Curated Tumblr

But if a determined human really wants to try and kill you, there's no out-running it. It'll catch up eventually.

We are the metaphorical snail that relentlessly pursues to kill.

Human V Horse race in Wales

When it's hot out, the human wins. When it's cold/cool, humans can't stand a chance against the horses. Similarly, wolves and dogs can easily outrun humans in the cold, but lose to humans when it's hot.

That's because the biggest comparative advantage that humans have is actually thermal management while running, not the act of running itself.

Humans sweat. This means we can actually perform intense exercise even in heat, without overheating as easily as most other animals. Most quadruped mammals pant to cool, and have their breaths tied to their steps while running, so they can't cool themselves efficiently while on the move. Persistence hunting doesn't tire out prey, but actually overheats the prey to where they can't run any further.

Throw in the fact that we can throw, handle weapons while running, climb shit, talk, invent things, etc., and we really have been a deadly species for long before industrialization.

Let’s also add on that humans used a tactic called “persistence hunting”, in which you follow after some animal at a brisk pace startling it every time it tries to rest. With nothing more than sweat glands, pointy sticks and ridiculous endurance, we marathon jogged some species to extinction!

and don’t forget that humans have excellent and precise communication skills, too. At least in theory. One human might not be able to kill the wild animal, but a group can.

Also, we can and do eat some mild poisons because they’re tasty somehow.

I have a love of chocolate, but smaller animals can’t eat as much without severe metabolic issues that might kill them.

And capsaicin is straight-up an anti-mammal deterrent. Birds might be able to eat it with no reaction at all. Meanwhile humans just deal with their temperature receptors being freaking hacked for seemingly no other reason than fun.

You have the ability to. Doesn't mean you have the skill

TIL I could be out-pitched by most other apes because I'm so weak. I am a shame of a human.

Nope, we are really fucking good at throwing. Basically we created a feadback loop due to how throwing with more accuracy and force was better for hunting and defense that it increased survival ratings. This in turn meant those who threw better got to breed while those who didnt died.

This is a pretty big stretch. I wouldn't say spitting and throwing are comparable.

I'm interested in hearing about the other examples of species accurately throwing things though.