Are We Still Evolving?

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Presented by Dr Alice Roberts!


Horizon: Are We Still Evolving Tue 1 Mar 2011, 21:00. BBC2.


Dr Alice Roberts asks one of the great questions about our species: are we still evolving?

There's no doubt that we're a product of millions of years of evolution.

But thanks to modern technology and medicine, did we escape Darwin's law of the survival of the fittest?

Alice follows a trail of clues from ancient human bones, to studies of remarkable people living in the most inhospitable parts of the planet, to the frontiers of genetic research to discover if we are still evolving - and where we might be heading.

[Atheist-Lite]

I read somewhere people are evolving faster than ever inside cities. Seems reasonable with all the noise and turmoil in these termite mounds?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I read somewhere people are evolving faster than ever inside cities. Seems reasonable with all the noise and turmoil in these termite mounds?

[Atheist-Lite]

I read somewhere people are evolving faster than ever inside cities. Seems reasonable with all the noise and turmoil in these termite mounds?

Proof that evolution lacks a sense of direction?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I read somewhere people are evolving faster than ever inside cities. Seems reasonable with all the noise and turmoil in these termite mounds?

Proof that evolution lacks a sense of direction aim?

Yep.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

I read somewhere people are evolving faster than ever inside cities. Seems reasonable with all the noise and turmoil in these termite mounds?

Maybe we will evolve to metabolize fat quicker?

[Tero]

I think it mostly gene selection in a local pool of genes. You can evolve to tolerate more stress, for example. But as long as we all breed together worldwide, no genes are selected to go out of the gene pool.

[Atheist-Lite]

I read somewhere people are evolving faster than ever inside cities. Seems reasonable with all the noise and turmoil in these termite mounds?

Maybe we will evolve to metabolize fat quicker?

Maybe the thin & tall will evolve to feed on the fat and small?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6057734.stm

Humanity may split into two sub-species in 100,000 years' time as predicted by HG Wells, an expert has said.
Evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry of the London School of Economics expects a genetic upper class and a dim-witted underclass to emerge.

The human race would peak in the year 3000, he said - before a decline due to dependence on technology.

People would become choosier about their sexual partners, causing humanity to divide into sub-species, he added.

(continued)

Obviously the London School of Economics could have predicted the credit crunch in 2006 but went for a safer long term bet?

[Horwood Beer-Master]

Evolution reached it's pinnacle with Dr Alice Roberts.

[Deep Sea Isopod]

Anyone watch it? I missed it, but can catch it on iPlayer.

[Atheist-Lite]

Anyone watch it? I missed it, but can catch it on iPlayer.

I thought it was too pop science. We invented technology so evolution may have stopped? That is just dumb. Evolution happens at the genetic level only. All the evidence is that high level technological environments are unsustainable by humans and rapidly distentegrate. The idea that genetic engineering is going to be around to make a difference to life on earth after 'peak everything' which is happening right now? It's a blip. Nothing else.

Hints of the master race at the end. Creating the perfect human? I don't know that that makes any sense with such a complex thing as a human being at all. Screening the cells - is that ethical? I don't know but she didn't really explore the moral quagmire....I think she's a control freak?

[Horwood Beer-Master]

....I think she's a control freak?

Now that's just putting more ideas in my mind...

[Atheist-Lite]

....I think she's a control freak?

Now that's just putting more ideas in my mind...

She reminds me of my sister so I'm probably turned off for genetic reasons....

[Deep Sea Isopod]

....I think she's a control freak?

Now that's just putting more ideas in my mind...

She reminds me of my sister so I'm probably turned off for genetic reasons....

Send your sister to the Nottingham meet!

[Xamonas Chegwé]

As I see it, there are two phases of natural selection:

1. Little evolutionary stress; steady increase in population; high survival rate; diversification of genotypes and morphologies; widespread interbreeding of diverse populations.
2. Sudden stress; rapid reduction of population; characteristics that favour survival and reproduction selected for; isolation of groups with unique genotypes - leading to distinct races and even speciation.

These are the two extremes and there are obviously states that fall in-between them. however, currently, we humans are firmly ensconced in stage 1. It will take some form of natural or man-made disaster to send us into stage 2 and any kind of evolutionary leap.