How much further can humans evolve?

[IkeGreil29]

We can still evolve; there's always a chance some random mutation will cause the person who is immune to AIDS, to cancer, to any of those diseases we hate so much, and will therefore pass down those genes indefinitely. We just made it butt slow. Sharks are immune to cancer, and certain creatures like mosquitoes are immune to blood diseases like AIDS, so it is very possible. It will be a looooong time though.

 

[pppppppppppppppppp]

So I wonder, do humans have ANY remaining evolutionary pressures, in the First World climate at least, and if so what traits would they select for?

Well duh, we're going to evolve into giant omnipotent energy-fetuses. You've seen 2001.

 

[Stikibunn]

Dunno if anyone pointed it out but in H.G. Wells's original War of the Worlds the Martians were simply tentacled brains with little to no ability to walk unassisted. The tentacles evolved to be both legs and arms as Martians were at a technological state where all they did was walk around in their tripods. They possessed no other natural body parts, having no lungs, digestive system or reproductive systems, these having disappeared through millions of years of not having been used.

He speculated that as the Martians evolved their technology their bodies became more and more reliant upon them. This was how they were eventually killed by the Common Cold, their bodies being so unused to having germs around that they had no resistance to infection.

I always thought that could happen to the human race over time, our bodies become more reliant on medicine that we statr to lose the use of our now, useless body parts.

 

[DSK-]

It depends on what you mean by 'evolve'. A miniature example is that the human body (and I would expect, every other multi-cellular organism) can and will improve itself over time.

Case in point is if you start jogging regularly your fitness will improve. After a series of repeating actions or certain situations you are better prepared to face them next time and thus there are many such examples of these sorts of growth.

In my opinion it isn't what the human body will evolve to become, but rather what humanity's reliance on technology will do to negate it: "Will our intelligence gradually wittle away as we depend more on computers?"

One thing that makes me laugh and cry at the same time is that if an EMP ever went off in the upper atmosphere over the likes of the US or Europe for example, that area would effectively be plunged into the Stone Age. An interesting side note is that whilst we as a species are so advanced and capable technologically, the discoveries that gave rise to this are also..frail, for a lack of a better term.
Never in history have we been so exposed and so susceptible for our infrastructures to crash and burn technologically.

*shrug*

Sorry there I ended up going all philosophical.

 

[GingieAle]

I refuse to stop evolving until I can read minds.

 

[Bobbity]

Forever. Evolution happens thanks to random mutations in the genetic code, not because it's on a determined track towards perfection. We don't stop once we reach a certain point; we keep changing forever. Chances are that we won't even be recognisable ten, fifteen million years on.

 

[hiks89]

technology is part of our evolution, i recon we are going end up like the humans in wall-E

 

[hiks89]

None, because macroevolution is false.

We can always continue with Micro-evolution but as for Macro-evolution (such as us coming from apes) that is scientifically impossible, Macro-Evolution is pure sci-fi seeing as both the Law of Biogenesis and the second law of thermodynamics both go against Macro-evolution. Though Micro-evolution is a very well proven thing and is constantly happening.

You guys are kidding... right?

Wow. Education is really fucked up wherever you people are from. Statistically you lot are bound to be either from an islamic state or from the USA. Eitherway... holy fuck. Can't you just read the Wikipedia page to know why you are so utterly wrong and there is nothing but a "time-scale" difference between micro-evolution and macro-evolution?

Just... wow. I don't know where to begin. If someone wants to get a stab at it, okay. Or just recommend this people to read a fucking book.

Please enlighten us oh great master of scientific law. prove Macroevolution to be law instead of the theory that it currently is. Also explain how it was Mutation when in fact most mutations result in the death of the creature instead of it becoming a new species or better. Take the four winged fruit fly. its extra 2 wings are useless and cripple it. We have never once found an anatomical mutation that benefits any species in any way. Also almost every "missing link" that has been found has generally come up as a severe case of rickets disorder.

