Weapons innovations trigger arms races in ships just as in animals

Evidence

Vehicles also often fight in one-on-one duels and, as in animals, this can trigger an arms race. Above: The addition of a battering ram precipitated explosive growth in ship size in oared galleys of the ancient Mediterranean, settling in the end on the “five.” Below: Side-mounted cannons had the same effect on sailing galleons. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962

Categorization

• XREF: Connects directly to the animal arms races discussed in earlier chapters of this very book — this is the explicit animal-human warfare parallel the reader is seeking. — connects to: Ancient naval arms races ran to oversized, nonfunctional ships and collapsed; Comparisons of animal and human weapons have a long scholarly tradition.; Identical circumstances trigger and collapse arms races in animals and humans. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 17 (+9 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 962

Related

• Identical circumstances trigger and collapse arms races in animals and humans. (similarity 0.90)
• Ancient naval arms races ran to oversized, nonfunctional ships and collapsed (similarity 0.89)
• Human and animal arms races follow parallel evolutionary dynamics (similarity 0.87)
• A single naval technology change triggered the first ancient ship arms race. (similarity 0.87)
• Slow-killing weapons made big warships advantageous and drove an arms race. (similarity 0.87)
• Comparisons of animal and human weapons have a long scholarly tradition. (similarity 0.87)
• Aircraft arms races favored speed and maneuverability over size (similarity 0.85)
• The evolutionary drivers of animal weapons also explain human weapon elaboration. (similarity 0.84)
• Balancing selection normally curbs weapon size until some lineages escape into runaway arms races (similarity 0.84)
• Animal and human fights both hinge on whether duels or gang-ups occur (similarity 0.84)
• Symmetrical one-on-one fights are a neglected prerequisite for weapon arms races (similarity 0.84)
• Three conditions must align to trigger an animal weapons arms race. (similarity 0.83)
• Specific conditions are required before weapons escalate into an arms race (similarity 0.83)
• Specific ecological circumstances must align before weapon arms races begin (similarity 0.83)
• When balancing selection fails, bigger weapons win every round and escalate the race. (similarity 0.83)

Broader Connections

• Human and animal arms races follow parallel evolutionary dynamics #corroborates (0.90) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 463
• Human fortifications and artillery evolve via the same arms-race logic as animal weapons #corroborates (0.85) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 525
• The evolutionary drivers of animal weapons also explain human weapon elaboration. #corroborates (0.80) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 7
• Costly advanced weapons deter rivals just like large animal weapons #expands (0.70) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 592
• Armor evolution tracks a benefit-cost trade-off identical to that shaping animal weaponry #corroborates (0.70) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 62
• Aircraft arms races favored speed and maneuverability over size #qualifies (0.50) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 542