Re: Speciation - how do you know?

Stephen Barnard (steve@megafauna.com)
Wed, 16 Oct 1996 22:23:57 -0800

Magnus Sterky wrote:
>
> So please, why only talk about bones and muscles? Compared to a lion or
> mammuth, all homowhatever are small and weak.
>

This, I believe, ia a very common but very naive opinion. I think that
pound-for-pound a fit human, equipped with primitive stone-age weapons
like spears, axes, and clubs, is a very formidable creature. I'm not
talking about a modern channel-surfing couch potato; I'm talking about
an experienced aboriginal hunter, whose life may depend on kill or be
killed.

But even this image doesn't do justice to the effectiveness of humans as
hunters, because the real advantage comes from craftiness, cooperation,
and long-range planning.

Steve Barnard