Humans May be on the Verge of a Major Evolutionary Transition

Could humans be on the verge of a major evolutionary transition? At least one researcher believes that's the case. Cadell Last, a doctoral student in evolutionary anthropology and researcher at the Global Brain Institute, believes that mankind may be undergoing a transition that's comparable to the shifts from prosimians to monkeys, monkeys to apes and apes to humans.

Throughout the history of primates, there have been three major life history transitions that have caused a shift to longer lives and larger brain sizes. Now, Last proposes that a fourth transition may be taking place; humans are delaying reproduction while at the same time living longer. This major development could actually represent the beginning of a fourth evolutionary period.

In fact, human life expectancy has increased from about 45 years of age at the start of the 20^th century to about 80 years of age today, according to Business Insider. Yet Last believes that life expectancy could increase even further--to as much as 120 as early as 2050. This is mostly due to the fact that advancements in technology will help prolong life.

Altogether, this theory shows that humans are moving away from rapid reproduction and more toward a focus on culture. With longer lifespans, delayed reproduction and fewer children being had, this could very well be a new stage in human evolution. That said, this is still only a theory. In order to actually confirm it, more research will need to be conducted.

The latest research is published in the journal Current Aging Science.