This idea was attacked at first by scientists, but the book became an international bestseller. He was not aware that a similar idea had been published in germany during the war by. A challenge to langdons 1997 critique of the aquatic ape hypothesis has still not been published despite the paper appearing to have a number of weaknesses which deserve a response. This is the aquatic ape theory and although treated with derision by some academics over the past 50 years, it is still backed by a small, but committed group of scientists. Find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. The aquatic ape theory suggests that when our ancestors moved onto the savanna they were already different from apes. The aquatic ape theory on the other hand picks out one of all these environments and says. The aquatic ape hypoth esis aah, also referred to as aquatic ape theory aat is the idea that ancestors of modern human s were more aquatic than those of ot her gre at apes the hypothesis was initially proposed by the marine biologist alister hardy in 1960, who argued that a br anch of apes was forced by competition over terrestrial habitats to hunt for food such as shellfish on the sea shore. Why anthropologists dont accept the aquatic ape theory. This challenges the consensus view that our ancestors left an arboreal treedwelling habitat and then continued to evolve in. Most of the features of human physiology are rare or unique among land mammals, but are common among aquatic ones. In this lesson, well discuss reasons this idea is compelling, as well as. It suggests that the significant loss of body hair, bipedalism, and other characteristics evolved some time earlier in an aquatic or semiaquatic environment, when the human and ape lines first diverged.
The simple fact is that we love the water and feel comfortable in it. Big brains, no fur, sinuses are these clues to our. A new aquatic ape theory science smithsonian magazine. The aquatic ape hypothesis aah proposes that our evolutionary ancestors, at some point, adapted to a semiaquatic existence. In discussions of human origins invariably rest on rather shaky foundations. Synopsis this thoughtprovoking text presents the aquatic ape theory, with new information, new questions and a wealth of documentary evidence. The aquatic ape hypothesis by elaine morgan, paperback.
Why anthropologists dont accept the aquatic ape theory 25 jan 2005 this is now an old post from 2005 see updates below one of the most common arguments about human evolution on the internet is whether hominids ever went through an aquatic phase in their evolution. Constraining the aquatic ape hypothesis from the pendulum to. The unpopular role of luck in evolution parsimony and occams razor. Proponents use incorrect facts and logical fallacies such as straw men, appeals to authority, and false comparison in their arguments. Elaine morgan gives a revolutionary hypothesis that explains our anatomic anomalieswhy we walk on two legs, why we are covered in fat, why we. Nov 01, 1982 the aquatic ape hypothesis is one such. The aquatic ape hypothesis aah, also referred to as aquatic ape theory aat is the idea that ancestors of modern humans were more aquatic than those of other great apes the hypothesis was initially proposed by the marine biologist alister hardy in 1960, who argued that a branch of apes was forced by competition over terrestrial habitats to hunt for food such as shellfish on the sea shore. Human evolution in the sea at bioko norwegian scitech news. Apr 11, 20 the aquatic ape theory attempts to answer a lot of unanswered questions that have plagued mankind about our heritage. The aquatic ape theory often referred to as the aat or aah ill generally refer to it as the aath on this site says humans went through an aquatic or semi aquatic stage in our evolution and that this accounts for many features seen in human anatomy and physiology. May 20, 2017 however, morgan argues that this is not an adequate replacement for what used to be a clear and well defined hypothesis morgan, 18. The aquatic ape theory graham hancock official website. Im going to call it that today because thats what its creators named it, but do note that nothing has ever been done in anthropology that could conceivably elevate the aquatic ape.
Popularized in the 1970s and 1980s by writer elaine morgan, the theory suggests that early hominids lived in water at least part of the time. Sorry david attenborough, we didnt evolve from aquatic apesheres why the theory was first put forward more than 55 years ago by alice roberts, mark maslin on september 19, 2016. Charleston2 division of environmental and evolutionary biology, institute of biomedical and life sciences, university of glasgow, glasgow g12 8qq, united kingdom accepted february 19, 1999. The hypothesis is troubled by inconsistencies and has not been reconciled with the fossil record. In a 2016 september bbc radio program titled the waterside ape, sir david attenbourough presents new evidence for the waterside theory that have been published in recent years. The aquatic ape theory attempts to answer a lot of unanswered questions that have plagued mankind about our heritage. In the decades since, morgans aquatic ape hypothesis has gained widespread support. The aquatic ape hypothesis by elaine morgan overdrive. The scars of evolution this is a thoroughly interesting radio programme in two parts about the aquatic ape hypothesis of human evolution. In this section i describe the reasons why proponents of the socalled aquatic ape hypothesis better labelled waterside hypotheses of human evolution, in my opinion find the idea so. Most credible theory of human evolution new ed by morgan, elaine isbn.
