Article: SNAKES GET CREDIT FOR HELPING HUMANS EVOLVE.(News)

Byline: Charlie Emrich Sacramento Bee

If you see snakes on your plane, take a second to thank them before running and screaming.

Without snakes, our ancestors may never have evolved coordination, keen vision and the higher intelligence needed to produce a potential summer blockbuster like "Snakes on a Plane."

According to a new hypothesis by University of California-Davis anthropologist Lynne Isbell, as snakes evolved, other animals adapted to avoid them. While some species developed strong senses of smell or hearing, ancient primates developed excellent vision and the coordination necessary to dodge snakes. Further, Isbell says, we have a ...

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