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Fear of Snakes May Have Driven Pre-Human Evolution

Krishna Dagli writes "An evolutionary arms race between early snakes and mammals triggered the development of improved vision and large brains in primates, a radical new theory suggests. The idea, proposed by Lynne Isbell, an anthropologist at the University of California, Davis, suggests that snakes and primates share a long and intimate history, one that forced both groups to evolve new strategies as each attempted to gain the upper hand. Early primates developed a better eye for color, detail and movement and the ability to see in three dimensions — traits that are important for detecting threats at close range. Humans are descended from those same primates. "

30 of 553 comments (clear)

  1. This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Snakes...ON A PLANE

    1. Re:This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 2, Funny

      > Snakes...ON A PLANE

      I think that should read:

      Snakes...ON A PLANET

    2. Re:This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by PrescriptionWarning · · Score: 2, Funny

      YES THEY DESERVE TO DIE, AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL!

      lets hope he lasts longer than he did in Deep Blue Sea and Jurassic Park ;)

    3. Re:This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by thewiz · · Score: 4, Funny

      Do you think that airplanes will evolve to keeps snakes off of them?

      --
      If "disco" means "I learn" in Latin, does "discothèque" mean "I learn technology"?
    4. Re:This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by Fordiman · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, they deserved to die! And I hope they burn in hell!

      --
      110100 1101000 1101000 1100110 0 1101111 1101000 1100011 1
    5. Re:This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by Bazman · · Score: 5, Funny

      If this was in african savannah country it could be snakes on a plain.

    6. Re:This only highlights mankind's TRUE FEAR by dastardly_villain · · Score: 2, Funny

      Does this mean that by going to see this movie, we will all transcend to the next stage of human enlightenment? "Snakes on a Higher Plane"

  2. Finallly by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    Humans are descended from those same primates.
    And lawyers/politicians/managers are descended from snakes.

    At least its an explanation of the uneasy feeling I get when I see Darl Mcbride.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
  3. How to become a popular scientist by tsa · · Score: 4, Funny

    1. Dream up a far-fetched 'theory' that Joe public can understand and involves strong emotions
    2. Seek publicity
    3. ....
    4. Profit!

    --

    -- Cheers!

    1. Re:How to become a popular scientist by October_30th · · Score: 5, Funny

      As a scientist I am intrigued by this "profit" thing. Please tell me more.

      --
      The owls are not what they seem
    2. Re:How to become a popular scientist by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 4, Funny

      Perhaps you should consider subscribing to his newsletter.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
  4. In Soviet Russia by dud83 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Men evolved from snakes...

  5. How exactly... by bunbuntheminilop · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...a snake participates in an arms race, I'll never know.

  6. Re:Conventional wisdom by B3ryllium · · Score: 3, Funny

    Our lineage re-gained a third

    Some people also have a fourth, I've heard.

  7. Insider Scoop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I hear the producer of Snakes on a Plane already has a sequel in the works (negotiations), Snakes on a Train (We got snakes on a train! Yes a train motha f******! Choo Choo motha f*****! Choo Choo!).

    1. Re:Insider Scoop by krell · · Score: 2, Funny

      The snakes in Spain stay mainly in the plane!

      (hisssss!!!! hisss!!!!)


      The snakes in Spain stay mainly in the plane.

      --
      Where were you when the voynix came?
    2. Re:Insider Scoop by chrish · · Score: 2, Funny

      Then you'll need Snakes on Automobiles to complete the trilogy.

      --
      - chrish
    3. Re:Insider Scoop by hotzeyboy · · Score: 2, Funny

      You heard wrong....
      He is actually making Harry Potter 12 - Snapes on a Train!

    4. Re:Insider Scoop by rkanodia · · Score: 4, Funny

      Would you like them on a plane?
      Would you like them on a train?
      Would you like them on a boat?
      Would you like them in your coat?
      Would you like them on the road?
      Would you like them in a commode?

      I would not like them, Samuel J,
      I do not like snakes any way.

  8. Re: I knew that already... by Belgarion89 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dude, they were hardly innocent. They ran around outside butt naked for crying out loud!

  9. Hence the most fearsome terrorist organization is: by Lord+of+Hyphens · · Score: 2, Funny

    COBRA!! (Cobra!)
    COBRA!! (Cobra!)
    Armies of the night
    Evil taking flight
    COBRA!! (Cobra!)
    COBRA!! (Cobra!)
    No where to run
    No where to hide
    Panic spreading far and wide
    Who can turn the tide?

    GI Joe- (A real American hero)
    Yo Joe!
    GI Joe is there
    Fighting for freedom
    Wherever there's trouble
    over land and sea and air
    GI Joe is there

    --
    "I've spent my whole life figuring out crazy ways to do things. It'll work." -- Montgomery Scott, "Relics"
  10. Re:I knew that already... by operagost · · Score: 5, Funny
    Use the phrase "bible-thumpers" in your post on a scientific topic and you're sure to be modded up insightful!

