How Hunting May Have Turned Humans Into Long-distance Runners

Researchers have discovered hundreds of historical accounts of humans hunting prey by chasing them down over long distances, which some believe is why we evolved our unique talent for endurance running

Paris, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th May, 2024) Researchers have discovered hundreds of historical accounts of humans hunting prey by chasing them down over long distances, which some believe is why we evolved our unique talent for endurance running.

While speedy animals such as cheetahs or antelopes may outrun us initially, over tens of kilometres humans can slowly chase them down partly thanks to our lack of hot fur and ability to sweat buckets.

Some scientists have even proposed that endurance hunting contributed to humans evolving bodies that are so different to other primates, which are not capable of long-distance running.

But the theory has been a matter of heated debate among scientists, with sceptics arguing that there are few historical examples.

Eugene Morin, an anthropologist at Canada's Trent University and lead author of a new study, told AFP that this form of hunting had long been "considered marginal".

But for the study, published this week in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, the researchers discovered many accounts "consistent with endurance hunting" dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries, he said.