Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Humans Born to Run

Posted by michael on from the from-richard-dawson dept.

chia_monkey writes "This article in MSNBC says humans were born to run. From tendons and ligaments in the legs and feet that act like springs and skull features that help prevent overheating, to well-defined buttocks that stabilize the body, the human anatomy is shaped for running. The article also goes on to talk about our rumps: Big buttocks are also important. 'Have you ever looked at an ape? They have no buns,' said Bramble."

5 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. Bullshit. by Demona · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We ran to catch food or escape an enemy, but for thousands of years when we wanted to go someplace, we walked. We weren't the fastest or strongest - we couldn't outrun quadrupeds. But in addition to outthinking them, we could outwalk them. Conquerors may have ridden on horseback, but the ones who came on foot and brought their tools and families were the organizers of civilization. (somewhat paraphrased from The Magic of Walking, by Aaron Sussman and Ruth Goode)

    --
    Fuck Slashdot
    1. Re:Bullshit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Yeah, but you better not walk too far from the cave or the trees if you can't run. You better not follow that conqueror on his horse into barbarian lands if you can't sprint for your life when you need to. You can crawl across a continent, but you can't sprint across an open field you'll do it just to become somebody's meal or slave.

  2. Re:Anyone else notice... by Holi · · Score: 2, Insightful

    (disclaimer: she's still cute, but that's funny)

    why do you say that because she's female? You can't see her face or really tell anything about the curves of her body due to the angle and the tremendous amount of hair.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  3. Old News by VernonNemitz · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The science fiction writer David Brin wrote about these things years ago. First there was an "ANALOG" fact article (sorry don't recall which issue", and then there was one of his "Uplift War" books. Look up "cursorial hunting" sometime. No Wiki for it yet, apparently (but I bet there will be one shortly!). It means the prey is chased until it keels over from exhaustion first. Humans are the best cursorial hunters around, with possibly highest percentage of total body mass in their legs and leg muscles (including buttocks) of any land critter, ever.

  4. Humans are born to... by dargaud · · Score: 2, Insightful
    "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." --Robert A. Heinlein.
    --
    Non-Linux Penguins ?