[EVOLUTION and SUPERHUMANS]

[Flash]

You might've heard this word "Evolution", when you were reading Science books/Sci-fi-cartoons.

Evolution is the change in the inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Humans (We) underwent lots of evolution over the time period, to what we are now. As evolution is a constant process, we may still evolve into a much more different kind, say "Superhumans".

*i.imgur.com/bD3HPiI.jpg

Superhumans as "Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future. Occasionally, it could mean an otherwise "normal" human with unusual abilities, such as psychic abilities, flying abilities, unimaginable strength or exceptional proficiency at something, far beyond the normal."

Some of them here may have watched "Stan lee's Superhumans" on History channel, as Stan lee/Daniel.B.Smith searches for "Real-life-superhumans" - people with extraordinary physical or mental abilities. These people might be the next step in Human evolution, to pass over their genetic keys over successive generations.

Let's not forget the "Junk/Non-coding DNA" in our genes, which may even give a helping hand to the evolution somewhere in future.

What do you think - Do you really think that
1. Evolution is dead, and we are its greatest outcome?
2. Evolution is continuing, and we are just its intermediate forms awaiting an age of superhumans?
3. Evolution is continuing, but it won't create any superhumans?

 

[Faun]

One extra chromosome

 

[Vignesh B]

I will go with this one.

2. Evolution is continuing, and we are just its intermediate forms awaiting an age of superhumans?

Its not like, we'll become immortal, or will encompass all the living organisms. It would be in the flow of events. If our environment ever called for the need to fly, perhaps we MIGHT, keyword here being MIGHT develop and adapt in some way.
Superhuman is quiet a subjective word. For eg, we are superhumans when we compare to our ancestors like Java man, Australopithecus etc.
If you see the world around us, quiet a few species are themselves gaining superpowers. Like drug-resistant bacterias.
Will humans continue to evolve?
Yes, human evolution is ongoing and will continue. I can't imagine an entirely static environment without any interactions leading to evolutionary change - other than extinction.
Will be for the better?
Can't say, it may be for the better or worse. The rate of environmental change may outpace our resilience and rate of evolutionary adaptation.

 

[Flash]

My assumption is - "Future humans will have a improvised set of nostrils/respiratory system that've evolved over time because of the ever-increasing pollution". Almost all of the major cities face pollution now".

 

[Nerevarine]

you know, with the advent of technology and the things that make our lives easier.. Evolution has been increasingly slowed down .. WHy ? because things evolve when there's a need for it..
But whenever We have a need for something, we just invent something to fulfill it..

IMHO That is What makes us Superhuman.. to overcome obstacles

 

[Flash]

^
Evolution is a continuous process. We may not experience, we are the part of evolution - but it still happens.
Perhaps, we may or mayn't be the part of Macroevolution (like evolving into a different species from human being), but still we're subjectable to Microevolution.

 

[Hrishi]

I agree with the fact that evolution is a continous process and will p'bably continue to be the same unless the environment stops changing.
THe rate of evolution may differ depending on conditions.
I also think that after several years from now , we may evolve into something more fragile , but with increased intelligence. Our physical abilities and strenght might diminish.

Maybe we will have vision adapted towards LCD/LEDs , artifical lightning , etc . As we are spending most ouf our time with them.

 

[Sarath]

Evolution is a continuous process and will never end as long as that species survives.

Also it does not confer us with new abilities. Since you have brought out this topic, I will say that, we humans have disturbed evolution. But luckily evolution takes millions of years to show significant change so I don't think anything drastic will happen but still we are doing out small "bad" part in all this.

The thing with evolution is that if an organism has a positive mutation that helps it better survive in the present scenario then it will outlive its non mutated counter parts whereas some negative mutation will cause a premature death of that animal. So basically a mutation does not take place in you so that you can adapt to your surroundings, it is simple based on chance, i.e. if at the zygote level you were lucky enough to have the right mutation then you are a better species. So in short the random mutation for no apparent reason in some animals help them better survive, rather than the environment forcing the mutation.

So on topic, while nature selects the good mutations against the bad, in the human kingdom, we have ultimate control over it with an entity called "money". People with more money have a better chance to survive than those with not. Some of the good mutations in humans which might be in the form of increased immunity or intelligence might be suppressed by factors such as poverty or war etc... We are screwing with evolution big time.

I think humans will continue to be more and more intelligent since we have made it such that the intelligent ones survive rather than the fittest.



Of course we try to fix it by offering reservations in education, subsidy in food and subsidy again for fertilizers, all facilitated at leveling the field but we all know how efficient the process is. Break it first then try to fix it.




The movie 2012 was a good example where the best gene pools (athletes, intellectuals etc...) were being saved but a bulk of it comprised of just rich obese industrialists. That was supposed to be the future of humanity in that movie

 

[whitestar_999]

environment does force mutation.best case of this is increasing no. of so called "super bugs".even in humans this is evident:
Biologists discover why 10% of Europeans are safe from HIV infection

I think humans will continue to be more and more intelligent since we have made it such that the intelligent ones survive rather than the fittest.

you made it sound like intelligence & fitness are mutually exclusive.in fact the more intelligent a person is better will be his/her chances of good fitness level because of knowing exactly what to do to remain in shape(i am assuming fitness here means all round well being free from diseases & not 6 packs ).