[ScientificBoysClub]

Natural Selection has been achieved by Modern Human but Why we r still evolving as Modern Human ?

What will be future Evolution of Human ?

[Don_1]

As I posted in this thread, http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=21797.0 since humans choose their partners based more on the merits of wealth, social standing, personality and appearance rather than health and fitness, as is the criteria in the rest of the animal kingdom, I can see more physical problems such as deformity and hereditary disease in human beings of the future.

[ScientificBoysClub]

but forget about that social stuff....

plz tell my why still evolution is continuing ?

[dentstudent]

Please tell us why you think evolution should stop.

[ScientificBoysClub]

Please tell us why you think evolution should stop.

Nature is Awesome why would I wish it should stop ??

i just want to know why ?

[ScientificBoysClub]

Please tell us why you think evolution should stop.

evolution made big revolution why i want it to stop ?

[Don_1]

I do not think evolution can stop. The merging of two separate genetic codes will result in a new and unique genetic code.

Over generations, we, like all other animals and plants, have had to evolve to suit the evolution of the world around us. Today, however, we tend to alter the world around us to fit our requirements. It could therefore be argued, that human beings have removed the need for further physical evolution. We may stagnate, or even go into reverse until something happens which we have no control over which forces a kick-start of physical evolution.

If I am right, and others seem to think in a similar way, then it is only the 'social stuff' which will drive our evolution.

[ScientificBoysClub]

I do not think evolution can stop. The merging of two separate genetic codes will result in a new and unique genetic code.

Over generations, we, like all other animals and plants, have had to evolve to suit the evolution of the world around us. Today, however, we tend to alter the world around us to fit our requirements. It could therefore be argued, that human beings have removed the need for further physical evolution. We may stagnate, or even go into reverse until something happens which we have no control over which forces a kick-start of physical evolution.

If I am right, and others seem to think in a similar way, then it is only the 'social stuff' which will drive our evolution.

ok I accept that social stuff but ..... Nature selected humans to evolve and now we are highly evolved ... and... ok let it continue ... but why continuation ? 

[dentstudent]

I realise that I might regret this: There is no design to "making humans" and so there is no "finish". We are merely where we are during the course of evolution history. This applies to absolutely everything that there is living on earth now. What you see now is a snapshot in the temporal axis of evolution, that is all.

[BenV]

I realise that I might regret this: There is no design to "making humans" and so there is no "finish". We are merely where we are during the course of evolution history. This applies to absolutely everything that there is living on earth now. What you see now is a snapshot in the temporal axis of evolution, that is all.

In fact, isn't every living species right now the pinnacle of evolution?

[dentstudent]

Hey Ben

What do you mean by pinnacle? They are as good as they could be given the number of times the experiment has been run. And pinnacle implies a peak, after which there is a drop, which is, I think, incorrect. It is a permanent evolutionary incline towards adaptation. Certainly some things are evolving more slowly as their environment hasn't altered much or they have not had much competition. It's only a pinnacle if that pinnacle can move, and so is by definition not a pinnacle.

Have you ever said a word so often that it loses its meaning? I feel peaked.

[BenV]

Hey Ben

What do you mean by pinnacle? They are as good as they could be given the number of times the experiment has been run. And pinnacle implies a peak, after which there is a drop, which is, I think, incorrect. It is a permanent evolutionary incline towards adaptation. Certainly some things are evolving more slowly as their environment hasn't altered much or they have not had much competition. It's only a pinnacle if that pinnacle can move, and so is by definition not a pinnacle.

Have you ever said a word so often that it loses its meaning? I feel peaked.

Fair poimt.  Perhaps pinnacle was the wrong word.  I was trying to suggest that every living species right now is the peak of their own thread of evolution, not that we've reached the top and now it's downhill.  In fact, at any point in time, every living species represents the height of each evolutionary path for that time.

I'm not sure how relevant this comment was, especially as I didn't put it very well!

I'm obviously failing with my words today, as peak may again be the wrong word...

[rosy]

Evolution doesn't "need" to happen, any more than gravity does. Every time sexual reproduction (of humans, dogs, frogs, oak trees) occurs, the product of that reproduction (child, puppy, tadpole, seedling) is genetically different to its parents. Since it is different it is likely to be slightly, or significantly, better or worse than its parents at surviving in the environment it happens to be in. If it has advantages... say pale skin rather than black in a region with low UV intensity, (or black skin rather than pale somewhere very sunny)... it is likely to survive and therefore reproduce in that environment more effectively than its siblings or cousings who lack this advantage, and more of the offspring in the next generation down will have pale skin.

So at the moment I'm not sure what the major selection pressures are... in some parts of the world an ability to survive for longer with HIV/AIDS, in other parts maybe good tolerance of an excessively high calorie/high sugar diet will be an advantage and will be favoured. Or maybe it won't, depending on whether it increases the chance of reproducing. In the western world, with the advent of assisted conception the evolutionary pressure in favour of good levels of fertility are being removed.

But either way, there's no reason why evolution would stop happening. Genetic variation is still happening.