Will humans be different by 2050? (part 1)

Where are we heading, and what will humans be like in 2050? One change that is already taking place is when we choose to have children. Today, the average age a British woman has her first child is late in her 29^th year. In the United States, compare the change from 1970, where one percent of first children were born to women over the age of 35, but by 2012, that rose to 15 percent! It is becoming increasingly common to put off child-rearing until later years, as both men and women are focusing on finishing advanced college degrees and getting settled in a job. This is also reflected by the median age of first marriage, where the average age of males marrying in 1950 was 22.8, and the average age for women during that time was 20.3. By 2010, that had changed to 28.2 for men and 26.1 for women. As countries become increasingly advanced socioeconomically, people are choosing to focus on extending their child-free years for leisure time or career development. Studies have also found that trends in business are showing decreasing job security and increasing demands upon workers to work during unsociable hours. With educational “inflation,” more and more degrees and certifications are being required of people, resulting in extended years in school and larger loans to pay off.