• Question: What do you think humans will evolve to do in the future?

    Asked by libslytherin to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 2 Jul 2012.
    • Photo: Philippa Bird

      Philippa Bird answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      I don’t think we will carry on “evolving” really, because there is no longer “natural selection”. We look after our weak and sick, so there is far less of a survival advantage in being strong or healthy or intelligent or fast. So I think very little will change in the human race. The one thing is we might have genetic engineering to erradicate genetic diseases.

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      I disagree with Pip. There will always be ‘sexual selection’ where some aspects of people are more desirable than others, making them more likely to find a sexual partner. There are also diseases and war which further this selection process.

      What we evolve to though? In the near future (without much environmental change) I’ll guess at taller and more intelligent. The next big evolutionary step may be the next ice age, where tall people will struggle and short fat dumpy types will be able to keep their heat better. This is assuming we haven’t solved the ‘energy problem’.

      With the increase in contact between people across the world, we are at risk of epidemics that wipe out large proportions of people. So those which are immune or less susceptible to certain illnesses may thrive over the rest, pushing our evolution along.

    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      Both Pip and Tom make great points.

      I think that taller and more intelligent people are a natural outcome of improved diet and better educational systems. I’m sure I’ve seen a report that said that the average height in Asian countries has increased significantly in the last 20 years as western (high fat, high protein – i.e. hamburgers) diets have become more popular with young people.

      Because there’s more migration from one part of the world to another, I think that the different races are going to converge because they will reproduce together. I don’t think that we’ll get any new skills, but we may lose some things that we had for historical reasons (like strong jaws, or canine teeth since our food is much easier to eat these days).

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