Our lifestyles have evolved faster than human biology can adapt, and it could be the end of us
Modern life is rubbish because we’re just not designed to cope with it. Our bodies evolved for a world of movement, nature and short bursts of stress – not the constant pressures of today.
A new study by evolutionary anthropologists suggests our lifestyles have evolved faster than human biology can adapt. This could be behind the rash of chronic stress and other health issues, which are symptoms of a mismatch between our nature-loving physiology and the environments most of us live in today.
The research – from Colin Shaw, of the University of Zurich, and Daniel Longman, of Loughborough University – suggests we’re still hardwired to meet the physical and psychological demands of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, which requires frequent movement, brief flurries of action, and daily exposure to natural settings, reports Science Daily.
Having evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to survive on the plains, we’ve only been thrown into an industrial world of noise, pollution, microplastics, pesticides, artificial lighting, processed foods, continuous sensory input, and long periods of sitting for a couple of centuries.
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Our bodies react the same way to, say, workplace pressure, as if we’d come across a lion in the savanna. The lion usually goes away, but the stresses of modern life just don’t let up.
Shaw and Longman’s say the same emergency systems that saved our ancestors are now triggered by office showdowns, rush-hour beeps, social media pile-ons and the constant hum of urban life.
The problem isn’t just the stress response – it’s the lack of an off switch. In the wild, the danger passes. In 2025, the ‘predator’ is perpetual: blue light at midnight, traffic at dawn, pings all day long.
As the researchers put it, our systems react as though we’re facing “lion after lion” – powerful physiological surges with precious little recovery.
The authors argue that industrialised living may be chipping away at human evolutionary fitness and our ability to survive and reproduce. They point to two red flags:
Reproduction: Fertility rates are falling in many countries, and there’s a long-running, well-documented decline in sperm count and motility since the mid-20th century. Environmental exposures are suspected culprits.
Health: Inflammatory and autoimmune conditions have surged, suggesting our immune systems are squaring up to an environment they weren’t built for.
Shaw notes: “We’ve engineered staggering wealth, comfort and medical care – yet some of those very achievements may be quietly needling our immune, cognitive, physical and reproductive functions.”
Both are calling for smart tweaks that bring our environments closer to what our biology expects. They include:
Treat nature like public health infrastructure. Protect, restore and expand access to green spaces that mirror ancestral landscapes — places where heart rate, blood pressure and immune markers actually calm down.
Rebuild cities for human physiology. More daylight, less glare at night. Cleaner air. Quieter streets. Walkable neighbourhoods. Spaces that invite movement rather than mandate sitting.
Cut harmful exposures. Smarter controls on pollutants and chemicals, and serious action on microplastics and pesticide residues.
What you can do today (no sabre-tooth required)
- Chase daylight, tame the glow: Get natural light early; dim screens and bright bulbs at night to help your body clock.
- Move like you mean it: Swap long sits for “movement snacks” — brisk walks, stairs, stretches, mini bodyweight bursts.
- Go green, often: Even 15 minutes among trees or by water can steady nerves.
- Turn down the noise: Use quiet routes, shut windows at rush hour, try earplugs or noise-cancelling when needed.
- Eat closer to the source: Fewer ultra-processed foods; more whole, minimally processed options.
- Prune the pings: Batch notifications and social media time to give your nervous system real recovery.
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