14 DAY TRIAL // Luke Skywalker might be an outstanding fellow, but truth be told, there are plenty of “Star Wars” fans out there who like Grand Jedi Master Yoda way better. Then again, why shouldn't they? He's cute, witty and has the most adorbs eyes that ever were.
Over the years, it has many times been said that Yoda was inspired by Albert Einstein or that creator Stuart Freeborn poured a great deal of himself into this character. Biologist Myron Shekell with the US' Washington University disagrees.
Long story short, this researcher insists that it is as clear as day that Yoda was inspired by the tarsier, a small, big-eyed creature that currently populates forests in Indonesia, Borneo and the Philippines, DM informs.
These animals, said to be the absolute smallest primates in the world, have freakishly long hind limbs that end in even more extremely elongated feet. In fact, it's because of the abnormal length of their tarsus bones that they are known as tarsiers.
As if their big eyes and feet weren't enough to spook people, it looks like tarsiers communicate with each other using ultrasound. Because we humans can't detect ultrasound relying on our sense of hearing alone, it was long assumed that these primates didn't chat at all.
Admittedly, Myron Shekell's claim that the Grand Jedi Master Yoda was inspired by a tarsier is no more and no less than an educated guess based on the similarities between the “Star Wars” character and these primates.
Still, I for one have to admit that I am inclined to believe the biologist. More so since the other options I have to pick and choose from are Albert Einstein and Stuart Freeborn.
