The original habitat

Following a concept of prof. Carsten Niemitz (Freie Universtät Berlin)

Jarawa. Andaman Islands. El Mundo; Las Ultimas Pygmeas
Threatened in their existence; click picture to find out..

Do humans share the phenomenon of a partly genetically determined preference for certain habitats? Most people would say no, thinking they are being born blank,
with all the options open. ; it may be acceptable for "lower" animals like lizards, birds or even Orangutans and our nephew the Chimpanzee.
We do have a free mind and will and we feel at home everywhere and under al circumstances. Is that not one of the main features of Homo sapiens?

To start 

1. Check the distance to the nearest source of running water you have daily access to.
   This is a "copy" of your ancestral river and shores.

2.  Chek the distance for  a watertap at this very moment.

- at home - at work
- in a hotel or restaurant
- in a shop
- on the street

Write down the results for your own discoveries and give your opinion about  the following statement;

Water taps, showers, bath tubs  and toilets are nothing more than detours of rivers and brooks, just like the aqua ducts of the past.


Aqua duct, Segovia, Spain ©GNU free

It is likely, that the rapid dispersal of the genus Homo in the past (first) H. erectus starting 1,5 million years ago and then H. sapiens around 150,000 years)
followed the coastlines of continents, estuaries and rivers. Eventually they ended up on the Polynesian islands, Micronesia and even stranded on Easter Island.
Later on, the rapid expansion of knowledge and insight about this world was the spin off from sailing in the Mediterranean, around Africa and the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
These activities are not compatible with a creature that was supposedly adapted to the savannah.

Prof. Niemitz (Freie Universität Berlin) did some original research into the possible inborn unconscious preference for wet habitats in mankind.

In the preliminary assignment a question about this aspect was already inserted. The main part of humans is living in coastal areas, near, rivers, lakes
or a permanent source of water. Modern man event extended "the river" into every household and working space: tap water everywhere.

Check on inherited habitat preferences in man

Niemitz did apoint this as research to his students. The conlclusions are interesting valuable.

1. Prepare a list of fifteen to twenty five possible destinations for holidays. Use catalogues from travel agencies to cut pictures of these destinations ( = habitats).
   Write a short description of these destinations that goes with the pictures.

2. For every possible target or landscape, pick a picture that shows some form of 'water' in the vicinity (swimming pool, beach, river, etc.).
   A hotel with a swimming pool versus one without is an example.
   You have to find several pairs in this form. That means, that your respondents will have more choices

3. Sort these pictures with their descriptions in a random numbered order.

4. Print the list in colour and let your respondents (peers, other students, family,...) pick their favourite targets.
   You could use an automatically collecting mail form for use on the internet, but a more sophisticated option is to create an internet poll
   (which is available for free  e.g. http://freepollkit.com

You have to find than at least 50 and preferably more respondents to get valuable results and an even distribution of males and females. It is obligatory to collect these data;

• age and sex

• preference for a short stay.

• preference for a longer stay of e.g. two weeks?

• preference for living permanently ? 5. Sort out the reactions in different ways. Look for trends and apply statistical techniques to find outif any differences are significant or not.

Online help is available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statistics

The conclusions of prof. C. Niemitz are used in his book "Das Geheimnis des Aufrechten Ganges " C.H. Beck, München, 2004.

©GNU free

The notion that there could be a inheritable preference for certain habitats in man is controversial. Formulate a definition of this phenomenon and give two clear examples of this from two different species of animals.
Look into your own results and draw a conclusion about this for homo sapiens; right, uncertain or false.