What do we do when evolution can't keep up with the rate of change in technology that humans are now forced to confront?
This is a nonsense question. Evolution does not "keep up" with anything. Nature "selects" genes that are more commonly passed on to the next generation(The word "selects" in quotes, because I hate the use of it here, since it kinda implies picking and choosing, which is not really accurate).
I learned that in school but to be honest I still don't understand how that process works. How does our lifestyle trigger mutation, and how does "nature select genes"? I don't understand the mechanism of our bodies changing over time due to our environment.
From what I understand, free radicals in the environment cause genetic mutations.
I'm saying that when scientist's try to make breakthrough's in research(fringe Science), that's when our evolution won't be able to keep up with technology. Which will lead to self destruction.
From what I understand, free radicals in the environment cause genetic mutations.
Now most of the time they are irrelevant or harmful, so they breed out or are none consequential, initially.
Overtime, those inconsequential mutations add up to something completely different than the original animal it started with.
Mutation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My explanation isn't as scientific as theirs.
My understanding of it is like what happens with bacteria and anti-biotic resistance. The drugs kill all the bacteria except a few who happen to have a slight difference in their physiology which allows them to survive and be stronger. Then they reproduce.
It seems like the mutations are just random chance events, but competitive breeding makes them last long enough to become permanent traits in a species, while those lacking the mutation die out. Am I right?
I learned that in school but to be honest I still don't understand how that process works. How does our lifestyle trigger mutation, and how does "nature select genes"? I don't understand the mechanism of our bodies changing over time due to our environment.
Mutations are not triggered, they happen all the time. Most are harmful, some benign, and a few helpful. The ones that are helpful have a better chance of being passed down to the next generation, and gradually will spread through the population. We don't change due to the environment, the environment is the medium through which selection occurs. Think of it being the decider as whether a mutation is positive or negative.
This is probably a horrible example, but it's what comes to mind and hopefully it'll be funny.
In the movie Jurassic Park, the scientist's took knowledge they used for granted, and spliced dinosaur DNA. Those scientist's didn't earn the knowledge of bioengineering of genetic scientists before hand, they took something and didn't even realize what they had before they used it. And then everyone was eaten by dinosaurs.
And I suppose that's the glory of science, to take all the research and confirmation learned by other scientists, to use that knowledge and conduct research that pushes science to the edge.
I'm saying that when scientist's try to make breakthrough's in research(fringe Science), that's when our evolution won't be able to keep up with technology. Which will lead to self destruction.
One mistake and ....... suddenly we got a problem that we don't know how to fix, like say Global Warming. All we can do is try to not make it worse.
My understanding of it is like what happens with bacteria and anti-biotic resistance. The drugs kill all the bacteria except a few who happen to have a slight difference in their physiology which allows them to survive and be stronger. Then they reproduce.
It seems like the mutations are just random chance events, but competitive breeding makes them last long enough to become permanent traits in a species, while those lacking the mutation die out. Am I right?
Mutations are not triggered
Mutations are not triggered, they happen all the time. Most are harmful, some benign, and a few helpful. The ones that are helpful have a better chance of being passed down to the next generation, and gradually will spread through the population. We don't change due to the environment, the environment is the medium through which selection occurs. Think of it being the decider as whether a mutation is positive or negative.
Not entirely correct. Mutations themselves may be triggered by factors that cause the genes to activate or interact with other genes in normally abnormal ways. Huntington's I believe is a hereditary mutation that is triggered by certain conditions. The generation of mutations themselves are not triggered, but their activation some times is.
Orion,
If you really want to immerse yourself in evolution, I know of a forum full of practicing PHDs and Masters' in geology, chemistry and biology.
Global warming will not kill humanity. Catastrophic climate change is not something evolution deals with(well, sorta, but let's save that discussion). However, since we control our own environment on a personal level(ie, clothes and the thermostat in your house, and so on), a catastrophic climate change that would be an extinction event will be on a very short time scale.
Some mutations are triggered from environment.
Skin cancer is a triggered mutation.
There always has to be some one to point things like this out...See my post to OC.
I think a technological kill off is possible, gray goo or nuclear holocaust are two off the top of my head.
Climate change, I'm not sure we are the cause.
Go ahead and drop that link, I would be interested.
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