The Human Evolution Blog

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A special “Happy Father’s Day” to all queer families that celebrate this day. We definitely do!!

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I LOVE my home institution. They are so supportive. Not all scientists understand the value of public engagement, and some even openly scoff at it. This means that scientists who do choose to use some of their time this way often pay a price in a variety of ways, most of all in the esteem of their scientist colleagues. That’s why it’s so uplifting that John Jay College has shown such steadfast support for my efforts in public engagement. Thank you so much, John Jay College and the City University of New York. It is an honor to teach and do research here. 

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‘Pointless’ Bones, ‘Flawed’ Birth Spacing, and ‘Broken’ Genes

Why our flaws alone can’t disprove God’s purpose.

I suspect some will be surprised to see me sharing an article from “Christianity Today,” and even more so since it is about me and my book, and not in support. Some might even consider this article critical of me.

I am sharing this because it’s a great example of how a writer can disagree without being disagreeable, can challenge ideas without mischaracterizing them, can critique a way of thinking without insulting the thinker. 

I’ve not met Liuan Huska before and we probably don’t see eye to eye on my life’s work. But I respect her thoughtful writing and her commitment to her point of view, even if I don’t share it. She has inspired me to be better with my own critiques. I tip my hat.

“So-called ‘design flaws...’ are opportunities for relationship and grace.”

So they are.

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Maladaptation in Evolutionary Psychology

A maladaptation is a feature of an organism that was once beneficial but no longer is, usually due to a change in the environment. When it comes to psychology, it’s often difficult to precise…

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The Health Benefits of Playing Outside

We've all heard that some germs are essential for health, but do we actually know why? And though microbes help build immunity, what about other aspects of health like allergies and emotional and physical development? Nathan H. Lents, Ph.D., a professor of Biology at John Jay College, weighs in on why exactly outside play is good for your child, from a holistic and data-driven perspective.

Go play outside! 

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The ABCs of Vitamin Deficiency: Why Human Have Such a Needy Diet

Humans need a more varied and specific diet than most other animals. The reason why is found in our deep past in Africa.

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Attraction and Mate Choice in Humans

New research on attraction reveals how this multidimensional phenomenon integrates in our mind.

Check out my recent podcast episode on the evolutionary science of human attraction. 

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Are the X-men Mutants “the Next Step in Evolution?” (RIP Stan Lee)

Stan Lee was definitely on to something when he posited that mutations were the way to deliver new abilities to an otherwise run-of-the-mill human being.

I wrote a thing about the X-men. lol 

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Darwin Devolves: “Devolution” is Not a Thing

The very title of Behe’s book indicates a profound misunderstanding of evolutionary theory

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Does Trump Fit the Evolutionary Role of Narcissistic Sociopath?

Psychological profiles of Donald Trump are hampered by lack of personal access, but can we learn something from an evolutionary analysis?

Bob Trivers and I applied evolutionary reasoning to the question of whether or not Donald J. Trump is a narcissistic sociopath. The results are more revealing than you might think! 

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Darwin Devolves: Behe Gets Polar Bear Evolution Very Wrong

The godfather of “intelligent design” exaggerates even his “pro-Darwinism” example.

Intelligent Design proponent extraordinaire, Michael J. Behe, has written his third book called, “Darwin Devolves,” which introduces us to his concept of “devolution.” His opening example of this concept is the evolution of polar bears.

I checked under the hood of this example and the data tells a very different story than Behe does. I pointed this out to him. He responded with some insults and a selectively edited table of data. Check it out for yourself.

Support evolutionary science. Fight pseudoscience. 

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The science and evolution of our faulty bodies explained: from incompetent sperm to bad metabolisms

The human body is home to some fascinating design flaws that evolution hasn't phased out, including these five picked out by biology professor Nathan H Lents

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Human Errors: A Conversation About Evolution’s Mistakes

San Francisco Public Library is pleased to bring biology professor and forensic scientist Dr. Nathan Lents to the Main Library for a talk titled “Human Errors: A Conversation About Evolution’s Mistakes”. For such “highly evolved creatures,” humans harbor a surprising number of glitches, quirks, and outright flaws. We have retinas that face backward, the stump of a tail, muscles that attach to nothing, and nerves that take bizarre paths. We must find vitamins and nutrients in our diets that other animals simply make for themselves. Millions of us can't reproduce successfully without help from modern science. As biologist Nathan H. Lents explain in his new book, Human Errors, our evolutionary history is a litany of mistakes, each more entertaining and enlightening than the last. Join us as idea innovator and host of the “Curious Minds” podcast Gayle Allen leads a discussion of our many shortcomings. Rather than a source of sorrow and despair, our many quirks serve as windows into the topsy-turvy history of our evolution past.

Hello friends in the Bay Area. I will be at the San Francisco Public Library on Tuesday, August 7th. The program will be hosted by Gayle Allen, from the “Curious Minds” podcast. Come say hi! 

Please reblog if you are in the Bay Area. Thanks!

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My first piece for Discover Magazine! I expanded on a short section in my book on vitamin D deficiency. It’s a bizarre condition that many, even most of us have, and it’s all thanks to some pretty poor design in the human body. Read it here. 

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Author To Discuss Book On How Humans Have Coped With Their Flaws

“Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, From Pointless Bones to Broken Genes” by Nathan Lents was published in May. Lents will be giving a free lecture about the book Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the San Diego Central Library.

I really enjoyed this interview with @kpbs (San Diego). Really looking forward to my event at the San Diego Public Library ( @sdpubliclibrary)  tomorrow (Aug 1st). If you’re in SoCal, reblog this and come say hi tomorrow! 

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Professor Nathan Lents: What Evolutionary Errors Can Tell Us About Human Nature

"There really isn't any aspect of our lives … that isn't in some way informed by our evolutionary past."

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Human Errors: A Discussion of Our Many Flaws

Come and meet Dr. Nathan H. Lents as he discusses Human Errors, his new book that explores the human body, which, wondrous though it is, harbors a large number of head-scratching quirks. But more interesting than the flaws themselves is their backstories. Human Errors introduces a new way to appreciate our evolutionary past: by exploring our many flaws. Some of these glitches are the results of anatomical trade-offs and evolutionary compromises. Others reveal that we shaped for a world we no long inhabit.

ATTENTION ANYONE IN THE SAN DIEGO AREA!!   I will be at the San Diego Public Library on Wednesday (Aug 1) at 6:00P.M. discussing my new book, Human Errors. Come say hi! 

And if you’re in SoCal, please be good enough to signal boost this. Thanks!