Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Fear of Snakes May Have Driven Pre-Human Evolution

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the snakes-on-a-plane dept.

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. "

15 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 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"?
    2. 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
    3. 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.

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

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

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

    Our lineage re-gained a third

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

  6. 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!

  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. 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.