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Death by Bunnies

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posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:12 PM
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What? Death by bunnies? How's this, you say?

Over the years, there have been many suggestions as to the cause of the Neanderthals' extinction. Climate change, mass slaughter by modern humans and being out-competed by our ancestors are the most often cited causes.
Recently a new factor has been suggested - death by BUNNIES!

Bunnies Implicated In The Demise Of Neanderthals



BLAME it on the bunnies.
The debate over what Neanderthals ate, and how it may have led to their demise, has turned to rabbits. Which, it is now claimed, Neanderthals did not feast on.

Signs that our extinct cousins hunted dolphins and seals were presented in 2008 as evidence of their sophistication. But, experts claimed in 2009, they weren't clever enough to catch fish or birds – which could have given our ancestors an edge. Then came the discovery of fish scales and feathers on Neanderthal tools.

Now, John Fa of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Trinity, Jersey, says Neanderthals eventually bit the dust because they were unable to adapt their hunting to small animals like rabbits.


Ah, so, it's nothing like Beezzer going back in time with a machine gun, or the bunny from that Monty Python film.


It's not clear why Neanderthals would have had more trouble changing prey, says Fa.
They may have been less able to cooperate.
Rather than using spears, early humans probably surrounded a warren and flushed out rabbits with fire, smoke or dogs.
But Bruce Hardy of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, says Fa takes the interpretation too far. Humans may have eaten more rabbits than Neanderthals, but neither would have exclusively eaten meat, he says.


Thus, the jury is still out.

Ah, but, since the jury is still out, you may want to check to ensure your home is bunny proof.
History has been shown to repeat, especially for those ignorant to the past.

At least we may now have the answer for why Anya from Buffy had that thing about bunnies.

Beware the bunnies.



edit on 2-3-2013 by Druscilla because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:18 PM
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Interesting theory.


I honestly thought I'd find Beezer Posting this as he announced his next Rampage...


Damn Bunnies are the cause of all problems. Just look at the picture you posted...EVIL!!!!!
However, Couldn't Prehistoric Bunnies be 10 ft tall with fangs and an attitude?



Ah, but, since the jury is still out, you may want to check to ensure your home is bunny proof.


ATS tried to make the site Beezer proof but that didn't work out so well.


Peace






edit on 2-3-2013 by jude11 because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:19 PM
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Interesting. I have not yet been introduced to this theory. Although, based on what we do know about neandertalensis, I do find it difficult to believe that with their relatively sophisticated tools that they would just suddenly have a hard time hunting. If you asked me, most evidence points to their intelligence, rather than their ineptitude over nature.

Here's a quick rundown:


the number of plant foods Neanderthals could eat would have dropped significantly during the winter of colder climates, forcing Neanderthals to exploit other food options like meat more heavily. There is evidence that Neanderthals were specialized seasonal hunters, eating animals were available at the time

They were capable of adapting to changing environments.


Scientists have also found plaque on the remains of molar teeth containing starch grains—concrete evidence that Neandertals ate plants.

As a species, they didn't rely entirely on rabbits.


The Mousterian stone tool industry of Neanderthals is characterized by sophisticated flake tools that were detached from a prepared stone core. This innovative technique allowed flakes of predetermined shape to be removed and fashioned into tools from a single suitable stone....Neanderthals used tools for activities like hunting and sewing.

They definitely knew how to make a variety of tools.


Neanderthals also controlled fire, lived in shelters, and occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects. There is evidence that Neanderthals deliberately buried their dead and occasionally even marked their graves with offerings, such as flowers. No other primates, and no earlier human species, had ever practiced this sophisticated and symbolic behavior.

They were creative, to say the least.

I will need more information before I concede to the killer bunnies theory. I mean for goodness sake, there is evidence that they were practicing surgery on surviving patients with obsidian scalpels!


There is even some evidence that Neanderthals...perform crude surgery that sustained the life of the severely injured. This evidence suggests that Neanderthals engaged in complex ritual behavior and were capable of abstract thought, including recognition of the importance of the individual to society and of society to the individual.


But all-in-all, it usually is sudden, drastic environmental changes that drive a species out of existence.

humanorigins.si.edu...
bagheera.com...
edit on 2-3-2013 by NarcolepticBuddha because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:21 PM
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Perhaps they were so good at catching rabbits, that's all they ate, and they died from rabbit starvation. Rabbits have almost no fat in their meat, so if you eat a diet of rabbits exclusively, you can starve to death.



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:23 PM
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Not surprised. Bunnies is dangerous.


Oh...wait.
Never mind.
edit on 3/2/2013 by Phage because: (no reason given)



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:31 PM
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For those of you who remember Buffy:






posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:36 PM
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Originally posted by The Cusp
Perhaps they were so good at catching rabbits, that's all they ate, and they died from rabbit starvation. Rabbits have almost no fat in their meat, so if you eat a diet of rabbits exclusively, you can starve to death.



Same as squirrel
Been many found when this country was being settled with a belly full of squirrel
and dead as a doornail... from starvation. Keep tellling these gung ho bug out and live off the landers with a 60 lb bug out backpack that...
Between your idea and the fact these suckers are disease vectors that eat everything in site...i can see this a likely scenario!

SPeaking of bunnopocalypses.. Im going on a bunny murder spree this spring. Im in a city part of town too. We're completely overrun with rabbits here and they eat EVERYTHING I plant. If I skin them I could clothe and make blankets of rabbit pelts or everyone in my town. Damn rabbits... sorry Beezer. Your kin are about to experience an Oryctolagus cuniculus genocide.



