Brain Size?

[hardaker]

Tough to say, FM. Maybe there's more intelligence out there than we think. Especially with all this news about chimp tool use, and those mega-chimps in the Congo who sleep on the ground and carry spears (okay, long sticks). And language? It's just wild what's turning up. On the other hand, the entire concept of human intelligence, at times, seems a contradiction in terms. The way things have been going this century, could it be that we are all Homers on this bus?

[hardaker]

About the Hobbit tech, I hear from one place they are more modern than the earlier erectus artifacts on the island, ca. 800k. But Morwood in his book says the two horizons contain pretty much the same tech. Has anyone looked into this?

[Beagle]

Exaptation. Thanks for another word to google Chris. I've understood why marine food is excellent for our large brains, and aid in the fueling of the growth of the brain. Also, seafood allowed us to maintain Vitamin D levels at higher latitudes.

But I haven't understood how it would have prompted brain growth. I've heard recently that geneticists suspect that a gene is responsible for continued brain growth and are hoping to find it in the Neanderthal genome.

I'll read up on exaptation and see what I can find. Thanks.


PS - Great Book!

[hardaker]

Hi Beagle. Can't wait to hear what you find out. High School Chem left me with fear and loathing, so I don't know how solid the guy's research is, but it sounds fitting that we didn't cause our own intellelectual capacity. Maybe it's time to update the 2001 screenplay so that Moonwatcher (the smart chimp) is eating shrimp.
Chris

[Forum Monk]

About the Hobbit tech, I hear from one place they are more modern than the earlier erectus artifacts on the island, ca. 800k. But Morwood in his book says the two horizons contain pretty much the same tech. Has anyone looked into this?

In the case of HE and HF this is true. Seems the tools were complex enough to assume some thinking was involved in their manufacture and yet not technically difficult to make. (if that makes sense the way I said it)

In my opinion, the fact the tech was similar seems to indicate a lack of evolution in tool making or at least the tools were adequate for the purpose required without being more complex.


http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stor ... 652083.htm

[hardaker]

When I was looking into bipolar flaking, New Guinea folks were still using it -- totally expedient, and totally handy when it comes to tough cobbles and pebbles. Can't get better at it.

Still, with most old finds, only the stone survives for the most part. Those wooden javelins that were at 400k in N. Germany, it shocked a lot of folks who had been working with simple stone tools for decades.

I just wonder if the Hobbits had boats, and if Erectus used boats to get out to the islands in the first place. The currents between the islands are legendary in the modern age. Seems they had to. It there's any truth to this, it should blow the roof of brain and intell studies.

[Forum Monk]

Too bad they never figured out how to make boats from rocks. We'd have half a chance of finding the smoking gun, so to speak.

(good night all)

[Beagle]

I just wonder if the Hobbits had boats, and if Erectus used boats to get out to the islands in the first place. The currents between the islands are legendary in the modern age. Seems they had to. It there's any truth to this, it should blow the roof of brain and intell studies.

I don't know about the HF's. But there is no other way to get there. In the Aborigine thread, way back on page two, I posted some of Robert Bednariks work on HE seafaring. Charlie posted later on "Erectus Ahoy". I'm sure you know how Charlie feels about it. Many of us here think that seafaring has been a part of human history for at least 800K yrs., as mind blowing as that may seem.

It couldn't have been just a couple of HE's hanging on a log that got swept out to sea. A viable breeding population would have required a minimum of 200 individuals. In the case of the Australian aboriginals, they brought their dogs as well.

That's too radical for many people, but it seems to be the case.

*It's midnight in Tennessee. Buenos Noches.

[hardaker]

Alas... stone boats. Damn those physical laws!

[Minimalist]

I have heard it suggested that it was the beginning of a protein rich meat diet as opposed to a vegetarian diet which initially propelled man on the road to being the genius that he is today....with a few notable exceptions.

Do we actually have evidence that, nutritionally, seafood is even a richer protein source than meat?

[hardaker]

Yeah, that's what I use to hear as well. Red meat accounts for the sharper canines and smaller face, but I imagine so did fire and cooking. Cunnane is the first person to come up with this seafood hypothesis. I'm not sure how far back he's going with it, like, when did the change happen. The overall security offered by Beaches is fairly high since rivers feed into the sea. It would sure buoy the aquatic ape idea.

[fossiltrader]

Mike and several others did actually cross to Flores on a locally constructed bamboo raft this too was televised.As for sea food diet the last thing i read on it said that brain growth could have been improved by seafoods higher zinc levels.

[Beagle]

Mike and several others did actually cross to Flores on a locally constructed bamboo raft this too was televised.As for sea food diet the last thing i read on it said that brain growth could have been improved by seafoods higher zinc levels.

Hello FT. Firstly, I don't know who Mike is and I wish you would knock this off. Then - that TV program wasn't aired in the US that I know of. I wish it had been. The need for zinc that you speak of is real, of course, but it exists in adequate amounts in the soil, which percolates up to all animals including man.

I think the one thing that seafood has over other meats is the Omega 3 fatty acids. Also, as you note with zinc, it is abundant in fish, but so are other essential minerals.
Salt, iodine, and many minerals, when not present in local soils, have historically caused many health problems in stationary humans. That was not true of hunter/gatherers.

[fossiltrader]

Knock what off?/ sorry Mike is Mike Morewood the man who led the dig on Flores thought that was actually obvious.Never the less not my problem shows where not aired in USA is it ?happy to provide details of shows name etc if it will help?

[fossiltrader]

Just for clarity Mike Morewood is the guy on the right with white shirt and red bandana we where on a dig in N.S.W. Australia at the time cheers Fossil