Would we evolve into something else?

[Mystlylizzy]

If the earth change over million years and there were things like dinosaurs and so on... and evolution changed all to the things they are today..

What do you think will we evolve into few million years from now?

[Emma_Acid]

If the earth change over million years and there were things like dinosaurs and so on... and evolution changed all to the things they are today..

What do you think will we evolve into few million years from now?

Yes we will. I'm pretty sure that, unless we're completely wiped out by some catastrophe, we will be as different in a million years time as we were a million years ago. Its ridiculous to think that we're the end product of evolution.

Edited October 30, 2007 by Emma_Acid_88

[Ins0mniac]

What do you think will we evolve into few million years from now?

Depends on what our environment will be like a few million years from now.

Although considering we now change our environment to suit ourselves anyway, maybe it's not as significant as it used to be.

[Legatus Legionis]

Might be. depends whether we need to change or we might just split into different species like on what is discussed on the other thread located somewhere here on the forum.

[Neognosis]

If the earth change over million years and there were things like dinosaurs and so on... and evolution changed all to the things they are today..

What do you think will we evolve into few million years from now?

Well first, the overwhelming majority of the dinosaurs did not evolve into anything, they became extinct in some sort of global catastrophe.

now on to your question. It poses several other questions and not a simple answer. Among other factors to consider are:

Man's intellect reaching a point where the environment and disease don't shape us, we shape them

Intentional genetic engineering

A social construct where the most fit to survive often intentionally refrain from having children, while those least fit to survive in our social construct tend to have the most children

As well as the idea that we are actually DEVOLVING: becomming weaker physically and less fit to survive due to antibiotics and modern medicine. If a catastrophe happened, would we still be strong enough to survive as a species as we continue to get weaker and more dependent on modern medicine and technology?

I know that without modern medicine, I might not have survived my childhood.

These are just the beginning of questions that all have an impact on whether and how we continue to evolve.

[Mystlylizzy]

Well first, the overwhelming majority of the dinosaurs did not evolve into anything, they became extinct in some sort of global catastrophe.

now on to your question. It poses several other questions and not a simple answer. Among other factors to consider are:

Man's intellect reaching a point where the environment and disease don't shape us, we shape them

Intentional genetic engineering

A social construct where the most fit to survive often intentionally refrain from having children, while those least fit to survive in our social construct tend to have the most children

As well as the idea that we are actually DEVOLVING: becomming weaker physically and less fit to survive due to antibiotics and modern medicine. If a catastrophe happened, would we still be strong enough to survive as a species as we continue to get weaker and more dependent on modern medicine and technology?

I know that without modern medicine, I might not have survived my childhood.

These are just the beginning of questions that all have an impact on whether and how we continue to evolve.

Imagin our bodies become so weak over time that we build our own machanical bodies like we like?

...But then again humans may be that intelegent to get us fit in a way... maybe in a unnatural way?

[Neognosis]

Imagin our bodies become so weak over time that we build our own machanical bodies like we like?

I predict that within my lifetime people will elect to have bluetooth like devices implanted in their bodies.

[djohan]

I don't think so.

[chrisfreak]

I think in the future there will be 1 race, as interracial marriage is much more common nowadays.. and things are getting "internationalized".

Same skin color, same language, same hair color, etc

Well, in southpark, they look like this:

[8th_wall]

Possibly, consider that we only evolve when we need to and right now the majority? of humans are living to an old age. Evolution only occurs when it needs to. At the moment we're a tool of evolution since we're doing exactly what it does -> machinery.

[BELOWIM]

Mystlylizzy "If the earth change over million years and there were things like dinosaurs and so on... and evolution changed all to the things they are today..

What do you think will we evolve into few million years from now?" I would guess at more Darwinism maybe?..

[Neognosis]

Possibly, consider that we only evolve when we need to and right now the majority? of humans are living to an old age. Evolution only occurs when it needs to.

That is not true. Evolution does NOT occur only when it NEEDS to.

Evolution occurs when a random mutation occurs which is of benefit to the mutant.

They don't happen when there is a need or isn't a need. They just randomly happen. If a mutation randomly happened that was of distinct benefit even today when there is no urgent need for a change, that mutation stands a good chance of being passed on and increased.

This brings up my original issue with this debate, and that is the fact that the most socially successfull people in our culture don't usually have many offspring. So any real evolution, I think, will come from the lower classes and the poor and will most likely be physical in nature, such as a high resistance to a disease or something like that.

[stevewinn]

I think in the future we'll have larger heads for bigger brains, our eyes will enlarge, are height will be smaller, lose all our body hair,

But Humanity at some point in the future will be tested, Once the Human race reachers too many in number mother nature will start to cull, either a Virus, Bacteria or a natural disasters, shes done it in the past and will do it again,

[WatchingMother]

Evolution occurs when a random mutation occurs which is of benefit to the mutant.

They don't happen when there is a need or isn't a need. They just randomly happen. If a mutation randomly happened that was of distinct benefit even today when there is no urgent need for a change, that mutation stands a good chance of being passed on and increased.

