Here’s What Studying Animals Can Teach Us About Human Health

Every year, Hollywood churns out superhero films about humans who access some ability that allow them to perform feats that ordinary folks can only dream about. Meanwhile, the animal kingdom appears to be filled with examples of real-life superpowers.

The key, according to scientists, lies in unlocking that potential within humans.

Here are some particularly noteworthy examples:

Think like a bird

As we age, humans have an increased likelihood of developing dementia or some other type of disease caused by the loss of cognitive function. While it might be impossible to eradicate this risk entirely, there are some daily mental exercises that can reduce our susceptibility.

Biomedical researcher David Agus writes that birds seem to set a good example by relying on landmarks and repetition when plotting out their migration paths.

“If you want to retain cognitive function for a long time, you need to do activities that involve pattern recognition and that physical activity,” he said.

Work out like a rhinoceros

When humans set out to increase physical activity, we often take an all-or-nothing approach. This can lead to either overdoing it in the gym and hurting ourselves or settling into a comfortable, albeit unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle.

Taking a cue from rhinos, however, can provide us with a more advantageous routine.

“The best exercise we can do is on, off, on, off, rather than keep pushing, keep pushing, keep pushing,” Agus says.

Other hidden powers

While it might take some time to benefit from the following animal secrets, here are a few worth exploring:

• Why giraffes don’t suffer from strokes or heart attacks despite their elevated blood pressure
• How elephant genes might prevent the development of certain types of cancer
• What ant colonies can teach us about limiting the spread of infectious diseases

Chris Agee February 27th, 2023

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