodies
Carcinization refers to the evolutionary process in which unrelated species develop crab-like bodies. While not every living being is expected to become a crab, the convergence of crab-like features is a popular evolutionary trend. This phenomenon has evolved independently multiple times in various lineages. Crabs possess unique adaptations that make them successful in marine environments, such as their strong exoskeletons and appendages. The repeated evolution of crab-like body forms highlights the advantages these features confer in certain ecological niches.
Animal-Inspired Algorithms and Swarm Behavior
Animal-inspired algorithms, such as swarm algorithms, take inspiration from the collective behaviors observed in animals. These algorithms simulate the group dynamics and decision-making processes observed in diverse animal species. For example, swarm algorithms mimic behaviors like bird flocking and ant foraging to optimize solutions in digital simulations. By emulating the collective intelligence of animal groups, these algorithms have found applications in fields like digital animation, video game development, and optimization problems in various industries. Although there is a wide array of animal-inspired algorithms, each with its unique approach, they all aim to harness the power of collective behavior and find innovative solutions to complex problems.
The Importance of Asking Stupid Questions
Asking seemingly 'stupid' questions is crucial for learning and expanding knowledge. It helps challenge assumptions, encourages critical thinking, and promotes a better understanding of the subject matter. By asking questions that may seem obvious or simple, we can gain new insights, clarify misconceptions, and deepen our understanding. Stupid questions often lead to interesting discussions and help uncover hidden facets of a topic. Embracing curiosity and asking questions is an essential part of the learning process and should be celebrated rather than dismissed.
Are we really all destined to turn into crabs? Why are there so many animal algorithms, and are they all legit? And just how many times have we been wrong about the lemming?
Timestamps: (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:03) Carcinization (00:42:00) The Animal Algorithm Mystery (01:25:46) The Many Lemming Lies (01:45:35) Outro
We also learn about: Endless forms most crab-like, the 2020 meme boom of carcinization, what is the extent of the carcinization crisis, watch it buddy you already got eight legs, hamburger style arthropod, BOY CAN I CAROLINE I'M GLAD YOU ASKED, it’s like CNN and Fox agreeing on something, crabs have ten legs my dude, vikavolt, crabs and false crabs and true Christians, its all human labels at the end of the day, crab shapes have evolved at least 5 times, the king, masked, coconut, and hermit crab, Ellen’s thinking like a crab, the leaf eating mangrove crab, the crab shape is good for many niches, guard your tasty bits, decarcinization, we should try decarcinizating our market share, I am THE crab researcher and y’all need to calm down, convergent evolution is like video game controller design, the Brazilian Aardvark, Ellen’s uncovering of this dark underbelly, this algorithm list is just a list of sleeper activation words, what is a metaheuristic swarm optimization algorithm? Craig Reynold’s Boids, the lateral line system, “ants aren’t smart, any colonies are”, multidimensional ants, coatis moving in the jth dimension, this is all super niche you can’t use multidimensional ants for every problem, no articles are talking about this this is Defunctland niche, Groth and the 2 Fairies, lots of these papers are not at all based on real biology, “cats do not form swarms”, the bee marriage algorithm is actually good! research for research’s sake is okay, lower your pitchforks but keep your pitchforks at the ready, things are shitty starting out i mean we named everything crabs, political cartoonists went wild for lemmings, we’ve been making shit up about lemmings for year, lemmings falling from the sky, Ole Worm’s pet coati, Popular Science’s lemmings returning to Lemuria, lemming population booms, lemmings are good swimmers, a truck full of the wrong species of lemmings, ALBERTA IS LAND LOCKED, lemmings are fight or fight, lemmings don’t explode, let’s unlearn everything about lemmings
