7. Sweating

Return to History 8 Human Origins Concepts

Hominids began to loose hair allowing their bodies to sweat. They used sweating as a way to lower their body temperatures in the heat. Humans sweat more than any other animal even though our glands are roughly the same size. Sweating enables the body to cool down in another way instead of panting. Panting only cools the body after large bursts of energy. If a hominid goes on a long chase to hunt an animal panting would only lead to hyperventilation and could end fatally. Sweating is one of traits that makes us human.

image from: http://goo.gl/LiY7U1

Sources: Origins Manual Page 28

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-water-out-20140524-story.html

-Anna Childers