Persistence Hunting

YouTube link.

Several years ago while on a long drive I heard on the radio a segment of This American Life* in which a man explained his quest to run down antelope in the wild. It sounds ludicrous, since antelope can run 40 mph. But the key is that man is built for endurance running; most animals can only achieve short bursts of speed before becoming anaerobic.

As you watch this video of a man outrunning a kudu in the Kalahari, you may be viewing a scene that is essentially unchanged from a million years ago when Homo erectus evolved as a hunter of the plains.

* I just found the episode - "Running Down Antelope." It first aired in 1997, but is available for listening (free) at This American Life. The link will take you to a one-hour program; just skip to the 5-minute mark to hear the antelope venture. It's truly fascinating - and for those not familiar with TAL, a good introduction to (in my opinion) the best program on radio.