Human evolution

[albymangles]

Are human's still evolving? Would the intelligence we have acquired through evolution prohibit further evolution, for example people genetically predisposed to certain diseases, etc. will still more than likely reach breeding age.

[ed84c]

Really serious concideration should alos be made to, due to our caring nature, whether Humans will eventually be increadibley weak, because it is no longer, survival of the fitest (i am of course talking in terms of the immune system).

[albymangles]

Using this definition, the possibility of questioning whether humans are still evolving is not even worth asking.

questions are always worth asking

 

anyway i did not ask whether or not random mutations in individuals is still possible i asked whether the human race is still evolving (in a general sense). Surely if there came to be a mutation beneficial to our race it would never permeate through society and stand the test of time, as we could more quickly overcome anything hindering us through technology.

[ed84c]

not necisarily because ALL people reproduce not JUST the ones with genetic supriority like that in nature.

 

It didnt mean not to ask the question it was a figure of speech

[Skye]

Are human's still evolving? Would the intelligence we have acquired through evolution prohibit further evolution, for example people genetically predisposed to certain diseases, etc. will still more than likely reach breeding age.

That will affect the way in which we evolve, rather than whether we evolve.

 

ed84c, post #2 seems to be a quote from someone else, but you could have made it a bit more obvious.

[ed84c]

sorry I should have given a link but i felt it was better this way

[albymangles]

That will affect the way in which we evolve[/i'], rather than whether we evolve.

 

Yes that is along the lines of what i was getting at, it would seem to me that our physical appearance and attributes would stay pretty much the same and any evolution would be along more social lines, yet they say that we are consistantly getting taller, and that whole business with losing one finger (or did that come from the simpsons )

So if this is true what is the driving force if its not sexual selection or early death?

[5614]

we are constantly evolving... the most bad common one is that people are becoming more slouched over and curved backed.

 

one could never stop evolution, it is natural and happens slowly over a long time span.

[ed84c]

so how does being slouched as an adult affect the young? or doe people just get slouched as they gow up in these situations? In whcih case if it isnt genetic is it still evolution?

[5614]

the younger generations are slouching (as a whole) slowly this trend takes over and everyone does it... then it become inbedded into genes to have slightly more curved backs etc... first of all its just what everyone does, just because thats whats done, then it becomes genetic.

this all takes time, thats why people say evolution happens over millions of years... but just look around in a class or something and you can see it happening.

 

in the end its evolution.

[ed84c]

why does what position you sit in alter your genes? how does your body alter your genes because how you sit?

[5614]

i dont know! ive just read here and there about how... wel you know that everyone (esp. younger generation) slouch a lot, well slowly everyone will do it (the next young generation will copy the current young generation and as the current young generation get older, they will become the older generation and as they will not (by that stage in their life) be able to change life long habits such as slouching (easily), the next older generation will slouch (as it will be the same people who are slouching at the moment.)

[ed84c]

what generation are you then?! I am an offender im afraid , mabye i should be sterelized, lol

[5614]

i would be classified as the younger generation too! dont be offended, its human evolution at its worst!

 

if you look at a photo from a long time ago, all people sat with straight backs.. ALL of them, whereas look around a school class today, and most people have slouched backs, im not offending you, merely pointing out a common trend which will one day (if nothing is done about it now and it would have to be drastic action at that) then we are evolving in the slouched direction... no offense meant, just a trend in human evolution... at its worst!

 

its not everyone, merely a majority of people who fit into this category... and over hundreds if not thousands of years, as everyone will one day (if they follow current trends) sit with a slouched back then this is out future.

[albymangles]

how does it 'become genetic'?? it seems that one of us here does not understand evolution (obviously not including ed84c) and i'm hoping it's not me. The curved back thing is an example of social change not evolutionary change. So can we get back to the topic?

[5614]

i dont know how, but have read the the curved back thing will at the moment be a social thing, however will become evolutionairy in that in the end it will enter our genes so it is (in the end) an evolutionary change.

[ed84c]

hmm what was that about me albymangles?

