Civilization made human evolution happen even faster
Ancient DNA from 16,000 people reveals that the move from foraging to farming triggered a genetic sprint, rewiring our bodies to handle milk, sunlight, and crowds.
While we often view evolution as a glacial process spanning millions of years, the birth of cities acted like an evolutionary accelerator. By analyzing the genetic code of individuals across 10,000 years of West Eurasian history, researchers identified over 7,600 specific genetic locations that shifted rapidly as humans traded spears for plows. This transition didn't just change our diets; it forced our biology to catch up with our new lifestyle.
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