Will you make a map for Planet Tu and give a visual for the Moraks?

So there's a page on the wiki for "uplifted animals," which I gather to be animals that have been genetically engineered for human-like intelligence and the capacity to participate in human society. However, I think this is one concept for the future that doesn't belong in the Second Renaissance timeline. Not because I think it's impossible (I don't), and not because I think it's a "crime against nature" or anything like that (I don't), but because it's a lot more complicated than it's made out to be, and would ultimately cause more problems than it would solve.

Let's talk about what uplift actually entails, for a moment. At its most basic, it would involve genetically engineering an animal to possess higher intelligence than it naturally does. But that's where it stops being simple, because "intelligence" can mean a lot of different things. Take dolphins, for example. They're unquestionably smart-- they probably rival chimpanzees as the smartest mammals other than humans-- but they also have some habits that, if viewed through a human lens, would be downright disturbing. If you're a male dolphin, it's normal to kill a female's babies and force her to have sex with you. a dolphin genetically engineered for human-like intelligence would not act like a human and have human-like values. It would do the things a dolphin does, with all that implies.

Consider, too, the fact that new endeavors in science rarely get it right on the first try. Suppose we try to uplift chimps, dolphins, or crows, and end up with a hundred "failed" attempts before finally getting one that works. Most of those failures would involve suffering and early death. And considering that the values of post-naturalism mentioned on this very wiki involve working towards a lack of suffering, doing so seems quite counterproductive. Is it really worth it to sacrifice dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of intelligent lives, none of whom will ever know the freedom an intelligent being deserves, just for the sake of possibly creating a successful uplifted animal?

Finally, there's the ethical side of things. A lot of proponents of uplift see it as a form of "repayment" for humanity's treatment of other species, and a way of incorporating those species into our society. I see it differently. Uplift, when you boil it down, is essentially a species-based form of cultural imperialism, turning other species into more of ourselves. The arguments I hear from uplift proponents echo those of racist missionaries who insist other cultures must be converted to Christianity. "Their lives would be better, if only they were more like us."

Hey, I'm new here and think that this is a really neat concept and could be expanded on. Is there a discord server so I can talk more directly to people?

Japan, with its narrow waterways, could probably build sea walls easier for its cities, but despite this, many of its cities are directly on the coast and not in some cove, making sea wall construction more difficult. Meanwhile, much of the world's maritime trade would probably be shut down as countries tend to themselves fixing their problems, with ports flooded across the globe and sea walls blocking ships from leaving to the ocean. This is all the more important since Japan is an island nation, and it would need ships or planes to exert its power across Asia. It is just not in a strategic enough area. Even if Japan manages to build successful sea walls, the Japanese would have to worry about earthquakes, tsunamis, and more powerful hurricanes. With all of these burdens, Japan would likely be unable to militarize enough to actually establish spheres of influence. China and Korea are better picks in my opinion due to their better location, but China is a poor idea as well due to its demographic, water, and flooding problems which will likely occur in the future. Perhaps a united Korea is the best bet. It is located near China and Russia like Japan, but it actually is connected to the Asian mainland. Looking at sea level rise maps, Korea has even smaller waterways to build sea walls around to save its biggest cities, including Seoul and Pyongyang. With North Korea's military might and South Korea's economic power, uniting the two would lead to an establishment of a great power. North Korea would probably be annexed by the South as a first step to empire, and then the country could intervene in what was China and Russia. As Korea is more democratic, it could appeal to the West as a loyal power, so the West does not become aggressive enough to quickly to shut down Korea.

Quick question how much of the icecaps were melted in this timeline.

Did NATO disband after the flooding? WWIII? America apparently fought Germany and France during WWIII, implying that NATO disappeared before the war.

Seeing as there are other intelligent species in America, did another Civil Rights Act happen?