Rising Temperatures Decreasing the Human Brain Size: Climate Connection Melting Minds

Climate change has emerged as a potential factor influencing the evolution of human brain size, according to a recent study by cognitive scientist Jeff Morgan Stibel from the Natural History Museum in California.

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The research revealed a significant reduction in average brain size during periods of warmer climates compared to cooler ones.

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Stibel expresses his disappointment at the lack of research on the broader macroevolutionary trends in brain size.

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To gather data, Stibel collected information on skull sizes from 10 published sources, resulting in 373 measurements taken from 298 human bones spanning 50,000 years.

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Over the past 50,000 years, the Earth has experienced various climate fluctuations, and Stibel's analysis revealed a consistent pattern of changing brain size in Homo, correlated with fluctuations in climate as temperatures rose and fell.

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The analysis indicated that brain size changes tend to occur thousands of years after climate changes, suggesting that species-level adaptation often requires multiple generations.

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While climate plays a significant role in brain size evolution, Stibel acknowledges that other factors may contribute to the observed variations.

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Stibel's study emphasizes the need to comprehend the effects of climate change on human physiology, particularly brain size.

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The findings demand continued research to determine the specific impacts of climate change on human physiology.

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