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Judi Lynn

(160,217 posts)
Mon Sep 15, 2014, 02:44 PM Sep 2014

Humans Could Be In The Middle Of A Huge Evolutionary Transition

Humans Could Be In The Middle Of A Huge Evolutionary Transition
Christina Sterbenz
Sep. 10, 2014, 6:11 PM

Mankind is undergoing a major evolutionary transition comparable to the shifts from prosimians to monkeys, monkeys to apes, and apes to humans, according to Cadell Last, a doctoral student in evolutionary anthropology and researcher at the Global Brain Institute.

Human life expectancy has already increased from about 45 at the start of the 20th century to 80 today. Because of advancements in technology, which will affect natural selection, Last suggests life expectancy could increase to 120 as early as 2050 — a concept known as radical life extension.

In addition to longer lives, humans will likely delay the timing of biological reproduction and reduce the number of offspring too, according to Last. Taken together, these changes could signify a new type of human, more focused on culture than biology.

Last makes his case in a paper from the most recent issue of Current Aging Science. Citing other futurists like Ray Kurzweil and Francis Heylighen, Last theorizes about human interaction with technology, relying on observations of past primate evolution and biology.

More:
http://www.businessinsider.com/future-human-evolution-2014-9#ixzz3DPZ7ynPB

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