Whenever you come across the word “invention,” you would have thought about the bigger inventions like that a TV, the computer, the telephone, etc.
But have you ever thought about the invention of the most basic things in your life? Like who invented a hair brush? Who first thought about eating on plates? Who invented living in cemented houses?
We bet you wouldn’t have googled all this before!
Today, we’re going to talk about one of the most fundamental inventions in the lives of humans. Yes, we’re going to talk about who invented walking.
If you want to know, stay tuned!
When was walking invented first?
If you have watched Luca (the Pixar film), this question won’t be new to know. Remember Alberto Scorfano bragging about his brilliant idea about walking? But that poor monster might not know the real story behind it.
And the real story is that walking was never invented. It is more like an evolutionary process that occurred when animals from the seas started invading the dry lands. It wasn’t anyone or anything who specifically triggered the idea but the concept of walking had been here millions of years ago.
According to science, arthropods were the first creatures to walk on land around 400 million years ago. However, the concept of bipedalism which is walking on two legs came a little later.
The study of the fossils has been an incredible help to determine when all this started. According to fossil records, bipedal walking came into being around 4.2-4.4 million years ago.
An Ardi-like female hominid was found during excavations in Ethiopia. The first bipedal traits are those of Ardi and the other neighboring bipedal hominins. The earliest examples of early humans who developed walking can be found in these fossils.
These species’ toe structures resemble those of humans, and their pelvis posture is best adapted for upright human-like walking. The ancestors of modern humans’ ability to walk are thought to be ardi species.
It is since then humans are walking and walked and have now reached the moon and beyond!
How long can a human walk without stopping?
Well, the ability to walk without stopping depends on the physique and health of an individual. If you are a young, energetic person with an active, healthy body, you might run a marathon but won’t stop. Otherwise, if you are an old individual with variable health issues, you might not be able to walk to your bathroom without stopping in between.
Besides physical health and stamina, training also determines the length of your walk. A trained walker can walk 2-3 miles and may not stop even after that. It is because their muscles are trained to work for a longer time and don’t get tired soon.
It is also said that adequate training helps walkers to finish the walker-friendly marathon in around 7 hours without any breaks!
How far can you walk in 2 hours?
Again this depends on your training and muscle strength.
On average, a healthy person can walk up to 2 miles in an hour which means 4 miles in 2 hours. However, if you are a trained walker, you can complete up to 6 miles in 2 hours at an easy pace.
You might be unaware of the fact that a good 2 hours long walk is ideal for weight loss. If you are a healthy individual who can walk up to 4-5 miles in 2 hours, you are likely to burn 500 to 800 calories which is amazing if you intend to lose weight.
Who invented running?
The simple answer to this is running was never invented i.e., it was not initiated or created by a person. Both people and animals naturally possess this ability!
Australopithecus fossils from about 4,000,000 years ago demonstrate that upright walking was a typical mode of transportation for people before they developed stone tools. Fossil evidence and anatomical traits suggest that humans began running at least 2,000,000 years ago.
Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, is credited with running the roughly 25 miles from Marathon to Athens, Greece, in 490 B.C., bringing news of a military victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon.
Final thoughts
So, running and walking were not invented; rather, they are natural human abilities that have always been there. It is just that early people got them in practice as per their needs.
Both of these physical activities are linked with a variety of health benefits. For instance, they help an individual with weight management, if practiced regularly. They also help to train your muscles for better mobility and flexibility.
Also, studies link walking and running with preventing certain diseases like obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, heart diseases, etc.
So, if you’ve been taking the two for granted, it might be a time to shrug off that laziness and get your body moving to reap all these benefits.
