Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
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Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
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Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#2This is unbelievable -- a huge change in such a short amount of time. The connection between skull shape, sleep and behaviour seems to have huge implications. How do we screen for this and what do we do about it culturally?
Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#3I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when discussing those factors. What is causing reproductive selection for these traits? Also, depending on your definition of a generation, 250 years ago is only 8-10 generations ago. That seems like an incredibly short period for such a significant evolution.
Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#4Interesting stuff.
I remember reading about this tongue posture idea (keeping the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth), but nearly all the discussions I found about it online were on incel and bodybuilding forums (supposedly maintaining this tongue posture increases the "sharpness" of the jaw and is more attractive), so I wrote it off as silliness.
This article seems to be making the case that there were on to something.
Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#5I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when d…
It could be caused by the absence of reproductive selection, arising due to medicine.
Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#6I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when d…
As I understand the WA Price position, it is not evolution. It is essentially symptoms of a form of poor and/or malnutrition.
So environment, not evolution.
Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#7I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when d…
As I understand the WA Price position, it is not evolution. It is essentially symptoms of a form of poor and/or malnutrition. So environment, not evolution.
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Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#8I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when d…
From the article, it's not evolution. It's due to changes in weaning habits from industrialization, poor indoor air circulation, and lack of chewing solid foods as babies such that the jaw doesn't develop properly - when the jaw fails to develop properly, it makes it less easy to sleep with proper tongue posture pressing at the roof of the palate. This tongue pressure is partly responsible for widening the palate during development, and then proper nasal breathing during sleep encourages the airways to develop properly. When mouth-breathing, these nasal passages degenerate (or fail to develop properly) in a positive feedback loop that further reinforces the issues, including poor sleep.
Moral of the story? Wean your children later, don't use pacifiers, feed them solid foods once they're coming off of breast milk, and open the windows in your house. Also, if your child develops picky eating habits, poor attitude, sleep, or other behavioral issues, look into whether anatomical issues might be at the root of it.
Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#9I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when d…
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Re: Our Skulls Are Out-Evolving Us
#10This is unbelievable -- a huge change in such a short amount of time. The connection between skull shape, sleep and behaviour seems to have huge implications. How do we screen for this and what do we do about it culturally?
I guess not shaming breastfeeding for one, and getting doctors to offer new advice for infant/child nutrition