You may think you eat too much but humans (and other primates) actually burn 50% fewer calories each day than other mammals, according to a study in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Our remarkably slow metabolisms explain why humans and other primates grow up slowly and live long lives.
Our remarkably slow metabolisms explain why humans and other primates grow up slowly and live long lives.
Most mammals, like your family dog or pet hamster, live a rather fast-paced life, reaching adulthood in a matter of months, reproducing and dying in their teens. By comparison, humans, apes, monkeys, tarsiers, lorises and other primates have long childhoods, reproduce infrequently, and live exceptionally long lives. The underlying mechanisms that cause this slow pace of life have been unknown. An international team of scientists working with primates in zoos, sanctuaries, and in the wild examined daily energy expenditure in 17 primate species, from gorillas to mouse lemurs, to test whether primates' slow pace of life results from a slow metabolism. Using a non-invasive technique known as "doubly labeled water," which tracks the body's production of carbon dioxide, the researchers measured the number of calories that primates burned over a 10 day period. /.../
No comments:
Post a Comment