Psychology Today | 18.02.2026 21:35
Imagine being one of our Paleolithic ancestors and having to navigate the relative safety of the cave and all the presumably more dangerous places around it for food, forest bathing, and whatever else was on your cave-person mind. Your life would depend on having a detailed mental map of as much of the area around your dwelling as possible. If you were nomadic, that kind of mental mapping would be even more essential. As a fairly weak animal surrounded by apex predators ready to take a chomp out of you, the ability to use your environment for sustenance and safety would be paramount. Indeed, your lifespan would depend on your skills in those areas.