 

Also 5614, i wasnt offended i was only kidding, lol

[Ophiolite]

how does it 'become genetic'?? it seems that one of us here does not understand evolution (obviously not including ed84c) and i'm hoping it's not me. The curved back thing is an example of social change not evolutionary change.

i dont know how' date=' but have read the the curved back thing will at the moment be a social thing, however will become evolutionairy in that in the end it will enter our genes so it is (in the end) an evolutionary change.[/quote']Abbey, you were correct in your surmise, and the good news is that it's not you. (Which I think you already knew.)

 

5614, evolution operates on our genes. Genes that are responsible for characteristics that benefit an organism in its environment are favoured, so that the organism with those genes is more likely to pass those genes on to its offspring. Likewise genes that offer a disadvantage are more likely to lead to the death of the organism before it can reproduce. Over time, if the environment stays the same, the proportion of the favourable to unfavourable genes will alter and the group character of the organism will change. This is evolution.

 

Periodically, mutations in the genes will occur. Most of these will be disadvantageous or neutral. Some will be beneficial, so that their proportion in the population will tend to increase. When enough of these changes have accumulated in a group, voila, we have a new species.

 

It probably seems common sense to think that we might acquire characteristics. This is what Lamarck, one of the early evolutionists believed, but the concept was overturned by Darwin and Wallace.

 

At present practically all humans are able to either slouch or sit up straight. Their genes have conferred these abilities on them. If there were to be a survival value in sitting up straight, then all humans, potentially can benefit from this. If some were to choose not to, and were to be less likely to survive thereby, the gene we would be selecting for, if any, would be one related to motivation or to the ability to discern a survival situation, not anything to do with back posture.

 

I hope this clarifies rather than confuses.

 

And a final point - re the generations. I slouch. My son does not. He used to. He is presently teaching me how not to.

[Sorcerer]

the younger generations are slouching (as a whole) slowly this trend takes over and everyone does it... then it become inbedded into genes to have slightly more curved backs etc... first of all its just what everyone does' date=' just because thats whats done, then it becomes genetic.

this all takes time, thats why people say evolution happens over millions of years... but just look around in a class or something and you can see it happening.

 

in the end its evolution.[/quote']

 

LOL, you sound like Lamarck... seriously I would consider learning about evolution before going and touting such rubbish as fact. A physical tendancy/trend does not effect the genes, slouching won't effect our evolution unless there is a gene which controls slouching in the first place and those that slouch have an increased survival rate/offspring production, thus the gene spreads throughout the population and Humans become slouchers......

 

The environment cannot alter the genome in such a way, except for perhaps radiation and viruses, and these are not so specific.

 

Read up on Jean Baptise Lamarck's theory of evolution, then read up about Darwin's theory you will see how you have misinterpreted the mechanism of evolution. Finally read up about the neo-darwinist view and you will see how it is thought of today.

[ed84c]

thats what i thought. By the way the last post i made wasnt meant to sound like a short tempered teenage girl, i just didnt understand what alby meant thats all

[5614]

ok then! i aplogose, if you re-read post #13 esp.

"i dont know! ive just read here and there about how"

 

obviously i read an incorrect article and will take your words that it will not become genetic and hence not evolutionary....

damn all innactuarte sources!

 

sorry about that - (the incorrect threads and the language!)

 

(if you look at where i tend to post i do not often enter biology sections, it is not my strong point, i had however read about this and thought it was appropriate to post... obviously i am wrong! maybe i will go back to not posting in biology!)

 

and back to where we were before i came! :-

 

Yes that is along the lines of what i was getting at' date=' it would seem to me that our physical appearance and attributes would stay pretty much the same and any evolution would be along more social lines, yet they say that we are consistantly getting taller, and that whole business with losing one finger (or did that come from the simpsons )

So if this is true what is the driving force if its not sexual selection or early death?[/quote']

[Sayonara]

ed84c's earlier reply, "Using this definition, the possibility of questioning whether humans are still evolving is not even worth asking..." et cetera, has been deleted as it was plagiarised from an article on Physicspost, the owner of which is associated with this web site.

 

That's the second time today (that I have seen). Any more theft of original material and you will be permanently banned, ed84c.

[ed84c]

what was the other?

[Sayonara]

Cold fusion.

 

Seeing as referencing is common practice, plagiarism is explicitly against the rules, and pretty much every page on the web has a copyright notice, I really hope you aren't going to insult anyone's intelligence by claiming ignorance.

[ed84c]

Ok sorry, ill leave a link, put it in qutes next time etc.