Imagine the carnage that ensued!
generally hominids dominated an area and populated it with little interaction from other hominids - as far as we can tell. we have seen examples of neandertal and sapien bones that were obviously part of a neandertals' meal. but overall the periods of one species' dominance didn't span over that of another as mans' ancestors left the african plains and migrated through europe and asia and the middle/far east. that is most with one major exception - middle and southern africa.
in mid/southern africa as many as 5 different hominids overlapped in periods meaning they likely encountered and battled one another. I wonder if this explains why the descendants of later african hominids were more evolved physically? not to go all jimmy the greek or anything but it's pretty damn obvious that some species of hominids led to more muscular and larger humans as opposed to the smaller ones we have seen from the likes of say homo florensis et al around the phillipine islands and homo erectus in eastern asia.
just a thought. anthropology is fascinating.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I have been thinking about this: we all come from Africa, you proved that, but think about this: maybe some Africans chased some of us out of Africa to the frozen lands, from which our white privileged asses hail from??
ever consider that one?
where did that white man Abraham come from?? and why would Sarie ( princess, later he changed her name to a common Sarah)
why would the Pharaoh be so enticed by her? he could have any woman he wanted and did, but when he spotted Sarai, he was overwhelmed by her beauty, could it be that she had Red hair, blue eyes and white skin or blonde???
just a thought.
biology is such a beautiful thing! and there are physical differences, and proven!
aahouck49
Level 7
June 14, 2019
1
that could certainly be the case. hominid on hominid would have been some ugly battling on the african plains. and we were all dark skinned and brown eyed. but up north there were the neandertals in france and spain and then even further you had denisovans who were tall and blonde or red haired with fair skin and blue eyes. I bet they were viewed as rather exotic!
@JeffMesser However, except for those who remained in Africa - ALL others associated with Neanderthals and presently carry a percentage of Neanderthal DNA. And some also include Denisovan DNA. These are the facts folks.
@mkeaman oh yeah, you're right. I almost forgot about that part. good point! everyone else has mtDNA from other hominids except for the purely african.
The history of Easter Island is also interesting and scary. It is a prime example of what happens when resources are scarce and people have to start serious competition to survive. Cannibalism is just one means of survival.
JackPedigo
Level 9
June 13, 2019
1
Natural selection can be a curious engineer. But consider the influence of colder climates, like in Scandinavia, which led to broader, thicker physiques as a means to better preserve heat. One of the natural results of such physical adaptation is increased strength. It's probably no coincidence that Scandinavians and northern Europeans have evolved into the physically strongest human beings currently on record. Just look at who holds most of the weight lifting records and World's Strongest Man titles.
Piratefish
Level 7
June 13, 2019
1
plus they have denisovan mtDNA - some surmise that's where the red hair and blue eyes came from originally. the population in nord areas and further east along that northern coastline tend to have some huge people. the Smithsonian's genetics staff is interacting with chinese scientists to collect DNA samples to they can sequence and find the areas with denisovan DNA sequences because they potentially came from a branch of homo erectus superarchaic to homo heidelbergensis (from which we and neandertals sprang). This could give them some amazing earlier adaptations, or bases lacking as many generations of mtDNA change, that might tie them to some real exotic features. such as giants.
Fascinating indeed.
I recall reading that the Oriental eyelid (which contains far more fatty tissue than most) evolved as eye protection from the cold.
I also recall reading that small-statured was a survival feature of many island species; from humans down to Key Deer. Something about the smaller body needing less food and thus thriving in a minimalist island environment.
"The diminutive stature and small brain of H. floresiensis may have resulted from island dwarfism—an evolutionary process that results from long-term isolation on a small island with limited food resources and a lack of predators. Pygmy elephants on Flores, now extinct, showed the same adaptation."
"The smallest known species of Homo and Stegodon elephant are both found on the island of Flores, Indonesia. However, some scientists are now considering the possibility that the ancestors of H. floresiensis may have been small when they first reached Flores."
Robecology
Level 9
June 13, 2019
0
oh most definitely. homo florensis (the hobbit guy) was barely over a meter tall or so and it was indicative of other species who lived in island food chains. Less food available = smaller animals. good point.
I disagree with your conclusion in the sense that the time frame your suggesting (loosely implying) I think might be too short of a time and the interactions too infrequent to cause the evolutionary development you suggest. Its almost a Lamarckian perception. By that it almost like saying, "Because my neughboring species is bigger than me, I'm going will my species to get bigger". Evolution does not operate like that.
Now, sexual selection may have into play, in the sense that larger individuals had a better chance at surviving an encounter. But that is suggest that the interactions between competing groups was constant and regular over multiple millennia stimulating a selective advantage for size and muscularity. No proof that the interactions and intraspecies competition were of that nature. Size and muscularity increase was in response to a multitude of evolutionary stimuli.
t1nick
Level 8
June 13, 2019
0
good points. It may well have been more an issue of selective mating than actual evolutionary response. I do know there are some genetic differences between denisovan and neadertal and sapien and the denisovan differences that we can isolate seem to relate to high-altitude breathing and also oxygen absorption need by the blood. This helps them in the himalayas as well as under the sea diving which corresponds to unique activities used in the places their range extended within.
@JeffMesser I understand completely what you are saying and did enjoy reading someone that is educated in these areas as am I
but Jeff, it is too complicated for those not educated in our fields, KISS: KEEP IT SIMPLE SWEATHEART!
KISS can also end with a rather deragatory way(sp?)
Also H. floresiensis' diminutive size may be evolutionary in that they lived on an island. It is not uncommon that larger mammals who become island bound go through a process of miniaturization, opposed to gigantism. As per the fossil mammoth and bison on Catalina Is. off of southern California coast.
For H. floresirnsis it might be a case of sexual selection mixed with natural selection.
I don't know what they are talking about. I love eating hominids.
Heathenman
Level 7
June 13, 2019
1
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