Mantid Aliens?

[Till]

This YouTube channel has gone off the deep end as of late. I've mentioned mantid aliens in what's theoretically possible many times. Down this rabbit hole again...

First, why it's improbable.

They have exoskeletons and insect size is limited by oxygen concentration in the atmosphere. In order to be 7 feet or taller the required oxygen level is not possible. Oxygen is highly flamable and such high oxygen levels would cause the atmosphere to explode with the slightest spark from rocks colliding or lightning strikes.

Now why it's possible. Try as we may to make cockroaches extinct despite our expertise at causing extinction, they have an almost supernatural ability to survive and permeate any environment humans exist in be it sealed off or not. They will outlive humans in all places inhabited by humans. If human extinction is caused by nuclear war, radiation greatly speeds up rate of mutation. Mantids evolved directly from cockroaches and cockroaches would evolve into mantids again. Insects eventually evolved into humans and can do so again. Through rapid mutation cockroaches can indeed become as advanced as humans in mantid form. Eventually surpassing us and mastering space travel. Mastery of space travel is mastery of time travel as a byproduct because of space and time being equivalent. Therefore any mantid aliens we encounter are likely future Earthlings and not from another planet. I consider cockroaches creepy because of their potential to replace us.



How they can surpass the natural limit to their size may be through technological means, one caveat. It's not necessarily that they'd have ancient origins because they can travel to any point in the past after space travel mastery.

[deadlegion]

Yeah I'm suss about cockroaches. I'm not afraid of insects or spiders, but I will kill spiders that I know are dangerous. Cockroaches idk... it's like I always need to kill them even though they're "harmless".