Face it: We human beings are natural prey animals. No fangs. No claws. No armor. No fur. No poison. Crappy camouflage. Slow runners. Poor swimmers. Can’t fly. And, to top it all off, soppily devoted to our offspring, who remain helpless and useless for years after birth. (Contrast that with colts or fawns struggling to their feet within minutes of being born.)
How then to explain our success as a species? The main reasons are (1) these big honkin’ brains of ours and (2) the linguistic ability they’ve given us. In the ideal case, once a single human acquires a bit of knowledge about the world, he or she can transmit it to all other humans via language, so nobody else has to independently make that same discovery. In practice, it takes way more than one exposure for any bit of information to stick, and most of what does stick is transmitted no further than to other members of the same small tribe. Specifically, parents pass along information to their children, and thus knowledge is preserved, accumulates over time, and gives its possessors a competitive edge over rival tribes.
Over here one of the local birds species has learned to safely eat a poisonous introduced toad by first scaring and then washing its food before eating.
They are teaching each other and the innovation is spreading across the country.
Brian Premium Member almost 2 years ago
The human body is so disappointing. Pretty much an embryo that can walk.
Calvins Brother almost 2 years ago
Life’s a B.
Crow Eatery almost 2 years ago
Compound eyes are not that good. If you could combine the best features of eagle eyes and chameleon eyes, that would be cool.
Richard S Russell Premium Member almost 2 years ago
Face it: We human beings are natural prey animals. No fangs. No claws. No armor. No fur. No poison. Crappy camouflage. Slow runners. Poor swimmers. Can’t fly. And, to top it all off, soppily devoted to our offspring, who remain helpless and useless for years after birth. (Contrast that with colts or fawns struggling to their feet within minutes of being born.)
How then to explain our success as a species? The main reasons are (1) these big honkin’ brains of ours and (2) the linguistic ability they’ve given us. In the ideal case, once a single human acquires a bit of knowledge about the world, he or she can transmit it to all other humans via language, so nobody else has to independently make that same discovery. In practice, it takes way more than one exposure for any bit of information to stick, and most of what does stick is transmitted no further than to other members of the same small tribe. Specifically, parents pass along information to their children, and thus knowledge is preserved, accumulates over time, and gives its possessors a competitive edge over rival tribes.
Jeff0811 almost 2 years ago
Humans wouldn’t have anything going for them if it weren’t for opposable thumbs.
willie_mctell almost 2 years ago
Some of my fondest wishes especially the prehensile tail.
John Jorgensen almost 2 years ago
Maybe not, but you are more intelligent than every animal with all of the above.
orinoco womble almost 2 years ago
You do however have opposable thumbs, Calvin.
jvo almost 2 years ago
Over here one of the local birds species has learned to safely eat a poisonous introduced toad by first scaring and then washing its food before eating.
They are teaching each other and the innovation is spreading across the country.
gantech almost 2 years ago
But, oh, that marvelous brain….
Squoop almost 2 years ago
Lack of wings is the worst part.
wiley207 almost 2 years ago
This is pretty much how I learned the term “retractable claws,” and so when I saw my old cat using them I knew right away what they were called.
PaulLeckner almost 2 years ago
In Mowgli’s Brothers, the Jungle Book, Shere Khan the tiger feared the orange flower known as fire.