Experts in Sport

E37 - The role of sport in human evolution

February 08, 2023 Loughborough University Season 4 Episode 3
Experts in Sport
E37 - The role of sport in human evolution
Show Notes

In this episode of the “Experts in Sport” podcast, host Martin Foster sits down with ultra-endurance athlete and multiple world-record holder Dr Danny Longman. They discuss his experience, as well as his research on the role of sport in understanding human evolution, adaptation, and function in challenging environments.

Time Stamps:

00:00 – 01:00 Introduction & career background information on our guest

01:01 – 11:57 Longman’s world records & competition experiences

11:58 – 17:38 Longman’s research into human evolution

17:39 – 28:21 An athlete’s distribution of energy & the “Life History” theory

28:22 – 31:07 The balance between physical and cognitive performance & the “Selfish Brain” hypothesis

31:08 – 39:45 The relationship between endurance, sport, and human adaptation

39:46 – 43:15 The benefits of Longman’s research

43:16 – 47:09 Future research plans

47:10 – 48:02 Episode recap and conclusion