What do you think humans would evolve into

[zoobyshoe]

However, we developed smaller faces because resources were precious, and energy not put into building a huge jaw and face could be put to use elsewhere, such as height and brains.

You are really just speculating. There is no way to know why our smaller faces were selected. The minimum requirement for a mutation to endure is simply that a new trait must not be a disadvantage.

Neanderthals had both larger brains and larger jaws than ours. They lasted something like 124 thousand years before the emergence of Cro-Magnon man, so I think we can rule out the notion that downsizing the jaw allows resources to be shunted to a larger brain.

 

[Polymorph]

You are really just speculating. There is no way to know why our smaller faces were selected. The minimum requirement for a mutation to endure is simply that a new trait must not be a disadvantage.

Neanderthals had both larger brains and larger jaws than ours. They lasted something like 124 thousand years before the emergence of Cro-Magnon man, so I think we can rule out the notion that downsizing the jaw allows resources to be shunted to a larger brain.

You are absolutely correct, I am just speculating.

Neanderthals probably had reasons for larger jaws. Wear on the teeth found would seem to indicate that they not only ate a rougher diet, there has been speculation that they used them to hold skins while cleaning them. Bite down, scrape away.

 

[MotoH]

We haven't found a monolith yet, so when we do find one we will slowly evolve into higher intelligence without us knowing.

 

[CRGreathouse]

This may have been discussed previously somewhere on PF in the past. The article quatoes an evolutionary theorist who speculates that humans will break into two species: one would be tall, good-looking, and smart; the other, "goblin-like" and dim-witted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6057734.stm

Hmmm, a little too speculative to be taken seriously, but amusing nonetheless.

It sounds much too silly for me, though; there's far too much interbreeding for such a split to be possible. Maybe it was sensible speculation back in Wells' day, but not now.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

This may have been discussed previously somewhere on PF in the past. The article quatoes an evolutionary theorist who speculates that humans will break into two species: one would be tall, good-looking, and smart; the other, "goblin-like" and dim-witted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6057734.stm

Hmmm, a little too speculative to be taken seriously, but amusing nonetheless.

I think HG Wells already did that one.

edit. Ah CRGH caught that already.