The future's hot

[j4]

It sounds as though by the year 3000 we're all going to be walking around with our tongues hanging out, and I'm not talking about global warming now:

"[...] 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 [...]"

[BBC News: 'Human species may split in two']

Comments

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I missed that. I've often thought that while normal selection pressures don't really apply, we should expect eventually to start selecting for things people fancy, however odd that seems.

I do wonder, do they really expect penis length selection? Leave aside how important penis length is, the more visibly attractive you are (in any way, not just physically) it seems likely you'd be exposed to more potential relationships, and likely breed more, but if you're good in bed, are your relationships that much more likely to last, really?

You might get more sleeping around, but would people choose to get pregnant very much? Agh, I suppose a tendency to get pregnant by lotharios might be selected for -- if their sons are equally successful. But that only works if everyone else does too. Agh, I've got a headache :)

For that matter, will we evolve to cheat birth control?

And why will we segregate into two species? Is that just made up, or based on science not linked to? I expected they meant greater sexual dimorphism. Why is "attractiveness" any different from any other linear selected for quality, which mostly just make everyone gradually more so.

[teleute.livejournal.com]

I may be in the minority here, but personally, I'm selecting for *shorter* penises. Personally, I think this report is very clearly written by a man ;-)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

I may be in the minority here, but personally, I'm selecting for *shorter* penises.

LOL. I didn't know about the validity of their assumption I assumed he was making, but decided not to bring it up.

Personally, I think this report is very clearly written by a man ;-)

That's what I assumed. Though I guess it could still be right -- maybe men with small penises are more shy, because of social pressure :) That'd be a joint memetic/genetic evolution, but it could happen.

*thinks* For that matter, what about anal sex for men? I've never asked what sort of penis is best. Of course, the best would be selected *against* :)