How safe disposal led to our funeral rites (1)
From
From Malcolm Moore, Rotorua, New Zealand
When it comes to the rise of burial practices, the basic needs for species are survival and reproduction. That means food, shelter and security. Dead bodies attract scavengers. For a vulnerable hominin species like Homo naledi who, for a period at least, stayed in one place, decaying bodies could have attracted carnivores(26 July, p 38).
Safe burial or the building of cairns, for example, requires suitable terrain and available resources, such as labour, efficient digging tools and time. Disposal in the far reaches of a cave system would be relatively quick and effective. Dehydration or breakdown by microbes and small animals would soon follow.
So, the pragmatic issue of safe disposal comes first, and rituals then develop as a way of maintaining this through the generations. These then become embedded in religions.
How safe disposal led to our funeral rites (2)
Seems to me that the custom of burial would have been more practical than anything else. After all, dead bodies lying about would have smelled pretty bad after a while and attracted wildlife.
Splitting sleep in two was once a thing
When it comes to body clocks, researchers should investigate the phenomenon of “second sleep”, or biphasic sleep. This is fairly well-known historically and among some anthropologists. It seems to have been relatively common and widespread at a time when people’s daily rhythms were largely determined by the sun and when bright indoor lighting was unavailable for most people(2 August, p 30).
Typically, people would go to sleep perhaps 2 hours after sunset, sleep for a few hours, wake for a period, then sleep again until early morning.
Perhaps a more relaxed attitude to sleep and a return to biphasic sleeping would lessen the incidence of sleep disorders.
I'm not a fan of de-extinction efforts
I find the claims of species de-extinction by Colossal Biosciences unconvincing, its reasons for doing it unclear for the species it is trying to resurrect, and the prospect of the development of artificial wombs a potential horror story(19 July, p 32).
Progress on research into chronic fatigue welcome
I’ve had myalgic encephalomyelitis for 26 years, so what wonderful news to hear that there might be a way to confirm it genetically. Hopefully, funding will allow further research into this(16 August, p 10).
I can attest to existence of strange anthropo rocks
Charlie Wartnaby, Cambridge, UK
So I missed my opportunity to play geologist by “discovering” the weird anthropoclastic rock formed from industrial waste on the beach near Workington, Cumbria, UK. It seemed like an impossible kind of volcanic sandstone when we found the same thing on the north side of the town. It did indeed feel like a mark of the Anthropocene, but, on an optimistic note, that same beach is topped by awesome wind turbines hopefully ushering in a new, more sustainable era(19 July, p 24).
On matrilineal cultures and matriarchies
In connection with matrilineal societies, I saw an interesting variant in Vanuatu. Basically, young men and women relate to their mother and her siblings. You might think this would lead to some sort of matriarchy, but that appears not to be the case(2 August, p 40).
For example, the making and drinking of kava, a potent brew, is definitely a men-only activity, as are some others. As the article notes, real life is always more complicated than we anticipate.
Perhaps we all need to take a toddler-style siesta
It is no surprise to me that napping during the day by pre-schoolers doesn’t significantly impair education, reduce nighttime slumber or lead to involuntary insomnia in parents. That such research is required might baffle those who lead a traditional Mediterranean lifestyle(26 July, p 18). Perhaps we should take a leaf out of our toddlers’ book and join them in an after-lunch siesta!
A better take on the anthropic principle?
Your article on how to think about the weak and strong anthropic principles (AP) took the Barrow and Tipler formulations. These conflict with the original Brandon Carter definitions, make much less sense and haven’t enjoyed much peer acceptance(28 June, p 32).
Carter’s weak AP is that within a universe capable of supporting intelligent life in some region and epoch, of course such life will find itself in such a Goldilocks circumstance 鈥� thus demolishing the “Copernican” assumption that our spot in the universe is typical. His strong AP is that if there is an ensemble of vast numbers of different universes, then we shouldn’t be surprised that some have such finely tuned constants.
IBS may also respond to the placebo effect
You report that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) could be a nocebo effect for some people. I have for several decades relied on the opposite effect from what I call my “placebo tablets”. They keep me IBS symptom-free despite having only a few Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, along with minerals and vitamins(2 August, p 17).
The Forth Bridge really is endless to some
As a child, I asked my father: what is infinity? He said that it was the length of the Forth Bridge as experienced by a mouse. He was an engineer. I have always found that definition most satisfactory(9 August, p 28).
For the record
Above its “entropy catastrophe” temperature, a solid has higher entropy than its liquid, so melting would break the second law of thermodynamics (2 August, p 16).
The pineal gland secretes melatonin (2 August, p 30).