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The problem for humans is that the need not to be lost has vanished with modern cities, public transport,and more recently, GPS. Most humans don't actively look
by cosmodisk 6y ago
The problem for humans is that the need not to be lost has vanished with modern cities, public transport,and more recently, GPS. Most humans don't actively look for reference points when traveling.
I remember going to pick mushrooms with my in-laws in a forest a few miles from their house. My mother in law was navigating it like Mowgli: she knew every single nook and cranny,the specific trees and exits into forest separation lines. I was lost there in 2 min, couldn't tell one tree from another and had no idea where north/south is. The difference between me and her is that she's been doing it for years and 'scans' the forest as soon as she walks in.
- Salamat 6y agoEven in the desert where the landscape in always infux with sand dunes, people used to travel the desert and they still do in Africa and the middle east, they look up the into the sky for stars etc.Beduens still do it there, they unril recently-used to travel either walking or in camel convoys from Syria to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. But when I got lost in the desert - car broke down- at dusk I had to wait walk, in the wrong direction as it turned out, untill sunset.
- xyzzyz 6y agoWilliam Thesiger in his book recounts that the Bedouins he traveled with could also identify and navigate based on the shape of the dunes too, and they had memory and recognition of various dune landscapes from many, many places.
- goodcanadian 6y agoIf I had to guess, I would suppose that they are not recognising specific dunes (which would be constantly changing), but patterns in the dunes caused by prevailing winds. I am sure there is something analogous to the Polynesian voyagers recognising patterns in the waves and currents of the ocean.
- xyzzyz 6y agoDunes are changing much more slowly than you think. They are huge and heavy, and they can hold shape for decades.
- dsego 6y agoHa, my parents are like that, they love to pick mushrooms and they know their terrain and have pretty good orientation. I got lost a few times going with them and not keeping up or wandering off in the wrong direction. Luckily, I could hear their shouts.