Researchers from Loughborough University and the University of Zurich found that rapid industrialisation has reshaped human habitats so dramatically that our biology may no longer be able to keep up.
The paper, published in Biological Reviews, highlights that densely populated, polluted, and industrialised environments are impairing core biological functions essential for survival and reproduction (i.e., the ‘evolutionary fitness’ of our species).
These include:
- Reproductive function, including infertility and sperm decline
- Immune function issues, such as allergies and autoimmune disease
- Cognitive function problems, including slower development and faster decline
- Physical function decline, such as reduced strength and endurance
The authors argue that humans may now be living in environments we are not well adapted to and that this mismatch may be undermining our long-term evolutionary fitness.
With global fertility declining and rising chronic disease, and 68 per cent of the world’s population projected to live in cities by 2050, the team behind the research states that the implications are potentially enormous.
Dr Danny Longman, Senior Lecturer in Human Evolutionary Physiology at Loughborough University, explained:
“For most of our evolutionary history, our biology was shaped by natural environments. In just a few generations, industrialisation has rapidly reshaped the world around us - faster than evolution can keep up.
“The Environmental Mismatch Hypothesis suggests that the very environments we have created to support modern life may now be compromising our ability to thrive and even to reproduce.”
Dr Colin Shaw from the University of Zurich added:
“Our findings highlight that exposure to natural environments is not a luxury - it’s a biological necessity. The more we separate ourselves from nature, the more we risk undermining the fundamental systems that keep us healthy, resilient and capable of long-term survival.”
For more information on the team behind the research, visit its dedicated website: www.heepresearchgroup.com/
This article has been published as part of Loughborough University’s PR Environment campaign. Further information on the campaign can be found in the launch press release.