4 ms·
First phrase of just the second sentence: Despite the long-held view that natural selection has ceased to affect humans because almost everybody now lives long
by maw 17y ago
First phrase of just the second sentence:
Despite the long-held view that natural selection has ceased to affect humans because almost everybody now lives long enough to have children
Uh, what? Do people actually think that?
- callahad 17y agoWell, A 2006 report on global mortality rates [1] suggests that regardless of country, the average human does reach sexual maturity. It follows that fitness, amongst humans, isn't significantly affected by survival / longevity. After all, if we live to reproduce, then anything that sets in after that event is irrelevant from an evolutionary standpoint. I could see that reasoning giving rise to the phrasing used in the article. [1]: http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2006_mortality.pdf http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat2006_mortality.pdf
- gnaritas 17y agoIt doesn't follow that we aren't still evolving, only that there isn't sufficient selection pressure to push evolution in a particular direction. We're still evolving, just randomly in all directions. We're stocking up on mutations for the next round of selection pressure nature throws at us.
- jcl 17y agoAfter all, if we live to reproduce, then anything that sets in after that event is irrelevant from an evolutionary standpoint. I imagine there are some people who reason that way, but they'd be ignoring the obvious survival benefits of having parents (and extended family) to help raise a child.