Scientists have discovered: humans evolved the fastest of all primates

The human species has travelled the path of evolution much faster than other great apes. This is the conclusion reached by scientists from University College London (UCL), who have studied three-dimensional models of skulls of different primate species.

The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences and is the most detailed comparative analysis of skull structure among primates. The scientists analysed the skull shapes of seven species of hominids (including humans, gorillas and chimpanzees) and nine species of gibbons, belonging to the so-called "lesser apes".

The human skull changed particularly rapidly

As lead author of the paper Dr Ida Gomez-Robles of UCL notes, "Humans are the most rapidly evolving species of all primates. This may be due to the importance of adaptations such as the development of a large brain and facial reduction in size. These features probably confer not only cognitive but also social advantages."

The scientists divided the skull into four key regions: the upper and lower face, the front and back of the head. By comparing 3D scans, they assessed how much these parts differed between species. It turned out that the human skull changed twice as much as would be expected at the normal rate of evolution.

Gibbons hardly changed at all

Although hominids and gibbons diverged in evolution about 20 million years ago, their anatomical diversity developed differently. In gibbons, the skulls of different species look almost identical. In hominids, on the contrary, there is considerable variation, and humans are particularly notable.

Interestingly, gibbons are similar to humans in some ways: they also have a relatively flat face and rounded skull. However, their brain size is significantly smaller than that of humans.

Not only intelligence, but also social factors

The researchers emphasise: although a large and complex brain may be an important factor in rapid evolution, we should not rule out the influence of social mechanisms. For example, in gorillas - the second fastest skull-evolving species - large bony ridges on the head serve as an indicator of status in the hierarchy. Humans may have undergone similar changes under the influence of social selection.

"Our work shows that human evolution has been particularly rapid," says Gomez-Robles. - The reasons may be complex, including both cognitive, behavioural or social aspects. But the key conclusion is clear - we evolved faster than any of our closest relatives."