Is baldness the next step in evolution?

[Arkhangelsk]

Think about it. We are evolved from the apes, which is why we get hair on our arms, legs, head etc. And it's why we get goose bumps. (that your stands up when you're cold is a natural reaction among animals to try to get warmer). So, if we evolved by growing less hair than monkeys, will the next step in evolution be baldness? To not have any hair at all?

 

[Arkhangelsk]

I dont think so, the next step may have more to do with our skin pigmentation.

What i really meant to say was whatever our intelligent designer chooses...

What about our pigmentation? I'm not educated.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Maybe. Of course it will only happen if bald guys get more girls then guys with hair, and I don't think that's true yet.

 

[GothmogII]

Eh not really. Apes can still go bald too in old age. In fact, all losing most of our body hair did was force us to wear clothes. I'd imagine, that massive scale baldness would see an increase in the production and purchase of hats and other head-wear.

 

[wewontdie11]

I'm waiting for mother nature to throw us a real curve ball. It's about time we got one, like an eye on our elbows or a second penis or something.

Natural selection is all but screwed for the human race anyway with the society we live in where 90% of people will pass on their genes at some point, so it'll be a while before anything noticeable happens that isn't just getting taller.

 

[Fightgarr]

Technically isn't it a devolution since its actually less helpful than having hair?

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Eh not really. Apes can still go bald too in old age. In fact, all losing most of our body hair did was force us to wear clothes. I'd imagine, that massive scale baldness would see an increase in the production and purchase of hats and other head-wear.

Companies sucking money is the evolutionary step after that.

I dont think so, the next step may have more to do with our skin pigmentation.

What i really meant to say was whatever our intelligent designer chooses...

What about our pigmentation? I'm not educated.

Well the variations in skin color are adaptive, and are related to the regulation of ultraviolet radiation penetration in the integument and its direct and indirect affects on fitness. So as UV radiation becomes stronger combined with our natural cross-breedings our skin tone is bound to adapt to fit the situation.

You make a good point, my dear sir. And pigmentation is different in different regions, cause the regions get different amounts of UV radiation. So that step is already in process.

 

[MrTurquoise]

Well, the way nature tends to work is that the less something is used, or if something isn't used or needed at all, then it starts to go away. Either use it or lose it, basically. And honestly, we don't need hair (or fur, whatever) anymore. More and more as time goes on we see baldness. I mean, heck, even baldness among WOMEN of all things is turning up more and more nowadays. Just as how nowadays people are smaller boned, and thinner, and weaker than our ancestors, because we aren't as physically engaged nowadays as we were back then.

I wouldn't say its "The next big step in our evolution", but it's certainly a part of it.


P.S. No Hair = No Worries!!... Plus wearing hats is easier without hair, so yay!...

 

[ZeroMachine]

If it is, than my genetics are pretty backwards. I have a VERY thick head of hair

 

[super_smash_jesus]

There is no selective pressure towards being bald, as most women prefer a full head of hair. (damn my receding hair line!). The next step in evolution is obviously going to be in the form of super boobs, one big boob as opposed to two smaller ones.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

We still need hair to protect our vulnerable regions from dust,filth and sweat (eyes,genitals) and the hair on the rest of the body is i think for the same reason.

Im guessing our skin will just be more resistant to strong light from the sun

Maybe we peaked in the hairy evolution then. I mean, is there any hair that is unnecessary at this point? All hair serve some purpose, I guess. But we're not really discussing nose hair and pubic hair. Hair on the head doesn't really serve any other purpose than a weak impact shield from when we hit our heads on the ground. But I'd say that for every flaw that humans have, we have tried to achieve a technological solution to that. So we're taking another angle at evolution by trying to take away our flaws. Thank God for our intelligence.

 

[Nukey]

i really up that baldness isn't the next step.

 

[walls of cetepedes]

My Dad would have me think so.

 

[martin's a madman]

Well, it would probably be regionalized I've noticed Africans in Africa growing signifigantly less hair than someone in Canada or England. The need for hair in the African heat would be much less than in somewhere where a cold winter is a common occurence. Evolution is based on needs. We grew the legs because we needed to walk. We lost the gills because we Didn't need them. Get it?

 

[Arkhangelsk]

There is no selective pressure towards being bald, as most women prefer a full head of hair. (damn my receding hair line!). The next step in evolution is obviously going to be in the form of super boobs, one big boob as opposed to two smaller ones.

That'd be less sexy, wouldn't it? Well, maybe not to the mighty spacemen of the future.

 

[la-le-lu-li-lo]

Think about it. We are evolved from the apes, which is why we get hair on our arms, legs, head etc. And it's why we get goose bumps. (that your stands up when you're cold is a natural reaction among animals to try to get warmer). So, if we evolved by growing less hair than monkeys, will the next step in evolution be baldness? To not have any hair at all?

I wish body hair had evolved out of our system already. I like my full head of hair though, and eyelashes... and eyebrows.

So yeah, maybe? Redheads and blondes will go extinct first.

 

[Kiutu]

Next step in evolution hopefully is evolving beyond ignorance and foolishness.

 

[Bertinan]

What meta means is that we'll all get darker as more UV radiation from the sun penetrates the atmosphere. Or at least, that's what it SHOULD mean, if the advance of technology and science, as well as society, didn't defy most of the selective evolution rules.

 

[Archeopterix]

If you want to read some interesting theories about human hair pattern, check out The Aquatic Ape.

If you are referring to head-hair baldness, it is unlikley that we are going there because the trend is to choose for people with more hair, also we are the only primate to have the ability to grow long hair on our head, even if you take male-pattern baldness into account.

We don't have less hair follicles than great apes, we just have diminished follicles and shorter, less obvious hair (most of us anyway).

Evolution isn't really in steps anyway, although it can go in lags and bursts there's no clear lines. The diminishing of the appendix and that some people never get wisdom teeth due to our smaller jaw size also are evidence of change.

Maybe. Of course it will only happen if bald guys get more girls then guys with hair, and I don't think that's true yet.

Actually the gene for baldness passes down the X chromosome, so if you want to have some idea about weather or not you will be bald (if you are male), look at your mom's father. So, if one were to eugenically select against male pattern baldness they would have to be selecting for two generations back.

So, my dad (who died at 68) never went bald, so if I were to be the mother of male offspring, they would likely keep their hair a long time. But my mom's dad had male pattern baldness, so my brother has it.

 

[Scrythe]

If baldness is the next step in evolution, then I'm glad to be a fuckin' ape.

I'm not giving up my long hair no matter how close we get to Gattaca in everyday life.