Re: Aquatic ape theory

jamesb@hgu.mrc.ac.uk
13 Oct 1995 14:13:53 GMT

Paul Crowley <Paul@crowleyp.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>I think that I've got to agree with the substance of David's logic here.
>If the loss of hair was caused by a relatively brief period 5-4mya,
>then it should have come back since.

I think that the most likely explanation here is that although the marine phase was fairly short
(not more than 2 million years, say) our anbcesters were swimming in fresh-water lakes etc. until
very recently.

Maybe wearing clothes reduced the selective pressure for the regrowth of hair .I do think that
something wierd is happening here thopugh because elephants don't wear clothes but they haven't
grown their hair back having returned to the land after a marine phase.

James Borrett