Bipedal sweating humans can run prey to fatal heat stroke
Evidence
Humans lack these restrictions because (1) our lungs do not compress when we stride (we’re bipedal) so (2) our breathing rates can vary independent of our speed, and (3) our thermoregulation is managed by our fancy sweating system, so the need to pant does not constrain our breathing. Because of this, within our range of aerobic running speeds (not sprinting), energy use doesn’t vary too much. That means we can change speeds within this range without paying much of a penalty. As a result, a skilled endurance hunter can strategically vary his speed in order to force his prey to run inefficiently. If his prey picks an initial speed to escape that is just faster than the hunter’s, the hunter can speed up. This forces the prey to shift to a much faster speed, which will cause rapid overheating. The animal’s only alternative is to run inefficiently, at a slower speed, which will exhaust his muscles more quickly. The consequence is that hunters force their prey into a series of sprints and rests that eventually result in heat stroke. The overheated prey collapses and is easily dispatched. — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 262
Categorization
- FICTION: The grisly detail that hunters simply strangle the collapsed, overheated animal could enliven any survivalist or prehistoric-worldbuilding scene.
- XREF: connects to: Ambush predators sacrifice locomotion speed for close-range striking power — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 113; Ambush predators depend on appendage speed more than body speed — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 123
Broader Connections
- Ambush predators sacrifice locomotion speed for close-range striking power
#expands(0.78) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 113 - Ambush predators depend on appendage speed more than body speed
#expands(0.75) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 123