Medical Evolution

Dr. Darwin Will See You Now

Evolutionary medicine is a current cottage industry. In the Journal of Anthropological Sciences, neuroscientists Paola Palanza and Stefano Parmigiana recently told us that "an evolutionary perspective is necessary to understand vulnerability to diseases and behavioral disorders."¹ And another recent article in Medical Science Educator informed us that "evolutionary medicine is a growing field focusing on the evolutionary basis of human diseases and their changes through time."²

But it turns out that there is little new to be learned from this source. Lecture and seminar topics covered in courses in evolutionary medicine include:...