I somewhat agree to his view. Yes, there are mutations that happen randomly and are passed on, increased. BUTWhat about geological and weather changes? Vegetation and animals would have evolved too, right? When you bring up the topic of evolution, you also bring up "survival of the fittest" in the aspect of being better able to adapt.

A million years from now, the earth's landscape will have changed as it has done so for millions of years. Many things will change, but it is hard to predict what will change, what won't change, and what will go into extinction...

[Adalwolf]

I think in the future there will be 1 race, as interracial marriage is much more common nowadays.. and things are getting "internationalized".

Same skin color, same language, same hair color, etc

Nonsense. There will always be un-mixed people of all races. If everyone looked the same the world would be a very boring place.

[Adalwolf]

I think in the future we'll have larger heads for bigger brains, our eyes will enlarge, are height will be smaller, lose all our body hair,

But Humanity at some point in the future will be tested, Once the Human race reachers too many in number mother nature will start to cull, either a Virus, Bacteria or a natural disasters, shes done it in the past and will do it again,

I hope we don't lose height and body hair! Being tall and having facial/body hair is manly! Once our species loses are beards its game over.

[WatchingMother]

I hope we don't lose height and body hair! Being tall and having facial/body hair is manly! Once our species loses are beards its game over.

I'd have to agree... I like my men hairy. Hairless skin on a man is too metrosexual for me.

[Neognosis]

BUTWhat about geological and weather changes? Vegetation and animals would have evolved too, right?

Every animal and plant alive today either:

a- has evolved

b- has maintained in a niche where none of the mutations that have happened to idividuals or groups have been of benefit, and therefore were not necessarily carried on to succeeding generations.

MANY, MANY species have gone extinct. Far more species have gone extinct than are in existance today. This is largly because evolution does NOT happen in response to an external stimuli. You can not CAUSE evolution merely by changing the environment. Species go extince largly becasue the environment changes and durring the critical time period in which they must adjust, no beneficial mutations happen to occur, and the species dies.

IF a mutation HAPPENS to occur during this time period or "window," and it is beneficial and gets passed along, the species will survive and adapt. But the adaptation was not caused by the environmental change. It merely happened in coincidence and factors happened to be right for it to be of benefit.

This is a very important concept in understand evolution and how and why things evolve.

In light of bigger brains/eyes, surely more intelligence is a benefit. BUT, in our society, the most intelligent people often have the fewest kids, thus curbing one of the major factors that contribute to evolution: a passing on of the mutation to large numbers of offspring.

[WatchingMother]

I'm glad you came back and brought these things to light. Your articulate answers to my strategically implanted questions probably helped the poster of this topic. Remember, we are all here to share and learn. Thanks Neo.

[Neognosis]

I'm glad you came back and brought these things to light. Your articulate answers to my strategically implanted questions probably helped the poster of this topic. Remember, we are all here to share and learn. Thanks Neo.

I'm not sure if that's genuine or the best and most biting sarcsam I've ever heard, so I'll take it as the former and I guess say "you're welcome?"

[WatchingMother]

I'm not sure if that's genuine or the best and most biting sarcsam I've ever heard, so I'll take it as the former and I guess say "you're welcome?"

LOL. No sarcasm at all. I really meant that. I gave the compliment because you deserved it.

Some people forget that the curious(sometimes children) come here, ask questions, we give our opinion, we debate, they either get helpful links or get confused and go searching for the answers themselves... UM is essentially a learning tool for the curious. My 7 yr old visits the Paleo forums... it's nice to see someone post without the snickering and belittling.

[Neognosis]

My 7 yr old visits the Paleo forums... it's nice to see someone post without the snickering and belittling.

Ah. apparently you've not read some of my other posts. I can be blunt. However, I'll take your words to heart and remember what you say the next time I'm angry with someone for posting propoganda or misrepresenting something.

[Raptor]

That is not true. Evolution does NOT occur only when it NEEDS to.

Evolution occurs when a random mutation occurs which is of benefit to the mutant.

They don't happen when there is a need or isn't a need. They just randomly happen. If a mutation randomly happened that was of distinct benefit even today when there is no urgent need for a change, that mutation stands a good chance of being passed on and increased.

You're both right. I think what he was trying to say is that the frequency of an allele will only increase if it needs to, i.e. if it is beneficial; which is true if you ignore the effects of genetic drift.

My 7 yr old visits the Paleo forums... it's nice to see someone post without the snickering and belittling.

So that explains your name.

[Neognosis]

I think what he was trying to say is that the frequency of an allele will only increase if it needs to, i.e. if it is beneficial; which is true if you ignore the effects of genetic drift.

that's exactly what I was trying to say, along with the fact that external factors do not cause the mutations that are part of evolution. The mutations and the external conditions (environment, climate) happen in coincidence.

[avs76]

If the earth change over million years and there were things like dinosaurs and so on... and evolution changed all to the things they are today..

What do you think will we evolve into few million years from now?

We are evolving already - haven't you seen the X-Men movies or read the comics?

Avs