Selection Skews Human Phylogenies

Selection acting on morphology and genomes can distort phylogenetic trees and make lineages appear more or less closely related than neutral models predict. Recognizing selection's directional effects should change how scientists read fossil‑DNA concordance and present simple 'family‑tree' narratives to the public. — If selection systematically biases inferred relationships, media and policymakers should treat single‑tree stories about our origins as provisional and expect ongoing revision as methods correct for adaptive signals.