BigfootBigfoot is a large, bipedal ape species that has been seen in North America for centuries. The name "Bigfoot" was coined in the late 50's by a journalist in CA describing large tracks found at a logging site. Another name for this animal is "Sasquatch," which is an anglicized version of the Coast Salish word "se'sxac," meaning, wild men. The origins of Bigfoot are widely debated, however, evidence shows close ties to humans & other great apes.
originsWithin the past 5 million years, dozens of hominins lived & even coexisted with one another. A hominin describes the group consisting of modern humans, extinct human species & all our immediate ancestors. These hominins ranged in physical appearance, intelligence & capabilities. Ultimately, Homo sapien (modern day humans) are believed to have outcompeted these other hominins, making us & great apes the last living species. However, with evidence of Bigfoot surfacing for hundreds of years, it is only realistic that we acknowledge the existence of what looks to be another hominin species.
Because of the tough competition between Homo sapiens & other hominins, the Bigfoot species seems to have adapted to avoid us humans. It is exciting to ponder where Bigfoot will fit on our fossil tree & how close they may come to human! For now, we call them relict hominoids, meaning a hominoid species that has survived from an earlier time period. |
intelligenceEvidence strongly suggests that Sasquatch sleeps on the ground just like us humans. The Olympic Project of Washington has documented several nesting sites containing over 20 ground nests that resemble those of known apes & measure between 4-9 feet. Between credible eye-witness reports, ground nesting sites & no evidence of nesting in trees, we can conclude that Sasquatch spends their time sleeping on the ground.
According to Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, English scientist & professor of neuroscience & psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, sleep is essential to intelligence, memory function, & evolution. Why are we smarter than other primates? It may just have something to do with sleep. REM, or Rapid Eye Movement sleep, is a deep paralysis that boosts social complexity & cognitive intelligence. Because primates sleep in trees, they cannot achieve REM sleep, as the sleep paralysis would cause them to fall to their death. While other hominoids were sleeping in trees, Homo erectus (our ancestor) learned how to make fire, allowing them to sleep safely on the ground & reach REM sleep. This change in sleeping patterns could be what evolved Homo sapien intelligence. Humans spend 20-25% of our sleep in the REM state, compared to a 9% average across other primates. Other apes sleep longer, but we sleep deeper, leaving us more time for social learning & innovation! What does this mean? If modern humans evolved our social complexity & cognitive intelligence through REM sleep, Sasquatch may have too! Bigfoots have been reported to range in color, size & stature. |
is sasquatch related to us?
Sasquatch shares many characteristics with us & other apes. This is because they are likely part of our family tree. A hominin describes the group consisting of modern humans, extinct human species & all our immediate ancestors. These hominins ranged in physical appearance, intelligence & capabilities. Here are a few species within our fossil record that share striking similarities with Sasquatch, making them potential ancestors!