Human beings are constantly evolving. Since caveman times, nature has been careful to select genes and perpetuate the species with some improvements: height, brain size, opposable thumb and upright posture. Anatomists have come to the conclusion that a feature that has become common in humans may define the next generation: an extra artery in the arm.
Read more: 5 Diseases of the Human Circulatory System
see more
School director intervenes delicately when noticing a student wearing a cap in…
Mother informs school that 4-year-old daughter, who prepares her lunch, can…
What is the extra arm artery?
According to the study published in the Journal of Anatomy, this is the medial artery, which runs down the center of our forearms. It is appearing in at least a third of the world's population.
Under normal conditions, the median artery forms early in humans, when we are still in the womb. The role of this blood vessel it's carrying the blood to feed our hands as they grow.
The most common thing is that it starts and regresses around eight weeks (or maybe a little more) of life. From there, their role is played by the radial and ulnar arteries. However, some people reach adulthood with the artery pumping full steam.
Investigation started a long time ago
Scientists began to notice the prevalence of this extra vessel as early as the 18th century. Since then, analyzing corpses, they noticed that there was a significant increase in people with the medial artery.
“The prevalence was about 10% in people born in the mid-1880s, compared to 30% in those born in the late 20th century, which represents a significant increase in a fairly short period of time when it comes to evolution," said Teghan Lucas, an anatomist at Flinders. University.
The evolutionary future of humans
When there is a large increase in people with an anatomical feature, scientists attribute the explanation to evolution. That is, natural selection is favoring those who have this extra blood supply.
The prevalence of the median artery could be associated with stronger forearms, wrists or thumbs. However, this condition also makes the anatomy conducive to the development of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which, ironically, would make the arms and hands weaker.
There is still a lot of investigation and a lot of research to be done. But, according to Lucas, if the trend continues, most people will have a median artery by 2100.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.
