Human evolution

Fremen

Has anyone ever thought about what kind of genetic characteristics would give someone living in modern society a reproductive advantage?

It occured to me that girls who are scatter-brained, for example, would be more likely to forget to take their contraceptive pill and would therefore be more likely to produce more girls who are scatter-brained.

Something similar could be said for guys whose, err, anatomies made it easier for them to break condoms.

Is it possible that in ten thousand years people could completely out-evolve current forms of contraception?

tolosenc

This is all too serious for AH, imo.

Mellor

Fremen wrote: »

Has anyone ever thought about what kind of genetic characteristics would give someone living in modern society a reproductive advantage?

It occured to me that girls who are scatter-brained, for example, would be more likely to forget to take their contraceptive pill and would therefore be more likely to produce more girls who are scatter-brained.

Something similar could be said for guys whose, err, anatomies made it easier for them to break condoms.

Is it possible that in ten thousand years people could completely out-evolve current forms of contraception?

I highly doubt it, as evolution would be over coming natural issues. It would be more likely that the human body becomes immune to drugs in the pill etc

Jackz

Evolution is not protective of a species / intelligent in that fashion.

Rhyme

Evolution? BLASPHEMY!!

Pigman II

Fremen wrote: »

Is it possible that in ten thousand years people could completely out-evolve current forms of contraception?

Anything is possible. This thread is proof of that.

-annex-

The chances are that in ten thousand years our entire species will be extinct. And I'll be the first to blame that scatter-brained girl who forgot to take her contraceptive pill.
Not sure why, but I'll damn well blame her.

CreepingDeath

We don't have much in the way of natural selection in modern society.

The fat kids with asthma still survive with the aid of modern medicine, as opposed to being hunted down by predators.

Social welfare means that even the laziest and/or most stupid men and women are helped by the state to raise kids thus propagating the mistake to future generations.

It'll only be in another 50-100 years or so, when the most successful people can afford genetically improved/engineered babies that a certain level of "unnatural selection" will come into play. Where the lower income couples won't be able to afford genetic improvement.

Or maybe a super-flu will sweep through the earth decimating the population just like the Black Death did. Weeding out people with less than optimal immune systems. Such events have given the human race a bit of a spring-clean in the past and helped the stronger & healthier survivors along by eliminating others who were competing for resources.

humbert

Realistically stupidity and ignorance make for an evolutionary advantage.

JC 2K3

CreepingDeath wrote: »

The fat kids with asthma still survive with the aid of modern medicine, as opposed to being hunted down by predators.

http://www.bebo.com/FlashBox.jsp?FlashBoxId=1982445130

Varkov

I hope we develop tails again.

biko

Human evolution has pretty much been a downward spiral since homo erectus.

Sleepy

humbert wrote: »

Realistically stupidity and ignorance make for an evolutionary advantage.

Is that why scumbags seem to breed faster than the rest of us?

humbert

Sleepy wrote: »

Is that why scumbags seem to breed faster than the rest of us?

Quite simply, yes.

Mr. CooL ICE

People are saying that some tech-hungry kids' thumbs are evolving to be able to control hand-held devices better, but that's rubbish IMO. If anything, they just have stronger thumbs joints/muscles than other people. Evolution needs to be evident across multiple generations to be taken seriously

I suspect hair pattern will be a major issue. Women will evolve to have no hair on their legs (armpit hair will only change on non-continental western women) and have a natural airstrip, while men will return to a more gorilla-like appearance.

If women evolved to have another orifice, things could get interesting

OctavarIan

biko wrote: »

Human evolution has pretty much been a downward spiral since homo erectus.

Actually it's been getting faster and faster. Humans today are genetically more different from people 5000 years ago than they were from neanderthals.

CreepingDeath

LordChessington wrote: »

I suspect hair pattern will be a major issue. Women will evolve to have no hair on their legs (armpit hair will only change on non-continental western women) and have a natural airstrip, while men will return to a more gorilla-like appearance.

I don't believe so.
Certainly not evolution, and probably not sexual selection either.
If women didn't shave (body hair) then men would select the less hairy ones, and those set of "less-hairy" genes would become more prevalent.
The fact that women shave means that hairy and non-hairy women are selected equally.

Also, I believe there's a difference between evolution and sexual selection.

Evolution - is generally an environmental issue which a species adapt to, eg.
black skin to protect against strong sunlight, more iron / red blood
cells to adapt to higher altitudes.

Sexual selection is where men and women pick others on certain criteria, eg.
health, looks, status, resources/financial success.

WindSock

I don't think scatterbrainage is passed on from mother to daughter. I know this because my mam isn't and I am.
However what worries me is that scumbags have more kids than the intelligioso, so as far as survival of the fittest goes, I think the best and brightest are outnumbered.

Calibos

This explains it all

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=upyewL0oaWA

kona

how about De-evolution...al lá the finest irish skangers:D

Unpossible

Calibos wrote:

This explains it all

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=upyewL0oaWA

Idocracy looks like a frightening possibility . Of course we could become kind of like that time machine novel where one half of the human race is intelligent and the other one not so (actually didn't that happen in planet of the apes too? the second movie).

Mahatma coat

yeah, the first thing that came to mind when I read the OP was Idiocracy.

the question with the Time Machine is whether you'd rather be a Morlock or an Eloi?

kowloon

Where are the lady Morlocks?

Unpossible

Where are the lady Morlocks?

In the kitchen if they know whats good for them.

biko

biko wrote: »

Human evolution has pretty much been a downward spiral since homo erectus.

Heh heh. Erect.

Overheal

I'm of the opinion the species needs to shift focus on combatting all these new superbugs popping up from over-prescription of medication to fight of everyday infections like colds and flu. Staph infection, for example, is killing United States schoolchildren left, right, and centre. Maybe we'll evolve less frequent reproduction - to stay this population overflow.

or we all just get extra penises and vaginas to expedite the process. That sounds good too.

super-lloyd

Bah, if I dare being controversial, I would say that genetic manipulation, in the not too distant future, will one day boost evolution in the right direction

But I'm quite happy with current human being right now. I think society evolution is what will bring bring the most immediate benefit, it has been changing so much so fast since the last century, and the trend keeps accelerating!

Overheal

super-lloyd wrote: »

But I'm quite happy with current human being right now.

Hell no I need more tentacles to get my typing on dammit

daveharnett

Sleepy wrote: »

Is that why scumbags seem to breed faster than the rest of us?

They will eventually starve, just like any grazing animals without natural predators. After all, in 50 years time they will be the 95% majority. Who's gonna pay for all the welfare?

In honesty, a cull is the only humane option.



I'd say evolution will be favouring those more disposed to safe driving.

Reku

Sleepy wrote: »

Is that why scumbags seem to breed faster than the rest of us?

Quite simply they've evolved to breed younger, with fathers vacating the area as soon as conception is suspected/confirmed, thereby resulting in the female being left in need of a helping hand via a partner, making her more receptive to the mating rituals of other males, and so ensuring that they also breed more often.:D