We are not like previous generations. Therefore, future generations will not look like us either. As Heraclitus said, “The only constant in life is change”, although it is difficult to predict the future.
Scientists believe that the best way to predict the future is to look into the past. They envisioned different ways humans would look in the coming centuries, based on the assumption that past trends would continue.
We set out on a journey to discover what is in store for the future of human evolution.
We may have webbed fingers and toes
Fingers are a great help with writing and picking things up. On the other hand, the toes are essential to our overall balance.
But in the coming centuries, with the risk of global warming, humans could end up with webbed fingers and toes so they can swim better and move quickly in the water.
We may lose the pink fold at the corner of our eye.
The remnant of a third eyelid is the little pink skin at the corner of the eye. It is vestigial in humans, meaning it no longer performs its original function.
Its main function was to protect the eye and keep it moist. In the future, we probably won’t need this, and in the future, humans may not have a little pink crease in the corner of their eyes.
We might have a smaller rib cage.
Breathing underwater without the help of sophisticated equipment seems unreal right now. But if we were going to live underwater because the sea level has risen, we would have to think of something. Humans will slowly but surely develop some artificial gills.
By growing these grids, our lungs would shrink because we wouldn’t need them to breathe. Since the size of the lungs correlates with the size of the rib cage, the waist would decrease. Let’s just say future humans would enjoy an effortless hourglass shape.
We may have cat-like eyes.
If you are a fan of swimming, you know that underwater vision is blurry. Also, you will notice that salt water is not good for your eyes.
Therefore, if we want to become inhabitants of the underwater world, we will need a sharp vision like that of cats. The extra layer in the retina would help improve our vision in dark, murky water.
Our jawline may shrink
Early humans used to have long, sharp teeth and a wide jaw that helped them cut and chew food. Today our jaw size has shrunk because we cook our food and soften it before eating.
In the future, we are likely to rely more on processed foods that look like liquids or pills to meet our caloric needs and save more time, resources, and energy. This step will make our jaw shrink even more.
What are the changes you’re looking forward to the most? Are there any changes you dislike? If you had the choice, how would you like the human body to evolve?
