Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette

  • Mood:

Spread of Homo Sapiens

 ... relates to its generalist specialist status.  That is, the species Homo sapiens has a generalist pool that can rapidly adapt to many different specialized niches.  The article is still groping for an answer.  It's pretty obvious from a quick peek at global culture, though.  Where animals are limited to biological adaptations, which are slow, humans can use technological and behavioral ones, which can move much faster.  We see a little behavioral adaptation in animals but they are largely restricted to biology.  Humans can use intelligence to circumvent  instincts -- not always a long-term advantage, as seen in shift workers, but good for short-term survival.  Then biological adaptation follows along behind, and we see little things like Tibetan resistance to altitude sickness.
Tags: environment, history, news, science

  • Post a new comment


    default userpic

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.