Science has recently confirmed what many women may have long suspected: the male habit of comparing attributes to impress a potential sexual partner can be traced to the Stone Age and beyond.
Several prehistoric creatures, including one of our own distance ancestors, developed elaborate decorative features to aid sexual preference, according to a new study from Dr Joseph Tomkins of The University of Western Australia and his colleagues from the Universities of Hull and Portsmouth in the UK.
They found Pterosaurs evolved elaborate headcrests to help them attract mates, while Pelycosaurs developed decorative sails on their spines to flaunt their sexual prowess.
Previously, scientists believed these fanciful decorations were related to thermal regulation. However the recent study published in The American Naturalist found the size of the pterosaur’s head crest was too big to play a role in temperature control.
Using the laws of physics, the team plotted scaling relationships between metabolism (the process behind heat generation) and body size for each of the animals. They found bigger crests and sails could be linked to sexual competition, with features becoming more exaggerated over generations.
Several other species, including the plate-backed Stegosaurus, may have also developed elongated features for sexual selection purposes.
These findings might be dealing with nature and biology many millions of years ago, but one only has to watch this clip of Arnie and his bodybuilding mates to believe nothing much has changed.
Popular Science has been a leading source of science, technology and gadget news since 1872. With up-to-the minute latest space news, insightful commentary on the new innovations and concept cars ...if it's new or future technology you'll find it at popsci.com.au.
WW Media - Popular Science © 2010
Technology - DIY - Videos
