Speculations on the evolutionary ecology of Homo Sapiens with special reference to body size, allometry and survivorship

No single chapter can hope to address the voluminous literature and theory related to human evolution, but some insight can be obtained relevant to those aspects reflecting the theme of this book: body size, allometry and survivorship. This then encompasses considerations of unique human attributes such as our remarkably slow growth and extended childhood, teenage growth spurts, exaggerated brain development and exceptional longevities. Recent …