5 Signs That Show Humans Have Started to Evolve Pretty Fast

Starting from our eyes to the bones in our legs, we have started to evolve at a much faster rate than scientists previously expected. These changes are the ones we take for granted and we might not even be aware of. Actually, they are the signs that show we haven’t stopped evolving. Even our brain is shrinking, which shows a significant transformation from before.

We at Bright Side dug a bit deeper to find out which evolutionary changes we have started to show and we were left speechless.

1. We have an additional artery in our arm.

Scientists have seen one artery in the arm that has started to show up in more modern adults compared with adults from the late 19th century. This artery is called “Median” and it used to be the one that supplies blood to the hand and forearm of the baby while it is inside the womb, but that disappears in adulthood.

However, there are more than a few cases of when this third artery didn’t disappear and some people have all 3 of them. This evolution will probably continue to appear in people born 80 years from now and the median artery might become a common thing in our forearm.

2. Babies are being born without wisdom teeth.

Our bodies have become smaller, compared to our ancestors, and babies are being born with smaller heads. This is probably because the pelvic size in women is becoming smaller too.

This is another sign of microevolution. Because babies are born with shorter faces and smaller jaws, it means there is less room for teeth. So, more and more babies are born without wisdom teeth. In addition to this, some babies are even born with extra bones in their legs and feet.

3. We start to mature faster.

Having more power over our choices is one of the factors that contribute to faster evolution. Choices like getting married and having kids later in life, or choosing to marry someone from the other side of the planet, etc. can affect us more than we’re aware of.

Also, people with smaller-sized bodies are starting to mature earlier. This is considered to be widespread evolution due to the consequence of a decrease in mortality in younger people, which is all thanks to better medical and hygiene care.

4. Our brains are shrinking.

Even though our brains are starting to shrink, it doesn’t mean that we will be less smart. Just the opposite, this is seen as an evolutionary advantage. As our body becomes smaller compared to our ancestors, it means less space for the brain.

Also, a smaller brain shows that there is an increased tolerance and that we are less aggressive than in the past. This can be considered domestication. Just like the animals that we have domesticated (like dogs and cats) there are different physical characteristics that come along with this. One of them is decreased brain size.

5. We drink milk even as adults.

Thousands of years ago, people couldn’t drink milk after childhood, and this was because they didn’t have the genetic mutation that would allow them to drink raw milk.

The enzyme that helped babies to digest milk would turn off once they grew into an adult and this meant that most people were lactose intolerant. However, today, 35% of people around the world (mostly those with European, African, and Eurasian ancestry) can drink milk, even as adults, without getting an upset stomach.

Do you think we are evolving faster now? Do you know of any other signs that we are becoming smarter and more evolved humans? Maybe you know someone who never had wisdom teeth?