Many people believe that human evolution has come to a halt, but scientists argue that the process is still occurring, albeit in a different form. Modern medicine and technologies have changed the environment in which evolution operates, but genetic changes are still happening due to cultural preferences, geographic migration, and random events.
While it is impossible to predict with certainty what humans will look like in 50,000 years, experts suggest that evolutionary changes will occur on a relatively minor scale over the next five decades. Associate professor Thomas Mailund of Aarhus University notes that dramatic changes require millions of years, but “something is still happening” in human evolution.
Anthropologist and evolutionary geneticist Jason Hodgson of Anglia Ruskin University predicts that global populations will become more homogenous and less structured genetically and phenotypically, with individual differences in appearance decreasing. However, admixture and mating between distantly related groups could still result in distinct traits emerging in subpopulations.
Paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Nick Longrich of the University of Bath suggests that “very rapid evolution” could occur in a matter of thousands or hundreds of years if strong, consistent pressures favor certain characteristics. For example, humans may become taller due to sexual selection, and more attractive on average, since sexual selection plays a greater role in modern society.
It is also possible that humans will begin to direct their own evolution through gene editing tools like CRISPR, potentially aided by artificial intelligence. However, the ethics of this technology are highly controversial and still need to be developed.
Overall, while it is difficult to predict exactly how humans will change in 50,000 years, experts agree that evolution is still occurring, and it is likely that our species will undergo some changes as a result of cultural and technological advancements.