1. Read this for the definition of scientific theory:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theories#Pedagogical_definition

2. If certain mutations reduce the survivability of species, and the species is not currently extinct, it has some other trait that balances or even overcomes that handicap. Natural selection means "survival of the fittest", where fittest doesn't mean perfect. It means that species that still survive today must have certain traits that might leave it vulnerable in some cases, but a survivor in most.
Just read the second paragraph in this section:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_selection#Evolution_by_means_of_natural_selection

3.You are correct in the fact that most mutations have no effect, or are detrimental, but the ones that are beneficial will be more likely to increase the survivability of the species.

4. Read this section of the Wikipedia article for confirmation that macro-evolution is not a hoax:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro-evolution#Misuse
If you don't trust some guy who wrote the article please consult the sources he referred to.

5. Keep your opinions to yourself, if you want to discuss science you should provide facts.

evolution is as real as gravity. this is a scientific thread, micro evolution is a word creationists made up when people started seeing the effects of evolution in simple lifeforms, so please...GET THE FUDGE OUT!!!!!

 

[P.Tsunami]

Kind of an interesting question. But, while my first instinct was akin to the original post - that modern man is somehow 'past' evolution - I realize that answer to be very likely erroneous. While I'm no biologist, I understand evolution as the gradual genetic changes to an organism through the space of (usually) many generations. Somehow I don't think it matters whether these genetic changes are societal or instinctual in nature. Since our culture (as well as our instincts) inform our reproductive decisions, there's very good reason to believe we're still evolving like ever before. Expect the humans of the far future to be very much taller, have a lot less hair, and possibly bigger brains.

 

[Rainforce]

humn don't evolve that much on a genetical level anymore, except for the thumb thing and getting taller/balder. XD

 

[DeltaEdge]

I think that we are still evolving in a sense, but not in a good way. We are changing, that would be a better way to word it. With each new modern convenience that is incorporated into our daily lifestyle, what ever work that we previously had to put in to get the job done is now gone. for example, we used to do laundry by hand but with the invention of the laundry machine, it has become a foreign concept to wash your clothes with your hands. Beyond that, most of us are too lazy to even gather up all our clothes and throw them into the machine and let the machine do all of the work. invention of cars and public transportation means less people walking or biking distances to places were the previously had to. Office type jobs mean that people no longer have to make food themselves, but they just purchase it after sitting at a cubicle for 8-12 hours doing specialized work. Online companies and Jobs that let you work from home relieve you of the requirements to commute to work or even to stores to purchase things like food or other conveniences which means increasingly sedentary lifestyles. Things like television and games make entertaining yourself by playing outside or meeting with friends unnecessary to stave off boredom. Considering this, I think that we are done with positive evolution and we are now regressing both physically and mentally. Every convenience that we make takes away some kind of skill that we used to possess to enable us to do the task ourselves which in the process makes us lazier. By making more and more conveniences we are in away destroying ourselves by making ourselves completely sheltered and unable to cope with any kind of situation that requires physical work. Most of us, if stranded on an island in the middle of the sea, without little targeting icons that automatically target interact-able items like coconuts in trees or fish in water like in video games, would probably starve to death and die after a day or so. We have become incompatible with nature by surrounding ourselves with technology. now the only evolution we undergo will be negative as we adapt to a lazier and more convenient lifestyle than the generation before us.

 

[Thespian42]

Slightly misleading title there, as it implies that evolution is a process of improvement when it is more of a process of change, but I digress.

The thing that fascinates me is that, when faced with no pressure to adapt, animals evolve into fat, blubbery things with no ability to defend themselves (see: Dodo Bird and Manatees). Perhaps as humanity continues to evolve, it will be in that direction.

 

[k-ossuburb]

Evolution is NOT the same as natural selection (very closely related but not the same).

Even though you've got most of your points right this is the only one I feel you need to be corrected on. Evolution is the name of the theory, natural selection is just part of that theory. Natural selection is basically "survival of the fittest"; one species is better equipped than another to survive in its given environment than another, genetics will also further explain this, but genetics will also further explain other parts of evolution as well.