Key proponents of aat aquatic ape theory hypothesis. A documentary by sir david attenborough, the waterside ape, is based on morgans aquatic ape hypothesis. I confess a certain personal interest in the matter. As i understand it, it is the general idea that modern humans evolved from aquatic mammals. Evolution and natural selection, two of the most influential scientific discoveries in biology to date, capable of unlocking our past and answering questions of how we became the way we are. The aquatic ape hypothesis by elaine morgan goodreads. Sorry david attenborough, we didnt evolve from aquatic. The waterside hypothesis requires a rethinking of human evolution. So finally, in what he thinks is a clincher to his longheld theory, hardy offers the diving reflex, but for something which he feels is a powerful vindication of his theory, he seems to have done astonishingly little research about it. Sep 26, 2008 a 5 minute explanation of a new approach towards evolution. The aquatic ape hypothesis basically states that there are some holes in our current understanding of human evolution specifically, some physical traits that humans have dont make sense according to current theory, these traits are similar to those found in marine mammals, therefore humans had a recent aquatic ancestor known as the.
Chapter four the aquatic ape theory mermaids are real. Ether oar after all geographer make sure to like and subscribe to learn more about our wonderful world. The theory has also been the subject of at least two ph. He incorrectly says is only found in humans and aquatic animals.
Large mammals are mobile and can disperse over large areas without being littoral consider leopards. Popularized in the 1970s and 1980s by writer elaine morgan, the theory suggests. In short, the fossil record is perfectly compatible with the supposition that at some time between eight and six million years ago, at the north end of the rift valley where the most ancient hominid remains have been found, one section of the l. It was williams who first coined the term aquarboreal to describe a wadingclimbing component to the locomotor repertoire, used by verhaegen et al. The aquatic ape hypothesis is a theory that, at some point in the past several million years ago, the ancestors of homo sapiens lived on the seashore and spent enough time in the water that their bodies developed a number of adaptations to an aquatic lifestyle, which remain with us today and separate us from many other primates. It is the most persuasive, closely argued case yet offered to explain the mystery of human origins. I would say that there is more evidence that we are a multispecialist or multihabitat ape, who are able to walk and run on a savannah, swim and dive in shallow water, adapted to more than water only or savannah only. It can explain how we came to have such features as long. The aquatic ape idea is at best a hypothesis, and most of its critics refer to it as a hypothesis.
Common misconceptions and unproven assumptions about the socalled aquatic ape hypothesis article pdf available in human evolution 28. The scientific community reacted with silence but what she was proposing wasnt anything new. A brief critique of morgans 1997 book, the aquatic ape hypothesis how to misquote darwin other aath theorists alister hardys original aquatic ape theory marc verhaegen the omega3 gang algis kuliukas summary internal inconsistency why is the aath so popular. He waited for thirty years before publishing an account of it, having a shrewd idea how it would be received and how it might damage his career. Conventionally, anthropologists have sought to explain a. Why is giving birth often argued to be more natural in water. In support of the aquatic ape theory the post glacial. The answers may be speculative, but no more than all of the other theories. The aquatic ape theory, now largely dismissed, tries to explain the origins of many of humankinds unique traits. The aquatic ape theory states that our ancestors once spent a significant part of their life in water. Was bipedalism selected by the disappearance of some but not all forest habitat some five six million years ago 56 my and the simultaneous appearance of the african savannah with its large predators and discontinuous distribution of food. Aquatic ape hypothesis captain cynic science forum. In the program, they interview free diver sara campell who went from a total beginner to a holder of three world records in just eight months.
Sep 19, 2016 sorry david attenborough, we didnt evolve from aquatic apesheres why the theory was first put forward more than 55 years ago by alice roberts, mark maslin on september 19, 2016. Pdf have we already tested the aquatic ape hypothesis. Jul 20, 2011 aquatic ape theory explains lots of featured unique to humans and totally absent in apes. What do those differences tell us about human evolution. The theory of an aquatic phase in human prehistory was conceived by sir alister hardy in 1930, when he was a young professor of marine biology at oxford. He first encountered the aquatic ape hypothesis in 1970 when he read morris the naked ape and became a proponent from 1973 after he encountered elaine morgans the descent of woman. Forum comments on allard and carpenter 1996, or the. This essay explores one example of these models, the aquatic ape hypothesis, the proponents of which continue to argue that they have not received a fair hearing among anthropologists. Umbrella hypotheses and parsimony in human evolution. The hypothesis was initially proposed by the marine biologist alister hardy in 1960, who argued that a branch of apes was forced by. A brief critique of morgans 1997 book,the aquatic ape hypothesis elaine morgans 1997 aquatic ape book her sixth is supposedly her best researched according to her so ive read it and here jotted down some notes of things that i could immediately see were errors, problems, or logical fallacies. The aquatic ape hypothesis is the idea that our ancestors went through an aquatic mammal evolutionary stage. Morgans study considers characteristics of the human development and form that lend themselves to the water. The aquatic ape theory has been disregarded by paleoanthropologists, but it deserves another chance.
