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I remember learning about this in grad school 20 years ago (so this isn't exactly a new theory), what I remember is that the modern human "package" has a lot of

I remember learning about this in grad school 20 years ago (so this isn't exactly a new theory), what I remember is that the modern human "package" has a lot of interlocking parts. There's the sight advantage from the upright posture, along with the ability to use our hands since we aren't running with them (for spears, gourds of water, etc.), a brain powerful enough to engage in 2nd-order thinking ("the gazelle will want to catch back up with his herd", etc.), less sun exposure so better heat endurance, an efficient jogging gait (humans have beaten horses at marathons[1]), and probably most importantly social organization and comms that allow coordinated pack hunting (this may even get to why small irises and white sclera in our eyes were selected for). 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_versus_Horse_Marathon

firecall 2y ago
Seeing the recent Planet of the Apes Movies advertised, I wondered about the reality of Humans vs Smart Apes. Absurb as it is LOL I havent seen all the movies, but from memory they show Apes using their physical advantages vs Humans that have no tech or weapons. But Humans clearly have some physical advantages over other apes.
- portaouflop 2y ago
  I think most apes would fuck you up in direct 1on1 combat without weapons.
  - bandrami 2y ago
    Which is why our evolved ability to fashion and use weapons is such an advantage. Though if you start out on open terrain outside of sprinting range no other primate can catch you. Which is why we left the trees.
bbor 2y ago
SUPER offended you put “a brain capable of second order thinking” in the middle of the list. And your brain is probably offended, too! I more see humans as gangly hairless apes who walk weird but managed to evolve inference, not finely tuned machines — but to each their own!
- MadnessASAP 2y ago
  Now I don't have any references to back this up but my personal experience has been that walking on 2 feet is a more common trait then 2nd order thinking amongst humans. Which reminds me of a anecdote from a park ranger I was chatting with once. Apparently the challenge with designing a bear proof garbage can is the overlap between the smartest bears and the dumbest humans.
  - bell-cot 2y ago
    > Which reminds me of a anecdote from a park ranger I was chatting with once. Apparently the challenge with designing a bear proof garbage can is the overlap between the smartest bears and the dumbest humans. If HN had a Quote of the Day feature, I would definitely nominate this. (Yes, I realize there's a large motivation difference between a hungry bear which can smell the food in the garbage can, and a human whose alternative is "meh, just drop my trash next to the stupid trick garbage can".)
    - bbor 2y ago
      Just for clarity/your reference, this is a very popular and very hilarious quote that is seemingly sourced from a 2020 tweet (?), and likely adapted by every ranger in the country that guards bear proof trash cans. While looking this up I also found a 2018 study about black bears being some of the smartest non-primate mammals, which makes the quote that much more believable!
  - lloeki 2y ago
    At least bears have "hands", I seem to remember crows pose a similar challenge, defeating garbage can locks that could be straight out of a Myst puzzle. Positive that a non-negligible portion of the human population would be hopelessly challenged by such contraptions.
    - bandrami 2y ago
      One thing I learned in the Mojave is that both crows and coyotes will learn the range of your rifle and stay just outside of it and wait for you to fall asleep. If you have a blind they will also count how many of you go into and and come out of it, and not approach the rations depot until the blind has zero people in it.
tetris11 2y ago
> small irises and white sclera in our eyes were selected for For anyone wondering: Contrast in eyes can be better seen over longer distances than pigmented eyes, allowing for communication from eye gaze alone. https://news.asu.edu/20230313-new-research-indicates-whites-human-eyes-are-not-uniquely-human https://news.asu.edu/20230313-new-research-indicates-whites-...
- bandrami 2y ago
  That's a cool piece, thanks. I see the research has advanced since the pleistocene (a.k.a. grad school).

firecall 2y ago

Seeing the recent Planet of the Apes Movies advertised, I wondered about the reality of Humans vs Smart Apes. Absurb as it is LOL I havent seen all the movies, but from memory they show Apes using their physical advantages vs Humans that have no tech or weapons. But Humans clearly have some physical advantages over other apes.

portaouflop 2y ago
I think most apes would fuck you up in direct 1on1 combat without weapons.
- bandrami 2y ago
  Which is why our evolved ability to fashion and use weapons is such an advantage. Though if you start out on open terrain outside of sprinting range no other primate can catch you. Which is why we left the trees.

bbor 2y ago

SUPER offended you put “a brain capable of second order thinking” in the middle of the list. And your brain is probably offended, too! I more see humans as gangly hairless apes who walk weird but managed to evolve inference, not finely tuned machines — but to each their own!

MadnessASAP 2y ago
Now I don't have any references to back this up but my personal experience has been that walking on 2 feet is a more common trait then 2nd order thinking amongst humans. Which reminds me of a anecdote from a park ranger I was chatting with once. Apparently the challenge with designing a bear proof garbage can is the overlap between the smartest bears and the dumbest humans.
- bell-cot 2y ago
  > Which reminds me of a anecdote from a park ranger I was chatting with once. Apparently the challenge with designing a bear proof garbage can is the overlap between the smartest bears and the dumbest humans. If HN had a Quote of the Day feature, I would definitely nominate this. (Yes, I realize there's a large motivation difference between a hungry bear which can smell the food in the garbage can, and a human whose alternative is "meh, just drop my trash next to the stupid trick garbage can".)
  - bbor 2y ago
    Just for clarity/your reference, this is a very popular and very hilarious quote that is seemingly sourced from a 2020 tweet (?), and likely adapted by every ranger in the country that guards bear proof trash cans. While looking this up I also found a 2018 study about black bears being some of the smartest non-primate mammals, which makes the quote that much more believable!
- lloeki 2y ago
  At least bears have "hands", I seem to remember crows pose a similar challenge, defeating garbage can locks that could be straight out of a Myst puzzle. Positive that a non-negligible portion of the human population would be hopelessly challenged by such contraptions.
  - bandrami 2y ago
    One thing I learned in the Mojave is that both crows and coyotes will learn the range of your rifle and stay just outside of it and wait for you to fall asleep. If you have a blind they will also count how many of you go into and and come out of it, and not approach the rations depot until the blind has zero people in it.

tetris11 2y ago

> small irises and white sclera in our eyes were selected for For anyone wondering: Contrast in eyes can be better seen over longer distances than pigmented eyes, allowing for communication from eye gaze alone. https://news.asu.edu/20230313-new-research-indicates-whites-human-eyes-are-not-uniquely-human https://news.asu.edu/20230313-new-research-indicates-whites-...

bandrami 2y ago
That's a cool piece, thanks. I see the research has advanced since the pleistocene (a.k.a. grad school).