Evolution

[PeteC]

Good to contemplate on these rainy days. A few items off the top of my head:

- I've read for decades that the next very obvious physical step in human evolution is the loss of our little fingers and little toes due to lack of use. (Let's refrain at least for a day or so about the use of other appendages.)

- Human beings as we know them have been around for what..about 20,000 years? Our modern, recorded scientific and technological history maybe 250 years. In essence we have no record of evolutionary changes in human beings. Since we only live less than 100 years, no human has ever seen or experienced a human evolutionary advance.

- However, I see that each generation after mine seems taller and more intelligent, both male and female. I'm not privy to birth records but I do know my daughter born in 2005 has a larger diameter head then my children born in 1972 and 1975. Is this significant to evolution, or just random?

- I see evolution in academics that now teaches children of 2-3 years old, things that weren't taught to me until I was 5-6. Is the academic evolution a result of the children's human evolution to be ready to understand concepts my generation couldn't?

- I see a tremendous increase in mixed race marriages in the West. This undoubtedly helps the gene pool and the chances of children being born that are on the stepping stone of evolving. If I'm right, what does this say about traditional countries in Asia, ME, Africa where mixed race unions are more rare? Perhaps I'm totally wrong and mixed race unions/gene mixing retard evolution?

- There was a doctor on the History Channel or Discovery the other night that was trying to fathom who would replace man of we ceased to exist very quickly, i.e. war, disease etc. He categorically stated that it wouldn't be chimps or gorillas. He said that it's easy for Nature to teach a chimp to use tools to crack nuts, break rocks and dig out ants. He further stated it's a quantum leap to teach the same animal to look at the stars and heavens and contemplate the universe and his existence, as man has done from the beginning. Perhaps we get into the theological realm here?

Interesting to see what others think. Pete

[niggle]

Oh Cripes
I mean how awful
How on earth does one drink one's arfternoon tea without extending one's pinkie - oh the disgrace of it
One will be drinking out of mugs and wearing clogs soon

[richard]

No little fingers?

How am I going to pick my nose and clean out my lugs

Stringed instrument playing?

[Vital Spark]

I also ponder these kinds of things when I have nothing else running around in my 'little' head.

Don't worry about the little finger boys. Apparently the thumb has become far more dextrous (due to text messaging) that the little pinky won't really mind.

As far as heads are concerned: the human race is getting larger, so I guess the head will too. When I first started teaching here (10 yrs ago) I was taller than most of my students - I'm about 5ft 4. Now most of them are taller than I am. I presume a better (?) diet may be the reason. They're also getting fatter - but that's probably due to Svensens and McDonald's.

The academic bit, I feel, is purely down to social changes and the government. Kids are now sitting at desks in Kindergardens because Mum and Dad are busy working. I really don't think that the human race is getting more intelligent. Please don't get me ranting about the difference between 'O' levels. crass GCSE exams and students getting 5 A* 'A' Levels.

The mixed race point is interesting. The world is becoming much more of a melting pot - nothing wrong with that. I think that the effects from that are far more physical than mental.

The above are just off the top of my head, I'm not an anthropologist, so I'm probably talking absolute tosh.

VS

[sargeant]

I cant help but feel sorry for women giving birth when evolution leads to babies being born with a cell phone in one hand and (ouch ) a credit card in the other