Americans Have Big Heads — Literally
- Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:11am by
Liz Klimas
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(Photo: Wikimedia)
A new study is showing that Americans have big heads — and they’re growing. This is not to say that Americans are arrogant, but that literally the size of their skulls has gotten larger since the 1800s.
Researchers from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville studied the size of 1,500 skulls dating back to the mid-1800s through the mid-1980s and found that American’s noggins have gotten not only larger but taller and narrower as well. According to the university website, forensic anthropologists Lee Jantz, Richard Jantz and Joanne Devlin who reviewed the skulls are unsure what exactly caused the relatively rapid growth but consider “modified growth patterns because of better nutrition, lower infant and maternal mortality, less physical work, and a breakdown of former ethnic barriers to marriage” factors.
They found the average height growth of the skull during this timeframe for men was about the size of a tennis ball (200 cubic centimeters). Women weren’t too far behind with 180 cubic centimeters of growth.
The researchers also believe they have observed the skull fusing earlier, hinting at younger maturation. They also wonder whether the rise in obesity will further influence skull growth in the future.
“This might affect skull shape by changing the hormonal environment, which in turn could affect timing of growth and maturation,” Richard Jantz said in a statement. “We know it has an effect on the long bones by increasing muscle attachment areas, increasing arthritis at certain joints, especially the knee, and increasing the weight bearing capacity.”
The researchers only reviewed skulls of Americans with European descent for sample size reasons. The team also points out that previous research of European skulls have shown that the changes in shape are not as dramatic as those seen in Americans.
Read more details about the research here.
[H/T Daily Mail]
Featured image via Shutterstock.
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Comments (53)
burnbabylon
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:39pmMy head is outgrowing my hair.
Report Post »SadButTrue
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:47pmThen why does Jeb Bush still look like a mongoloid?
Report Post »Maji
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:18pmHe doesn’t standing beside Obama!
Report Post »Passerby
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:32pmWe’re the breadbasket of the world, we have more food than anyone else.
(The group with the largest brains, by far, is late Neanderthal.)
Report Post »ICEDRAGONNITE
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:41pmI love how they use today’s ideas of obesity and apply it retro. to the 1800‘s and to the 1980’s what a load of propaganda.
Report Post »These people are not serious researchers. They are definitely not scientists.
flatbroke
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:05pmNot for long, not after Obummer and his cronies have anything to say about it! then we will be in reverse mode, well we already are! sad
Report Post »RedManBlueState
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:26pmSo are we big brained, or just fat headed?
Report Post »AUsername
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:52pmalso big stomachs.
Report Post »term limits for congress
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:46pmAre there plans to measure/compare any other body parts?
Report Post »hi
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:27pmU.s.A.! U.s.A.!
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:24pmThe Bigger The Government
Report Post ».The Smaller the Citizen’s…. Head
hogtrashhd
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 11:27amnow now have no fear … if obama and his marxist communist buddys have their way we’ll have pea heads by starvation just like all the marxist communist countries people.. i’d rather be a bit overweight than frigging STARVING….. idots. get over this oh the americans are soooooo fat.. we’re NOT.. the ones who are obese are mostly the ones on government cheese handouts.. best diet is stay away from the free cheese….
Report Post »SGT Rock
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 10:56amNow our brains are even fatter than the rest of the world!!
Seriously, Americans have had to adapt to a more challenges than the european counterparts who pretty much stay put. We like to travel and explore and we interbreed with each other who are sometimes from different areas. Also explains why Americans look different than folks from other countries. We trully are a melting pot and for the better.
Report Post »mountainmover101
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 10:30amIt has to be manily nutrition and better healthcare too. I know a guy from China. He was born there but has lived in the U.S. since he was just over a year old. He is 6′2″. His parents and grandmother are tiny. His dad is like 5′4″. His grandmother is under 5 feet tall. She is miniature. Since he is pure blooded the only difference would have to be nutrition and the superior healthcare.
Report Post »saranda
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:16pmThat is likely explained by all the hormones and other chemicals we put on our foods while it is maturing. Not sure his being taller than his parents and grandparents is a good thing. We have so much crap in our diet compared to many parts of the world.
Report Post »Annika2011
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:30amProbably nutrition is the cause.
Report Post »My Mom grew up in a small eastern European village.
She said that at 5′ 5″ she was considered very tall for
a girl. My dad also was considered tall at 5′8″.
