Re: Bipedalism and other
J. Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
Wed, 26 Jul 95 19:42:00 -0500
Wb> >sports swimming culture convinced that shaving down lets them go
Wb> faster.
Wb> There's that reason that you mention, but there's another too. When
Wb> you swim fast, you build up an acid in your muscles (we had a lecture by
Wb> a swim coach on teh matter. . .) (lactic I think) and it causes a
Wb> burning session. Appaarently, by shaving, you, somehow, reduce the
Wb> build up rate.
The reason for this is still unclear, as it could conceivably be a
psychological effect, and the study that showed this result wasn't
designed to differentiate between possible reasons, but just to
show an effect. The studies authors thought it might be due to
the actual shaving of the hair.
Wb> However, it doesn't stop it. After a while you
Wb> generally HAVE to stop swimming (remmeber the burning sensations in your
Wb> muscles after practice? That's teh acid). I could, I suppose, use this
Wb> as an arguement against teh aquatic ape hypothesis if I knew what the
Wb> similar situations were for other aquatic animals...but I don't.
Wb> Will Baird InterNet: wbaird@nmsu.edu
Pinnipeds and whales have muscles that allow them to operate for
many hours with what would be for us insufficient oxygen and so
to all intents and purposes do not have this problem.
This is yet another incidence of an adaptation due to *actual*
convergent evolution in aquatic mammals which humans do not share.
Jim Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
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