Homo Futurus

[Glitch]

Many do not know the origin of the hypothetical yet intriguing "Homo Futurus", the prediction was first theorized by Harry Lionel Shapiro. Although controversial among anthropologists it's an interesting article.

http://www.naturalhistorymag.com/picks-f...s-from-now

To sum up our prophecies on the future man we may impressionistically describe him as taller than we, with a more capacious and rounder head, fronted by a more vertical and smoother brow. His face will be smaller and more recessive in profile. The teeth in his jaws will be reduced in number and will also be smaller in size. In particular the third molars, but also in some cases, the lateral incisors will be absent. Caries or dental decay will continue to be a serious problem requiring constant supervision to keep in check. Some representatives of this future race will walk on four-toed feet and many will in early adulthood have become bald. The body hair will be less abundant, perhaps reaching the condition of hairlessness found in Chinese and Negroes.

[Napoléon]

This isn't going to come to pass, and for one reason.

Genetic engineering.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

But natural selection is so weak now thanks to modern medicine. And not all who are previously considered "fit" (having the potential for having more offsprings than others) are really procreating. In fact, a lot of procreation happens with people who don't bother using birth control. It's very hard to predict in what direction natural selection is selecting, and what the future humans will look like. Also nowadays, brain quality isn't a requirement to procreation, because the big brains create solutions that are then available to everyone. And modern medicine can keep a lot of people alive, despite their predisposition to disease.

But yea interesting article.

[FlyingNarwhal]

I would wonder if humans end up evolving around the technology we create.

[NoraBrimstone]

In fact, a lot of procreation happens with people who don't bother using birth control.

Kinda hard to procreate at all when using birth control. :P

[pineapplebunnybounce]

@plaincents

what do you mean around? I think we already have to some extent. If we were to eliminate technology right now, a lot of people would die, of diseases, accidents, starvation, and other such things.

@NoraBrimstone

ahaha, yea, i meant unplanned procreation.

[FlyingNarwhal]

@plaincents

what do you mean around? I think we already have to some extent. If we were to eliminate technology right now, a lot of people would die, of diseases, accidents, starvation, and other such things.

I'm not too sure because evolution would take so long that we would need a technology that stays static for a long period of time. Maybe some time in the near future we decide that chairs need to be shaped a specific way, and after hundreds of thousands of years of that specific chair style our asses conform to fit it exactly. I'm just throwing out half baked shit there though, but kinda along those lines.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

that is conceivable, but i think it wouldn't be a chair, would be something that gives us an added advantage. And then we physically change to use this thing more effectively to reap this advantage.

Nothing comes to mind now.

[FlyingNarwhal]

Exactly, there is a good possibility that we haven't even created that technology yet.

[Something completely different]

How is that dystopian comedy movie called where a man travels to the future and finds everyone to be stupid as a result of the stupid reproducing more often?


Cause that to me sounds like the most valid option.