For example: a white peppered moth that is forced to live in a city will be less likely to survive than the black mutation as the white peppered moth is more likely to stand out against the sooty walls than the black peppered moth, therefore be more likely to be eaten by birds.

Natural selection is the process that forces a higher black peppered moth population than a white one, since more white moths die than black ones, so the black peppered moth is more likely to breed.

There would have been an intermediate period where the black moths were simply just slightly darker, but they would be more likely to breed and carry on that genetic trait, this means that eventually when they become the fully black moth they will have become a new species, which is defined as being completely genetically incompatible and therefore unable to breed.

Because this is one of the forces that drives speciation is it also one of the processes that drives evolution as natural selection is merely one of the many fundamental processes covered in the theory of evolution and is not apart from the theory itself.

Evolution is one simple thing: it is the theory that explains the diversity of life and gives us a naturalistic explanation of why speciation occurs in nature. It is all of the processes that change a species depending on environmental pressures like predators, climate as well as the ability to procreate and feed. Evolution covers many fields such as: behavioral studies, physiology, paleontology, marine biology, microbiology and many more, but is not limited to genetics alone.

 

[quantumsoul]

I think genetic manipulation will eventually turn evolution from natural selection to artificial selection. Possibilities are pretty endless.

After that we may eventually become machines and evolve as non organic beings.

And after that? Energy beings, maybe?

 

[MrRetroSpectacles]

Some people around the World are born with abnormalities, like a guy, I think from Peru, was born with 12 fingers and 12 toes. The guy lived in an area where people use the fruits in the treetops as primary income, so it's possible that he may be evolving these extra digits to make the acquisition of fruit easier. (Climbing benefits specifically). Of course it could be a complete fluke, but then again, usually evolution starts from complete flukes, if they appear to be useful they become more common over the years.

I doubt we'll be any different any time soon (soon being a good few centuries) other than maybe height difference and certain rare genetics becoming obsolete (green eyes, webbed feet). Mainly because we evolved to a point where we are intelligent enough to change whats around us, instead of changing ourselves. So the need for evolution is minimal.

If Superman adhered to evolution he'd probably have no legs and a bird like face.

 

[GodofCider]

This question made me cringe. >_<

 

[Aprilgold]

Were still changing, just not as drastically as we used to. We have, in a sense, successfully fought back mother nature and now are living comfy lives in rooms, probably air conditioned or with a fan running. We have invented computers to eliminate the need for paper. [mostly] We have cars to cut down on miles of walking. We have plans to fly across oceans. We made it to space.

THE ONLY WAY we could evolve in a more drastic sense would simply be if nature suddenly bit our asses, forcing humans to adapt to a completely different life style.
All I see in our future is robotic genetics. Hook shot arms and changing arm guns. I welcome a future to science isn't hated because we can then do things like that.
It will eventually mean we'll be taller and have straighter backs and be able to fight off all types of deadly diseases, theres no limit to evolution, just a growing period of it.

Evolution doesn't end until were perfect, in every way, even to preventing death.

I just hope we can get hook shot arms and transforming hand guns and laser swords in the near future.

 

[Versuvius]

Humans are also evolving a greater % of adult brown fat, helping us cope with our cellulite and with our increasingly fat arses. I hope someones mentioned this already.

Edit: Also our little toe is slowly atrophying.

 

[Nimcha]

Were still changing, just not as drastically as we used to. We have, in a sense, successfully fought back mother nature and now are living comfy lives in rooms, probably air conditioned or with a fan running. We have invented computers to eliminate the need for paper. [mostly] We have cars to cut down on miles of walking. We have plans to fly across oceans. We made it to space.

THE ONLY WAY we could evolve in a more drastic sense would simply be if nature suddenly bit our asses, forcing humans to adapt to a completely different life style.

Completely untrue. Our environment is just as changing as it ever was. Society is NOT static. Evolution is adaptation to changes in the environment, whether that be natural or societal.