Darwin-L Message Log 2:42 (October 1993)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<2:42>From PICARD@Vax2.Concordia.CA  Sun Oct 10 11:41:57 1993

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1993 12:35:38 -0500 (EST)
From: MARC PICARD <PICARD@Vax2.Concordia.CA>
Subject: WATER BABIES
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu

 A few years ago I saw a program on television (PBS I think) which was called
WATER BABIES. It dealt with a theory conceived by an Englishman to the effect
that homo sapiens had spent a few million years of its evolution living
near and virtually in shallow water. This supposedly accounted for some of
the major differences between us and the other primates such as our relative
hairlessness, our swimming abilities, a reflex (I've forgotten the name) that
kids have that enables them to stay underwater quite a long time without
drowning, etc. I remember seeing at least one baby born underwater in that
program.
   I don't remember the Englishman's name unfortunately but I do recall that
he had kept this hypothesis under his hat for most of his life for fear of
being ridiculed and perhaps losing his job. I also remember that he found a
staunch supporter in a woman whose name was Morgan I think. A few books were
written on this topic by the two of them but I've never been able to get
my hands on one to see if his thesis holds water, so to speak.
   Can anybody out there furnish the name of this Englishman and comment on
the validity of his ideas?

Marc Picard

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