3/9/2006: Quadruped humans (and international science)

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Promenea

I wonder if the apparent retardation is reinforced because these kids start to move around and lose much of their ability to come face to face with those that walk or stand upright. If you aren't face to face do you get all the nuances of language?

One of the articles said the kids (siblings) that first exhibited this type of behavior, spoke in a unique language that only they could understand. The parents could only understand about half of what was said.
You may be correct in that the afflicted were getting "face time" only with each other.

Seems most parents would at least attempt to get the children to walk "normally" and most children would attempt to mimic their parents. Therefore, it would appear, their method of locomotion is physically restricted and not simply choice

After reading what the "experts" had to say, it appears they can't agree on the cause/effect, so it's not likely we're going to do any better.

Tippy & david, welcome and thanks for adding your two cents.

[david]

Oh and by the way, while you are busy out there experimenting with how to walk on your hands (and I know at least some of you have tried it yourself since hearing about this story--how was it?) you can also try using your legs and feet to do arm and hand things!

Just use all your limbs more versatally--that would be r-evolutionary.

[Bitman]

Originally Posted by david

Oh and by the way, while you are busy out there experimenting with how to walk on your hands

I'd like to try it myself (someplace where I won't get made fun of) but I'm more curious about running on all fours. Could you go faster than running on twos?

[glatt]

I often go up the stairs in my house on all fours. They are fairly steep, and I can go up them much more quickly that way. Almost at a run.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Bitman

I'd like to try it myself (someplace where I won't get made fun of) but I'm more curious about running on all fours. Could you go faster than running on twos?

Maybe, if you can learn to gallop.

[Bitman]

OK, I spent a few seconds playing with this. Walking was mildly interesting, though my head doesn't tilt back far enough, and it hurts my wrists.

Galloping shows promise, but would need much more practice, and a decent amount of arm strength. And lots of stamina. Sucks being a computer nerd. Might be an interesting trick to learn, though.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Might be an interesting trick to learn, though

Handy for crossing the theater without annoying people or checking for an empty stall.

[dar512]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Might be an interesting trick to learn, though

Handy for crossing the theater without annoying people or checking for an empty stall.

Ewwww walking on your hands in a public bathroom? Hey, maybe this is the real reason we started walking upright.

"I'm not lettin' you groom me with those filthy hands. You learn to walk upright like Ug does."

[david]

Originally Posted by Bitman

OK, I spent a few seconds playing with this. Walking was mildly interesting, though my head doesn't tilt back far enough, and it hurts my wrists.

Galloping shows promise, but would need much more practice, and a decent amount of arm strength. And lots of stamina. Sucks being a computer nerd. Might be an interesting trick to learn, though.

Yes, there are a couple "bipedalism" issues here. since we are evolved primarily for upright walking, the eyes are situated accordingly. in four legged animals the eyes are positioned where the top of our head would be. So most people do struggle with the head pulling back, which not only hurts the neck, but also robs strength of the arms and thrust from the legs. So to really feel it work better one needs to think of sending the top of the head forward as if you could see through the top of the head.
and since you havn't been doing this your whole life, your wrist bones aren't developed for that kind of weight or flexion. apes of course walk on knuckles, which you can see is preferable for the wrist angle, but again, one would have to develop a different kind of bone structure to support the weight there.

I am aware of a young girl of about 12 in my city who apparently has been running on all fours her whole life. She can and does walk upright when socially appropriate, she is not retarded or inbred. but for her own fun and preference, she just loves running on all four--she is apparently quite fast at it.