Advanced search

Answers


Is This The End of Human Evolution?

I have noticed, as others may have, that as a race humans have everything done for them; travel (cars, planes etc.), hunting (guns, breeding food etc.), and also there is no longer a need too compete for homes (we can simply build more). is there any need to evolve any further? have we reached our final stage in our long evolutionary chain? 

sssss
 (no votes)

submit an answer
  • Asked by IsaacB
  • on 2009-07-26 19:11:23
  • Member status
  • none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: humanbody, evolution.

 

Report abuse


2 answer(s)


Reply

aravindv says:

Wow, this is a very interesting question.

Infact, it is agreed upon by the scientific community that evolution does happen quickly in small groups of people, when the pressure to change is high.

That is probably how the human species evolved from another primate in a small area in Central Africa around 200,000 years ago.

Infact, most species probably undergo times of large changes, and then times of relative stability in gene structure. 

As of yet, we dont know of any significant threat to human existence, by such risks strike quickly and often without warning. In that case, humans would be forced to evolve or dissappear. 

Small incremental changes also seem to be happening, in human society, but not fast enough because it doesn't seem to be a life-death matter.

Another possibility is that we will get to know our gene structures and how to manipulate them. Through this mechanism we will "evolve" , though this may itself pose risks to the stability of society. People would have to set quotas for increasing-- say intelligence -- in one generation, strict rules, and constant monitoring to see that the system of man-made mutations becomes successful.

This would mean that skies are the limit for us, as we can make these mutations and test them at a much faster rate, maybe even through computer simulations( and eliminate the ethical aspect of it). These computer simulations may themselves become people, and we will be like god. But thats not the point. Thats a completely different topic. 

But yes, evolution as we know it is over, or will take too long for us to observe (in case there is any unforseen disaster forcing us to change)

sssss
 (no votes)

Tags: humanbody, evolution.

top

posted on 2009-10-09 14:37:53 | Report abuse


Reply

L-Wilson says:

Evolution never really ends. A species will continue to evolve as its environment changes, be it a huge change or a minuscule one, as long as they have enough time to affect our evolution (i.e. be present for a reasonable amount of time of the lifespan in a generation) .

Whatever change is made, it will favour at least one allele (rival gene) over another; this means that one allele will be naturally selected more than another for the period before another change of the same type. New alleles are being created all the time through mistakes made in the reproduction of DNA. It is quite feasible that the human genome could oscillate in accordance with changes made in the environment.   

As long as there is any change whatsoever in our environment, we will continue to evolve, although these changes might be almost invisible.

sssss
 (no votes)

Tags: humanbody, evolution.

top

posted on 2010-01-23 12:27:12 | Report abuse


The last word is ...

the place where you ask questions about everyday science

Answer questions, vote for best answers, send your videos and audio questions, save favourite questions and answers, share with friends...

register now


ADVERTISMENT