human adaptations to various environments (Re: EXCELLENT runners - like 262 miles worth (Re: poor runners (Re: Is Oreopithicus the Aquatic Ape Link?

From: Marc Verhaegen (fa204466_at_skynet.be)
Date: 03/17/05 

Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 00:55:15 +0100

"mikelist" <mutterer@notime> wrote in message
news:42398318$1_3@newspeer2.tds.net...

> Modern humans have survived by being generalists, adapting to various
> environments without any obvious specific physical changes, as in jack of
> all trades, master of none (physically). We swim better than many species,
> but not as well as aquatic mammals, we have a capacity to run longer
> distances, at a slower pace than many running species, allowing a group to
> harry and exhaust prey that they can't literally outrun. We have a
> reasonable set of traits that allow us to live in extreme heat, and have
> developed a means of adapting to colder climates, but not as reliably as
> other hot/cold weather species.

Yes, but perhaps we should not attribute all skills to all humans. African
people are clearly less adapted to our climate than Europeans. The reverse
is no doubt true in tropical regions. Some human populations are good
divers. Some populations can outrun a gazelle. I can't outrun any species. I
could have been a good farmer probably, but not much else I guess. Himalayan
& Andean populations are adapted to living at high altitudes. Etc.

--Marc

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