ENCORE: The Twists and Turns of Humans’ Evolutionary Path, Part 1

Alex Bezzerides Ph.D. is a professor of biology and author of “Evolution Gone Wrong: The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work (Or Don’t).” He contends our bodies are imperfect, the result of evolutionary compromises between conflicting imperatives. For example, big brains enabled humans to develop technology and language; but our big heads have doomed women to painful and perilous deliveries. Developing an upright posture enabled us to free our remarkable hands; but standing also cursed us with back, knee, and ankle problems. Bezzerides applies this paradigm to other health problems we’re prey to: crooked teeth, failing eyesight, choking deaths, and hernias. Are humans still evolving when we have medical technology to prevent nature from “culling the herd”? Are obesity and blood sugar problems holdovers of traits that once furthered our survival? Dr. Bezzerides is the biology professor I wish I’d had! Click HERE for part 2.