We were evolved to fight

[Dogstarman]

I just thought the article was ridiculous. The Rocky Balboa analogy was funny as hell.

 

[ocean size]

It's interesting that Neanderthals had much larger brains(like 200-300cc larger) than modern humans, and probably had larger encephalization quotients too.

They were the first to control the use of fire, and used a more advanced tool-kit than archaic homo-sapiens for a very long time.

Something seems to have happened about 40,000 years ago, which doesn't coincide with an increase in brain matter. We had a cultural explosion. Seven thousand years later is the date of the last fossil trace of Neanderthals we've found.

...makes ya think, doesn't it.

Yeah it kind of does... isn't the common hypothesis that it was climate? The Neanderthal would be prone to sinus infections and required 2 lbs of meat every day, not as easy to come by when all the megafauna has died off.

 

[Chernabog]

It's interesting that Neanderthals had much larger brains(like 200-300cc larger) than modern humans, and probably had larger encephalization quotients too.

The main reason for larger brains was because it gave off more heat. It was an adaptation to the cold climate. However, it's my opinion the potential for abstract thinking emerged as the brain developed more from australopithecus to homo sapiens.

 

[LEWIS540]

Brain is cool, but if you want shoot at something a gun may help

A gun without the capacity to use it is just a bit of metal.

 

[ocean size]

No kidding. Guys who fought like that would break their hand/wrists quickly and be fucked. Even trained guys with wraps and gloves break their hands all the time.

I think science would be better if scientists were on average more well rounded - for example,

I think if the researchers in this article had any decent knowledge of combat sports, this study wouldn't have passed the common sense test.

Of course, I say this while sitting in my lab at 8 pm taking a break from looking at data that could wait until Monday. fuck me

 

[ocean size]

The main reason for larger brains was because it gave off more heat. It was an adaptation to the cold climate. However, it's my opinion the potential for abstract thinking emerged as the brain developed more from australopithecus to homo sapiens.

Do you have a source for that? I don't understand - the brain produced more heat (and lost it quickly) and that helped what exactly?

 

[Prokofievian]

Yeah it kind of does... isn't the common hypothesis that it was climate? The Neanderthal would be prone to sinus infections and required 2 lbs of meat every day, not as easy to come by when all the megafauna has died off.

Yeah, but the big question for me is why we found so much rapid development in such a short period of time in AHS, but almost no development of any sort of the same kind in neanderthals, despite the difference in brain size and encephalization quotients.

Like...the fuck were they doing during that other 60 thousand years?

 

[Prokofievian]

Do you have a source for that? I don't understand - the brain produced more heat (and lost it quickly) and that helped what exactly?

Yeah, that doesn't immediately make sense to me, either. Perhaps a larger volume to surface area ratio making it radiate less heat?

 

[elmo_1968]

I can't believe all you idiots are missing the point of this article, which is

Boxing > MMA.

I got it, and I don't even like boxing. You're welcome.

 

[Prokofievian]

However, it's my opinion the potential for abstract thinking emerged as the brain developed more from australopithecus to homo sapiens.

Yeah, but the only difference between AHS and MHS is a forehead, and even then, some AHS had foreheads too.

What the hell happened 40,000 years ago?

...monoliths. That's what happened.

 

[ocean size]

Yeah, but the big question for me is why we found so much rapid development in such a short period of time in AHS, but almost no development of any sort of the same kind in neanderthals, despite the difference in brain size and encephalization quotients.

Like...the fuck were they doing during that other 60 thousand years?

Well, we have good evidence for abstract thought, they even had ritual burials and decorated graves with flowers... I feel like we were pretty neck and neck up till the Neaderthals died off. I'm sure some of the genetic differences have been compared since we have both genomes, I'll have to look into that some time. I vaguely remember them not having the same genes that are involved in vocalization.

 

[Chernabog]

Do you have a source for that? I don't understand - the brain produced more heat (and lost it quickly) and that helped what exactly?

I don't have my biological anthropology book on hand so just bear with me for a sec.

 

[ocean size]

I don't have my biological anthropology book on hand so just bear with me for a sec.

after a cursory google search found this article - kind of interesting.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45656171/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/we-do-have-bigger-brains-neanderthals-did/#.UPI0EW-7P6U

 

[Chernabog]

Yeah, but the only difference between AHS and MHS is a forehead, and even then, some AHS had foreheads too.

What the hell happened 40,000 years ago?

...monoliths. That's what happened.

Modern homo sapiens have existed for 200,000 years. They had the ability to think like modern humans because they were modern humans.

 

[Chernabog]

after a cursory google search found this article - kind of interesting.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45656171/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/we-do-have-bigger-brains-neanderthals-did/#.UPI0EW-7P6U

I don't like that the article does not provide numbers to coincide with their finds. The Neanderthal brain was anywhere between 1300-1600cc. The homo sapien brain is 1200-1400 cc roughly (again, I wish I had my book). The books I use are very current and there would have been a revision if neanderthals did indeed have smaller brains than homo sapiens.

 

[Prokofievian]

Modern homo sapiens have existed for 200,000 years. They had the ability to think like modern humans because they were modern humans.

I don't think you're understanding the problem.

The problem is:

nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-HUGE-CULTURAL-REVOLUTION with no corresponding increase in brain matter, in an incredibly short period of time.

What happened? Also, yes we do have MHS remains from as far back as 200,000 years. However, to argue that AHS wasn't also prominent up until much more recently isn't exactly supported.

 

[ocean size]

I don't think you're understanding the problem.

The problem is:

nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-HUGE-CULTURAL-REVOLUTION with no corresponding increase in brain matter, in an incredibly short period of time.

What happened? Also, yes we do have MHS remains from as far back as 200,000 years. However, to argue that AHS wasn't also prominent up until much more recently isn't exactly supported.

I dunno, read Guns, Germs, and Steel or a similar book that is more reputable. Jared Diamond would say it is biogeographical factors.

Plenty of isolated groups like PNG highlanders were living just like they were 40k years ago until contact.

 

[Chernabog]

I don't think you're understanding the problem.

The problem is:

nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-HUGE-CULTURAL-REVOLUTION with no corresponding increase in brain matter, in an incredibly short period of time.

What happened? Also, yes we do have MHS remains from as far back as 200,000 years. However, to argue that AHS wasn't also prominent up until much more recently isn't exactly supported.

This cultural revolution would most likely be attributed the the sedentary lifestyle as a result of domestication and the development of agriculture. With that there was more time for what we would see as culture to be developed.

I'm not understanding what you mean by ancient homo sapiens. Are you talking about homo sapien neanderthalis or the homo sapiens that came out of east africa?

 

[tkotom]

But the earth is only 6000 years old.

 

[Chernabog]

But the earth is only 6000 years old.