Doctor explains why humans are born so 'helpless' but baby animals know exactly what to do
A doctor has revealed why humans are seemingly born 'helpless' while many animals can walk and communicate straight after entering the world.
It's a thought that has crossed all of our minds at one point or another, as nature documentaries often reveal that animals which are born in the wild are thrust into the tasks of everyday life from day one.
No baby cot, no bedtime stories, no being propped up in a baby chair while your mum feeds you - it's hard out there.
But why is this the case, and how do humans go from being helpless as newborns to some of the smartest creatures on Earth within just a few years?
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Unsurprisingly, it includes a scientific explanation and an important factor which makes a lot of sense.
Dr Michael Gartner, a plastic surgeon by trade but a medical professional who shares his advice and opinions on health-related topics online, has reacted to a video explaining why human babies need nurturing.
The original video is made by YouTube legend Zack D. Films, as the medic gave his take on the explanation provided.
It explains that human babies are 'helpless' due to their large-sized brains, which are 'designed for language and problem solving', with Dr Gartner clarifying that other animals are born primarily for 'survival'.
He went on: "Obviously, a giraffe can't pick up their baby and hold it. So that's why giraffes are born with smaller brains, but can run right away."
The video went on to say that if we were to 'develop other capabilities like walking, our heads would be too big to come out', which would result in death and the end of our species as we know it.
The doctor added: "This extended period of perinatal care allows for development of complex social structures and learning which are crucial for the survival of human beings and success."
This explanation is backed up by an article published in the Scientific American, which speaks of the 'obstetrical dilemma' - a hypothesis explaining that childbirth is difficult due to the need for a large-brained baby and the requirements of bipedal locomotion (walking on two legs), which has been explored by the NIH.
Compromise of the 'obstetrical dilemma'
Humans are said to have the largest brains of any primate in proportion to our body size, though our upright walking, also known as bipedalism, has led to a narrower pelvis.
A baby's head is simply too large to fully develop in the womb without making the mother's birth canal wide beyond possibility, meaning babies must be born before being fully developed in this aspect.
Due to this, humans are then born with fairly immature brains and bodies, which means that they rely on caregivers for survival as they develop and eventually become smarter than animals who may start life out more advanced.
Advantages of being 'helpless'
The process of learning is enhanced, as the state of helplessness allows for a longer period of brain development after birth, which means young humans are able to acquire skills such as language, social cues and then problem-solving.
Being born with a less developed brain allows for a more complex brain to be developed later in life, one of the key factors in human intelligence.
Finally, this long period of dependency gives us the ability to adapt, both culturally and socially, resulting in relationships being made and the ability to move away from home and live in a new environment, for example.
Joshua Nair