The Long & The Short Of It
By Emma Norman
According to two recent studies, at different stages of humans' evolutionary development there have been various advantages to being either long of leg or more vertically challenged. But what does this mean in today's society? Am I a superior being or a genetic freak?
Approximately two million years ago there was a significant increase in early human leg length. A study at Washington University has shown that having longer legs means you expend less energy when moving around.
Those with longer legs use less energy to cover the same distance as shorter folk since they take fewer steps. Energy is saved because less muscle work is needed as the legs are moved less often. Consequently there is an evolutionary advantage; those with longer limbs have more energy for survival and reproduction.
However, a simultaneously-published, yet unrelated, study carried out in Utah has looked at the benefits of short, ape-like legs in a different stage of our ancestral history. Investigating why our early ape-like ancestors, australopiths, remained stumpy for two million years, the report suggested their shorter legs helped them fight.
A correlation between leg lengths and indicators of aggression was identified; during a fight, shorter legged individuals had greater stability and so were less likely to get knocked off their feet.
Stability also provides greater leverage when swinging a sharp right hook or whilst grappling ones opponent. Victory in male to male competition to win the affections of the females enabled their short-limbed success to be passed onto their offspring.
But in modern society which leg length is the most advantageous and why? Following a vigorous and highly analytical series of meticulous experiments, we have come up with the following:
So the long and short of it is, if you've got long legs you're more likely to be wearing the most fashionable trousers and be a springy athlete. On the downside your sewing skills will be limited due to never having had to take up a pair of trousers. You'll stand out in a crowd being exposed to unwanted attention from predatory mates and possibly mistaken for a giraffe.
Shorter legs provide the benefit of being able to hide from said predators by hiding behind long-legged contemporaries. Potential mates will be impressed as you excel at party games such as hide and seek and the always-a-winner limbo. You'll be able to travel more and be able to pack a punch without reeling although you'll quite possibly be commonly mistaken for an ape.
But surely size doesn't matter; it's what you do with it that counts. Anyway I guarantee that which ever you are, you'll wish you were the other.
No matter how long you legs are why don't you toddle over to Emma's page to enjoy more of the same.
Approximately two million years ago there was a significant increase in early human leg length. A study at Washington University has shown that having longer legs means you expend less energy when moving around.
Those with longer legs use less energy to cover the same distance as shorter folk since they take fewer steps. Energy is saved because less muscle work is needed as the legs are moved less often. Consequently there is an evolutionary advantage; those with longer limbs have more energy for survival and reproduction.
However, a simultaneously-published, yet unrelated, study carried out in Utah has looked at the benefits of short, ape-like legs in a different stage of our ancestral history. Investigating why our early ape-like ancestors, australopiths, remained stumpy for two million years, the report suggested their shorter legs helped them fight.
A correlation between leg lengths and indicators of aggression was identified; during a fight, shorter legged individuals had greater stability and so were less likely to get knocked off their feet.
Stability also provides greater leverage when swinging a sharp right hook or whilst grappling ones opponent. Victory in male to male competition to win the affections of the females enabled their short-limbed success to be passed onto their offspring.
But in modern society which leg length is the most advantageous and why? Following a vigorous and highly analytical series of meticulous experiments, we have come up with the following:
| Long legs in modern society mean that you will: |
|
| Short legs in modern society mean that you will: |
|
Shorter legs provide the benefit of being able to hide from said predators by hiding behind long-legged contemporaries. Potential mates will be impressed as you excel at party games such as hide and seek and the always-a-winner limbo. You'll be able to travel more and be able to pack a punch without reeling although you'll quite possibly be commonly mistaken for an ape.
But surely size doesn't matter; it's what you do with it that counts. Anyway I guarantee that which ever you are, you'll wish you were the other.
No matter how long you legs are why don't you toddle over to Emma's page to enjoy more of the same.
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