Eli5: how are humans, who are two legged, able to out endure creatures that are four legged?
In: 1455
It is a combination of evolution and muscle composition. Generally the animal kingdom has species which have evolved muscles for super fast bursts, and others which have evolved to sustain moderate workload over long periods. With almost all being capable of both to a certain extent. Humans are certainly capable of short burst high intensity work, but are much more adept at long duration work. This allowed us to be much better hunters. It is more beneficial to be able to outlast virtually any prey than to be the fastest over a short distance. Also as it relates to your specific question, operating on two legs requires far less energy than using four, so it is much more sustainable over long periods.
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