Timeline for Could an octopus ride a bicycle?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
18 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2021 at 16:01 | vote | accept | chasly - supports Monica | ||
| May 2, 2019 at 12:06 | comment | added | user6760 | Octopus#1: "this pedalling is tedious." Octopus#2: "I think you should grip the handles with the other 6 tentacles..." | |
| May 1, 2019 at 23:25 | comment | added | JBH | This reminds me of an old adage: "How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" Answer: "He would chuck all the wood that a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood." Short answer: if you want them too. The extra "legs" might even give them a number of advantages (speed, sharp turns, able to slap someone on the way by more easily...). | |
| May 1, 2019 at 21:36 | history | became hot network question | |||
| May 1, 2019 at 21:32 | comment | added | Muuski | Can two octopuses stand on either side of the bike and give it a big shove to get a third one riding it a good start? | |
| May 1, 2019 at 19:34 | comment | added | Demigan | It depends on how your octopusses are set up. If they can walk even for a short while and can balance themselves they can use a bicycle, although it would be easier if their tentacles are around 23kg total (average weight of 2 legs of a 70kg male). Most of the weight of a cycling person is simply supported by the saddle, which is why cycling is so easy compared to walking (not forgetting how important a flat solid road is). So with the assumptions of weight, tentacle length and ability to walk for a short while down pat it should be possible. | |
| May 1, 2019 at 19:20 | comment | added | Alexander | @chasly from UK For real life octopuses, the answer is "No" - their tentacles are not strong enough to support them on shore. But your octopuses may be different, strong ones, so the answer would become "Yes". | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:56 | comment | added | chasly - supports Monica | @Alexander - Well that's part of my question. That's why I used the biology tag and reality-check. I'm hoping someone knows this kind of thing. | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:52 | comment | added | Alexander | So the crucial point is how long is "great length of time". If their tentacles are nearly as strong and supporting as human legs, they can do it. If not, how can they get the bicycle going? | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:42 | answer | added | Nosajimiki | timeline score: 11 | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:24 | history | edited | chasly - supports Monica | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
added 213 characters in body
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| May 1, 2019 at 18:23 | comment | added | chasly - supports Monica | @Alexander - They can't support their entire weight clear of the ground for any great length of time. That's why they need to use the saddle once in motion. | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:10 | answer | added | Ash | timeline score: 4 | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:07 | comment | added | Alexander | Can those octopuses stand on their tentacles, when out of the water? | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:07 | comment | added | Nuclear Hoagie | My gut says this should be possible, but the fact that I've never seen a clip of an octopus riding a bike makes me second-guess myself, because that is obviously something that should exist in this day and age. | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:06 | comment | added | chasly - supports Monica | @Ash - You could put it that way. They can certainly communicate as well as we can, form complex plans, and work as a team. I don't think real ones can do all of that. | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:04 | comment | added | Ash | You mean civilised Octopuses right? Cephalopods are scary intelligent. | |
| May 1, 2019 at 18:02 | history | asked | chasly - supports Monica | CC BY-SA 4.0 |