Genetic, evolutionary fitness

The evolution of our brain perhaps owes a lot to the so-called "choice of woman", which must privilege the partner with the best genetic makeup. Among the signs of evolutionary fitness, running - useless and expensive - still gives us a winning image today.

Darwin and the woman

When Darwin wrote The Origin of Species in 1859 he did not speak of the human species. He dared to do so only later, in 1871 with the book "The origin of man and selection based on sex", in which he dissolves all reservations and indicates the primates as the ultimate ancestors of man.

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In this text, however, he dedicates only 250 pages to the "survival of the fittest", which gave him fame, and 570 to the so-called "sexual selection". What was it about?

The male-dominated (and creationist) society of the time overlooked this second part, no less important than the first, not to accept the fact that the female choice of the partner could have influenced the evolutionary process as much as natural selection.

Female choices

At the origin of "sexual selection" lies the biological diversity between male and female individuals. The woman produces only one egg, rich in reserve substances, at each cycle.

And she must then feed and care for the offspring. Man, on the other hand, produces millions of small spermatozoa, agile and devoid of nourishment. From this difference arises the need for the man to distribute his semen as much as possible, and for the woman to choose a high-level partner.

Which the female does actively, choosing the most genetically valid partner, and condemning all the others to extinction.

Fitness indicators

But genes are hidden and invisible. Therefore, females of all species need to identify reliable genetic markers in males.

The selection made by the woman in the choice of the partner has a very strong influence (thanks to the Fischer cascade process), which can randomly favor bizarre characteristics: from the peacock's tail, to the frontal crests or the colored tufts of tropical birds, up to the song of the nightingale or to the human brain.

The peacock's tail obviously does not serve to escape from predators (indeed it is an obstacle).

But there are peacocks who can afford it, and peacocks who can't. Indeed, how could a mutant with various kinds of problems and bad genes have all the energy necessary to produce a beautiful tail, without being affected?

Diamonds or tomatoes?

Israeli biologist Amos Zahavi argues that bizarre and expensive ornaments are nothing more than "fitness indicators". That is, means by which a male puts on a tag that says: "Look how healthy I am!".

But for a fitness indicator to be efficient (and not lend itself to mystification) it really has to be expensive and rare. And it takes a lot of energy. Have you ever wondered why engagement gifts are precious?

Why does the betrothed give a diamond and not a big tomato, which at least could be eaten? In short, to conquer a female, of any species, you have to show her that you are able to waste, to have more strength and energy than all the others.

If not, genetically speaking, why should she choose us?

Alpha males

In all primate communities, from chimpanzees to gorillas, there are dominant males (or "alpha" males) who have won the right to fertilize women. Some males, of the highest genetic quality, will fertilize all the females, leaving all those who are carriers of mutations, defects and diseases out of the game.

But being strong or violent is not enough to be an "alpha" male. In the midst of other "healthy" males, we need an overall courting ability that leads the female to choose us. Evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller, in "Men, women and peacock tails", shows how the display of a useless luxury represents a successful courtship tactic.

Among the various activities that Miller suggests as revealing genetic fitness, there is sporting activity.

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Race and "waste"

Practicing a sport can be a joyful waste of energy, the pleasure of which developed in ancient times for courtship purposes (who knows if this is one of the reasons why so many more men than women run?). Only those in perfect health can in fact excel in running.

A race that, free from any direct therapeutic consequence, becomes a specific detector of evolutionary fitness. And in its stupendous uselessness, it can find greatness and meaning, more than a diamond or a red Ferrari.

Because no matter how big the diamond may be, it will still be an indirect fitness signal: it can be bought with family money, stolen, rented. A marathon no. It can never be run for hire, or with someone else's muscles.

Those who run a marathon at a brisk pace exhibit genetic fitness that few can have. And subconsciously a Homo sapiens female will be drawn to that display of perfection.

Everyone to the camp?

So everyone to train? Impossible to simplify. The woman also seeks protection, intelligence, capacity for commitment in the raising of offspring. But, all other things being equal, the guy who lounges in a hammock will attract female sympathies much less than a muscular and healthy guy capable of running a trail or an ultramarathon, in their stupendous uselessness.

One day a friend of mine told me: "Choosing a partner is always difficult, but for me it is more difficult: I want him to run!". Exaggerations? Certainly, given that the reasons for union between people must go much further.

But they reflect an inner tendency which - for those who experience it - is very clear. It may be important to know its origins in order to dominate it and not be dominated by it.

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