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Evolution in Humans.....


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Coupler Q's

 

Are humans still evolving? at what rate?

Are there any major recorded changes in human structure?

 

Are Human minds evolving to fast for our bodys to respond, Due to technology advances?

 

Cheers ;)

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Evolution requires natural selection. In todays society these forces are no longer at work, the dull, feeble and genetically unfit are protected and survive to breed where previously they would have simply died.

 

In the UK (and many other places) there is an inverse correlation between IQ and number of children. If anything, the human race is degenerating rather than evolving. Perhaps genetic engineering will be the solution, designer DNA anyone?

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Well, evolution isn't survival of the fittest, but death of those who aren't fit. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!!! So, the genes of those who aren't fit for an environment die out. But, this really doesn't apply to humans anymore. We tend to have medical care for those who have a genetic structure which makes them less fit to survive. So, I guess its "paused" at the moment...

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I don't think evolution has paused, rather the selective pressures have changed.

 

The fit, strong and intelligent used to have an advantage in propogating their DNA, now the feckless, lazy dole scroungers are the most successful in reproducing.

 

This has certain pretty obvious implications.

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Devolution is something for the Welsh and Scots, not science.

 

However it is perfectly possible for a species to lose an adaptation, we no longer have hair all over our bodies, whales dont have legs. In the future our brains could well atropy if selective pressures encourage more breeding from the lower IQ representatives of the population.

 

If there is no particular selection actively in favour of an adaptation then it will tend to atropy, the process of genetic drift.

 

Natural selection isnt the be all and end all of evolution, but its a major and crucial part.

 

Work? Thats a four letter word!

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Are humans still evolving? at what rate?

Yes. I don't know if anyone can quantify the rate for you on this(besides that over a generation, a genome accumulates about 100 mutations).

 

Are there any major recorded changes in human structure?

Yes(although some changes are negotiable/debatable).

Dentition, High Altitude tolerance, Sickle cell anemia, Skin colour, Blood groups, longevity, Then there are of course the acclimation and acclimatization issues(which would account for the Allen's rule) etc.

Most of these though could be lumped under the influences of the Sociocultural phenomenon. (Yeah, I'm a Lumper :D)

 

I wonder what we will look like in a million years.
You will probably be disappointed by what you'll see ;)

 

Evolution requires natural selection.

That is but 1 of the items, there are numerous others.

 

In todays society these forces are no longer at work

 

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

the dull, feeble and genetically unfit are protected and survive to breed where previously they would have simply died.

 

In today's society,

when it comes to H. sapiens, it all(or mostly) comes down to Culture(Socioculture),that would just mean that more of them will survive then in the past, much more.

 

In the UK (and many other places) there is an inverse correlation between IQ and number of children. If anything, the human race is degenerating rather than evolving.

 

Before you continue any further with this, Lookie here

 

Well' date=' evolution isn't survival of the fittest, but death of those who aren't fit.....

.......So, the genes of those who aren't fit for an environment die out..........[/quote']

W/O writing short of an essay on this, let me just say, you're partially correct there(key word is Partially).

 

But, this really doesn't apply to humans anymore. We tend to have medical care for those who have a genetic structure which makes them less fit to survive. So, I guess its "paused" at the moment...

 

Evolution isn't something that can be stopped, paused or directed.

 

I don't think evolution has paused' date=' rather the selective pressures have changed.

 

The fit, strong and intelligent used to have an advantage in propogating their DNA, now the feckless, lazy dole scroungers are the most successful in reproducing.

 

This has certain pretty obvious implications.[/quote']

 

Some selective pressures have changed, some have been eliminated and some new ones(and lots of) have been added. The evolution continues.

 

However it is perfectly possible for a species to lose an adaptation...

Are you talking about a certain group or the entire species here?

Small, isolated groups will be affected by the founder effect, so you can say that they can evolve certain traits or adaptation much quicker than a much larger social group, let alone the entire species, one that as widespread as we are.

 

we no longer have hair all over our bodies, whales dont have legs. In the future our brains could well atropy if selective pressures encourage more breeding from the lower IQ representatives of the population.

 

That is the theory of Orthogenesis, and it's just plain wrong.

 

Natural selection isnt the be all and end all of evolution, but its a major and crucial part.

 

Yes it is.

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One experiment I would like to see run is a Kirilian photograph of an entire human being, as well as one of a human embryo.

 

If a salamander embroyo has a resulting photograph not of the embroyo itself but of the adult salamander, what would ours show?

 

Maybe nothing unexpected, but I certainly would like to find out ... it just might show where we are heading as a species.

 

Or, then again, it might just show what we are now.

 

In terms of human evolutionary speculation, I would assume that the lower extremities of the physical body would weaken and become secondary, with the upper torso, glutii and upper extremities becoming more pronounced, especially the hands.

 

The frontal lobes would increase with a corresponding decrease in the reptilian brain.........should computers continue becoming our major interactive mode and the corresponding success rate for computer users versus snailpersons.

 

On the other hand, given the proclivities of computer addicts, it is quite likely that they will never find the time or opportunity to reproduce at all, leading to a complete cessation of the species and/or a recession to a Cro-Magnon state.

 

:P;):P

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I think we will evolve:

- Infra red, UV and X-ray vision

- Ability to fly by interaction with Earth's magnetic field

- Metabolic energy requirements to be met by nuclear fusion

- Metallic sheen to dermal layer to protect from space radiation

- Hermaphoditic anatomy

- Companion animals gradually incorporated into lap area as a kind of emotional endosymbiosis

- Neural-to-Artificial device ports across the scalp

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