I'm not sure this question even makes sense

[james_davis_nicoll]

But why are humans so drab compared to, say, birds? Is it just that mammals in general have lousy color vision (although ours is better than average) and that we're descended from animals that wouldn't have been able to make use of a wide variety of fur colors or is it that there's something about fur and hair that inherently limits its palette?

I will admit this ranks lower on my "inherent human features that require fixing" than the vitamin C thing, particularly given the existance of non-toxic dyes.

Comments

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

You can smell a sparrow from 500m?

[anzhalyumitethe.livejournal.com]

nope.

I can smell elk. And certain kinds of rats: nasty, dirty little bastards. And other mammals.

People don't fly, but drivings probably as close as you get everyday with open windows. How many odors do you pick up driving along? Probably a nontrivial amount and more than a few that are actually pretty subtle.

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

Elk are a bit larger than sparrows. They also intentionally generate musk.

I can smell things while driving, but trying to locate something by scent at 55 mph is not easy.

If I pitch a bit of cheese out into my lawn out of my dogs sight, then tell her "Go Get it", she will run directly to the cheese (within a half meter) and eat it.

[anzhalyumitethe.livejournal.com]

used to hike with a dog back in Los Alamos out in the desert. He could pick out a rabbit from much more than 10 m, w/o los.