Introduction to Human Evolution
Scientists warn that future people, based on the way we live today, will become hairless and even lose four other parts of the body. Experts say that changes in nutrition, technology and the environment could drive these drastic evolutionary changes over thousands of years. Features that were once essential for survival, such as body hair or certain organs, can become superfluous and gradually disappear from the human body.
The Impact of Modern Comfort on Human Anatomy
The researchers focused particularly on how modern comfort, reduced physical activity and medical progress could revive our anatomy in a way that was previously only seen in evolution theory. Yes – the human body is an incredible machine that is of crucial importance for life, but some characteristics that were once essential are now not used to any purpose.
Parts of the Body That Are Disappearing
Here are five parts of the body that slowly disappear.
Hair
Body hair once served important functions such as warmth and protection. But today it is often removed for aesthetic reasons. Apart from eyelashes and eyebrows, hair removal is a standard care practice, especially for women. A study showed that over 90% of women in Great Britain typically remove their armpit hair, whereby many also remove essential parts of their pubic hair. This trend is largely powered by social norms and beauty standards. As a result, the hair has become much finer and sparse. Modern clothing, heated houses and technological comfort also mean that natural insulation is no longer of crucial importance. Body hair can therefore become even finer, sparse or even completely disappear.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth or third molars originally helped to reduce hard, raw food such as roots, nuts and uncooked meat. But modern cooking and softer diets mean that most of us no longer need them. In Great Britain, studies show that around 20% of adults have been removed at least one wisdom tooth, while diets that are rich in processed and cooked foods have largely made these additional molar superfluous. About 1 out of 5 people never develop all four wisdom teeth and show how they are rarer. Our jaws have shrunk over generations, and with softer modern nutrition, these third molars often cause or pain. This could mean that future generations will lose the teeth of wisdom as a whole, since evolution adapts to our easier to meal.
Coccyx
The coccyx or the Kokcyx is a rest of our primate tails and originally helped with the balance and support of a tail. Today it fulfills little purpose, although it still supports some pelvic muscles. Modern lifestyles – with flat surfaces, chairs and less climbing or gripping – mean that the Kokcyx is largely superfluous. Kokcyx injuries are quite common in Great Britain, with about 1 out of 50 people at some point having pain in the coccyx, which emphasizes his susceptibility to security despite its reduced evolutionary role. Since its original role for the balance is no longer required, the Coccyx is used more as a historical marker. Over the years, natural selection could prefer minor or even absentee. Some evolutionary studies indicate that the Kokcyx has shrunk in humans compared to our primates.
Appendix
Historically, our ancestors rely on the appendix to digest cellulose plants. The appendix was perhaps a practical tool to digest hard, fibrous material, but today it is largely superfluous. Modern cooked and processed diets mean that we no longer need this small organ to reduce food. However, some studies indicate that it may play a subordinate role in immune function that are advantageous intestinal bacteria in the apartment. Despite the reduced purpose, appendicitis still affects around 7,000 people in the UK every year, which makes the appendix one of the most frequently removed organs. These are about 1 of 20 people who will experience appendicitis at some point in their lives. In essence, it is an flooding of our evolutionary past – useful for our ancestors, but largely out of date for people who live in the modern world.
Ear Muscles
Earcharms were once used to swivel our ears towards noise, just like cats and dogs. Our ancestors probably used these ears to push their ears and help them recognize predators, prey or other dangers in their area. In a world without modern technology or shelter, it would have been a useful survival instrument to quickly absorb noises from different directions – something that we no longer need today. Nowadays, the ears of most people are inactive and hardly or no practical purpose. For the rare few that you can still twitch, it is more of a quirky party trick than a survival ability. Scientists predict that they can completely shrink or disappear or disappear a ear muscles over thousands of years. Since people rely more on technology, how headphones, alarms and visual information and not on acute listening to survival, the natural selection of this once useful characteristic can expire and future generations with fully immobile ears.
