14-05-2003 13:29									#31
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quote: Originally posted by OzzyKP Some animals live a few days, some animals live 200 years or more. Humans live around 80 years. Why? What causes us to "time out"?

In his natural state, the span of life of men is around 25 years, that is the time necessary to have enough opportunity to reproduce (meaning transmitting his own genes). The difference between 25 and 80 years is not necessary, and it is well known that the human body begins to decay around 20.

	14-05-2003 13:31									#32
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We have evolved longer life spans because it is in our interests to be around to support our children

	14-05-2003 13:39									#33
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quote: Originally posted by TheStinger We have evolved longer life spans because it is in our interests to be around to support our children

The moment the body begins to decay, AFAIK, has not evolved; each type of cell is programmed to be rebuild a number of time limited by design. Until the end of XIX° century, the life expectation was hardly 30 years, that is not very different from the natural state, only due to better food and security than in natural state; nothing to do with evolution.

	14-05-2003 14:16									#34
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quote: each type of cell is programmed to be rebuild a number of time limited by design

If our "natural age of death" is around 30, why are our cells getting rebuilt until a much higher age?

	14-05-2003 14:26									#35
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quote: Originally posted by DAVOUT The moment the body begins to decay, AFAIK, has not evolved; each type of cell is programmed to be rebuild a number of time limited by design. Until the end of XIX° century, the life expectation was hardly 30 years, that is not very different from the natural state, only due to better food and security than in natural state; nothing to do with evolution.

Actually the life expactancy figures were skewed by the large number of child birth and baby deaths. If you got to 10 or so you had a good chance of getting to 50-60.

	14-05-2003 14:27									#36
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quote: Originally posted by Ramo The ability to construct a better spear was a bigger plus, and the ability to throw a bigger spear would've undermined that ability.

Until there was broze, most spears were constructed pretty much the same. Of course, after awhile, bows and arrows replaced spears as ranged weapons.

quote: Originally posted by GePap "The more intelliegent?" the line of homo was making tools long before homo sapiens sapiens, and unless competition between homonids was fierce and new technological and cultural breakthroughs common, i can;t see why strength would be selected against, nuless ramo is correct and brainpower could be used better elsewhere 9though I have doubts about the notino that it takes more brain capacity to run stronger muscles).

Strength wasn't selected against, it was just not the primary concern, even though it was quite important for a very long time. See, it's not just the ability to make tools, there's also the ability to make fire, to learn - so you know what plants are poisonous, what rocks make better tools, and so forth. In there somewhere there's also the development of languages, so that experiences could be passed along to the next generation.

	14-05-2003 14:31									#37
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quote: Originally posted by DAVOUT In his natural state, the span of life of men is around 25 years, that is the time necessary to have enough opportunity to reproduce (meaning transmitting his own genes). The difference between 25 and 80 years is not necessary, and it is well known that the human body begins to decay around 20.

That is not correct. Even though by 25 a lot of individuals probably have good chances to pass along genetic information, the catch is humans are k-strategists. That means humans give birth to a few offspring, but we rear them well. On the flip side are the r-strategists, which makes a lot of babies. You can see that the highest forms of animals (birds, mammals) are all k-strategists, that means they need a lifespan long enough to rear their young too. I'd say that put at least the natural lifespan to 40 years.

	14-05-2003 14:33									#38
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Why 'panties'?

	14-05-2003 14:37									#39
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quote: Originally posted by johncmcleod And why do Germans in the movies yell "Halt!" for telling people to stop? This would be the correct command for the familiar form, but Germans in this situation would definitely talk in the formal. They would say "Halten Sie!"

No. They would say "Halt!". "Halten Sie!" means "Hold this!"

	14-05-2003 14:41									#40
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Re: Humans vs other Primates in strength

While the great apes are much stronger than us, we have quite a few advantages over them mentally and physically. For starters, we have much greater stamina and ability to cover large amounts of ground in a day. If we weighed as much as some of the great apes we wouldn't be able to hunt or gather nearly as well, or as long. Our brains allow us many ways of making up for this limitation on our strength. We use tools to increase our strength through the use of hard materials for clubs and spear points, and the use of leverage. We can stand off and remain potent adversaries through the use of missle weapons. All of these advantages predate homo sapiens sapiens, though they have intensified in their effects since then to a large extent. Simply, the advantages of having greater burst strength are heavily outweighed by being lighter, swifter and having more stamina, especially as our shortcomings in strength can be more than compensated for by our numerous technical advantages.

	14-05-2003 14:52									#41
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What a great thread. Its like being at a party where everyone is talking around you about different things and you get a snippet here and there.

	14-05-2003 15:09									#42
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Once before I started a thread about why americans seems to use what to me seems as inferior grocery bags without handles.

There's nother thing I've noticed that I think more than americans have but I still haven't figured out what it's for. In the sink there seems to be some sort of grinder down in the hole. What's the point of that?

	14-05-2003 15:15									#43
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If you release a litre of liquid water into deep space, what would happen first:

1) It will instantly evaporate and then freeze to small crystals.

2) It will instantly freeze to a large chunk of ice.

3) Something else

	14-05-2003 15:19									#44
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I always wondered how sttar trek spaceships always met each other the correct way up

	14-05-2003 15:27									#45
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quote: Originally posted by Eli quote: each type of cell is programmed to be rebuild a number of time limited by design If our "natural age of death" is around 30, why are our cells getting rebuilt until a much higher age?

