May3 UNM Department of Anthropology Colloquium Series

"Humans: The High Energy Ape" presented by Herman Pontzer  (Lab, CV) of the CUNY Hunter Department of Anthropology, 4:00 pm, Thursday, May 3, Hibben 105

How do humans fuel the metabolic demands of our big brains, high reproductive rates, and long lifespans? New measurements of daily energy expenditure among human hunter-gatherers and our closest relatives, the great apes, suggest that our lineage has evolved greater energy throughput to accomplish these tasks. These studies shed light on the ecological evolution of our species, as well as the current global obesity pandemic. 

The colloquium series is free and open to the public. Light refreshments to follow.

Papers by Pontzer (because the ppt with the notice wouldn't attach). About Human Energetics and Evolution (HEE) Research:

Energy is the fundamental currency of life, needed for growth, reproduction, and repair. Understanding how species use energy is therefore fundamental to understanding their ecological and evolutionary strategies. Our lab investigates energy use in humans and other primates, especially apes, using doubly labeled water, respirometry, and other direct meaures of energy use. The goal is to understand how human and ape metabolic strategies evolved.