Re: fossil foot bones
Dave Oldridge (doldridg@ra.isisnet.com)
Thu, 19 Oct 1995 15:22:13 -0300
In article <hubey.813878711@pegasus.montclair.edu>,
hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu (H. M. Hubey) wrote:
> ZU03725@uabdpo.dpo.uab.edu (the skeptic) writes:
> That's the trick. There was no advantage to it since they
> run faster on all fours. If they want to use their hands they
> can sit and do it like chimps. If they want to carry things
> they'd be pretty tired and I don't think anyone seriously wants
> to say that the little critters during the time of the early
> split walked around like foot soldiers carrying pounds of
> provisions, arms and sticks and stones. So the reasons for it
> are completely lacking, especially if we want to throw them
> to the savannah immediately. If on the other hand we don't
> change the niche then why did they become bipedal at all if
> the chimps and gorillas didn't.
>
> Do you see the conundrum of the savannah theorist?
If you live in tall grass and hunt/scavenge there, it pays to be able to
see over the grass while you're on the move. (It also pays to be smart
enough to know when to duck back down, but that's a later development!)
--
Dave Oldridge
doldridg@ra.isisnet.com
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