From a speciation standpoint, this wouldn’t be unprecedented. Whales evolved to their current iterations from land mammals. Though not a direct evolutionary ancestor, think about the modern hippo. They spend the bulk of their time in the water… even for mating. Interesting evolutionary side-note: Did you know whales have vestigial hips and legs embedded in their bodies… similar to our tailbones? Did you also know that whales are sometimes born with external legs through peculiar gene expressions?

As you watch the video, keep in mind that the hypothesis doesn’t say that we evolved from apes who had moved into aquatic areas and became fully adapted to aquatic life. It merely suggests that our ancestors spent a significant amount of time in the water for hundreds of thousands of years (guessing)… or just long enough to begin to develop adaptations for “a life aquatic”. Compelling evidence is our slightly webbed fingers and toes, and our ability to consciously override our breath control. The latter is key for diving and isn’t found in the majority of mammalian species. It’s also related to our ability to speak, a la voice control.

However, the mammalian dive reflex doesn’t really fit with the hypothesis. Since it’s found in nearly all mammals, there’s no reason to believe that the hominin line evolved it during the Paleolithic.

Did I mention this theory is almost universally ignored? Did I mention I don’t think there’s currently any compelling reason to believe it? Oh well, it’s interesting. It also attempts to explain some things that aren’t necessarily 100%  explained by the strict African savanna hunter-gatherer hypothesis. As such, I think it’s an interesting exercise in testing our assumptions…

[cft format=0]

Edit: I was sent the following video via a friend on Twitter:

<object width=”640″ height=”385″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/0kVbW_ZoC_8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US”></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/0kVbW_ZoC_8?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”640″ height=”385″></embed></object>

Whatchya think?

Paul Ekman

Aside from being the scientific force underlying hit TV series “Lie to me”, Dr. Paul Ekman was a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco for 32 years. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Chicago and New York University. Ekman then received his Ph.D. from Adelphi University in 1958 after spending a year in clinical internship at the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, part of UCSF.

His interests have focused on two separate but related topics. He originally focused on ‘nonverbal’ behavior, and by the mid-60’s concentrated on the expression and physiology of emotion. His second interest is interpersonal deception.

His many honors have included the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award of the American Psychological Association in 1991, and an honorary doctor of humane letters from the University of Chicago in 1994. Dr. Ekman retired from UCSF in 2004. He currently continues to consult on research and training related to emotion and deception.

Dacher Keltner

Dacher Keltner, Professor of Psychology, is a social psychologist who focuses on the prosocial emotions, such as love, sympathy and gratitude, and processes such as teasing and flirtation that enhance bonds.

He has conducted empirical studies in three areas of inquiry. A first looks at the determinant and effects of power, hierarchy and social class. A second in concerned with the morality of everyday life, and how we negotiate moral truths in teasing, gossip, and other reputational matters. A third and primary focus in on the biological and evolutionary basis of the benevolent affects, including compassion, awe, love, gratitude, and laughter and modesty.
[cft format=0]

Topics

• DACHER KELTNER: Role of Darwin in Human Emotion
• Principles of Expression / Serviceable Habits
• Principle of Antithesis
• Nature of the Startle Response
• Evolution of Emotions
• PAUL EKMAN: Misconceptions of Darwin’s Work
• Darwin’s ‘The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals’
• Heroic Compassion
• Global Compassion
• CONVERSATION: First Read of Darwin
• How Did Darwin ‘Always’ Get it Right?
• Disconfirming ‘Born to Be Good’
• Differing Expressions of Emotions
• Darwin, Spirituality and Compassion
• Compassionate Outliers and Evolution

Q & A

• Love
• Epigenetics
• Humor and Laughter
• Evolution of Heroic Compassion
• Explaining Bell’s Palsy or Autism
• Anger Towards Homeless People
• Cultural Variation
• Training Mind to Prevent Emotional Hijacking
• Nature vs. Nurture
• Is Darwin a Diest?
• Postpartum Depression
• Heroic Compassion and Emotional Aberration
• Does Darwin Illuminate Emotion and Spirituality?

Until recently, Professor Dawkins held the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University. He is the author of many books, including The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker: Why the Evidence of Evolution Reveals a Universe without Design, and Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder. His first book, The Selfish Gene, was an instant international bestseller, and has become an established classic work of modern evolutionary biology.

[cft format=0]

Richard Dawkins is also the author of The Blind Watchmaker, River Out of Eden, Climbing Mount Improbable, Unweaving the Rainbow, A Devil’s Chaplain, The Ancestor’s Tale, The God Delusion, and most recently, The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution.

Professor Dawkins’s awards have included the Silver Medal of the Zoological Society of London (1989), the Royal Society’s Michael Faraday Award (1990), the Nakayama Prize for Achievement in Human Science (1990), The International Cosmos Prize (1997) and the Kistler Prize (2001).

He has Honorary Doctorates in both literature and science, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society.