The Waterside Ape by Peter H. Rhys Evans

Other Homo sapiens–specific features that may be tied to a semi-aquatic stage of human evolution include erect posture, loss of body hair, deposition of subcutaneous fat, a completely different heat-regulation system from other primates, and kidneys that function much like those of aquatic mammals. Supporters of the aquatic ape theory postulate that imagining apes evolving in the water would help to resolve many other inconsistencies between man and the higher primates, such as the existence of paranasal sinuses in humans. It helps to solve, for instance, what paleoanthropologists agree is the major difficulty in human evolution: bipedal locomotion. Some impressive evidence has been marshaled in support of this theory, which needs to be addressed. Zoologist Desmond John Morris used Hardy’s aquatic ape hypothesis to explain “why we are so nimble in the water today, and why our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, are so helpless and quickly drown.” In addition, proponents have cataloged many human similarities to other aquatic and semi-aquatic mammals. In 1960, eminent marine biologist Sir Alister Hardy suggested an aquatic phase in human evolution and, as evidence, noted Homo sapiens’ many major differences from the then-claimed human primate ancestors. It has been widely and favorably covered in some of the leading peer-reviewed scientific journals since at least 1960. On a regular basis, the news media announce new “paleoanthropological evidence has challenged ideas about early hominid evolution.” One of the most bizarre notions is the aquatic ape theory, the idea that humans evolved from some semi-aquatic creature. A strong indication of the scarcity of evidence for human evolution is easily seen-not only in the almost biannual major revisions of the theory (see my previous article, 18 April 2020)-but in the wide variety of contrasting theories proposed.

The Waterside Ape by Peter H. Rhys Evans