Word to the author... Civilizations... Humanoids... Is it necessary to be a humanoid in order to become intelligent? Of course no. Science fiction writers fill the worlds with intelligent lizards, birds, cybers and cyborgs, plasma and dust clouds. Less common are intelligent flowers and mold. But it happens... Professor Menshutkin, in one of his experiments in computer modeling of evolution, turned out to be centaurs. And only the fish are unlucky... If there are intelligent people in the ocean, they are dolphins. Warm-blooded mammals, animals that returned to the sea. Is it really impossible for civilization to arise in the ocean—the cradle of life? Is it really necessary to get out of the crib? And what will a civilization of intelligent roaches look like?