Humanity

**Humanity** (scientifically known as ***Homo Sapiens***, and known individually as **Humans)** is the only surviving species of the genus *Homo*. Humans are terrestrial mammals, characterized by their upright posture and bipedal locomotion; high manual dexterity and heavy tool use compared to other animals; open-ended and complex language use compared to other animal communications; larger, more complex brains compared to other animals; and highly advanced and organized societies.

Humans were the singular dominant species on Earth for a long time before the Nuclear War in 1993, which caused various subspecies of humans to rapidly evolve due to high amounts of radiation released by the bombs.

## Biology

Human physiology is closely homologous to corresponding aspects of animal physiology. The human body consists of the legs, the torso, the arms, the neck, and the head. The most commonly defined systems in the human body are the nervous, the cardiovascular, the circulatory, the digestive, the endocrine, the immune, the integumentary, the lymphatic, the musculoskeletal, the reproductive, the respiratory, and the urinary systems.

Humans have closed circulatory systems, which consists of one heart and a network of blood vessels. They have red blood due to their iron-based hemoglobin, as well as two lungs that breathe mainly a nitrogen-oxygen based atmosphere. Humans typically have a decent amount of body hair; primarily on their heads, faces, underarms, and genitals. They have two eyes on the front of their heads, as well as two ears, nostrils, and and a mouth with a set of 32 teeth of various form.

Human biology differs greatly based on their environments. Humans who evolved closer to the equator or the Earth often had more melanin in their skin, resulting in a darker complexion, whereas those living closer to the magnetic poles have much less melanin, resulting in a paler complexion. These differences in evolutionary traits have made humans a very diverse species.

### Mutation

Humans exposed to high amounts of radiation typically suffer from many adverse health effects, such as radiation burn and tumors. However, many humans irradiated following the Nuclear War of 1993 began to suffer rapid mutations that created various subspecies known commonly as "mutants".

## Culture

Human culture is as diverse as humans themselves. To go into the specifics of human culture would mean to go into the entirety of human history, primitive human traits, and human ideologies. Human culture spreads and evolves mainly through humans interacting in a society; finding common ground in interests, beliefs, idols, and traditions.

As an example, much of human and mutant culture in the wasteland is derived from the popular culture of the 20th century; primarily music and cinema. There is a heavy anti-establishment sentiment in most human societies, along with a common interest in fashion from the 1970s and 1980s rock and punk scenes. Many survivors in the American wasteland have taken to adding chains and spikes to their outfits, weapons, vehicles, and homes, both as a deterrent to any would-be-assailants, but also as a sort of cultural display.

## Subspecies Derived From Humans

There are countless forms of mutated humans in the wasteland. The following is a short list of common, sapient subspecies derived from humans due to radiation.

* Cleanbloods
* Gasgarglers
* Rustrats
* Hellions
* Huskers
* Pucks

## See Also

* The Old World
* Wasteland Madness