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Science & Technology

What is the next step for the human race ?

By T.K. Randall
February 1, 2013 · Comment icon 119 comments

Image Credit: CC 2.0 possan
Will evolution take its course or are we destined to become a product of our own ambitions ?
Given enough time it seems inevitable that we, the human race, will eventually stop being humans at all and will instead evolve one step further up the evolutionary ladder to something that today we can only guess at. Science fiction has long portrayed highly advanced humans of the future as alien-like entities or as energy beings that have transcended the need for physical bodies, but in reality what is out future likely to hold ?

One possible outcome is that technology will soon out-pace evolution, that instead of progressive, natural changes to our bodies we will become a race of augmented creatures with enhancements born from genetics, robotics and other sciences instead of from natural selection. If that happens will our evolution continue at all or is our future form to be determined purely by what we ourselves can make it ?[!gad]Given enough time it seems inevitable that we, the human race, will eventually stop being humans at all and will instead evolve one step further up the evolutionary ladder to something that today we can only guess at. Science fiction has long portrayed highly advanced humans of the future as alien-like entities or as energy beings that have transcended the need for physical bodies, but in reality what is out future likely to hold ?

One possible outcome is that technology will soon out-pace evolution, that instead of progressive, natural changes to our bodies we will become a race of augmented creatures with enhancements born from genetics, robotics and other sciences instead of from natural selection. If that happens will our evolution continue at all or is our future form to be determined purely by what we ourselves can make it ?
Inevitably the forces of natural selection will require us to branch out into differentiated versions of our current selves, like so many Galápagos finches. . . assuming, that is, that we have enough time to leave our evolution to our genes.


Source: Popular Science | Comments (119)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #110 Posted by ~C.S.M~ 12 years ago
I dont think humanity is in danger at all...when we rech the singularity we will be something else (100y 1000y who knows) but before that we are not in danger at all....
Comment icon #111 Posted by ancient astronaut 12 years ago
There won't be another step if we keep on this path we're(mankind) on.
Comment icon #112 Posted by CrimsonKing 12 years ago
I dont think humanity is in danger at all...when we rech the singularity we will be something else (100y 1000y who knows) but before that we are not in danger at all.... Well i am glad some know all,that nothing in space or time is a danger to us.Just in the past 100 years things have changed so drastically,there is no telling what the next 100 will bring.Space has its own set of difficulties it can throw at us at any time some we do not even understand.Though we may not have any troubles for thousands of years it would be best if we started moving farther out just as a back up plan.Just one m... [More]
Comment icon #113 Posted by Orcseeker 12 years ago
Society in some ways today, is a complete mess. Sometimes when I switch on the "news" or jump on the Internet I wish I hadnt. There's a lot of good people out there, but also a lot of bad too. Many have fallen to manipulation tactics used by anything from marketing in media to government lies. People just dont ask enough questions and just follow the crowd without question. Their afraid to stand alone and voice their true opinions. A perfect example of blindly following a cause would have to be Kony 2012. It was interesting. I discussed with someone who in fact demonised me for having a differ... [More]
Comment icon #114 Posted by yearofthehater 12 years ago
Human beings are inherently cruel and savage beings and natural selection and evolution is cruel as well. Anyone who says there is more to it than just simple survival of the fittest is deluding themselves or being egotistical. Hopefully at the rate the global population is increasing this planet won't be able to support us much longer and when we're gone I hope we're replaced by uncompetitive asexual organisms.
Comment icon #115 Posted by Frank Merton 12 years ago
I think humanity will muddle through; of course at some point it will no longer be humanity.
Comment icon #116 Posted by shrooma 12 years ago
I think the human race will evolve into two distinct species, one called morlocks, and the other, the eloi. I think the evil morlocks will dominate the peaceful eloi and use them as a food source. I just wish I could invent a time machine to see if my theory ends up being correct! wait...., that sounds like a good idea for a book! none of you had better steal my idea and use it as your own, you plagarising gits!! :-)
Comment icon #117 Posted by Mistydawn 12 years ago
That we will extract all resources that it is worth our while to extract is pretty much a given, and why shouldn't we. At some point we will need to use recycling, but we will. I don't know about our flying off into space much beyond the solar system. The distances are much greater than we can even begin to imagine. If we do colonize other solar systems, contacts between each will be so rare that separate evolution can be expected. We are now a race that embraces love, compassion and humility. That is why we complain about when it is missing. Have to disagree with you Frank. Why shouldn't we e... [More]
Comment icon #118 Posted by The Unseen 12 years ago
We are destand to destroy ourselves,I know my spelling is bad,stupid meds ive been taking. to ease the pain of my diabeties,I wont be long for this world ,my battle is almost over,I grow tired.
Comment icon #119 Posted by Frank Merton 12 years ago
"We are destined to destroy ourselves." My how cool that sounds. You will please excuse my exasperation but that is just plain stupid. How do we now what will happen? There are bad signs and there are good signs. Personally I think the human race may end someday by evolving into something else. Of course the universe is scheduled to terminate one day way out there, but by then we may be elsewhere. The immediate goal should be to work out self-sustenance. By that I mean a combination of recycling and maintenance combined with sources that don't need renewal. Price mechanisms will do ninety perc... [More]


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