Snakes get a bad rap, but we humans probably have them to thank — at least in part — for our superb vision.
Snakes really are dangerous, and have been throughout the evolution of primates — so we’re primed to be on the lookout for them, according to something called Snake Detection Theory.
A new study published in December put this theory to the test, comparing humans’ snake detection capabilities with our spider-sensing capabilities.
It turns out people are remarkably good at noticing snakes, even when it’s hard for us to focus attention — like when snakes are camouflaged or when we only get a brief glimpse of them.
To study this natural snake-seeing power, Portuguese and Swedish scientists went back to Charles Darwin, who in 1872 published a self-experiment on snake fear.
This equates to a significant evolutionary pressure, according to Snake Detection Theory.
So the need to detect serpents became a major driver of primate vision and even brain evolution, the theory goes. »
