The Human Spark | Running = Big Brains? | PBS

http://www.pbs.org/humanspark Alan Alda talks to scientist Dan Lieberman about why the human ability to run could be an important prerequisite for the evolution of our bigger brains -- and the emergence of our human spark.
In "The Human Spark," Alan Alda visits dozens of scientists on three continents -- and even undergoes an examination of his own brain -- to find the answer to one question: What makes us human? Coming to PBS in January 2010. Learn more at http://www.pbs.org/humanspark

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That's circular ... ( 2 years ago by grantsinmypants2)

That's circular reasoning. We got more intelligent because we were able to catch our prey through cardiovascular attrition, and thus access to that better quality meat (ie: deer, not lizards) is what made us smart enough to be able to focus (ie: catch our prey through attriton).

You guys should ... ( 2 years ago by LiquidYogi)

You guys should read "Born To Run" great book, talks about a ton of this stuff.

Array ( 2 years ago by perrin6)

What does I < 3 mean? I less than 3???

cool ( 2 years ago by Bluzer86)

cool

That's not what he ... ( 2 years ago by djacobox372)

That's not what he said, it didn't take a big brain to figure out that if you chase an animal until it's exhausted you can eat it. What the big brain did was allow us the ability to create tools that further increased our hunting prowess.

I'm not sure what ... ( 2 years ago by hobbes71002)

I'm not sure what context it's in, but generally online <3 is accepted as a heart symbol. So for example "I <3 cheese" means "I love cheese."

It is what he said ... ( 2 years ago by grantsinmypants2)

It is what he said. It's not what you're saying, but it is what he said. He said that it takes a certain level of intelligence to be able to go after the better meat and to forego the readily available stuff.
I agree. That's why I don't think that it's running which made us have access to better meat. We could have roamed around all day, constantly eating, like animals do and survived just as well. Our brains wouldn't have grown, but ohwell.

Grant - I think the ... ( 2 years ago by nononsesne)

Grant - I think the answer is that a change in the environment such as drought forced early humans to chase animals for food, creating a selection pressure towards better runners.

got lost in the ... ( 2 years ago by crock703)

got lost in the comments not matching up.
I wasn't using circular logic, as much as suggesting that a combination of the two -- superior cardio/muscular/skeletal physiology combined with the ability to focus on a desired object/delay ratification -- allowed some apes to grow bigger brains and have free time to develop 'culture.' It built upon itself. Whereas others just stayed on a path of chasing lizards constantly.

Breaking the ... ( 2 years ago by capnquack)

Breaking the circular reasoning: Lack of other sources of wholesome food. When you're on the high savannah, you have minimal green food - so meat is the only way. Look at how a Baboon catches its prey - sprinting a short distance, eating anything it can catch. If early humans were hindered by not having large sources of prey, the need for food may have caused long periods of focus, as needed for attrition hunting, smart or not, if you're hungry you will follow that meal.

@perrin6 turn your ... ( 2 years ago by ChristopherTupper)

@perrin6 turn your head sideway's, lol, than think of symbols not of the individual letters

Evidence ... ( 2 years ago by MasterThief1324)

Evidence reinforcing this theory exist in the African bushman's lifestyle, today.
It seems absurd but they could run 3 hours at a time to tire out their meal. The prey collapsed of exhaustion and it's an easy kill from there.
This is a great theory on how our primitive ancestors catched their prey. But there's little to link, so i've observed, between brain development and running. Running circulates blood flow to the brain, enriching it with nutrients. They could find trends there.

@perrin6 I less ... ( 2 years ago by xkamuelax)

@perrin6 I less than Four You... baby. <4

Professor Lieberman ... ( 1 year ago by frankystein12)

Professor Lieberman makes an interesting point in stating that humans' enormous brain capacity is the result of being excellent long distance pursuers. However, I fail to see how being able to track down preys over long distance led to the further development of the brain. On a different note, this seems like a very promising program, thus I will make sure to check it out (probably over spring break).

Professor Lieberman ... ( 1 year ago by frankystein12)

@frankystein12 ... ( 1 year ago by Chemicalkinetics)

@frankystein12 Lieberman did not spell out the details. Running long distance alone does not develop brains. Our ancestors shifting to hunting and eating meat develop brains. Hunting is a complex task, so that pushes for brain development. An average carnivore like a wolf is more intelligent than an average herbivore like a deer. Eating meat also nutrients to develop larger brains.
Long distance running allows our ancestors to hunt and to eat meat which then develop the brains.

um what about sled ... ( 1 year ago by safenders)

um what about sled dogs??

Very Interesting. I ... ( 1 year ago by Imprezziveness)

Very Interesting. I read this in a magazine. The fact that we're bipedal means less surface area for the sun to bead down on.

Array ( 1 year ago by kshackleton)

@safenders
The environment is important. We evolved this ability in tropical Africa. We are at best advantage in the heat of the day. A marathon runner will beat sled dogs every time if they run in tropical heat, in the middle of the day. The dogs will simply go into heat exhaustion very quickly under those circumstances.

Maybe thats why we ... ( 1 year ago by SvendsenAtheist)

Maybe thats why we have big brains? because our ants esters ran alot back in the days?

this is straight ... ( 9 months ago by bodies42099)

this is straight from Born to Run. Like this is 100% all Chris McDougall's work. Anyone who read it will agree.

Heel strick ( 9 months ago by bmxphenom50)

Heel strick

mind=blown ( 2 weeks ago by Gebruikersnaamz0r)

mind=blown