My brothers and I are (me) 5′9″ and the guys 6‘2 and 6’3″.
The wonderful nutrition in the USA boosted our height
four inches in one generation.
It has to be the good nutrition.
Tigress1
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:25amReminds me of what Rush said one day: (Not an exact quote) “I have a HUGE head to house my great big glorious brain!” Too funny!
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:10amI need a bigger hat.
Report Post »RedManBlueState
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:28pmMy melon is just a tad bigger than most “One Size Fits All” hats sold in U.S. stores. I can’t afford a custom job.
Report Post »gbgreta
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:47amHybridization causes a more robust population in later generations. USA Americans are a mix of people from all over the world…including European, African, Native American, Asian. It seems a simple answer to me.
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:59amIt is a racist study, they did not sample skulls from the minority populace. Would be interesting to see if the Black skulls changed as much or if they stayed the same.
Report Post »BO_Bill
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:15amNice catch Hidden_Lion. I have recently discovered that providing opinions on the subject of race and brain size is grounds for censoring in this medium, so without further comment:
Here is a write up on the science of brain size and race.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:41amhidden_lion
Report Post »It is a racist study, they did not sample skulls from the minority populace. Would be interesting to see if the Black skulls changed as much or if they stayed the same.
***
I assume that the blacks that came to America were losers. They lost wars with other African tribes They intermixed with white losers from the continent. That said look at the example of the Sioux who lost land to the Objibwa, survived & became great warriors. My bet is that the African Americans in the Americas have been under tremendous evolutionary pressure & as such are evolving rapidly. Anyone, who thinks blacks are stupid, IS extremely stupid.
black9897
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:23amThis is good. I thought I was alone.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:17amBarry Bonds has been exonerated!
Report Post »junior1971
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:08amI guess the theory of evolution is fact after all.
Report Post »TheSweaterVest
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:11amIts just like the theory of gravity….
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 8:15amMicro evolution is far different from macro evolution.
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:07amSo sorry, that is a non-sequitur. No one disputes the fact that organisms are able to adapt.
What you need to do is hold your breath, sit on your hands, and wait for humans to turn into something else.
See ya…
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:17amsorry to nit pick but Gravity is not a “theory” it is a law. Heard of Newtons Laws?
Report Post »FatFreedom
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 10:31amJunior1971
You are right! this is the scientific break through we have all be waiting for and it proves ones and for all that:
MAN EVOLVED FROM A ROCK.
(btw this was sarcasm )
Perhaps my great grand children will have feathers, as a evolutionary environmental solution to deal with rush traffic?
I guess you went to public school:
In which case take some time and watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szBTl3S24MY
Creationist debates Berkeley Students:
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1euw-TOmpw
mauijonny
Posted on June 2, 2012 at 4:33amRight, GONZO. And for those of you waiting for us to “sit on our hands”, etc…why don’t you, for about 10K years, THEN see what you have to say about this…
Report Post »mom4times
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:56ambigger heads…..smaller brains
Report Post »wrazzlin1
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:54amwow!!!! They didnt mention the high cheekbones
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:47am“They also wonder whether the rise in obesity will further influence skull growth in the future.”
~~~~~~~
Well I don’t know Lee Jantz, Richard Jantz and Joanne Devlin ……
It works wonders on their A$$..!
Report Post »Diane TX
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:42amWhat is obvious, is that these people have no idea what they’re talking about.
Report Post »phillipwgirard
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:10pmBecause they’re waterheads
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:38amIt is because we drink large Coca Colas.
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:22amfunny thing is that availability of sugar could actually contribute to brain growth. The brain uses a quarter of all sugar taken in. So an evolutionary response could be increased brain mass because the diet makes such a mass sustainable.
Report Post »lorgrom
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:34amThough scientist claim the lager the brain cavity the smarter the type of human? So American males are now smarter then other males around the planet? American males have gained more intelligence then American women?
Report Post »TheSweaterVest
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:58amNo, biologically, within a species, the internal volume of the brain case has no correlation with the intelligence of the subject.
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:28amYou are evading the fact that brain size to body mass ratio is an indicator of an aptitude to higher learning. Meaning a whale with a brain the size of a humans is not intelligent at all.
Report Post »misteryuck
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 7:21amObviously George Bush’s fault…..
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 9:18amyup. No child left behind! increased education. Increased need for cranial capacity. hence evolution for more brain.
Report Post »