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If Africa moved further south, how would we have evolved?If it happened that the African continent had continued migrating farther south, perhaps ending up somewhere near Antarctica, would that have affected human evolution? Lee Kale |
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Nina - The rate at which Africa is moving south is very slow. I doubt that this really would have affected human evolution. The timescale of human evolution is very short compared to the timescale of movement of the African continent. |
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May 2009 |
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Lekale asked the Naked Scientists:
If the African continent continued further south that it is, therefore nearing
Antarctica, how would that influence human evolution?
i.e. skin colour, brain size and body size.
What do you think?
- Lekale - 13th May 09
We'll all be darker?
- Chemistry4me - 14th May 09
Evolution is the result of random mutation within a species. As the mutations are random it is not possible to predict what effects would result by changing one of the influencing factors. Things could have turned out entirely differently anyway, without needing to move continents about.
See the whole discussion | Make a comment- LeeE - 15th May 09
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