[Vetch]

> Could dinosaurs have evolved to discover computation?

At least judged by brain-case, (predatory) theropods would have been on the upper-end of dinosaur intelligence. Therefore we have that birds/avian dinosaurs are descendants of possibly the most intelligent branch of dinosaurs. Birds had as much time as mammals to evolve a candidate for human level general intelligence but never did. The most intelligent dinosaurs† that have ever evolved seem to be Parrots, Crows, Ravens and their close relatives.

Though bird brains (IMO) are better designed, able to keep up with higher primates using fewer more densely packed lower energy neurons, they do not match later homininans in generality.

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†The Silurian hypothesis essentially observes it would be extremely difficult for definitive evidence of a past advanced civilization to persist for longer than 10^6 to 10^7 years. It also notes that it's more difficult than one would naively assume to rule out the possibility of an advanced civ based on the geological record.

It's unlikely to be correct however. I went into more detail in this post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29514626.