An increasing number of adults have an extra artery in their arms as humans continue to evolve at a rapid rate, a study has found.
In a study published in the Journal of Anatomy, scientists in Australia found what they believe is evidence that humans are undergoing a micro-evolution in which evolutionary changes are seen over a short period of time.
The artery forms while a baby is in the womb and is the main vessel that supplies blood to the forearm and hand, BBC Science Focus noted. But it usually disappears during gestation and is replaced by the radial and ulnar arteries.
But some people retain all three.
Scientists at Flinders University and the University of Adelaide said they found a ''significant increase'' in the prevalence of the median artery since the late 19th century. The team analyzed published records in anatomical literature and dissected cadavers from individuals born in the 20th century.
''Since the 18th Century, anatomists have been studying the prevalence of this artery in adults and our study shows it’s clearly increasing,'' said one of the study authors, Dr. Teghan Lucas, Science Focus reported.
''The prevalence was around 10% in people born in the mid-1880s compared to 30% in those born in the late 20th Century, so that’s a significant increase in a fairly short period of time, when it comes to evolution,'' she said.
''But increasing numbers of cases retain it, so a person can have all three arteries,'' the authors wrote. ''People born 80 years from now will all carry a median artery if the trend continues.''
Lucas said the study demonstrates that humans are evolving at a faster rate than at any point in the past 250 years.
The investigation’s authors suggested changes in natural selection could be the major reason for micro-evolution, Science Focus reported.
Related Stories:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.