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jobyts
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Does evolution model predict what's next for each species? What's next for humans?
russ_watters said:If there is a new and strong evolutionary pressure, you could predict its effect, but barring that, it would be tough.
Danger said:If brain wiring counts as evolution, it appears that each generation seems to have a greater affinity for technology.
Borek said:For several thousands years people of higher intelligence were able to gather more wealth and in effect produce more offspring - thus average human got wiser. Now the trend is reversed - those intelligent cease to have kids, those stupid produce offspring like rabbits. Thus average human gets dumber.
Sure, that's oversimplified. But don't ignore the idea.
flatmaster said:There was an area in Japan where fishermen who caught a crab that had a marking that looked like a samurai, they would throw it back. Now, every one of those critters has that marking.
In short, you could predict some short term things, but in the long run, who knows.
negitron said:This is likely a myth:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heikegani
http://crustacea.nhm.org/people/martin/publications/pdf/103.pdf
But some studies that I've seen (I'm afraid that I can't cite them) indicate the their synaptic connections are fundamentally different than ours because of that exposure. Doesn't that indicate differentiation within our species?negitron said:That's not evolution. Kids today are simply exposed to technology which didn't exist when we were their age; they are comfortable with it because of that early exposure.
negitron said:Evolutionary development has neither goals nor direction.
negitron said:Well, we know the brain develops new connections in the face of novel stimuli, but this isn't evolution; these connections are not heritable.
jobyts said:How do we differentiate if a change we observe is due to evolution or not? Many of the diseases are hereditary.
negitron said:I don't think we'll survive that long.
negitron said:Well, we've only been a technological civilization for about 100 years, a mere 10% of that 1000 years. Yet, already we have or are close to developing, several technologies capable of sowing the seeds of our own destruction on a global scale. Nuclear, bioengineering, nanotech, AI...all of these have the potential to destroy.
Anyway, all species go extinct sooner or later. I do not think we are immune from this. If we don't do ourselves in, nature has more than enough tricks up her sleeves to take care of us.
But, hey, we might do okay; who knows?
There is a vast amount of evidence supporting the theory of evolution, including the fossil record, genetic similarities between species, and observations of natural selection in action. Fossils show a progression of species over time, with more primitive organisms found in older rock layers and more complex organisms found in younger layers. Genetic studies have also revealed similarities between species that can only be explained by common ancestry. Additionally, we can observe natural selection in action through experiments and field studies, where individuals with traits that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on their genes.
Evolution occurs through the process of natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on those traits to their offspring. Over time, these small changes can accumulate and lead to the formation of new species. Other mechanisms of evolution include genetic drift, gene flow, and mutations, which can also contribute to changes in a species over time.
Yes, humans can and will continue to evolve. Evolution is an ongoing process that occurs in all living organisms, including humans. As our environment and lifestyles change, so too will our genetic makeup, leading to potential changes in our physical and behavioral traits. However, the rate at which humans are evolving is much slower than other species due to our advanced technology and ability to adapt to varying environments.
Predicting future evolution is difficult and highly speculative. However, some scientists suggest that future humans may continue to evolve in response to environmental pressures, such as climate change and the development of new technologies. Additionally, human evolution may also be influenced by cultural and social factors, such as changes in diet and lifestyle.
No, evolution is not a random process. While mutations and genetic drift can introduce random changes to a species, natural selection acts on these changes, favoring those that are advantageous for survival and reproduction. This means that evolution is a non-random process, as the survival and reproduction of individuals is not based on chance, but rather on their ability to adapt to their environment.