Hi guys,

Most likely, we all know about the uncanny valley-- the creepy feeling you get

A while ago, I read (and lost) a post about how this response might have evolved to keep us away from the other species of home while they still roamed the Earth with us. However, some commenters decried this as scientific racism. They did bring up some good points about interbreeding between different homo species, though, which could debunk the idea that we have an instinctual response to protect us from the other creatures. Another commenter claimed that the response is not to protect us from other homo species, but from humans who are deeply ill or afflicted with rabies or similar nervous system diseases.

I personally feel very uneasy and nauseated while looking at reconstructions of other homo species. Well, they are mannequins, of course-- which is supposed to trigger the response, anyway-- but imagining encountering a creature like this sure gives me the heebie jeebies, in a way that extant apes don't:

Reconstructed homo floriensis

Science people, do you know if there were any reasons for early humans to be averse towards the other homos? (I can't write this without it sounding silly anymore, sorry)