Posted: 3/25/2004 5:59:49 AM EDT
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Missing link found in gene mutation? Weaker jaws spurred early humans' brain growth, scientists say By Joseph B. Verrengia The Associated Press Updated: 1:21 p.m. ET March 24, 2004 Touching off a scientific furor, researchers say they may have discovered the mutation that caused the earliest humans to branch off from their apelike ancestors — a gene that led to smaller, weaker jaws and, ultimately, bigger brains. Smaller jaws would have fundamentally changed the structure of the skull, they contend, by eliminating thick muscles that worked like bungee cords to anchor a huge jaw to the crown of the head. The change would have allowed the cranium to grow larger and led to the development of a bigger brain capable of tool-making and language. The mutation is reported in the latest issue of the journal Nature, not by anthropologists, but by a team of biologists and plastic surgeons at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. |
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Has been my theory all along. Funny they should omit the reason why the slack-jawed apeman was able to survive and overwhelm his knuckledragging competitors, to wit: the use of weapons. Not only is the right to keep and bear arms a constitutional pillar, it's also the very basis for human evolution. The more the early man relied on specialized, man-made tools instead of his body parts, the richer his diet got and the more resources could be applied to become smarter yet. Instead of foraging for days for a fistful of berries, a quick kill of a largish animal provided lots of protein. They didn't have to rip it apart with their hands and teeth either. The results: no more need for huge canines and pitbull jaws, hamfists could become hands, speech developed to co-ordinate hunting in groups with long-distance weapons, there could be more offspring, individuals lived longer (ancient, fragile 30 year old grandpa could teach his grandkids as opposed to being put to sleep for lack of food). The monkey with the stick, as seen in Space Odyssey truly was the originator of mankind. Without weapons, we would still be screaming, knuckledragging monkeys. Weapons are what distinguishes us from the animal kingdom. Not, as other theories claim, the use of tools, self-awareness, work, or religion. No. The design and use of weapons. The RKBA = A human right. |
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Quoted: Has been my theory all along. Funny they should omit the reason why the slack-jawed apeman was able to survive and overwhelm his knuckledragging competitors, to wit: the use of weapons. Not only is the right to keep and bear arms a constitutional pillar, it's also the very basis for human evolution. The more the early man relied on specialized, man-made tools instead of their body parts, the richer his diet got and the more resources could be applied to become smarter yet. Instead of foraging for days for a fistful of berries, a quick kill of a largish animal provided lots of protein. They didn't have to rip it apart with their hands and teeth either. The results: no more need for huge canines and pitbull jaws, hamfists could become hands, speech developed to co-ordinate hunting in groups with long-distance weapons, there could be more offspring, individuals lived longer (ancient, fragile 30 year old grandpa could teach his grandkids as opposed to being put to sleep for lack of food). The monkey with the stick, as seen in Space Odyssey truly was the originator of mankind. Without weapons, we would still be screaming, knuckledragging monkeys. Weapons are what distinguishes us from the animal kingdom. Not, as other theories claim, the use of tools, self-awareness, work, or religion. No. The design and use of weapons. The RKBA = A human right. It goes right up there with eating meat. [Homer voice]Mmmmmm....meat.[/Homer voice] Meat is brain food. Not only did we get a better source of protien, we got smarter because of it. The smarter we got, the better we hunted. It has helped drive human evolution. (Vegitarians seem to be devolving) (So are anti-gunners) Bilster |
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Interesting to think that this development which led to eating meat would ultimately lead to writing the Bible. [:)] I wonder at what point did early man begin to believe in deities? God of thunder, rain, sun, wind, earth etc.....A time when their brains couldn't scientifically understand what was happening in their environment, they would rationalize it as supernatural. Im sure many religions in the past started this way. |
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Quoted: I thought humans only use approximately 10% of their brain, anyhow. I read an article a while ago that said its not the size of the brain, in total, thats most important. More important is how much brain is available for reasoning after allocating brain to operate the central nervous system, etc. For example, elephants have larger brains than humans but most of their brain is taken up with controlling that huge body. |
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It's not the size of the brain that matters. The Neanderthal had a larger brain than we do. It's amount of and kind of "wiring", i.e. the synapses that make the difference. sgtar15: you're right. Violence played into human evolution as well. With the ascent of weaponry, it was suddenly the smartest and most skilled individual that got to breed, and not the strongest. |
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Quoted: Has been my theory all along. Funny they should omit the reason why the slack-jawed apeman was able to survive and overwhelm his knuckledragging competitors, to wit: the use of weapons. Not only is the right to keep and bear arms a constitutional pillar, it's also the very basis for human evolution. The more the early man relied on specialized, man-made tools instead of his body parts, the richer his diet got and the more resources could be applied to become smarter yet. Instead of foraging for days for a fistful of berries, a quick kill of a largish animal provided lots of protein. They didn't have to rip it apart with their hands and teeth either. The results: no more need for huge canines and pitbull jaws, hamfists could become hands, speech developed to co-ordinate hunting in groups with long-distance weapons, there could be more offspring, individuals lived longer (ancient, fragile 30 year old grandpa could teach his grandkids as opposed to being put to sleep for lack of food). The monkey with the stick, as seen in Space Odyssey truly was the originator of mankind. Without weapons, we would still be screaming, knuckledragging monkeys. Weapons are what distinguishes us from the animal kingdom. Not, as other theories claim, the use of tools, self-awareness, work, or religion. No. The design and use of weapons. The RKBA = A human right. AWSOME!!! Very nice. Never thought of it like that. |