It is difficult to predict the evolution of human beings in a million years. Above all because mother nature can be unpredictable and “apparently” meaningless; a proof is given by arise of an extra blood vessel in our armswhich following current trends could be very common within a few generations.
Indeed, researchers at Flinders University and the University of Adelaide in Australia discovered some time ago that an artery that temporarily runs down the center of our forearms while we’re still in the womb it is no longer fading as often as before. This means, simply put, that there are more adults with an extra channel of vascular tissue running up their arm.
“Since the 18th century, anatomists have studied the prevalence of this artery in adults and our study shows that it is clearly increasing“said Teghan Lucas, an anatomist at Flinders University in 2020.”Prevalence was about 10% in people born in the mid-1880s compared with 30% in those born in the late 20th century.“
We are talking about the median artery, which is formed during the development of humans by carrying blood down the middle of our arms to feed growing hands. At about eight weeks though, it usually regressesleaving this arduous task to two other blood vessels: the radial and ulnar arteries.
Anatomists, however, have long known that the disappearance of the median artery is not always happening; sometimes it continues to pump even after birth, feeding only the forearm or, in some cases, the hand as well. Thus, analyzing cadavers donated to science in a study conducted in 2020, scientists found that the artery appears to be three times more common in adults today than it was more than a century ago.
“This increase could be the result of mutations in genes involved in median artery development or health problems in mothers during pregnancy, or both in fact“, continues Lucas. “If this trend continues, most people will have median forearm artery by 2100.“
Meanwhile, identifying the factors that play an important role in the processes of selecting a persistent median artery will require much more investigation. Speaking of evolution: this factor has remained unconsidered for two million years.
