Fun thought experiment
After parking my bike into the basement garage, I headed to the doorway that leads to the stairwell. Before passing through the door I saw a HUGE spider standing still on the wall.
A funny thought entered my mind: “Scary! I better close the door behind me!”
But obviously a closed door means nothing to a spider! I laughed at myself for even thinking it.
It made me wonder about all the architecture, infrastructure, and tools we have that are so specific to humans but meaningless to other lifeforms. If all traces and images of humans disappeared over night, what would an alien lifeform think about the creatures who lived here and built all these things? What would they guess about our form?
I asked this question to my fiance and we talked about it back and forth a bit. I think a bicycle tells a lot about us. Probably that we’re at least 4-limbed. Maybe a bit about our center of gravity. It’s an amazing tool! But also our doors, handle placement, stair size, seats. Backpacks and purses tell a story too. Well, clothes in general.
It’s really fun to have little discussions and debates like this, particularly when the subject is completely inconsequential. The point is not some definitive answer, but to play around with the idea with someone else and see what you and they come up with. I feel I could live 1000 years and never run out of fun little thought experiments to discuss with others.