Why are human infants so helpless for so long?

Question

Most animals can stand up and walk within hours or days of being born, but human babies can't even hold their heads up for some while. It seems like an evolutionary failing, if you ask me. Were the children of cavemen this vulnerable?

Answer 1

Most animals brains are limited to basic functions, thus doing things essential for survival.

The human brain is far more complicated and needs time to develop. Imagine being pregnant for 5 years.

Imagine if humans were to evolve a few thousand years from now to super intelligent people. How long would it take for a child to "grow up"?

Answer 2

Pregnancy, child birth, and care of an infant require so much effort and investment. This engenders the continuation of the species for two reasons.

1. All of the effort creates an emotional bond. I have lived in countries where imported nannies from the third world work almost around the clock to care for the babies from birth. It seems that without that initial hardship, the mothers really lack bonds with the children. They seem to be very emotionally distant from the children, and not very protective. So the typical hard, long and difficult work of caring for an infant creates a protective emotional bond.
2. It is a matter of economics in a sense- wanting to protect ones investment. There is a tremendous investment of time and energy, so that a mother would prefer to protect that child than have it die, and birth and raise another one. Thus the species continues.

Answer 3

Yes...the old nature versus nuture argument comes to mind

The evolution of a species is determined by many variables i.e. hunters or hunted, types of food they eat, climate & environment etc

The major difference between us and animals (besides the obvious) is our brain. What you may know as the brain is called the cerebrum or grey matter. if you take that away there is a thick stalk like organ which in humans is called the 'reptilian brain' The name came from animals because this is all they have...a reptilian brain no cerebrum. The cerebrum developes according to experience and doesent reach full maturity until in early adulthood. Yes ... it takes a little time for perfection

But in essance ... these are the cards mother nature dealt us :)

Answer 4

Humans have a long lifespan. So it takes humans longer to grow up, too. It is also a lot easier to walk on four limbs than two.

Answer 5

Actually there was this video i watched once and it was taping babies that were born without the mother using pain killers which would make the baby dizzy. well in that video the babies were born and left on top of their mother and after a few hours they were scowling like little robot, very slowly to the mother's breast and sucking. they also said that they do not need any cover as long as they are held by the mother. well you can create your own conclusions from this.

Answer 6

cuz life spam of humans are quite long unlike the other anmals that they have plenty of time to learn things like balancing the head, crawling, turning, standing, walking, talking etc...

average human life is about 75 years but compare it with other animals like cats , dogs which is only less than 20 years!!!

Answer 7

This is nature and God decide all this we can't question to nature.

But what I feel that humans have more effection , more caring, more loving towards their babies as compare to animals. Human can take a good care of there babies so that but animals can't do this so god make animals banies to be independant more fast.

Answer 8

If I remember corretly it's because technically when we're born we're "under developed". Chances are they were as vulnurable (perhaps moreso) as we are now.

Answer 9

of course. Humans are actually rather weak creatures we just know how to work around it.