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What evolutionary changes might be happening now?


Given that it would be next to impossible to actually predict what will happen to humans through evolutionary processes, are there any clues which might suggest current changes?

I can think of a few.

1. Brain size. With the emphasis on education and caring for others, and poor people tending to have larger families, would it be reasonable to suggest we are breeding intelligence out of humanity?

2. Autism spectrum, in some cases confers some advantage in ability to focus and be obsessive about detail and practical skills, which arguably has prevented autism to breed out. With current education policies, people on the autism spectrum might have more opportunities to procreate.

3. Female size: Are women getting bigger? It has been suggested that female size in primates is related to female equality, and specifically monogamy. Where there is competition among males they tend to be bigger. With male humans no longer needing to fight for a mate, and there being no particular reason for women to be smaller, are women reaching a similar size to men? Look at Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, both very much women but in musculature and size the equal to most men.



Opened my window to listen to the news But all I heard was the establishment blues!

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Correct, they simply do not have them. Most people need their wisdom teeth removed because our jaws are shorter than our more ape-like ancestors. In ancient times, these teeth couldn't effectively be removed, and quite a few people probably died from infections or the inability to eat properly. Anyone born without the extra teeth had an advantage over those who still had them. Only in modern times are we now noticing individuals who lack either the top, bottom, or both sets of wisdom teeth.

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