As a human it is easy to take our ability to walk upright for granted. After a few shaky toddler years, we learn, and the ability to sit upright and be bipedal simply comes naturally to us. However, on closer inspection we can see that bipedalism is no ordinary trait or random coincidence – bipedalism is one of most discerning human characteristics and is the result of millions of years of adaption in our ancestors that has led to modern human bipedalism.
In this essay I am going to explore the phenomenon of human bipedalism. This will first involve the exploration of human bipedalism as being a unique trait to humans. I will then encounter the various theories that aim to explain the factors that lead to bipedalism becoming a distinctive
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However, the advantages of being bipedal are still apparent whether they played a role its origin or not. I am now going to explore some of these advantages, even though there function in the evolution of bipedalism is still questionable.
Wheeler (1991) took the approach that bipedalism could have been the adaption to the hot and open savannah environment. This argument is based on the thermoregulation advantages of walking upright and concludes that an upright trunk is less exposed to the radiation of the sun.
Another advantage that bipedalism could have inferred on our ancestors is the freeing up of hands. This could have given our ancestors the ability to carry their young. It also could have made the carrying of food and tools an easier task (Niemitz 2002).
Having an upright posture could have also aided our human ancestors to become better fighters. It can be noted that many quadrupedal animals actually stand on their hind limbs in a bipedal fashion when fighting. This posture provides the fighter with a performance advantage as it allows the free movement of the forelimbs and therefore allows for more powerful strikes with the forelimbs (Carrier