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 08:43 PM
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Originally posted by The Cusp
Perhaps they were so good at catching rabbits, that's all they ate, and they died from rabbit starvation. Rabbits have almost no fat in their meat, so if you eat a diet of rabbits exclusively, you can starve to death.


Nope...not if you make a great gravy...


Peace



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 09:18 PM
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I thought some boffin's had come up with some idea that Neanderthals sort of mingled with the foxy Cro-mags and kind of made baby Neandermagnettes that grew up along with the rest of peoples.

That those beasts amongst us with red hair are in fact displaying a genetic Neanderthal trait.

Which means I'm a Neanderthal.

Makes sense, born of a scott tighter than a chickens bum, I do tend to horde things like a caveman and I would rather wait for a bunny to keel over outside than go poke it with a sharp stick. God, who'd be prehistoric.. what a chore. No wonder we all died off.

Either that or you mob ate them all, who really knows.



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 09:20 PM
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Originally posted by The Cusp
Perhaps they were so good at catching rabbits, that's all they ate, and they died from rabbit starvation. Rabbits have almost no fat in their meat, so if you eat a diet of rabbits exclusively, you can starve to death.


Back in University a similar mechanism was suggested as a contributing factor involving the demise of the Mayan Empire.

In that case, it wasn't bunnies, but, mono-cropping maize.
Maize was cheap and easy to grow and the culture became overdependent on it to fuel growing urban populations.
Over time through crop failures caused by soil depletion from no system of crop rotation plus inability to grow anything else due same, they eventually starved themselves out ... or so has been suggested.



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 10:43 PM
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I would think the competition from modern man and the limited adaptability would have been contributing factors.
Not to mention that maybe a virus wiped them out.

But bunnopocalypses,advantage,that has me rolling!!!



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 11:24 PM
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reply to post by Druscilla
 


It is fairly typical for humans in general and scientists in particular to want to find a silver bullet. It is neat, orderly, and simple. Nothing better than finding a single shot solution that eradicates all doubt.

It is also fairly typical for humans in general, and scientists in particular to look towards environmental factors when considering the reasons that ancient hominids did what they did.

The supposition is nice. What is disappointing is that this supposition quickly becomes accepted as fact when consumed by the public, which mistakenly will give more faith in the term "scientist" than is likely deserved.

Nonetheless....interesting topic.



posted on Mar, 2 2013 @ 11:38 PM
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Beezzers relatives were back there when the Neanderthals were around. His ancestors made the neanderthals laugh themselves to death. Mystery solved.



posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 12:23 AM
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reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan
 


Certainly to some extent, I'm sure, especially when stories like these get blown out of proportion or misunderstood.

The thing to consider in cases like this is the term (which the article itself didn't use or give adequate indication toward); "contributing factor".

My post before this one regarding one contributing factor that may have played a significant part in the demise of the Mayan Empire is one such example.

Yes, people, more specifically laymen and media sorts love their silver bullets and golden bows to tie everything up all neat and orderly.
Behind the curtain, however, phrases like "data indicates value X as contributing factor of potential significance in equation ABCx1= Y", where ABCx1=Y is any broad question like, "Why did the Neanderthals die out?", are the rule.

In Physics, Math, Chem, and other hard sciences where definitive and absolute values can be modeled, computed, tested, and replicated, magic bullets can indeed exist until at least such time pesky, yet wonderful, new data comes around to topple a current paradigm.

When it comes to Anthropology, Paleontology, Sociology, Psychology, Archaeology, and some other sciences, we find there's sometimes more questions than there are answers due lack of sufficient enough data and source data variety where then you find yourself in the tricky wonderful world of indicatives, majority data, minority data, comparative analysis, and many other less-than-exact tools for enumerating a less than exact illustration.

Bunnies?
It's a fun story I thought might illicit both some smirks of humor, as well as discussion like this.



posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 02:27 AM
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Death by bunnies, huh?


Or how about more conventional death?


Just remember who's in charge.



Seriously, OP? This goes to show how interconnected we all were and how we (as a species) have disconnected ourselves from the planet.

SnF




posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 09:17 AM
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Originally posted by Druscilla
For those of you who remember Buffy:




It was the first thing I thought of when I read the opening post.

I've got a theory... it could be bunnies....




posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 09:47 AM
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reply to post by winofiend
 


many years ago i also heard of the idea that gingers (pronounced with hard G's, not a J sound, obvs) were descended from neanderthals. though not so long ago, i did hear that this had been discredited.
However, as a bald git who knows many filthy gingers, i kept it to myself and continued to use it to sow prejudice and discord amongst those with more hair than i, the bastards.

cool info on those evil bunnies too



posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 11:05 AM
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Yes! Finally this thread appeared..! Even mainstream entertainment agrees that bunnies are the devil..




I especially love the scene in Xena (around :10 or so) when Gabrielle gets mauled by a bunny that she tried feeding [intoxicating] berries to as a lure.



posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 11:47 AM
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All bunnies are not evil.

Just misunderstood.



posted on Mar, 3 2013 @ 12:00 PM
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reply to post by Druscilla
 


Interesting hypothesis. I'm no anthropologist or archaeologist but it seems to me that there's a LOT of speculation involved here. Kind of like when there was a lot of speculation surrounding our close-ish cousin's ability to catch fish and birds.




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