Human species 'may split in two'

[DJ Pat]

BBC NEWS | UK | Human species 'may split in two'

Human species 'may split in two'



Humanity may split into two sub-species in 100,000 years' time as predicted by HG Wells, an expert has said.

Evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry of the London School of Economics expects a genetic upper class and a dim-witted underclass to emerge.
The human race would peak in the year 3000, he said - before a decline due to dependence on technology.
People would become choosier about their sexual partners, causing humanity to divide into sub-species, he added.

The descendants of the genetic upper class would be tall, slim, healthy, attractive, intelligent, and creative and a far cry from the "underclass" humans who would have evolved into dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like creatures.



Race 'ironed out'
But in the nearer future, humans will evolve in 1,000 years into giants between 6ft and 7ft tall, he predicts, while life-spans will have extended to 120 years, Dr Curry claims.
Physical appearance, driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility, will improve, he says, while men will exhibit symmetrical facial features, look athletic, and have squarer jaws, deeper voices and bigger penises.
Women, on the other hand, will develop lighter, smooth, hairless skin, large clear eyes, pert breasts, glossy hair, and even features, he adds. Racial differences will be ironed out by interbreeding, producing a uniform race of coffee-coloured people.
However, Dr Curry warns, in 10,000 years time humans may have paid a genetic price for relying on technology.
Spoiled by gadgets designed to meet their every need, they could come to resemble domesticated animals.



Receding chins
Social skills, such as communicating and interacting with others, could be lost, along with emotions such as love, sympathy, trust and respect. People would become less able to care for others, or perform in teams.
Physically, they would start to appear more juvenile. Chins would recede, as a result of having to chew less on processed food.
There could also be health problems caused by reliance on medicine, resulting in weak immune systems. Preventing deaths would also help to preserve the genetic defects that cause cancer.
Further into the future, sexual selection - being choosy about one's partner - was likely to create more and more genetic inequality, said Dr Curry.
The logical outcome would be two sub-species, "gracile" and "robust" humans similar to the Eloi and Morlocks foretold by HG Wells in his 1895 novel The Time Machine.
"While science and technology have the potential to create an ideal habitat for humanity over the next millennium, there is a possibility of a monumental genetic hangover over the subsequent millennia due to an over-reliance on technology reducing our natural capacity to resist disease, or our evolved ability to get along with each other, said Dr Curry.
He carried out the report for men's satellite TV channel Bravo.

[chassamui]

It already exists Pat. Men and women are different species. They are physiologically, anatomically and psychologically different. Not wired up the same.

Globalisation will make mongrels of us and that will be a good thing, improving our resistance to disease and our longevity, in the same way it does for dogs.

Team games and individual excellence in any given field will continue to provide an outstanding gene pool to mix with the high tech nerd community.

[ShrewedPunter]

I always thought we already had split.. When we migrated north from Africa

[Smug Farang Bore]

Leave the Welsh alone..!

[Thormaturge]

The descendants of the genetic upper class would be tall......


.......But in the nearer future, humans will evolve in 1,000 years into giants between 6ft and 7ft tall, he predicts,

Yo! At 6ft 4ins it appears I'm in.

[cullbe]

No I think we will just get fatter and lazier as technology takes over.

[taxexile]

The descendants of the genetic upper class would be tall, slim, healthy, attractive, intelligent, and creative and a far cry from the "underclass" humans who would have evolved into dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like creatures.

looking around these days i think it has already happened.

[panama hat]

Yo! At 6ft 4ins it appears I'm in.

6ft 2ins . . . you and I are 1000 years ahead of our time!

No I think we will just get fatter and lazier as technology takes over.

. . . yet still taller. Just tall and fat . . . and lazy

looking around these days i think it has already happened.

Just look into TD's own DogHouse for confirmation

[DJ Pat]

The gap between the obese & non-obese is quite wide now in Europe, especially UK (although NZ is the worlds worst for it, so they say) and the sight of an sweaty overweight waddling pie guzzler is no longer an unusual sight, but they are normally slightly taller than the picture above

[Rigger]

It's already happen have met a few on this board that fit the short fat goblin type, hey Ned LOL

[Cujo]

evolution takes hundreds perhaps thousands of generations, not tens.
Assuming a new generation every 25 years thats only 40 generations in a thousand years. Can't see many evolutionary changes occurring in that time.
Look back, not much evolution in the past 1000 or 2000 years either.
people may live longer and be fatter but that's down to diet and the science of the body, essentially we're still physically the same as we were at the time of Christ 2000 years ago.

[steve down under]

Hasn't it already happened ? after all the majority of Septics seem to be of limited intelligence compared to other people !

[The Ghost Of The Moog]

BBC NEWS | UK | Human species 'may split in two'

Human species 'may split in two'



Humanity may split into two sub-species in 100,000 years' time as predicted by HG Wells, ...

..... said Dr Curry.

He carried out the report for men's satellite TV channel Bravo.

Great article. I must try to watch this show. Men's channel Bravo is the logical place for science.

Will there be big bouncing boobies in the show? To illustrate some science point about how big titted ladies are genetically predisposed to be a favourable mate.

And will there be other peer-reviewed science, like upper class gents in tweeds, saying 'Oh I say!' and prodding the lower goblin classes (preferably in the nude) into human meat grinders with the tips of their brollies?

[Rainfall]

The article is from 2006, but has the habit to pop up in forums again and again.

[panama hat]

essentially we're still physically the same as we were at the time of Christ 2000 years ago.

Though much, much taller . . . visiting museums and castles in Europe is fascinating - the size of knight's armour as an example, the very low doors and ceilings in old houses

[Cujo]

essentially we're still physically the same as we were at the time of Christ 2000 years ago.

Though much, much taller . . . visiting museums and castles in Europe is fascinating - the size of knight's armour as an example, the very low doors and ceilings in old houses

Diet is all.

[panama hat]

^ True. Is that not part of evolution?

Umm, I guess not.

taking back what I said.

[Neverna]

It has already happened. The TD mods are well aware of it and have made the new species permanent members of the Dog House.

[baldrick]

The article is from 2006, but has the habit to pop up in forums again and again.

so it should be aired a fair few more times between now and 3000

[DJ Pat]

essentially we're still physically the same as we were at the time of Christ 2000 years ago.

Though much, much taller . . . visiting museums and castles in Europe is fascinating - the size of knight's armour as an example, the very low doors and ceilings in old houses

Diet is all.

Look what McDs & junk food is doing to Thai youngsters, imagine in 20yrs time visiting Thailand and it's full of fatties