Comments on: Rethinking “Out of Africa” https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:18:10 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11478 bowser Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:12:48 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11478 Joan of Ark. Joan of Ark.

]]> By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11456 Robert Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:46:20 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11456 <p>Orangutan walking</p> The serious answer is, just like humans. <iframe id="dit-video-embed" width="640" height="360" src="http://static.discoverymedia.com/videos/components/apl/0feff55728e055122e803e078fd52aad07b6c910/snag-it-player.html?auto=no" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowtransparency="true"></iframe> That's impressive video. I wouldn't be surprised if orangs could walk 10,000 miles in a hundred years; that translates into a casual saunter across the landscape of about a hundred miles a year. More realistically, humans made it from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in a thousand years, about 10 miles/year. Where low water levels or raised land create a bridge, they can walk there. If they can hang on to a fallen tree or plant mats, they can float there, perhaps swept down a river and out to sea by a big storm. Don't forget the selection effect. It might be that millions of orangs got swept out to sea and simply drowned. It would only take one mating pair to survive to establish the species on an island. Orangutan walking

The serious answer is, just like humans.

That’s impressive video. I wouldn’t be surprised if orangs could walk 10,000 miles in a hundred years; that translates into a casual saunter across the landscape of about a hundred miles a year. More realistically, humans made it from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in a thousand years, about 10 miles/year. Where low water levels or raised land create a bridge, they can walk there. If they can hang on to a fallen tree or plant mats, they can float there, perhaps swept down a river and out to sea by a big storm.

Don’t forget the selection effect. It might be that millions of orangs got swept out to sea and simply drowned. It would only take one mating pair to survive to establish the species on an island.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11453 ER Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:13:02 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11453 Maybe God put them there by magic so we wouldn't have to believe in Evolution. Maybe God put them there by magic so we wouldn’t have to believe in Evolution.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11251 TB Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:53:17 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11251 Before the end of the last Ice Age, all those islands were a peninsula, and I suspect this was true through much of recent (relatively) geological history. Around ten million years ago, various apes were all over Europe and Asia. Fossils of direct ancestors of the orangutan have been found in Turkey, China and Pakistan. Before the end of the last Ice Age, all those islands were a peninsula, and I suspect this was true through much of recent (relatively) geological history.

Around ten million years ago, various apes were all over Europe and Asia. Fossils of direct ancestors of the orangutan have been found in Turkey, China and Pakistan.

]]> By: alcaray https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11248 alcaray Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:44:55 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11248 All we have is what we know of the end result, and what we've dug up of the fossil record. It is beyond sketchy. Any theories we come up with based on what facts we know are approximations. All we have is what we know of the end result, and what we’ve dug up of the fossil record. It is beyond sketchy. Any theories we come up with based on what facts we know are approximations.

]]> By: alcaray https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11247 alcaray Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:40:29 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11247 Yeah, and how did they get to America? I've seen orangs myself! Yeah, and how did they get to America? I’ve seen orangs myself!

]]> By: Lee https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11244 Lee Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:25:10 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11244 <p>How did the Orangutans get out of Africa?</p> The "out of Africa" theory would have to apply to the great apes as well. So how did the orangutans end up 10,000 miles away on an island? How did the Orangutans get out of Africa?

The “out of Africa” theory would have to apply to the great apes as well. So how did the orangutans end up 10,000 miles away on an island?

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2012/01/19/rethinking-out-of-africa/#comment-11061 bowser Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:28:19 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=8352#comment-11061 It is interesting. I think the role of experts is to make things more complex, more complicated. I used to enjoy golf. Took a lesson. The hell with golf. It is interesting. I think the role of experts is to make things more complex, more complicated.

I used to enjoy golf. Took a lesson. The hell with golf.

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