A/C: how big a gap?

[Aeson]

Only on Apolyton do people deny that Homo Sapiens Sapiens is a tropical animal. I guess people doubt the African origin of our species. Whatever.

100% wolf!

And rah... A Kenyan, a Moroccan, and an Ethiopian dominated the Chicago marathon. You know they would have still dominated no matter what the temperature was? East and North Africans dominate long-distance running period.

How can you say such things when we all come from the same species? No advantages/disadvantages allowed for peoples of certain regions compared to other regions!!!!

[Al B. Sure!]

And dogs are wolves.

And East Africans do well at distance running for whatever reason but it's not relevant here in terms of adaptation to climate. Running distance has what to do with temperature? Humans have not had enough time out of Africa to adapt enough to different climates. Skin complexion is the quickest to change apparently but body type really hasn't. Like I said, Nordic people are not short and stocky like they should be to adapt to a cold environment. Their body types are still savanna-oriented.

[giblets]

Seriously? If you don't need to be "short and stocky" to survive in a cold place because you can make fire and clothes, you're a "tropical animal"? Really...

Someone tell the eskimoes they belong in the tropics...

Dogs aren't wolves, as every dog owner knows...

[The Mad Monk]

I remembered something about the Incas and lung capacity, so I found this:

Question: Did the native Andean people eat any distinct food which helped them to better cope with the high altitude air that they work in? ~Bob

Answer: I'm not aware of any direct link between the foods eaten in the Andes and an acclimatization to a high altitude. It is my understanding from medical people in Peru today that the average Andean Indian is born with no greater lung capacity than you or I have, but that by the time they die they may have twice the lung capacity you or I have; in other words, their adaptation to altitude entirely occurs after birth and is not genetically transmitted. As far as what effect the foods they eat would have on this, I really don't know.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/inca1/qanda.htm

I think its likely individual adaptations to different climates may be sufficient to explain the differences noted.

[Tuberski]

I'd ask if you live where I live but the temperature range is more 72 in summer and 70 in winter plus I know you're a low down dirty Texan. So you must be lying.

That's the temperature set point of my thermostat, you jackass.

It was 105 here yesterday.

If you call me a Texan again, I'll come to San Diego and stomp on your lillies.

ACK!

[SlowwHand]

I don't guess that I understand why a temperature goal would vary in degrees depending on the season. If 75 is comfortable in winter, why wouldn't it be in summer? As a for instance.

[giblets]

Some people like to save money. They have a range of conformable temperatures, and pick the upper end of the range in the summer, and the lower end in the winter. Maybe all temperatures ranging from 72 to 78 are comfortable, as a for instance.

[SlowwHand]

So with a 75, I was right.

[Demonbinder]

It's hilarious at our house. As we get older the wife is always hot and wants it set lower, and I'm always cold so I'm wearing a sweatshirt in the middle of a heat wave. (which demonstrates who has control of the thermostat in our house)

Same problem in my house. I can deal with the heat or any temperature, but know better than to do too much physical stuff when it's really hot, esp. at my age.

[MrFun]

Only on Apolyton do people deny that Homo Sapiens Sapiens is a tropical animal. I guess people doubt the African origin of our species. Whatever.

I don't think any of us here are denying the place of origin for prehistoric Homo Sapiens. We're just saying that that is no reason for people today, to endure discomfort if we have a means to avoid that discomfort.

[giblets]

I don't think any of us here are denying the place of origin for prehistoric Homo Sapiens. We're just saying that that is no reason for people today, to endure discomfort if we have a means to avoid that discomfort.

Albert Speer thinks you're a wimp. Hey, our prehistoric ancestors probably ate bugs too, so if you don't eat bugs for breakfast you're a *****.

[MOBIUS]

I remembered something about the Incas and lung capacity, so I found this:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/inca1/qanda.htm

I think its likely individual adaptations to different climates may be sufficient to explain the differences noted.

Not to mention the fact that every long distance runner in the world that's worth their salt goes to sleep in an oxygen tent these days to mimic high altitude training to increase the concentration of red blood cells.

We are a product of our environment and can adapt to it extremely quickly. Alby is a douche. End of story.

[MOBIUS]

I don't think any of us here are denying the place of origin for prehistoric Homo Sapiens. We're just saying that that is no reason for people today, to endure discomfort if we have a means to avoid that discomfort.

But Alby thrives on discomfort - that's why he lives in Philly, works a dead end job, keeps failing at being a US marine, and is still a virgin!

As far as he's concerned, the least the rest of us can do is forego A/C...

[N35t0r]

I generally enjoy the cold better than hot weather, but still only turn the AC on when it's over 35 C. In the winter, I turn off the heating (we have central heating for all the building, but I can turn it off for our flat), and 95% of the time there's at least two windows open for cross-breezes. I rarely wear anything over a T-shirt, but extreme lows over here are in the 0-5 range.

[Dr Strangelove]

Lasty week the air conditioner at work broke down. The temperature in my office reached 87 degrees, but I'm sure that the temperature in the exam rooms was higher when we had whole families packed in them.