Continuing Human Evolution?

Bullitt · 08-08-2007, 11:25 AM

Inspiration from Rk's thread.

Given the idea that evolution is a continuous process, life is always changing, adapting, evolving. Do you think that we as humans are on the top of the evolutionary heap here on Earth, and only improving more as time goes on? Is it possible for our immune systems to reach there point one day where they actually keep our bodies completely immune? Will our mental abilities improve as we tackle more and more complex happenings in science? Will we ever stop building things like the killer baby carriage?Tell me what you think, just out of curiosity (and as an excuse to get away from my theology research paper due tomorrow night at midnight)

freshnesschronic · 08-08-2007, 11:30 AM

Completely immune? No. We don't even know of every compound or disease or some unknown exists.

Personally I feel we are adapting based on the technology we introduce to the world. In 200 years our life span and medicine and daily lives have improved drastically, with positive technology (cure for cancer?) outweighing negative technology (fossil fuels) the future looks reasonably prosperous for the human race.

glatt · 08-08-2007, 12:13 PM

Yes we are continuing to evolve. It never stops.

But it's not happening fast enough in all areas. For example, our technology allows us to have very rich diets, but our bodies are still genetically tuned to be efficient at extracting maximum calories from our food. In Western nations at least, we are too fat as a result.

Since individual humans tend to reproduce before the health consequences of being fat get around to killing them off, this is a problem that evolution is probably not going to fix very quickly.

Clodfobble · 08-08-2007, 12:25 PM

In theory healthier people are still more attractive, though, so at least in theory they'd have a statistically smaller chance to reproduce.

Rexmons · 08-08-2007, 12:33 PM

and along came this.

barefoot serpent · 08-08-2007, 12:41 PM

We'll continue to evolve until an asteroid/comet resets the evolutionary clock and Homo sapiens becomes part of the fossil record.

Rexmons · 08-08-2007, 12:44 PM

barefoot thats crazy, once my global defense energy shield goes up, asteroids will no longer be a concern.

08-08-2007, 02:39 PM

We are in NO way at the top of the evolutionary "ladder", which is a tree.
The World ecosystem would shrug us and all vertebrates off without a second thought, no change, but invertebrates go, just insects and arachnids/oids even, and the entire system crashes... just bacteria after about a hundred years (I'm being generous there, we will go in much less time).
If it continues to breed, it evolves. We are just mammals like any other, just another great ape.... too full of ourselves.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-08-2007, 03:25 PM

But, but, but... Gannet495 will still be here.

08-08-2007, 03:28 PM

Bacteria?

barefoot serpent · 08-09-2007, 01:18 PM

But wait 'til cats develop opposable thumbs; then we've had it.

bluecuracao · 08-09-2007, 02:03 PM

Then they'd be able to scoop their own litter--I can't wait.

08-08-2007, 11:25 AM	#1
Bullitt This is a fully functional babe lair Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,324	Continuing Human Evolution? Inspiration from Rk's thread. Given the idea that evolution is a continuous process, life is always changing, adapting, evolving. Do you think that we as humans are on the top of the evolutionary heap here on Earth, and only improving more as time goes on? Is it possible for our immune systems to reach there point one day where they actually keep our bodies completely immune? Will our mental abilities improve as we tackle more and more complex happenings in science? Will we ever stop building things like the killer baby carriage?Tell me what you think, just out of curiosity (and as an excuse to get away from my theology research paper due tomorrow night at midnight) __________________ Kiss my white Irish ass.

08-08-2007, 12:33 PM	#5
Rexmons - Kavkaz United - Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 613	and along came this. __________________ "Life's a bitch but God forbid the bitch divorce me..."

08-08-2007, 12:41 PM	#6
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	We'll continue to evolve until an asteroid/comet resets the evolutionary clock and Homo sapiens becomes part of the fossil record. __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

08-08-2007, 12:44 PM	#7
Rexmons - Kavkaz United - Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 613	barefoot thats crazy, once my global defense energy shield goes up, asteroids will no longer be a concern. __________________ "Life's a bitch but God forbid the bitch divorce me..."

08-08-2007, 03:25 PM	#9
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	But, but, but... Gannet495 will still be here. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

08-08-2007, 11:30 AM	#2
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	Completely immune? No. We don't even know of every compound or disease or some unknown exists. Personally I feel we are adapting based on the technology we introduce to the world. In 200 years our life span and medicine and daily lives have improved drastically, with positive technology (cure for cancer?) outweighing negative technology (fossil fuels) the future looks reasonably prosperous for the human race.

08-08-2007, 12:13 PM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Yes we are continuing to evolve. It never stops. But it's not happening fast enough in all areas. For example, our technology allows us to have very rich diets, but our bodies are still genetically tuned to be efficient at extracting maximum calories from our food. In Western nations at least, we are too fat as a result. Since individual humans tend to reproduce before the health consequences of being fat get around to killing them off, this is a problem that evolution is probably not going to fix very quickly.

08-08-2007, 12:25 PM	#4
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	In theory healthier people are still more attractive, though, so at least in theory they'd have a statistically smaller chance to reproduce.

08-08-2007, 02:39 PM	#8
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	We are in NO way at the top of the evolutionary "ladder", which is a tree. The World ecosystem would shrug us and all vertebrates off without a second thought, no change, but invertebrates go, just insects and arachnids/oids even, and the entire system crashes... just bacteria after about a hundred years (I'm being generous there, we will go in much less time). If it continues to breed, it evolves. We are just mammals like any other, just another great ape.... too full of ourselves.

08-08-2007, 03:28 PM	#10
rkzenrage Guest Posts: n/a	Bacteria?

08-09-2007, 01:18 PM	#11
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	But wait 'til cats develop opposable thumbs; then we've had it. __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

08-09-2007, 02:03 PM	#12
bluecuracao in a mood, not cupcake Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 3,034	Then they'd be able to scoop their own litter--I can't wait.

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