Why do humans walk upright?
The humans use 75 percent less energy walking upright than the chimps use walking on all fours. Walking upright seemed to be beneficial because it saved energy.
Having two limbs free to use tools constituted a key element of advanced intelligence.
Walking on two legs freed the arms, which could then be used to collect food to bring to the family unit.
Our ancient ancestors rose up on their hind legs in order to cool themselves. By standing upright, they exposed less of their bodies to the sun.
The changing climate forced primates to become primarily ground-dwellers, rather than living in trees and forest canopies. Food sources became more plentiful on the ground, where primates would have had an advantage by walking on two legs.
Sahelanthropus tchadensis is the first hominid who walked upright and he is a common ancestor for humans and chimpanzees. So chimpanzees evolved from Sahelanthropus who was bipedal already…
A strong theory suggests that bipedalism occurred because of changing climate, the jungle decreased and the savanna prevailed and hominids needed to be upright to see any dangers above high grass. But first hominids were barely 1 m tall…
Walking upright allowed humans to use tools and develop their diet and in the end the size and complexity of their brain.
Many theories about hominids bipedalism are attractive but they do not answer well the question:
Further reading :
Why do humans walk on two legs?
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