Re: AAT - energetics
Elaine Morgan (Elaine@desco.demon.co.uk)
Sat, 08 Jul 1995 14:26:42 GMT
Sorry I've lost your name This machine wipes a letter as soon as I've
read it. You say: I'm suggesting "exaptation" - which implies that a
feature that evolved for one purpose was later co-opted to serve
another.
Yes, okay, I'm familiar with the term. So tell me what you think the
other purpose was that produced the adaptation later co-opted to serve
bipedal locomotion. Then we'll be in business.
About the energy used in running, I've got Rodman and McHenry, thanks. My
reference was Carrier. I've given the details and quotes under "reply to
Moore". Sorry about the "four times" reference.I did have a cutting
giving that ratio but can't track it. So scrub it - I can't be certain
what two units were being compared.
I could give you (and Moore) a raft of other references confirming that
human running - which involves a stage of both feet off the ground- is
quite different from and more energetically expensive that anything a
chimp does in the way of bipedal locomotion. But it is the only way a
biped can attain a speed comparable to that of an ape running on all
fours.
Elaine Morgan
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