I was talking of average lifespan, not age of death. For an average of 25, it is clear that taking into account the high rate of death of newborns, on the other end there are people living much older than 25. But those have there bodies decaying from the early 20, starting by the brain.

	14-05-2003 15:34									#46
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quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger That is not correct. Even though by 25 a lot of individuals probably have good chances to pass along genetic information, the catch is humans are k-strategists. That means humans give birth to a few offspring, but we rear them well. On the flip side are the r-strategists, which makes a lot of babies. You can see that the highest forms of animals (birds, mammals) are all k-strategists, that means they need a lifespan long enough to rear their young too. I'd say that put at least the natural lifespan to 40 years.

I was comparing comparable figures : the 80 years mentionned in the original question is the life expectancy, and should therefore be compared to the natural life expectancy in my reasonning. As I said above, the 25 years of average life expectancy does not preclude the existence of enough adult to rear the living youngs.

	14-05-2003 16:03									#47
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quote: Originally posted by Boshko Also the way humans evolved was to become more childlike (there's a scientific word for this process that eludes me), that's why we are less hairy, better at learning, and have a bigger brain:body ratio just like chimp babies compared to adult chimps. That's also part of the reason why we're weaker.

Neoteny.

	14-05-2003 18:33									#48
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What is the definition of equations which can only be solved numerically? Or is it arbitrary?

	14-05-2003 18:52									#49
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So life span is directly tied to reproduction?

How does this work in the 200 year old tortoise?

Heck, even trees that live a thousand years. They reproduce hundreds of times. Of course there are more differences between plants and animals, but why do we have to break down? Why don't our cells just continue to repair themselves for a thousand years like Redwoods?

	14-05-2003 19:41									#50
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quote: Originally posted by OzzyKP So life span is directly tied to reproduction? How does this work in the 200 year old tortoise? Heck, even trees that live a thousand years. They reproduce hundreds of times. Of course there are more differences between plants and animals, but why do we have to break down? Why don't our cells just continue to repair themselves for a thousand years like Redwoods?

Just a few guesses for the tortoise (knowing that the 200 years is probably not the average life expectancy, and by far):
- considering the enormous losses due to predators of the eggs and young tortoises,
- and considering also the necessity that the descent result from many different mates (tortoises make eggs once a year ?)
it could take that kind of duration to be sure to get a viable descent.

The idea is identical for the trees, with a reproduction system more complex in that it demands the help of elements outside the trees such as winds or insects, and therefore still more time.

Why do we have to break down ?

Life is a replication system; any living form, once it has replicated enough to ensure the transmission of its genes, is designed to break down and die through degeneration. That process makes room and material for more life.

	14-05-2003 19:49									#51
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quote: Originally posted by Kropotkin There's nother thing I've noticed that I think more than americans have but I still haven't figured out what it's for. In the sink there seems to be some sort of grinder down in the hole. What's the point of that?

You can throw organic stuff (probably not bones though) such as bits and pieces you peel off when preparing a meal down the sink, then turn on the grinder with water running so all that stuff you thrown down won't clog up the drainage.

	14-05-2003 19:59									#52
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Why is common sense so uncommon?

For example, everyone finds it annoying to have to walk around people who are standing still (talking on their cellphone, chatting with someone they ran into) in a high density area. Yet almost everyone does this very thing at some point. If I meet someone I'd like to chat with in a public place, I suggest we "pull aside", so as not to become an obstruction.

There are countless other situations like this, both minor and major in impact. I really think the phrase should be renamed "uncommon sense".

	14-05-2003 20:08									#53
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I've always wondered:

Our entire galaxy is moving. wouldn't that mean that that inside the solar system, light would go slower one way than the other?

( I can't wait to get to Relativity in uni, finally, it will all be explained. )

	14-05-2003 20:12									#54
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quote: Originally posted by Azazel I've always wondered: Our entire galaxy is moving. wouldn't that mean that that inside the solar system, light would go slower one way than the other? ( I can't wait to get to Relativity in uni, finally, it will all be explained. )

Light speed is constant, whether you move at any speed or dont move at all.

	14-05-2003 20:16									#55
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I know, it's hard for me to comprehend.

	14-05-2003 20:16									#56
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I always wondered what language people who have been deaf since birth think in. When most people think, it takes an almost verbal/auditory form in their mind...but the deaf wouldn't have anything to base that on.

	14-05-2003 20:21									#57
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Continuing Azazel's question... What's the explanation to this?

If I travel at 0.99c in a certain direction and a lightwave travels at c in the same direction I will measure it's speed as c, right? But why? Is it because the time dilation that I will experience?

	14-05-2003 20:26									#58
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quote: Originally posted by Azazel I know, it's hard for me to comprehend.

The speed of light is constant, but the observer situated on the way the solar system is moving will receive sooner the light originated in the part of the solar system closer to him than the light originated in the farther part, since the former light will have a shorter distance to run.

	14-05-2003 20:26									#59
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yes.

	14-05-2003 20:28									#60
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quote: Originally posted by johncmcleod Why do hot dog packages come in 8 and the buns come in 6? And why do Germans in the movies yell "Halt!" for telling people to stop? This would be the correct command for the familiar form, but Germans in this situation would definitely talk in the formal. They would say "Halten Sie!"

No, they would not - the movies are tight at this for once... I guess the reason is that "halten sie" would be longer plus when you command someone to stop you don't care about the formal form anymore