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It has been argued that civilisation ended natural selection. Gone are the plagues, famines and predators that previously shaped the evolution of our species. But evolution is still happening, possibly faster than ever – driven by a range of factors from mate choice to culture and technology.
So, if we don’t die out in a climate apocalypse anytime soon, what’s likely to happen to us in the next 10,000 years? That’s a question posed by one of our readers as part of our Life’s Big Questions series. And while it’s near impossible to predict the future, one evolutionary biologist wasn’t scared to speculate.
One possible scenario, argues Nick Longrich, is that we’ll become taller, less aggressive, more agreeable and more emotionally stable. While this sounds great, it may come at a price: our brains may shrink and we’re likely to get a lot less interesting.
Elsewhere, we hear why the threat of nuclear war may not be as strong as it might currently seem, plus the case for why cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) misunderstands mental illness.
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Miriam Frankel
Science Editor
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Where’s next for Homo Sapiens?
Shutterstock
Nicholas R. Longrich, University of Bath
We’ll probably be less aggressive and more agreeable, but have smaller brains – a bit like a Golden Retriever, we’ll be friendly, but maybe not that interesting or bright.
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Russia has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world.
EPA-EFE/Maxim Shipenkov
Mark Webber, University of Birmingham; Nicolò Fasola, University of Birmingham
We’re still a long way off nuclear escalation.
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Science Photo Library / Alamy Stock Photo
Sahanika Ratnayake, Universität Wien
We know that cognitive behavioural therapy works, but we don’t know how or why.
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Ukraine invasion
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Sergey V. Popov, Cardiff University
The president’s regime has been planning for a trip to the international deep freeze for many years.
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Caleb Wheeler, Cardiff University
The next steps in the investigation that could result in indictments for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
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Basil Germond, Lancaster University
There are important strategic and political maritime dimensions to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Alvina Hoffmann, King's College London
Thousands of people are speaking out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in a climate that does not take well to protest.
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Bence Nemeth, King's College London
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses a security threat to member states of Nato.
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Ed Turner, Aston University
The settled foundations of German foreign policy have been overturned in an instant following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Alexey D Muraviev, Curtin University
Russia’s antiquated military was exposed in the 2008 war with Georgia, prompting a major overhaul of the armed services that are now being unleashed on Ukraine.
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Precious Chatterje-Doody, The Open University
RT unfailingly follows the Kremlin’s line on politics but banning it in the UK might be counter-productive.
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Environment
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David Willer, University of Cambridge
Farming shellfish instead of large, predatory fish, is also better for the planet.
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Amber Martin-Woodhead, Coventry University
‘Fashion fasts’ are a great way of challenging fast fashion by helping us question how many clothes we really need and reducing fashion consumption.
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Science + Technology
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Jennifer Medbury, Edith Cowan University; Paul Haskell-Dowland, Edith Cowan University
There’s an alleged global network of cyber activists operating under the Anonymous name. Knowing who is responsible for what will become increasingly difficult as more cyber attacks happen.
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Politics + Society
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Keith Rathbone, Macquarie University
What FIFA’s leadership still fails to realise is banning Russia does not introduce politics into sports – it removes the stench of it.
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Health
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April Rees, Swansea University; Catherine Thornton, Swansea University
Maternal antibodies are passed through the placenta to the fetus, providing protection against COVID hospitalisation for infants.
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