cambridge and oxford just produce good writers

[lauralh]

Just read Elaine Morgan's The Aquatic Ape, which has an appendix by Sir Alistair Hardy, the progenitor of this theory. It's just over 150 pages, succinct and to the point - practically an abstract, really. For those of you unaware, it's the theory that some primates started to live in lakes/rivers/seas for a while, just long enough for man's ancestors to lose their hair, develop subcutaneous fat reserves, straighten their pelvis, and start talking. Oh, and also to move the vaginal canal pointing the other way, so doggy style is a fun treat rather than the norm. I'd read a little bit about it before and it made enough sense, but now I'm all but convinced.

I also read Shade's Children by Garth Nix, a fast-paced juvenile SF novel that really pulls you in. Oh the competition. Although I think he just wanted to make a movie, 'twould work quite well for that. (Just a hint of sex. I mean, there's already nothing hotter than being the last of your kind, hunted for your brain to be put into androids so the overlords can play battle games, but you also get to fuck based on winning a lottery.)

Comments

The Aquatic Ape

[bewing.livejournal.com]

I *am* convinced. I think it was the event that caused the divergence of homo sapiens from the rest of the line.

Re: The Aquatic Ape

[herbaliser.livejournal.com]

Yeah that is what it sounds like. Living in water -> change in nose/throat -> ability to make new sounds -> increase in brain size

Re: The Aquatic Ape

[bewing.livejournal.com]

Plus all the extra protein from eating the shellfish in the bay -- whichever kind of shellfish they were, in whichever bay it was. This whole deal was obviously caused by a new, sudden exploitation of a previously undiscovered ecological niche -- that is, an easy abundant high-value food source out under moderately shallow water. So a tiny group of humans become amphibious to exploit it. Drownings, hypothermia, and swimming ability add a natural selection pressure. And proto-sapiens halfway develops many many aquatic genetic adaptations. While also increasing our biological need to eat meat, and our taste preferences for various seafoods.

[selfishgene.livejournal.com]

I happen to like the Aquatic Ape theory, but there are some arguments against it.
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/maquaticape.html
Maybe some fossil evidence will show up to support this theory eventually. It's not like conventional wisdom has never been wrong before.