this post was submitted on 02 Jun 2026
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I'd also be fascinated if we figured out a way to do it
I personally suspect it's not common in the animal kingdom. It's quite likely a defense against leprosy, a disease that is most dangerous in larger society type communities, without outside predators (to pick off the sick).
That theory might be wrong however. Its distribution would tell us a lot about what it defends against.
I'll throw in, probably for death and disease. many other animals have heightened smell, so humans had to evolve a different "sense" for that.
The uncanny valley is FAR stronger with moving things Vs inanimate ones. It's likely modified from a revulsion of dead things, but seems to be distinct now.
Most diseases don't show strongly enough to trigger it, most of the time. Historically, the exception has been leprosy. I'm honestly curious if it's evolved to keep us clear of leppers specifically or not.