[ExI] Out breeding

[Keith Henson]

On Wed, Sep 27, 2023 at 5:22 PM Tara Maya via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
> I assume humans could figure it out the same as other animals, not through cognition but through evolution.
>
> The thing I find odd about our species is that the females leave the pack and travel.

I know that females of chimps and bonobos leave.  Not certain about
gorillas, but I think they do as well.

> In almost all mammals, males leave and travel to find females. This is because females provide the majority of childcare. For humans to have reversed it implies that human males, or at least the parents of human males, provide a great deal more childcare than in most extant mammals. In fact, I think grandparents are even more rare than male child-care patterns.

I appreciate your keen awareness of the problem.  But the same pattern
occurs with the other two closely related species and those males
provide little or no childcare.

To avoid inbreeding, one sex or both has to change groups.  The thing
that impresses me is that for prehistoric humans where we have DNA
data it seems to be highly organized.  Eventually, the origin of the
women who moved to these groups will be determined.  I wonder how far
they traveled to find mates?  Also, if there were women moving in the
opposite direction.  I doubt there was a lot of coercion involved
because the imported women were often buried with grave goods
indicating high status.

Keith

> Tara Maya
>
>
>
> > On Sep 24, 2023, at 8:34 PM, Keith Henson via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> >
> > (About 4600 years ago.)
> >
> > https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/nov/18/archaeology-germany-dna-nuclear-family
> >
> > " The team also examined evidence of where the people had grown up by
> > analysing the combination of different forms of strontium in their
> > teeth. The ratio of strontium isotopes depends on a person's diet
> > during childhood and reflects the dominant rock types in the area.
> > While the men and children had a strontium profile that indicates they
> > were raised nearby, the women came from outside the area.
> >
> > " Pike said this was evidence of a patrilocal society, where families
> > "married out" their daughters, either to avoid inbreeding or build
> > allegiances with neighbours."
> >
> > Some time ago I read a detailed account with more individuals.
> >
> > But the thing that amazed me is that people had figured out long ago
> > that inbreeding was a bad idea and went to considerable trouble to
> > avoid it.  (Like importing wives from a long distance.)
> >
> > I wonder if they did the same with farm animals.
> >
> >
> > Keith
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