2 ms·
The appendix is 100% harmful but not eliminated. As is nearsightedness. Evolution is only affected by genotypes that prevent reproduction.
by gowld 6y ago
The appendix is 100% harmful but not eliminated.
As is nearsightedness.
Evolution is only affected by genotypes that prevent reproduction.
- tsimionescu 6y ago> The appendix is 100% harmful It is not. Much better examples would be cancer and auto-immune diseases. Evolution is not magical, it can't produce 100% fault-free organisms. Or maybe it will, given a few more billion years. But in a limited time span, there is no reason to expect it to correct any potential flaw in an organism (and experience obviously shows that it hasn't).
- tremon 6y agoThat's a rather antiquated view. Nowadays, the appendix is considered an active organ again, essentially a spawning zone for the gut flora. I recall reading that people that still have their appendix have a more diverse gut microbiome, and more importantly, their gut flora recover more quickly after antibiotic treatments.
- podgaj 6y agoUhm, no. https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/35/12/2957/5112969 https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/35/12/2957/5112969 "the strongest signals of recent human adaptation in Europe did not coincide with the Neolithic transition but with more recent changes in environment, diet, or efficiency of selection due to increases in effective population size."