• Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      7 minutes ago

      Did you try just picking them up and having a towel or blanket underneath in case they want to dig their claws into something, and hand in their shoulders in case they try to escape? That’s what Ive done for years and it is so much less stressful on everyone involved.

  • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    2 hours ago

    Fun fact: the guy who first proposed this “running man” hypothesis about persistence hunting in the late 1960s (Grover Krantz) was better known as a staunch advocate for the existence of Bigfoot. Personally, I can’t believe that anybody could still believe in Bigfoot - it’s so obviously just a Yeti in a gorilla suit.

    For some weird reason, Krantz’s skeleton and that of his favorite dog are on display at the Smithsonian.

    • jnod4@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 minutes ago

      The father of modern day physics changed course and started studying alchemy, chronology, biblical interpretation, losing himself to mysticism. He’d probably research big foot if he was alive as well. That doesn’t mean I’m going to dismiss his real magnum opus

  • curiousaur@reddthat.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    28
    ·
    4 hours ago

    I was playing tag with my kid yesterday. He’s 3, almost 4. He’s very fast for his age, but not as fast as me. He asked to play tag because he just learned it in school. I could dodge to the side as he was getting close and change direction. I could fake him out. I could sprint to the other side of our 1 acre meadow to creat space. But he just kept coming. Smiling and laughing the whole time. I’m starting to get winded. Hands on my knees for a second after a sprint, but only for a second as he’s closed the gap already. His undeterred motivation and pace was scary. He was going to get me eventually, and he seemed to know it.

    I now know how the victims of Chucky must have felt.

      • Welt@lazysoci.al
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        4 hours ago

        It just means wombat-shaped, the w was changed to v in a half-arsed effort to Latinise it (despite -form coming from Greek anyway).

  • LilB0kChoy@midwest.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    121
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    18 hours ago

    Pursuit predation/persistence hunting has to be one of the most metal characteristics about humans.

    • BlushedPotatoPlayers@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      11
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      6 hours ago

      What I never got about this theory is, fine, you run after the Ptadgedrwgydon for 87kms, when it gives up due to exhaustion and you kill it with a stone. What now? You’re 87kms away with a carcass that weighs 500kg, how do you get back the food to the tribe?

    • Geodad@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      12 hours ago

      That would be a terrifying way to die.

      Wasn’t that the premise of the Slenderman video game?

      • LilB0kChoy@midwest.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        24
        ·
        edit-2
        16 hours ago

        You’re missing a \.

        There have been many extinction events in Earth’s history. There have been five big mass extinction events and several smaller ones.

        There have now been many studies focused on the question of whether humans were a key driver of the QME. Many suggest that the answer is yes. Climatic changes might have driven an initial decline in large mammal populations — small population crashes — but human pressures are likely to have thwarted their recovery. Large mammals survived previous periods of climatic change, but the arrival of humans put pressure on already-depleted populations.

      • WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        136
        ·
        edit-2
        5 hours ago

        You know, this is actually the type of fear that the zombie horror genre really reverses back on us. Classic zombies are not fast. They’re not smart. They can’t run, climb, or plan elaborate traps. They have no sharp claws or terrifyingly large teeth. You can outrun them at a brisk walk.

        But what makes them so dangerous is that they’re relentless. If they get your scent, they’ll follow you and keep following you. Blow their legs off and they’ll crawl towards you. Remove all their limbs and they’ll slither like a snake towards you. Only destroying their brain can stop them.

        If you’re on foot, it is virtually impossible to escape them, as they’ll just keep on coming. And while you need to sleep, they don’t. They can just keep right on shuffling towards you 24/7. If on foot being chased by a zombie, your best bet is probably to find a river you can swim across that will sweep them away. Oh, and of course, they are rarely alone.

        Zombies are predators that turn our species’s natural hunting strategy back upon us.

        • qyron@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          3 hours ago

          I like the zombie trope but you really can’t get only the good parts and leave out the bad ones.

          If zombies are rotting corpses, every carrion eating insect is going to have a field day. Plus any other predator or even any animal feeling threaned.

          Plus the weather. Heat accelerates decomposition. Cold burns tissues. Water logfing from rain would be a nuisance, at least. Too dry, you get mummies.

        • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          4 hours ago

          I thought it was the swarm that was what is so dangerous rather than being relentless. A single zombie is usually shown as weak and pretty easy to kill.

        • yngmnwntr@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          33
          ·
          15 hours ago

          Similarly the Terminator is ceaseless but does run, jump, climb etc. Our own hunting strategy, but perfected by machines. Even more tireless and persistent.

        • wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          14
          ·
          13 hours ago

          Not really related, but it makes me sad that this isn’t easily possible in Project Zomboid. It’s the exact sort of feeling I want from it.

          • Leonixster@lemmy.blahaj.zone
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            4 hours ago

            Could you not adjust the settings so zombies see/hear you very easily and from far away, as well as making hordes a bigger amount for the feeling of being hunted by a pack? I haven’t played the recent unstable versions so idk if they added other things that zombies can do to find you, like smell or whatnot

          • otacon239@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            9 hours ago

            I’m kind of surprised considering there’s a massive mod scene. Not even with a custom difficulty mode?

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      54
      ·
      18 hours ago

      That what I keep saying, but people still seem thoroughly unimpressed by my ability to sweat profusely the moment I get a little hot!

      • Donkter@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        21
        ·
        17 hours ago

        Sweating is such a powerful ability for humans when compared to the animal kingdom. I mean, not only does my sweat keep me cool, I can clear out an entire room with it if it’s a little too hot!

    • khannie@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      30
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      18 hours ago

      The other advantage we have while running is that we’re not constantly slamming our intestines into our other vital organs and lungs because we’re upright.

      Humans can out-distance a horse. A fucking HORSE. Incredible animal the oul’ human.

      • FelixCress@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        31
        ·
        17 hours ago

        Humans can out-distance a horse

        Speak for yourself, I cannot out distance a hamster lately.

        • khannie@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          17
          ·
          17 hours ago

          Oh I am most definitely not speaking for myself. Neigh. Not one bit.

          I think that’s mostly down to our comparatively sedentary lifestyle though. Skinny AF, fit because I’ve had to run down a horse once a week and mid-20’s me could hopefully out-distance a horse. A small cow anyway.

      • IncogCyberspaceUser@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        edit-2
        13 hours ago

        Is that really a limiting factor for animals that are not upright? They have to stop going because their intestines slam into other vital organs, and they need a break, lest they get damaged?

        • exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          15
          ·
          10 hours ago

          One big advantage is that we can run while breathing out of sync with our steps. Four legged running pretty much requires each inhale and exhale to sync with the compression and expansion of the torso with each stride. Humans, on the other hand, can run full speed while taking multiple steps per breath, depending on terrain and fatigue, which gives more options for pacing.

        • khannie@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          10 hours ago

          I saw it in a documentary but it was a good while ago so to be honest I can’t remember what the exact mechanism was or if it was just a contributing factor over longer distances. I just remember storing it away as little nugget that made sense when presented.

          It’s very late here and now you have me curious so I’ll probably have a dig around in the morning.

          Edit: I don’t think it’s the break thing though. Organ damage is definitely better than death if you’re being chased.