We often think of ourselves as the pinnacle of evolution, but let’s face it—our bodies have some flaws. From back pain to vision problems, there are many ways our bodies could be better. Let’s explore how evolution has shaped us and imagine what a “perfect” human might look like, starting with our feet.
Our feet are quite complex, with 26 bones each. This design comes from our ancestors, who needed to climb trees to escape predators. Our feet were great for gripping branches, similar to how apes and chimps climb today. However, for walking, this many bones might be overkill.
Imagine if our feet were more like an ostrich’s. Ostriches, like humans, walk on two legs, but they’ve been doing it for about 250 million years, compared to our 5 million. Ostriches have two toes that help them run fast and stay balanced, which could be a useful adaptation for us.
Our ankles are prone to injuries, with fossils showing broken ankles from millions of years ago. They have seven bones and many ligaments, making them vulnerable. A more stable design, like an ostrich’s, might help us avoid injuries.
Our knees are another area where evolution hasn’t been perfect. Some scientists think we stopped evolving biologically around 10,000 years ago when we started farming. Others believe cultural changes have sped up our evolution. Either way, our knees could use an upgrade. A model named “Graham,” designed for road safety, has knees that bend in all directions, which could help us move quickly away from danger.
Our bodies are symmetrical, with a left and right side. This symmetry likely started when animals began moving on land. However, our reproductive systems could be improved. Anatomist Alice Roberts suggests that humans might benefit from having pouches like kangaroos to make childbirth easier.
Additionally, the placement of male reproductive organs could be reconsidered. Male nipples exist because of our shared genetic blueprint, but they don’t serve a purpose.
Our lungs are vulnerable, but they could be improved by looking at swans, which have a more efficient lung structure. Swans have a uni-directional gas flow that might be beneficial for us.
When it comes to cancer, elephants have a gene called p53 that helps fight cancer, and they have 20 copies of it, while humans have just one. Studying animals like elephants and bowhead whales, which rarely get cancer, could help us understand how to protect our DNA better.
Our ribs could be stronger to better protect our vital organs. Similarly, our necks are weak and prone to injury, so a design without a neck might be more resilient.
Our eyes are quite advanced, but they have a blind spot. We could take inspiration from the octopus, which has a more efficient eye structure, to improve our vision.
While our bodies aren’t perfect, they have unique abilities that we often take for granted. This exploration of how we might improve ourselves is just a fun thought experiment. Remember, our imperfections are part of what makes us human.
Thanks for joining this journey through biology and evolution. Stay curious, and keep exploring the wonders of science!
Imagine your feet were designed like an ostrich’s. Create a model using clay or other materials to represent how your feet would look and function. Discuss with your classmates how these changes might affect your daily life and activities.
Using materials like cardboard and rubber bands, design a knee that can bend in multiple directions like “Graham’s.” Test its flexibility and stability by attaching it to a simple mannequin leg. Share your design with the class and explain how it could prevent injuries.
Participate in a debate about the pros and cons of having symmetrical bodies and the idea of pouches for childbirth. Research and present arguments for or against these evolutionary changes, considering both biological and cultural perspectives.
Research the lung structure of swans and create a diagram comparing it to human lungs. Discuss in groups how adopting a similar structure could improve human respiratory efficiency. Present your findings to the class.
Learn about the octopus eye structure and its advantages. Create a simple model of an octopus eye and compare it to a human eye. Discuss how these differences impact vision and what changes could enhance human eyesight.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any inappropriate language and maintaining a respectful tone:
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We humans like to think that we’re the perfectly evolved species, but I experience constant back pain. I have vision issues and get migraines. Every time I explore a new city, I seem to sprain my ankle. So today, we’re going to go on a journey of biology and evolutionary history to discover the perfectly evolved human, starting with our feet.
Our feet are an evolutionary puzzle. Early hominids would stay safe from predators by climbing trees. You can see how our feet were initially designed to grasp branches. The way our feet would grip tree branches is due to the numerous complex bones in our feet, similar to apes and chimps climbing in trees today. This is why we have 26 bones in our feet—far too many for just walking around.
The perfectly evolved human might benefit from the structure of an ostrich foot. Other than humans, birds are the only other animals on Earth that are truly bipedal. Humans started walking upright about 5 million years ago, whereas birds have been running on two feet for around 250 million years.