Evidence and a possible scenario article pdf available in medical hypotheses 161. With an overdrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for ataglance information about availability. On the contrary, waterside hypotheses provide an extra viewpoint to human evolution, not discussed by conventional. In presenting her case elaine morgan forces scientists to question accepted theories of human evolution, while expressing complex ideas for the general reader in a clear and accessible style. Last week the aquatic ape idea was gently lampooned by the hypothesis that humans evolved in space see kate wongs summary. The aquatic ape hypothesis the most credible theory of human evolution by elaine morgan. Citing a lack of explanations for the differences between humans and the other descendants of the lcm, morgan states that an alternative theory is necessary, and thus proposes the aquatic ape theory. Humans and apes share a common ancestor, yet homo sapiens have several traits that distinguish them from orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and the rest. In the program, they interview free diver sara campell who went from a total beginner to a. Jan 03, 2011 elaine morgan 192020 was the author of the 1972 book the descent of woman, which suggested that human evolution had an aquatic origin. However, our understanding of human evolution is hindered when pseudoscientific ideas refuses to yield. It is not a theory in the scientific sense due to a want of evidence, it is more like a fringe idea. Elaine was kind enough to send her support to my hypothesis when my book as first published in 2010 as she understood that man would naturally use water in our evolution story, as he was by nature an aquatic ape and this would manifest itself in later history when our ancestors used water to travel and trade which meant that we probably safely floated rather than walked dangerously out.
The aquatic ape hypothesis aah, often also referred to as aquatic ape theory aat, is a proposal that the evolutionary ancestors of modern humans spent a period of time adapting to a semiaquatic existence. Aquatic apes are the stuff of creationism, not evolution. Elaine morgan 192020 was the author of the 1972 book the descent of woman, which suggested that human evolution had an aquatic origin. The aquatic ape hypothesis aah, also referred to as aquatic ape theory aat is the idea that. It has some supporting evidence or, rather, it isnt definitively contradicted by the evidence that there is. One such idea is the aquatic ape hypothesis aah which attempts to explain a number of human adaptations with the single explanation of a semiaquatic ancestor. Apr 27, 20 this is the aquatic ape theory and although treated with derision by some academics over the past 50 years, it is still backed by a small, but committed group of scientists.
The aquatic ape hypothesis aah 1787 words 123 help me. Apr 16, 2012 the aquatic ape theory, now largely dismissed, tries to explain the origins of many of humankinds unique traits. Comments on allard and carpenter 1996, or the aquatic ape hypothesis revisited roderic d. The aquatic ape hypothesis paints a different picture of. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Darwin theory demands that transformations at each stage should be beneficial to survival or they will be removed by natural selections. As we will document, aat has as many or more problems than st, but it does effectively document the many shortcomings of the savannah hypothesis. The aquatic ape hypothesis quotes showing 14 of 4 it would make it that much harder to delude ourselves that humanitys ancestors, alone in the animal kingdom, lost their hair by wandering out into the sunshine. Why are we able to consciously control our breathing, whereas chimpanzees. The aquatic ape hypothesis aah, also referred to as aquatic ape theory aat proposes an alternative view of hominin evolution. The aquatic ape theory suggests that human ancestors spent much of their time in shoreline or aquatic environments. However, morgan argues that this is not an adequate replacement for what used to be a clear and well defined hypothesis morgan, 18. Pdf few things show the distinctiveness of human evolution research better than the aquatic ape hypothesis aah.
Is there more evidence for the water ape or savanna ape. And none have been quite so controversial as the aquatic ape hypothesis. We are exclusively bipedal, lack fur, and have more fat. Aquatic ape theory explains lots of featured unique to humans and totally absent in apes. Few things show the distinctiveness of human evolution research better than the aquatic ape hypothesis aah. Jun 17, 2017 as i understand it, it is the general idea that modern humans evolved from aquatic mammals. Sorry david attenborough, we didnt evolve from aquatic apes. The waterside hypothesis requires a rethinking of human. Pdf on jan 31, 2020, yuichi nakazawa and others published have we already tested the aquatic ape hypothesis. Apr 29, 2017 the waterside hypothesis requires a rethinking of human evolution. The most credible theory of human evolution retro classics kindle edition by morgan, elaine.
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