    Scientist 1: How'd you like my paper on "Impact of herpetological influence on anthropological evolution?"
    Scientist 2: Bad news, dude! The "bible-thumpers" have glommed off your hypothesis! Something in Genesis about chicks stomping on snakes. Sounds fetishy. Anyway, we can't afford to lend these cretins any legitimacy. You'll have to think of something else.
    Scientist 1: Crap! Back to the drawing board. How about 'gators? They're hella scary!

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  11. Re:I knew that already... by operagost · · Score: 1, Funny
    Our way of looking at these stories, Genesis in particular, has been diminished by religious ideology. To the point that those of us raised in the Judeo-Christian tradition think nothing is more natural than to hate and revile snakes.
    No kidding! After last week's fellowship, we all ran into the woods and started beating the suckers with sticks! Evil little beasties!
    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  12. Re:2D-3D? by operagost · · Score: 3, Funny
    You can prove quite easily that you can only see two dimensions of space. Simply place a cube on a table, lower and center your vision so it's pinpointed right in the center of one side, and note that you see a square, not a cube. Without the angles to suggest depth, you're not capable of perceiving three dimensions at all.
    Speak for yourself!

    - Picasso

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  13. Re:How to become a popular scientologist by Rinisari · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sorry, scientologists, you have a very interesting religion and, unfortunately, your most well-known members are, in fact, celebrities who love to throw their legal weight around. I know they aren't representative of your entire religion, but if your religion is so well-connected, please have your leaders calm that crazy couch-jumper and his ilk. KTHXBYE.

  14. Re:I knew that already... by tehcyder · · Score: 3, Funny
    My mind leapt to Genesis as well
    Me too, I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord.
    --
    To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  15. Obligatory Indiana Jones Quote by Bryansix · · Score: 2, Funny

    Indiana Jones: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?
    Sallah: Asps. Very dangerous. You go first.

  16. Worse yet... by Belial6 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Worse yet is finding out that that very post was the straw that broke the camels back, and it is the single identifiable reason that Allah curses you with an eternity of pain and torment. Now that would be some funny irony.

    1. Re:Worse yet... by IAmTheDave · · Score: 2, Funny
      Worse yet is finding out that that very post was the straw that broke the camels back, and it is the single identifiable reason that Allah curses you with an eternity of pain and torment. Now that would be some funny irony.

      Me: *Shit...*

      --
      Excuse my speling.
      Making The Bar Project
  17. Re:No wonder by zenhkim · · Score: 2, Funny

    > The older Gods did have testability.

    Particularly the Olympians, the family of ancient Greek gods headed by the great Zeus, all of whom resided in their divine palace atop Mount Olympus.

    I don't know if there is *any* documentation to back this up, but it is not unreasonable to suppose that the Greeks eventually abandoned their religion when something like this happened.... ;)

    Sum Dudius Extremis, intrepid mountain climber: Yo, my fellow excellent Greek dudes, I have, like, scaled every high peak and sheer rock face in all of Greece! Every mountain and cliff wall from Athens to Macedonia, I have come, I have seen, and I have totally conquered! All, like, except one. [dramatic pause] ....Mount Olympus.

    fellow Greeks: NO FUCKING WAY, DUDIUS! ARE YOU SHITTING US?! YOU GOT TO BE TOTALLY FUCKING INSANE! YOU'RE GOING TO, LIKE, MAJORLY PISS OFF ZEUS AND THE OTHER TOTALLY EXCELLENT OLYMPIANS, DUDIUS!!

    Dudius: Yes, my fellow excellent Greek dudes, I know that I'll almost certainly, like, totally incur the divine wrath of the Olympians if I even get close to their very excellent palace in the clouds. Which means, basically, that my life will be forfeit and won't be worth shit. BUT I MUST AT LEAST TRY!!

    fellow Greeks: DUDIUS, YOU FUCK! YOU TOTAL MANIAC!!

    [some time later, near the peak of Mount Olympus]

    Dudius: [calling out nervously as he scales the mountain] Uh, yo? Olympians? Hello, Olympians, hello? I know you probably, like, totally know this already, but ....I'm coming to visit your very excellent palace of the gods. Yo, Zeus? Hera? Extremely hot babe goddess Aphrodite? Apollo? --Oh, shit, of course the Sun god's not here, he's up in the sky riding his awesome sun chariot.... Uh, guys?

    [Dudius has reached the peak by now and looks around at an extremely impressive yet lonely vista atop Mount Olympus. There is absolutely nobody and nothing around except clouds.]

    Dudius: [gazing around in disbelief and increasing agitation] Guys? Guys?? What ... the ... [shouts next word at the top of his lungs] FUCK?!?!?!?!?! [His voice echoes faintly from nearby mountains. Some distance below, various avalanches start rumbling.]

    --
    "All hands, BRACE FOR IMPACT!"