Researchers Proposed Dive-First-Run-Later Evolution Theory
A new hypothesis argues that shallow-water foraging helped early humans evolve the cardiorespiratory stamina for endurance running.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Running
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Should scientists give more weight to aquatic foraging theories when studying the origins of human endurance?
On September 17, 2026, researchers Josephine Joordens and Erika Schagatay published the dive-first-run-later hypothesis in the journal PaleoAnthropology. The theory posits that early Homo species developed endurance traits through repeated shallow-water diving between 2 million and 3 million years ago.
Why it matters
This hypothesis seeks to explain the evolutionary origin of modern human endurance, suggesting that aquatic foraging adaptations provided the necessary cardiovascular and respiratory foundation for later running stamina.
The researchers identified a 2 million to 3 million-year timeframe for early human diving activity. They also pointed to modern sea foragers like the Sama-Bajau, who spend 4 to 6 hours daily in the water, as a contemporary behavioral model.
The players
Josephine Joordens
She is a researcher based at an institution in Leipzig, Germany.
Erika Schagatay
She is an academic researcher affiliated with an institution in Östersund, Sweden.
The details
The study suggests that consistent underwater foraging pressure selected for larger spleens and improved lung capacity, which later proved beneficial for terrestrial distance running. Critics challenge the theory by noting that diving and running utilize conflicting cardiovascular responses, such as the heart rate decrease during submersion versus the increase required for aerobic exercise.
Timeline
The hypothesis covers the period from 2 million to 3 million years ago.
The aquatic ape hypothesis was first introduced in 1960.
Joordens and Schagatay published their findings on September 17, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This research follows the precedent set by the 1960 aquatic ape hypothesis, which proposed that early humans had semi-aquatic phases in their evolution. The study extends this framework by specifically arguing that ancestral diving adaptations directly enabled the cardiorespiratory stamina seen in modern endurance athletes.
The study challenges existing physiological assumptions about aerobic efficiency by contrasting the metabolic costs of diving with running. Readers interested in evolutionary physiology may use these findings to reassess how cardiovascular adaptations influence modern endurance performance benchmarks.
The takeaway
The research highlights how ancient survival behaviors may have laid the biological groundwork for modern endurance capabilities. Understanding these evolutionary links provides deeper insight into the physiological limits and adaptations that define human athletic performance today.
Further reading
For more on the development of human athletic capabilities, visit our section on Running.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Science News.
Live Poll
Should scientists give more weight to aquatic foraging theories when studying the origins of human endurance?
