Surplus Safety

The Evolutionary Importance of Risky Play, Kambiz Kamrani 

I like the conclusions.  I want this to be true.  The argument seems plausible. And I like the idea of surplus safety.  But if you push hard on this there's a lot of  "Wait, are those two things the same?" about it.   Still...

In their paper published in Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health1, the researchers argue that this type of play fulfills an evolutionary need inherited from our ape and early human ancestors. The study suggests that modern playgrounds may prioritize “surplus safety” at the expense of children’s ability to push their physical and cognitive boundaries, a process that is fundamental to developing resilience and confidence.