Human bones have become less robust over time due to changing physical demands
In short: Researchers studying the genus Homo found that the thickness and strength of long bones have steadily decreased from the early Pleistocene to the present day. By comparing the femur and humerus of various species, the study observed a consistent decline in shaft robusticity, suggesting that our ancestors' physical loading requirements changed significantly as they evolved.
The researchers used mechanical models and scaling relationships to compare bone properties across different human species. They found that while shaft thickness decreased, the size of joint surfaces remained relatively stable. This suggests that the reduction in bone robustness was likely a developmental response to decreasing physical mechanical loads, potentially linked to cultural and technological shifts, rather than a direct genetic change.
Why it matters: Our ancestors' bones became less heavy-duty as their lifestyles and technologies evolved.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Ruff et al. (1993). Postcranial robusticity in Homo . I: Temporal trends and mechanical interpretation. American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
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