Tuesday, February 14, 2006

“Is Human Evolution Over?”

Asks Robin McKie in The Guardian Unlimited:

Read article.

McKie comments on the split among scientists.

TonySeb: I say, human evolution not over so long as the natural selection and random genetic drift of genes and memes continues to operate. What can stop them?

Even if we learn to outsmart our genes and memes, we won't want to stand still.

2 Comments:

At 3/05/2006 5:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The UCSD biologist believes that evolution be driven by the intelligent and the rich, as they have more money to have more children. But isn't there a negative correlation between wealth and number of offspring? Is there in fact a reverse evolution occurring in Western society, in which less-successful parents contribute to an inordinate share of the population?

 
At 4/02/2006 12:51 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Good question, Neal. The wealthy may have fewer children, but they also have greater means to ensure their children's health, survival and reproductive success. On the other hand, the poor may have more children, increasing the chances of survival for some. Need to know the balance. Do you know the relative rates of population growth by: country; culture; religion; etc.? Such data may clue the future of human evolution. One possible future: a single gene pool for Homo sapiens, with secular humanism the sole "religion".

 

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