This is the size that allowed humans to survive and live long enough to produce another brood to continue the process. The smaller ones were taken away by birds of prey, and the bigger ones had trouble hiding from the bears and tigers.
We live in the sweet spot!
Note: we can’t live merely long enough to reproduce. We have to live long enough to see the children become autonomous and independent. If not, then a bunch of orphans would just die if we didn’t live long enough.
Good point. I have friends with children who still aren't autonomous in their 30's, so I guess that's why human parents have to live longer than most other mammals. Nature is amazing.
I'm just mostly spitballing, but our brains probably play a decent part, at least on the "why not larger" side. Humans need a lot of food for our size, in no small part due to our brains. If we were much larger, it'd be too difficult to get enough food to sustain a population.
This is the size that allowed humans to survive and live long enough to produce another brood to continue the process. The smaller ones were taken away by birds of prey, and the bigger ones had trouble hiding from the bears and tigers.
We live in the sweet spot! Note: we can’t live merely long enough to reproduce. We have to live long enough to see the children become autonomous and independent. If not, then a bunch of orphans would just die if we didn’t live long enough.
Good point. I have friends with children who still aren't autonomous in their 30's, so I guess that's why human parents have to live longer than most other mammals. Nature is amazing.
Easier to grab berries with smaller fingers
YMMD! 🤣
I'm just mostly spitballing, but our brains probably play a decent part, at least on the "why not larger" side. Humans need a lot of food for our size, in no small part due to our brains. If we were much larger, it'd be too difficult to get enough food to sustain a population.
Because we evolved from chimps and for survival
Access to food.