Millions of years ago do you thik our ancestors began going in water for long periods?
If not why are we virtually hairless compared to the other great apes?.
Why do we have fat deposits on our outer skin like whales , seals etc?.
Was evolution taking us down a path, one which the aquatic mammals have now exploited?.
2006-09-10 23:43:08 · 11 answers · asked by Old Man of Coniston!. 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
The aquatic ape hypothesis (sometimes called the aquatic ape theory) proposes that the ancestors of humans went through one or more periods of time living in a semi-aquatic setting and that this history accounts for many of the characteristics of species in the Homo genus that are not seen in other primates, such as chimpanzees or gorillas. The theory, often referred to simply as AAT, has been poorly received in mainstream paleoanthropology.
AAT states that human ancestors evolved in warm and wet environments and gathered much of their food from shallow sea-, lake- or riverside environments through beach-combing, wading and diving for foods such as coconuts, bird's eggs, turtles, shell- and crayfish, part of reeds, papyrus and other aquatic plants. There are interpretations which propose fresh-water habitats (Ellis 1993), variations in the timescale (Verhaegen et al. 2002) and the proposed degree of selection arising from moving through water. The most popular formulation involves a semi-aquatic episode coinciding with the Pliocene-Pleistocene littoral diaspora of the Homo genus along the East-African Rift Valley lakes and the African and Indian Ocean coasts.
2006-09-11 02:38:42 · answer #1 · answered by Sarah H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A summary of the reasons for suspecting an aquatic phase in human evolution:
1. Subcuteanous fat, common in marine mammals but not seen to our degree in any other primate
2. Hairlessness (better streamlining - swimmers take it further nad shave their bodies. Confines you to tropical waters mainly though!
3. The hairs we have on our bodies are aligned with water flowlines; this is the reverse growth direction of the apes
4. Voluntary breath control; only found in marine mammals, and humans
5. We can swim!! And much better than most other "land" animals.
6. Babies have an automatic swim and breath-hold response when immersed; no other primate shows this.
All told, I believe the theory has a lot of merit, but probably is not the whole story. It might have got more serious attention if Elaine Morgan hadn't spent every second paragraph ranting about how she was being oppressed by every male that ever existed.
2006-09-13 10:26:35 · answer #2 · answered by Paul FB 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't really think so, as our skin isn't designed for being in the water for long periods of time. You know when you've been in the bath too long, you get 'prune' fingers and toes, thats actually a sign you've been too long and its not good!
Since our skin absorbs 60% of what its touching or directly exposed to, i'd guess that you could become waterlogged if you stayed in the water for too long!!
Plus, if you think we're virtually hairless, you obviously haven't seen my ex! No word of a lie, he looked like the missing link, hobbit feet, the works!
We probably stopped having so much hair when we started wearing fig leaves!! And breeding with people from hotter places who didn't need hair!
2006-09-11 06:55:12 · answer #3 · answered by keiraebony 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's called the aquatic ape theory. It's best-known proponent is Elaine Morgan. I read her book "The Decent of woman". Very interesting. My guess is that there is some truth in it.
The most ancient proto-human fossils were found near the great African lakes. And shellfish constituted an important part of the diet of most early humans.
2006-09-11 07:26:29 · answer #4 · answered by helene_thygesen 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
parts of this theory have been explored, we may have became intelligent whilst living close to water and that i because the essential fatty acids that caused our intelligence is only found in fish (we all know that fish is brain food!).
We are adept swimmers which points to evolution in or around water and even our babies can swim as soon as they are born. We have colonised other countries in deep history and ancient man did this with carved canoes or by swimming channels. im a fish
2006-09-11 07:29:47 · answer #5 · answered by Mr Gravy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What are you babbling on about??? A good test to this theory of yours would be to submerge yourself in water for as long as you can. Maybe longer.
2006-09-11 06:45:32 · answer #6 · answered by mick241602 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Swimming monkeys, he he, you're funny.
2006-09-11 17:46:24 · answer #7 · answered by Oracle Of Delphi 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i think you could be right. i think your thery is a good one.
2006-09-11 07:01:12 · answer #8 · answered by alansivyourzombihunter 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt it.
2006-09-11 06:44:23 · answer #9 · answered by Catmmo 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
dont know
2006-09-11 06:48:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