Mr Skeptic Posted December 18, 2007 Posted December 18, 2007 According to newscientist, the rate of human evolution has increased Human evolution is speeding up. Around 40' date='000 years ago our genes began to evolve much faster. By 5000 years ago they were evolving 30 to 40 times faster than ever before and it seems highly likely that we continue to evolve at this super speed today. Our population explosion and rapidly changing lifestyles seem to be the drivers of this acceleration, the discovery of which contradicts the widely held notion that our technological and medical advances have removed most of the selection pressures acting upon us. [/quote']
dichotomy Posted December 18, 2007 Posted December 18, 2007 Some more detail. Are Humans Evolving Faster? Findings Suggest We Are Becoming More Different, Not Alike http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071210212227.htm
bombus Posted December 18, 2007 Posted December 18, 2007 Human evolution is now being driven mainly by intra-species factors, rather than he environment. Humans sexually select for neotenic traits, as this leads to big brains. This isn't likely to change and the reason why bearded women are scarce! I suggest you red 'The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature by Matt Ridley'. Very very good!
Norman Albers Posted December 18, 2007 Posted December 18, 2007 Reading back to the opening thread it seems it gives no nod to cultural continuity and sharing from, say, grandparents to moms and kids. Then, too: Another major factor is that most people in developed countries die after they've had all of their children... Say, what?
dichotomy Posted December 19, 2007 Posted December 19, 2007 Say, what? It's amazing that people didn't die before they had their kids. Luminal might mean undeveloped countries?
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