Zafar Khan from the Luton Council of Faiths, who has been married to his first cousin for 36 years, said people were becoming more aware of medical science and the risks involved with marrying in the "close kin group".

BBC: Fifth of Luton's infant deaths linked to kin marriage

Whether or not you believe in God, religions accomplish something miraculous: They turn large numbers of people who are not kin into a group that is able to work together, trust each other, and help each other.

CNN: Why we love to lose ourselves in religion

Instead, Microsoft will send out periodic updates with new apps to all Kin phones, says Roger Synder, a group product manager for Microsoft.

FORBES: Microsoft Targets Social Teens With New 'Kin' Phones

Since bipeds of the featherless variety generally prefer individual to group mating displays, the benefits of kin selection are less pronounced in humans.

ECONOMIST: Team players