MAN

Evening Star, Issue 19026, 22 August 1925, Page 15

MAN

MILLIONS OF YEARS HENCE. A large head with a bulging brow supported on a body like a splinter of wood, with short arms and legs, and, perhaps, hoofs instead of feet. This is the picture of tho nwn and woman of 2,000,000 years honco —ugly, weak, and clever —drawn by Professor Conrad Thanildseu, professor of zoology in tho North-western University, Chicago. I Professor Tlianildson, who has gained considerable famo since his appointment six years ago, declares (says tho ‘ Cape Argns ’) that wo havo already started on this road. Many professors havo attempted to look into the future, but none so far as he. There will, he thinks, be little use for muscle. “We aro going towards that place which shall never roach —Utopia,” ho states. “ What wo aro doing is gradually fitting the individual to the environment. Every trnio there is a mating of germ cells there are 16,777,216 chances of variation, and it is the useful variations that survive. In future glands also will havo a greater function to perform. By regulating the glands we can produce children who will ho workers and havo intellectual interests—in other words we can regulate production. “Meantime,” continues Professor Tharaldson, “ man’s brain is growing, and tho constant growth will demand a much larger skull, with a bulging brow. The man of tho future will probably havo to wear glasses. Some of the physical assets will no lost with the increase in brain power. \Vo aro getting near-sighted and losing onr sense of smell. Society, consequently, will be different in tho generations to como. What tho future man is -like may depend somewhat on the fads-and fancies of the present. Mechanical devices are fast doing away with tho need for muscle, and tho lack of uso will cause the muscle to degenerate. Except hardiness and the power to withstand disease, physical hulk means nothing nowadays.