If you look at the evolutionary timeline, birds evolved alongside dinosaurs, while Eutherian mammals, like us, emerged much later. A bird’s ancient bipedal design could actually help our current bipedal bodies. We have an arch in our feet that acts as a shock absorber, while ostriches have two toes that stabilize their foot when running.
Now, let’s talk about our ankles. We have found broken ankles in human fossils dating back three million years, indicating that we’ve been prone to ankle injuries for a long time. Our ankles have ligaments and seven bones, which can lead to numerous injuries. The perfectly evolved human ankle might take inspiration from the ostrich, optimizing balance and locomotion.
Moving on to knees, some evolutionary biologists argue that we stopped evolving biologically 10,000 years ago when we invented agriculture, while others believe that cultural shifts have accelerated our evolution. Regardless, we are not running from predators anymore, and our knees need to adapt.
Anthropologist Matt Cartmill explains that “evolution doesn’t act to yield perfection, it acts to yield function.” This brings us to the concept of a human designed for better survival, like “Graham,” a model created for a road safety campaign. Graham’s knees bend in all directions, allowing for quick movement away from danger, unlike our knees, which only bend in one direction.
Now, let’s discuss body symmetry. Our bodies have left-right symmetry, known as bilateral symmetry. This likely began on the sea floor, as bodies adapted for movement on land.
We also need to consider the reproductive system. An anatomist named Alice Roberts designed a concept for a perfectly evolved human, suggesting that humans would be better off with pouches like kangaroos to ease childbirth.
Additionally, we should rethink the placement of male reproductive organs. Male nipples exist due to our shared genetic blueprint, but they serve no purpose.
Next, let’s talk about lungs. Our lungs are quite vulnerable, and they could use an update. The swan’s lung, which has a uni-directional gas flow, could be a better model for us.
Now, let’s address cancer. Elephants have much lower rates of cancer due to a cancer-fighting gene called p53. Humans have one copy, while elephants have 20. We could benefit from studying other long-lived animals, like the bowhead whale, which rarely gets cancer due to a mutation that protects its DNA.
As we consider the structure of our bodies, we should also think about our ribs. Stronger ribs could better protect our vital organs.
Now, onto the neck. Our necks are weak and vulnerable in collisions, so removing the neck could provide more resilience to injury.
Finally, let’s discuss our eyes. While our eyes are well-developed, they have some flaws, such as a blind spot. We could improve our vision by taking inspiration from the octopus, which has a more efficient eye structure.
As we wrap up this thought experiment, it’s important to remember that while humans are not perfectly evolved, our bodies have unique abilities that we often take for granted.
We want to thank Skillshare for sponsoring today’s video. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes for creative and curious people. The first thousand people who click the link in the description will get a free trial of Skillshare premium membership.
Thank you for watching, and we’ll see you next week for a new science video.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while ensuring it is appropriate for all audiences.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms during the history of the earth. – Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution explains how species change over time through natural selection.
Ancestors – Organisms from which others have descended or evolved. – Scientists study fossils to learn more about our human ancestors and how they lived.
Adaptation – A change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment. – The thick fur of polar bears is an adaptation that helps them survive in cold climates.
Symmetry – The balanced distribution of duplicate body parts or shapes in an organism. – Many animals, like butterflies, exhibit bilateral symmetry, meaning their left and right sides are mirror images.
Reproduction – The biological process by which new individual organisms are produced from their parents. – Reproduction can occur sexually, with two parents, or asexually, with only one parent involved.
Lungs – Organs in the respiratory system that allow for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with the blood. – Fish have gills for breathing underwater, while mammals have lungs for breathing air.
Cancer – A disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. – Researchers are studying how certain genetic mutations can lead to cancer in different organs.
Organs – Parts of an organism that perform specific functions, such as the heart, liver, or lungs. – The heart and lungs are vital organs that work together to circulate blood and oxygen throughout the body.
Vision – The ability to see; the sense of sight. – Eagles have excellent vision, allowing them to spot prey from great distances.
Biology – The scientific study of life and living organisms. – In biology class, students learn about the structure, function, growth, and evolution of living things.
