Eating meat and cooking food is how humans got their big brains • Hacker News Board

Re: Eating meat and cooking food is how humans got their big brains

#41

Post by maratd » Wed, Nov 28, 2012, 7:25 PM UTC

DerKommissar wrote: post #40

maratd wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Our brains are big enough now after generations of evolution. Err... bigger isn't always better, but I won't say no to a bigger noggin. > Time to put those big brains to use so we can figure out how to continue the existence of the human species. I wasn't aware we were heading toward extinction? There are billions of us, you know? > I really doubt it'll be by continuing to eat lots of cows. I like chickens, turkeys…

> Err... bigger isn't always better, but I won't say no to a bigger noggin. There is evidence that our heads would have kept growing if it wasn't for the fact that it makes it pretty likely that women will die in childbirth. So instead evolution got around this by having us born earlier, which is why we're basically born as fetuses compared to most animals. But there's a limit to that too of course.

> But there's a limit to that too of course.

In my state of NJ, roughly 50% of babies are "born" by c-section. So that limit seems to be a little fuzzy at the moment.

Re: Eating meat and cooking food is how humans got their big brains

#42

Post by IdahoEv » Wed, Nov 28, 2012, 9:19 PM UTC

vitno wrote: post #10

earbitscom wrote: post #8

Also, the primary point seems to be that we need increased caloric intake to support the larger brain's greater function. While it may have required meat consumption at the dawn of our species, I think we can all agree that you don't need meat now in order to have high caloric intake. I'm vegan and I guarantee I eat a lot more calories every day than my body or brain need.

not really, you should look at the (admittedly well hidden) 2nd page of the article. This supports the theory that meat fueled human brain evolution because meat — from arachnids to zebras — was plentiful on the African savanna, where humans evolved, and is the best package of calories, proteins, fats and Vitamin B12 needed for brain growth and maintenance.

> on the African savanna, where humans evolved

Um... answer's right there. Indeed this was the case on the African savannah, pre-agriculture.

We're no longer living in that environment. In the 21st century it's trivial to get sufficient calories, vitamins, and a balanced diet without eating meat.

Other points about our environment: (1) Relative to the African savannah, most of us burn many fewer calories per day. Fat asses in front of a computer instead of chasing down antelope, yanno. (2) We live 3x as long now, so our health concerns are different. That high-calorie blob of fat is tasty because it meant not freezing to death at age 16 and hence those taste buds were strongly selected for. Today we don't have that concern, and all those fat blobs may mean living to 60 instead of 80.

The survival needs of proto-humans on the savannah 100kya are not a very good guide to nutrition and health in the 21st century.

Re: Eating meat and cooking food is how humans got their big brains

#43

Post by Turing_Machine » Thu, Nov 29, 2012, 10:16 PM UTC

mistercow wrote: post #38

Turing_Machine wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When it's found in "soil", it's due to bacteria and small animals (insects, mites) that are in the soil. Any B12(-like) substances that are in plants (e.g., spirulina) are unlikely to be in a form that's bioavailable to human beings. Vegans have to take B12 supplements of some sort or eat foods that have been fortified with B12. That's just a fact.

>When it's found in "soil", it's due to bacteria and small animals (insects, mites) that are in the soil. I'm not sure what your point is. >Any B12(-like) substances that are in plants (e.g., spirulina) are unlikely to be in a form that's bioavailable to human beings. Yes, this is true. >Vegans have to take B12 supplements of some sort or eat foods that have been fortified with B12. That's just a fact. Modern vegans…

The point is that describing or implying that the B12 in "soil" is "vegan" is utterly absurd.

As for eating enough soil to get enough B12, that's also absurd.