Exposure to burn injuries played key role in shaping human evolution, study suggests

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-exposure-injuries-played-key-role.html#google_vignette

From: Divine Angel
ID: 2357932

I see where they’re going with this, and their argument makes sense, but this part

“ Most animals avoid fire completely, while in contrast, humans live alongside fire and most humans will experience minor burns throughout their lives.”

is like, duh? Humans do a lot of things most animals avoid, which probably also gave us evolutionary advantages in one way or another because the stupid things got us killed and we learned not to do that.

Divine Angel said:

I see where they’re going with this, and their argument makes sense, but this part

From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 2357935

True. I wonder how we differ when it comes to knitting bones since we know what the problem is and can safely remain immobile while we’re looked after by our brethren.

From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 2357939

True. I wonder how we differ when it comes to knitting bones since we know what the problem is and can safely remain immobile while we’re looked after by our brethren.

From: Divine Angel:

Back in primary school, we had School Magazine which contained articles about random things. I remember two things from that publication:
1. Tummy rumbles are called borborygmus, and
2. Horses can be rehabilitated using a hammock submersed in water. The hammock supports the horse and the water relieves the weight, while the injury heals. But the horse won’t race again, and rehabilitation takes eight months or more. For some evolutionary reason, horses’ bones don’t knit together in the same way humans’ do. Even if you do put in all the time and patience for a horse’s leg to heal, it would always have significant impact on gait, and probably pain too

Do animals show fascination with fire or run away.
Some humans have an addiction to setting them and we even intentionally brand outselves

Witty Rejoinder said:

From: Witty Rejoinder
ID: 2357939

True. I wonder how we differ when it comes to knitting bones since we know what the problem is and can safely remain immobile while we’re looked after by our brethren.

From: Divine Angel:

Back in primary school, we had School Magazine which contained articles about random things. I remember two things from that publication:
1. Tummy rumbles are called borborygmus, and
2. Horses can be rehabilitated using a hammock submersed in water. The hammock supports the horse and the water relieves the weight, while the injury heals. But the horse won’t race again, and rehabilitation takes eight months or more. For some evolutionary reason, horses’ bones don’t knit together in the same way humans’ do. Even if you do put in all the time and patience for a horse’s leg to heal, it would always have significant impact on gait, and probably pain too

Which is why they shoot horses with a broken leg.

Witty Rejoinder said:

From: Divine Angel
ID: 2357932

I see where they’re going with this, and their argument makes sense, but this part

“ Most animals avoid fire completely, while in contrast, humans live alongside fire and most humans will experience minor burns throughout their lives.”

is like, duh? Humans do a lot of things most animals avoid, which probably also gave us evolutionary advantages in one way or another because the stupid things got us killed and we learned not to do that.

I’d have to say…domestic dogs don’t avoid fire. They love to lie in front of an open fire in cold weather. We minded a whippet for a while many years ago. Scaramouche would lie on the hearth, with his tail gently wagging…underneath the grate…but then again, that dog was untrainable and very, very stupid. Yes PWM, you thought The Pug was stupid. You should have met Moochy.

buffy said:

Witty Rejoinder said:

From: Divine Angel
ID: 2357932

I see where they’re going with this, and their argument makes sense, but this part

“ Most animals avoid fire completely, while in contrast, humans live alongside fire and most humans will experience minor burns throughout their lives.”

is like, duh? Humans do a lot of things most animals avoid, which probably also gave us evolutionary advantages in one way or another because the stupid things got us killed and we learned not to do that.

I’d have to say…domestic dogs don’t avoid fire. They love to lie in front of an open fire in cold weather. We minded a whippet for a while many years ago. Scaramouche would lie on the hearth, with his tail gently wagging…underneath the grate…but then again, that dog was untrainable and very, very stupid. Yes PWM, you thought The Pug was stupid. You should have met Moochy.

Yeah. We have a firepit in the backyard and I don’t know how many times Jellybean has stood in next to it wagging her tail over the embers.