Human bones become brittle and easy due to the transition to agriculture

Human bones become brittle and easy due to the transition to agriculture - before the onset of the Neolithic skeleton of our ancestors for strength is not inferior to the skeleton of an orangutan. This is the conclusion reached by the authors of two articles published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Summary of the study described in the press release of the University of Cambridge.Scientists conducted a fluoroscopic examination and tomography bones unearthed by archaeologists in Illinois.

The remains belong to different groups of Homo sapient, living in this area for the past seven thousand years hunter gatherers to farmers and late. According to scientists, it is a genetically related tribes that have fallen over time to a sedentary lifestyle. Researchers interested primarily cancerous bone of the femoral head: this is hip joint in the human body is extremely high load. In addition, the researchers examined the cancerous bone of other joints Homo sapient, and were compared with the bones of modern chimpanzees and minerals Hominid: Neanderthal, Philanthropist, Australopithecus.

It was found that the density of the spongy substance fell only in the transition to a sedentary lifestyle. Vividly this process manifested itself in the bones of the lower body. Total bone mass in hunter-gatherers was higher by an average of 20 percent. Seal spongy substance scientists explain the constant load on the bone, which create a permanent wandering hunter-gatherers, combing the surrounding area in search of food. Over the years, the bones become stronger and denser as a result gave a hefty margin for resist age-related disorders.

Other theories explaining the fragility of the bones and the ease of modern man by changes in diet, or the evolution towards a more user-friendly for new forms of work light skeleton. But a new study has convincingly shown that biologically first people are not much different from other primates. Only the cultural and economic changes  the transition to a sedentary lifestyle radically changed the human bone.

Scientists emphasize that the findings suggest that the principal means of preventing fractures and osteoporosis in old age is not a calcium-rich diet, and exercise. Human Anatomy presents no objective obstacles to stronger bones to the level of the ancient hunter or orangutan, scientists say. However, even limiting load in today's world do not have such frequent and intense pressure on the bone, which experienced the ancestors of humans and other primates.

Modern people live in the cultural and technological environment that is incompatible with evolutionary adaptation mechanisms that created Homo. Seven million years of hominid evolution has been sharpened by physical activity in order to survive, and the last 50-100 years, we are sedentary dangerous sedentary. Sitting behind the wheel of a car or at your desk not to have prepared evolution  said one of the study authors Colin Shaw.