Will humans evolve to be physically weaker?
Well I read an article just now on how Neanderthal Males Had Popeye-Like Arms. Basically saying they were physically strong like they were working out. I'm guessing they got like that because back then they did more physical work, hunting, carrying dead animals back to there family so they can eat etc, etc. So im thinking after the industrail revolution, more things are done now by machines. And Im wondering in thousands and thousands of years ahead when technology does almost everything for us humans and since we hardly put our muscles to use, we basically sit down in offices for hours. we hardly use our muscles for work. And probably use it even less and less with years to come. So will us humans become weaker and have less muscles. Will humans evolve to be physically weaker? I wanted to know if anybody with this kind of knowledge can enlightened me on this... Thanks
Heres the article:
http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/neanderthal-hormones-strong-arms.html
Being strong is no longer considered a most desirable attribute. Selection for mating no longer leads to more children. Physical strength is still important in some parts of the world, but work is, on the most part, less strenuous than it use to be. Providing for your mate can occur in many ways, in modern times it is by earning a comfortable living.
But ironically, affluence actually leads to a lower birth rate, as having more children is a way to erode that affluence. The third respondent is correct in this respect, but only for western countries where the welfare system exists.
In poorer countries this is also noticeable, where poorer families have more children, not only because there is a lack of education in fertility and contraception, but having many children ensures that there is someone to care for you in your old age. The richer you are, the less children are required.
So, the world is becoming poorer, and the less educated are having more children, so we are becoming more ignorant.
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For evolution to occur, there would be some sort of a random mutation that was selected for. I can see the point that as strength is not a selection criteria anymore that it is possible that slowly, less strong genes could survive in our line, but here are some things to think about. True, many people live sedentary lives, but many people exercise. Excluding Neandertals, which we are not directly related to, men today are stronger than they have ever been. Historically there has never been a need for people like Arnold Schwarzenegger (in his prime). It would waste energy for them to become so muscular, and as it was hard to survive to begin with, needing three times more calories would only hurt their survival rate more. The question would be, do fit people have a better chance of reproducing, and therefore passing on their genes in our modern society. I believe they do. Women tend to have crushes on people more fit, meaning more breeding opportunities. Also, for the strength of traditional cultures you can look at their modern equivalents. If you look at the Hadza, a hunting and gathering society in Africa, they do not have large mussels, as this would take too many calories to maintain, and it is not natural to have large mussels either. You could look at the !Kung as well and see the same thing.
1st post was good, whatever affects ability to procreate affects evolution. Lamarck was discredited long ago
I disagree slightly with the first post. In a sense yes, the fittest and healthiest humans will be more successful in breeding but society has proved that wrong nowadays. That would be typical behaviour of animals. Nowadays, it is the weakest, unhealthiest humans that are going on to have children. The people who are living off benefits who have nothing better to do than have children. Sociology must be brought into this. Various sociologists are giving theories that it is these benefit scrounging people who are spending all day at home watching television and eating the cheapest, most unhealthy foods are the ones who are having the most children. For example in the UK this is happening a lot because of the benefit system and being able to claim a free home if you have children. Therefore the population is becoming less intelligent and less healthy. So therefore it is not the healthiest most attractive humans who are going on to breed but the weakest, unhealthiest beings.
it might happen