Our planet has a unique ecosystem consisting of hundreds of thousands of plant and animal species. It is always evolving and changing, never staying the same.
We at Bright Side decided to look into the future and show you what kind of animals may roam our planet in the next few thousand years. In addition, we have compiled what the human species might evolve into. Take a look for yourself.
10. Night Stalker
Manambulus perhorridus, or night stalker, is a huge front-leg-walking leaf-bat. The legs it walks on were once its wings. As a bat, it relies on its echolocation for hunting, and its ears and nose are atrophied.
9. Necropteryx
Imagine a creature as tall as 70 inches. A mix of birds, diurnal raptors, and vultures. It feeds on the bones of the dead, which explains the large protruding beak (to break the bones).
These beasts are great at walking, and they can travel up to 10 km a day in search of food. Their unique feature is that they lay up to 3 eggs in the carcasses of dead animals that then serve as nests.
8. Parashrew
Pennatacaudus volitarius, or parashrews, are tiny mammals that live in mountainous areas. The umbrella-like tails are only a characteristic of juveniles, and they use them to relocate from their parents’ nest.
The umbrella tails are the result of the evolution of the creature’s ancestry. The early beasts used their tails to balance organs while leaping to catch insects in the air. Probable future habitat: North America.
7. Leaping Devil
Daemonops rotundus, a leaping devil, is a small but vicious predator that preys on desert marmots. This beast is similar to the spitting featherfoot in its anatomy. It is also the featherfoots’ chief predator.
6. Deathgleaner
This humongous predatory vesper bat has a wingspan of 1.3 meters, and it feeds on live prey and carcasses. Habitat: North America.
A distinctive characteristic of the beast is that it’s active in the daytime only. They wait until the sun warms the earth enough to use warm air currents to travel greater distances.
5. Pamthret
Vulpemusetla acer, or pamthret, is a huge predatory carnivorous mustelid. They can grow as tall as 78 inches. One of the reasons they are good at survival is their height and build. Their powerful body and ability to easily run through grass and undergrowth make it simple to attack prey.
4. Terabyte
Terabytes will be a new species of insects in the year 200 million AD. They will feed on algae, and their habitat will be Novopangea.
Their huge heads produce chemicals that they squirt from nozzles to eliminate a source of hostility or their targets. Termites have always used this fighting method, but in the year 200 million AD, their chemical weapon system will be more developed and sophisticated.
3. Wakka
Anabracchium struthioforme, or wakka, is an enormous ratite-like creature without front limbs. It feeds on grass, and its habitat is the South American grasslands.
Its globe-like body and long skinny legs and neck balance one another, helping the beast to maintain its center of gravity. These features give the wakka the ability to clearly see its surrounding habitat.
2. Reedstilt
Harundopes virgatus, a reedstilt, is a dinosaur-sized talpid. It lives on riverbanks and feeds on fish. Its habitat is the Northern Continent. The creature boasts a unique neck structure: all mammals have 7 neck vertebrae, whilst the Reedstilt has 15.
1. Neocidaris schwarzenheggeri
A predatory creature that evolved from starfish and sea urchins, growing up to 20 inches high and 40 inches in diameter. Habitat: Continental Shelf Eurafrican plate.
Human species
Let’s imagine how the human species might evolve in the next 1,000 to 1 million years.
There are definite scientific explanations for the possibility of complete hair loss.
Future humans might have thinner and longer limbs, and they will also be taller. Feet will most likely lose a toe or 2 as there is now no need of them for balancing.
Another thing that may happen to people is that humanity might develop a new way of “producing” people. Tissue 3D printing and genetic engineering are on the rise right now, thus losing a very important sign of a human being: a navel.
Now you’ve seen some of the possible evolutionary trajectories for mammals, insects, and sea creatures. There are absolutely unique ones, while others look familiar even now. Share your ideas on how our ecosystem might change in the next million years.
