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I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies

I'm struggling to understand the natural selection process that's driving this evolution. The article mentions only a few causes like pre-industrial societies introducing solid foods to infants earlier along with environmental pollution and recirculated indoor air resulting from the Industrial Revolution, but these are more developmental issues. The article almost seems to be implying a Lamarckian take on this when discussing those factors. What is causing reproductive selection for these traits? Also, depending on your definition of a generation, 250 years ago is only 8-10 generations ago. That seems like an incredibly short period for such a significant evolution.

deleted 7y ago
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zamalek 7y ago
It could be caused by the absence of reproductive selection, arising due to medicine.
dfawcus 7y ago
As I understand the WA Price position, it is not evolution. It is essentially symptoms of a form of poor and/or malnutrition. So environment, not evolution.
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kian 7y ago
From the article, it's not evolution. It's due to changes in weaning habits from industrialization, poor indoor air circulation, and lack of chewing solid foods as babies such that the jaw doesn't develop properly - when the jaw fails to develop properly, it makes it less easy to sleep with proper tongue posture pressing at the roof of the palate. This tongue pressure is partly responsible for widening the palate during development, and then proper nasal breathing during sleep encourages the airways to develop properly. When mouth-breathing, these nasal passages degenerate (or fail to develop properly) in a positive feedback loop that further reinforces the issues, including poor sleep. Moral of the story? Wean your children later, don't use pacifiers, feed them solid foods once they're coming off of breast milk, and open the windows in your house. Also, if your child develops picky eating habits, poor attitude, sleep, or other behavioral issues, look into whether anatomical issues might be at the root of it.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

zamalek 7y ago

It could be caused by the absence of reproductive selection, arising due to medicine.

dfawcus 7y ago

As I understand the WA Price position, it is not evolution. It is essentially symptoms of a form of poor and/or malnutrition. So environment, not evolution.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

kian 7y ago

From the article, it's not evolution. It's due to changes in weaning habits from industrialization, poor indoor air circulation, and lack of chewing solid foods as babies such that the jaw doesn't develop properly - when the jaw fails to develop properly, it makes it less easy to sleep with proper tongue posture pressing at the roof of the palate. This tongue pressure is partly responsible for widening the palate during development, and then proper nasal breathing during sleep encourages the airways to develop properly. When mouth-breathing, these nasal passages degenerate (or fail to develop properly) in a positive feedback loop that further reinforces the issues, including poor sleep. Moral of the story? Wean your children later, don't use pacifiers, feed them solid foods once they're coming off of breast milk, and open the windows in your house. Also, if your child develops picky eating habits, poor attitude, sleep, or other behavioral issues, look into whether anatomical issues might be at the root of it.