# Are humans done evolving? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 29, 2001, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306 "2001-01-29T20:13:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/1 "2001-01-29T20:13:46Z")
Okay, so evolution occurs by some sect of a species having certain characteristics that inable more of this sect to survive when the other members of the species without this trait die off. So, now that we live in a time period when humans survive with relative ease (I mean I have have definately met some people who didn’t deserve to stay alive) how can we kill off all the people with different traits, thus causing evolution? If everyone lives, can the species evolve at all? So, do you think that man is done evolving? This is assuming that No Major or drastic changes occr, like Nuclear war or something and only people who have the ability to endur massive radiation survive. I am talking about if the planet keeps going in the same direction at about the same speed of change. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Feet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@Happy\_Feet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Feet)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/2 "2001-01-29T23:45:14Z")
I dont know, but Kurt Vonnegut Jr. had alot to say about it in his book Galapagos. I highly suggest it. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/3 "2001-01-30T00:46:23Z")
Thanks, I guess that it is time to head to the local library. Yeah! I love that place. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/4 "2001-01-30T00:57:54Z")
Considering the possibilities brought about by biotechnology and cloning, we may be creating our own next steps on the evolutionary ladder. The argument could be made that any changes brought about by science are artificial, but then again, the abilities of humans to create from our environment are unprecedented in the history of our planet as far as we know, so who’s to say with accuracy what’s natural or unnatural? As far as survival of the fittest goes, as physical individuals, many of us are ill, out of shape, or otherwise vulnerable as compared to the finest physical specimans of our species, but we’ve also developed societies which allow for those weaknesses to generally not be life-threatening. I don’t think we’re done evolving, though I do think we may be developing new ways to evolve. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/5 "2001-01-30T01:22:28Z")
resistance to disease. Those with resistance live, those without resistance die out. Evolution in action. I think. Maybe this should be in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Skelji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/6 "2001-01-30T01:34:15Z")
“Are humans done evolving?” When I look around and see some of the stupid things people do, I surely hope not. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/7 "2001-01-30T01:47:13Z")
It’s not so cut and dried as one group surviving while another dies. Well, in a sense it is, but at the level you seem to be talking about, you need to consider that it’s the fact that the more fit are _more likely_ to reproduce that causes evolutionary change. The relative percentages of the population will shift until those with the more fit characteristic eventually become near universal. Evolution is a slow process. Even considering punctuated equilibrium, change happens over many many generations. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/8 "2001-01-30T01:52:19Z")
Once the minds of Weinberg and Hardy, Saw equilibrium as quite tardy. Without any mutation, There’ll be no change in population Gene frequency; or Mutant Party. The problem was gene flow, Must also be quite low. Stop that migration! Stand still at your station! Twitch not one single fin, wing, or toe! So then comes Lady Luck, Her effect you must duck, Or through it you’ll sift, Lost in genetic drift, And evolving you’re once again stuck! Worst of all, your dear eye, For good partners must die. ‘Cause nonrandom mating, Is evolution-baiting. Just the thought of it makes me cry! To stop evolution cold, Defeat an opponent quite old. Your last foe is selection, You must end the connection ‘Tween trait and offspring: it must fold! [sub]Dear lord, I can’t believe I just wrote that… What have I become!?[/sub] :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Silly\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Silly\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silly_Rabbit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/9 "2001-01-30T02:07:27Z")
When men start putting the toilet seats down, THEN we’re done evolving. 😃 :: d&r :: ---
**Author:** ![sugarsugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sugarsugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugarsugar)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/10 "2001-01-30T14:34:17Z")
Evolution is not a process with a set direction or a pre-determined end (well, I guess you could say God if you wanted to). The state that people are in now, as humans, is constantly in evolutionary flux, but because evolutionary time is hundreds of thousands of years, we can’t see it. We have lots of random mutations going on, most of them doing nothing, a few providing beneficial effects for the current environment we’re living in (AKA positive selection) but some of them causing nasty genetic diseases. But that’s all the evolution that’s visible to us. So yes, we’re evolving – same as every organism on earth. Think of the possibilities! X-men may be taking it too far, but haven’t YOU always wanted flippers? ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-humans-done-evolving/52306/11 "2001-01-30T16:38:57Z")
Er… in the more sober light of morning, what I was trying to say was: No, humans are not done evolving.