Clothing (evolution)

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Just as a side note, Jaiket, it seems widespread use of clothing might have originated as recently as 75,000 - 70,000 years ago. That was roughly when a species of louse evolved that can only survive in clothing.

That recently?

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Jaiket

That recently?

The existence of the louse only provides evidence that people were wearing clothes by that time. They could have been wearing them much sooner and the louse just hadn't evolved yet.

However, there was a 1000 year cold spell that occurred right around the same time. It was caused by volcanic activity, and some folks think clothing first began to worn to deal with that cold spell.

[Autodidact]

You mean it's not because God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden right around then?

[sandy whitelinger]

Originally Posted by MdmSzdWhtGuy

I am gonna have to go with "Man is the only species that can operate a sewing machine." B.

Which leads to the question, out of all of the billions of species, why did only one gain the advantage of learning how to make and use a sewing machine. It seems improbable to me.

[logician]

I've seen dogs wear clothing(with a little help from their masters), for the hairless species particularly, it keeps them warm in winter.

[Autodidact]

Originally Posted by sandy whitelinger

Which leads to the question, out of all of the billions of species, why did only one gain the advantage of learning how to make and use a sewing machine. It seems improbable to me.

Why? Most species occupy a unique niche--that's pretty much how evolution works. There is only one whale that grows to be 100 feet long, only one star-nosed mole


only one vulture in North America with a wingspan of 9 feet, and so forth. As long as we're fully occupying our ecological niche, it is unlikely that any other species will succeed in the exact same way.

I don't think you should try to use probability here unless you are very skilled with ecological statistics.

[camanintx]

Originally Posted by sandy whitelinger

Which leads to the question, out of all of the billions of species, why did only one gain the advantage of learning how to make and use a sewing machine. It seems improbable to me.

Maybe because we're the only species with opposable thumbs and a brain big enough to make use of them.

[Francine]

Originally Posted by camanintx

Maybe because we're the only species with opposable thumbs and a brain big enough to make use of them.

Orangutans have opposable thumbs, and brains big enough to paint masterpieces that sell on Ebay.

Orangutan paintings draw eBay interest - UPI.com

[Willamena]

Originally Posted by Francine

Orangutans have opposable thumbs, and brains big enough to paint masterpieces that sell on Ebay.

Orangutan paintings draw eBay interest - UPI.com

Hmm... I wonder if I dress up in an orange suit...