A
amy_2
Guest
I came across some interesting research which has found that humans are still evolving and women are becoming shorter, fatter, and having babies at a younger age through natural selection.
Also, research on animals suggesting that broodiness, or lack thereof is a genetic trait which is at last partly hereditary.
Women that do not have the genes that code for broodiness are becoming less common via natural selection.
Researchers have also found that on average, career women are 30% less "reproductively fit" than women who leave school as soon as possible.
Published in the latest edition of the scientific journal Evolution, the study examined female reproduction in 2,710 pairs of twins and found women reproducing earlier in their lives have higher "Darwinian fitness" - the ability of an organism to reproduce itself because it is well adapted to its environment.
The study suggests the trend is being passed on from generation to generation through natural selection.
Author Dr Ian Owens, from the Biology and Biochemistry Department at Imperial College, said: "Changes in society, such as freely-available birth control for women and eradication of several important childhood diseases, which have taken place in the last 20 to 30 years will probably lead to genetic changes in humans through evolution."
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1292228.stm
https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/280833
Any thoughts on this reasearch? Do you agree/disagree? Personally I can see their point that there is a natural instinct to reproduce, but a strong cultural pressure to delay it to an age which is seen as more "acceptable". I can also seen that contraception will lead to changes in the human gene pool.
Also, research on animals suggesting that broodiness, or lack thereof is a genetic trait which is at last partly hereditary.
Women that do not have the genes that code for broodiness are becoming less common via natural selection.
Researchers have also found that on average, career women are 30% less "reproductively fit" than women who leave school as soon as possible.
Published in the latest edition of the scientific journal Evolution, the study examined female reproduction in 2,710 pairs of twins and found women reproducing earlier in their lives have higher "Darwinian fitness" - the ability of an organism to reproduce itself because it is well adapted to its environment.
The study suggests the trend is being passed on from generation to generation through natural selection.
Author Dr Ian Owens, from the Biology and Biochemistry Department at Imperial College, said: "Changes in society, such as freely-available birth control for women and eradication of several important childhood diseases, which have taken place in the last 20 to 30 years will probably lead to genetic changes in humans through evolution."
https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1292228.stm
https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/280833
Any thoughts on this reasearch? Do you agree/disagree? Personally I can see their point that there is a natural instinct to reproduce, but a strong cultural pressure to delay it to an age which is seen as more "acceptable". I can also seen that contraception will lead to changes in the human gene pool.
