Reporting on the BBC on molar agenesis in modern humans?

[pbuk]

Whilst driving yesterday I half-heard a headline on BBC radio which appeared to be about a new Australian study on molar agenesis (they did not use that term). Now I can find no reference to this study on the BBC website nor anywhere else - can anyone here shed any light on this?

 

[Fervent Freyja]

Can you give a better description for what the study found?

 

[pbuk]

This is the feature on the BBC's 'Science Focus' website:
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/humans-are-evolving-an-extra-artery-in-the-arm/

The phrase that pricked up my ears was this: "The median artery is not the only example of ongoing human evolution. Many babies are being born without wisdom teeth. Dr Lucas said faces are becoming a lot shorter, with smaller jaws meaning there is less room for teeth."

The paper that is referenced is Recently increased prevalence of the human median artery of the forearm: A microevolutionary change.

I think there were some more very unscientific comments; it occurs to me that the most likely explanation (for contemporary molar agenesis and changes in lower jaw shape in Australia) is gene flow.

I don't remember the name of the BBC correspondent, it certainly wasn't the (always excellent) Pallab Ghosh.