Has human being physiologically changed between the first Homo sapiens and modern human regarding walking, running and endurance capacities?
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Human physiology has indeed undergone significant changes from the first Homo sapiens to modern humans in terms of walking, running, and endurance capacities. Early hominins likely evolved bipedal walking for efficient foraging , with later adaptations for endurance running possibly linked to scavenging and hunting . The genus Homo saw an increase in body mass and potential diet quality improvements, impacting locomotor performance . Evolutionary medicine research indicates that humans have experienced more physiological changes compared to other primates, with traits like haematocrit, amylase, and monocytes showing marked evolutionary increases along the human lineage . These changes reflect adaptations to a high-quality diet, increased endurance abilities, and energy storage capabilities in response to environmental and cultural selective forces .
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96 Citations | Human physiology has remained adapted for long-distance locomotion and heat dissipation from the first Homo sapiens to modern humans, emphasizing endurance over speed in various environments. |
26 Citations | Human physiology has evolved, showing unique gains in endurance abilities compared to other primates, likely due to adaptations to a high-quality diet and energetically expensive brain. |
10 Citations | Human physiology has evolved, showing increased haematocrit and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration possibly due to long-distance running, indicating changes in endurance capacities since the first Homo sapiens. |
01 Mar 2023 | Neanderthals and Homo sapiens show different adaptive trajectories, with Neanderthals possibly adapted for strength over endurance. Understanding contemporary human variation may shed light on these evolutionary differences. |
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