SEX, BOMBS & BURGERS

I read last week's big science news, about the discovery of the oldest human skeleton - nicknamed "Ardi" for the Ardipithecus ramidus species - with great interest. I particularly liked a National Geographic story about why early humans first started walking on two feet, because it pretty well summed up everything in my book; it had everything to do with Sex, Bombs & Burgers.

In my book, I argue about how those have been the three major driving forces of technology. In the National Geographic story, Owen Lovejoy of Kent State University argues that those three factors go back even further, before technology and to the very roots of human evolution.

Lovejoy presents a fascinating run-down of the history of human mating. When the species that would become human still walked on all fours, females would mate with the biggest and strongest males, which were determined the old-fashioned way: through a knock-'em-down, drag-'em-out slobber knocker. The only way the smaller and less tough humans could get some action was by presenting the female with a gift, which was basically always food. In order to bring the female food, the males had to learn how to walk on two feet, thereby freeing up their hands to carry goodies.

In other words, humans became bipedal because of sex and food, and to get around having to go to war.

Pretty cool theory, huh? I sure like it.