So I keep wondering, whenever Im on a plane (like right now, typing this in flight mode for posting after landing), am I the only one who feels differences in elevation? My mom assures me Im not, so barring the notion that Im a genetic freak of nature and everyone can feel if theyre ascending, descending or steady in the air, heres the big question - why? Why would a terrestrial savannah species like us have evolved the ability to perceive our distance from the centre of the Earth (however we actually do it, by sensing gravity, magnetism or air pressure, but thats really a different question)? Ok, so were reasonably closely related to bats, but AFAIK theyre cousins rather than ancestors, and thats definitely the only relationship with any flying vertebrate we might have that I can think of. Or does that go all the way back to our fishy ancestors of the Devonian, for whom a sense of water pressure would certainly have been useful to perceive and adjust their depth?! Only didnt they use their lateral line for that? And if so, does anyone know what that evolved into in tetrapods? In short - WTF? Why do we possess a sense that requires advanced technology, i.e. planes, to use? Anyone?
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 09:01:42 +0000
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