A group of anthropologists from the University of Tennessee came to the conclusion that Americans’ heads have started to change shape. It is unknown what it may be related to, but it is clear that skull size among white Americans become larger, narrower, and higher. It is possible that the same thing is happening to the rest of the population of the planet.

The study was conducted by members of forensic anthropology faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville: professor emeritus Richard Jantz, coordinator of the forensic anthropology center Lee Jantz and adjunct assistant professor Joanne Devlin.

The scientists have studied skulls of 1500 Americans who lived from the mid-1800s to the 1980s and drew attention to a strange phenomenon.

In men, the average height from the base of the skull to its top was greater by 8 millimeters (0.3 inches), and the volume of the skull has increased by 200 cubic centimeters. In women, the changes were equal to 7 millimeters and 180 cubic centimeters, respectively. That is, from the late 1800s the skull height grew by about 6.8%.

The researchers can not say exactly what caused the change in the head shape of the Americans. Maybe it has to do with evolutionary changes and changes in lifestyle: better nutrition, the decline in maternal and infant mortality, reduction of the amount of physical labor. But the causes of primary importance are not figured out yet.

The researchers also found that the process of physical maturation occurs at an earlier age. In particular, this has resulted in the early closure of one of the areas of the skull called wedge-occipital synchondrosis. In the past, it used to fuse at around the age of 20, and now it is happening much earlier: 16 in boys and 14 in girls.

The studies used only the skulls of the Americans of European origins since there was the largest number of samples for this group. But we should not except that similar changes in the structure of the skeleton affect the rest of the planet, and therefore, this may be a common tendency among mankind.

The changes take place quickly enough to make us remember science fiction drawings depicting the people of the future as slow-moving creatures with disproportionately developed head, long arms and torso, and short legs.

By the way, that’s how most of the self-proclaimed “UFO contactees” describe the creatures they allegedly have seen, and some ufologists seriously believe that those might be visitors from the future!

Well, some people seem to blame it all on aliens, don’t they? Frankly speaking, I don’t think Americans’ heads are changing shape because of that. Most likely, it happens due to modern-day lifestyle changes.


Copyright © 2012-2024 Learning Mind. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint, contact us.

power of misfits book banner desktop

Like what you are reading? Subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss new thought-provoking articles!

Leave a Reply