Oh, how we have adapted!

Humankind is almost unique in nature: we are one of the rare species that is adept at using tools to fashion a liveable environment around us rather than being a species that has no choice but to adapt through evolution (For example, certain moth species evolved into butterflies in order to avoid nocturnal predators such as the bat). Man, as a species, fashions an environment to suit his needs. From sea-level to the highest peaks, from the desert areas to the extreme cold of the poles, humankind has adapted his environment in order to survive.

Changing our world to suit our needs implies progress, of course: for thousands of years, humans lived in caves either scavenging or eating raw meat. Fire would have been used for warmth alone, until our ancestors discovered the delights of cooked food (no doubt by accident). Our brains developed into what they are now through the eating of cooked meat, according to most experts. This, in turn, would have led to the carving of tools, which allowed our forefathers to adapt to the extremes of nature. And then there is language, of course, adding to the mix: spoken, articulated communication allowed us to spread our ideas, helping us to become masters not only of our own destiny, but masters of all we survey.

And so it continues…

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