Evolution

[robinbloke]

Is Homo sapien evolving anymore? Are we developing in any physical sense of the word or have we started simply to stagnate and use tools, medicine and marketing to adapt and conquer rather than any physical development of ourselves.
'Natural' evolutionary accelerators (plagues, etc) are now dealt with medicine, rather than the stronger members of the species surviving (although this may mean than in fact countries affected with famine/plague/drought ~are~ still evolving). Any change from the 'normal' characteristics is cataloged as a anomaly, adherance to the template is what is required and expected.
Is there too many of us to evolve?
Do we want to evolve?
What ways are actually left...?

Comments

[uknc.livejournal.com]

Probably not.
Evolution is the process of becoming better adpated to teh environment in which one finds oneself, and usually occurs through random (beneficial) mutations occuring and then getting bred back into the gene pool without being lost. This happens best in isolated communities, as it give the mutation a greater chance of becoming widespread ni the genepool in a short period without being wiped out.
There are few isolated communities and more, and 'beneficial' mutations are less needed than they were ni th epast - instead of adapting to conditions, we adapt conditions to us. by doing so, we relieve ourselves from evolutionary pressure to change with our surroundings, and so beneficial mutations are less likely to be bred in.
It has been suggested that the invention of the bicycle (which made travel for the masses much more easy) effectively ended human evolution. Perhaps it did.

How odd

[borusa.livejournal.com]

They were talking about this on "Start The Week"

Not in the west, seems likely. Most of the genetic related diseases and problems now manifest after child-having age. People are having two children in general, and there is not the deviation (some men having hundreds, others none) that there used to be.

As a result, there is no real "natural selection" going on, so evolution isn't happening.

That's a real summary, but there you go

[jonnyargles.livejournal.com]

Yes, we are evolving. Every generation, the appendix gets smaller. From anatomical records we know that the British as a whole are almost half a foot taller than two hundred years ago, although the Napoleonic wars are largely responsible for that.
Amongst black African athletes from a certain village, the femur muscle is allegedly stronger, due to the greater genetic proximity to their ancestors, who were cattle thieves, and thus had to run greater distances and at speed.

In terms of social evolution:
Propagation of hardcore drugs reduces sex drive and fertility, as well as leading to more dangerous lifestlyes and greater incidences of infant mortality, thus culling the less advanced members of society. The Rich and Famous interbreed more than ever, and chances of the equivalent results of Prima Noctae or Droit de Siegneur are few and rare, due to the large scale of birth control. Incidences of Severe Mental Health Disorders are also rarer, for good or ill, due to the availability of abortions. The protection of children by the state ensures that less incidences of childhood pathology contribute to exacerbate the divisions between rich and poor. The Gladstonian principle of meritocracy in Education means that not only the wealthy classes have opportunity to flourish - although it is indupitably easier for them to do so.