why do we not see evolution in humans?

[Nathan Poe]

anything

Bigger size and longer life aren't anything?

 

[brightlights]

both could be attributed to nutrition. evolution is not the only logical solution for these factors. in fact, nutrition and evolution in medicare seem more logical for longer life than evolution does.

 

[AirPo]

I'm suprised that no one has mentioned sexual preference in the increase in height. Women prefer men who are taller then they are. So over time the average height of the population increases.

 

[AirPo]

anything

IIRC, recently someone provided links to two different studies showing adaptations in populations living a higher altitudes.

Anyone else recall them?

 

[ForeRunner]

Also, I remember reading an article about a genetic resistance to AIDS. That is one large selection pressure and it seems to be making a difference

 

[Nathan Poe]

both could be attributed to nutrition. evolution is not the only logical solution for these factors. in fact, nutrition and evolution in medicare seem more logical for longer life than evolution does.

Nutrition is a product of our environment. How we adapt and change accoding to our environment is evolution.

 

[brightlights]

nutrition, correct me if i'm wrong, is a product of scientific study. it is a science, you know, and research and developement have overtime perfected the human diet. it has nothing to do with environment.

 

[ForeRunner]

It absolutely does. The improvement of nutrition allows for a change at the genetic level.

It is no longer an advantage to be smaller if there is enough food avaliable in the enviorment to feed a larger body.

 

[brightlights]

the idea is that people grow larger because they have a better diet, not the amount of food they eat. some native american tribes ate only corn and died at around the age of 18, yet they could still eat all the corn they could ever dream of~!~!~! no no no, the growth, it seems to be, is from people eating food that is better for their bodies and can sustain more energy and more growth.

 

[Nathan David]

I think brightlights is referring to the fact that changes in diet can lead to changes in height and weight. IE, the fact that humans tend to be taller now is because we eat different diets, not (necessarily) because of inherited traits.

An example of evolution in modern homo sapiens would be differences in skin color, facial features, eye color and shape, and hair color and texture among different populations of humans. Different racial groups are almost indistinguishable genetically and can interbreed with no problems so these variations are nowhere near speciation, but the variations are there.

 

[brightlights]

thank you nathan, and you make a good point. i can see this as evolution, but i would consider it micro (i know you guys hate this word, but it's true). the differences in skin color and other traits does not link ape to man though, would you agree? i would consider it more of an adaptation. africans live close to the equator and are exposed heavily to the sun, so their skin becomes darker to avoid skin cancer. good point, but still no ape to man.

 

[Nathan David]

thank you nathan, and you make a good point. i can see this as evolution, but i would consider it micro (i know you guys hate this word, but it's true). the differences in skin color and other traits does not link ape to man though, would you agree?

You didn't ask about ape to man. You asked about evolution occuring in modern homo sapiens. If you had asked about the evolution of ape to man, I would have posted something different (or let someone more knowledgeable do it, more likely). There is quite a lot of evidence that humans and modern apes evolved from a common ancestor.

i would consider it more of an adaptation. africans live close to the equator and are exposed heavily to the sun, so their skin becomes darker to avoid skin cancer.

What do you mean by "adaptation"? How does their skin "become darker"? Do you mean that those with darker skin were better able to survive and have children, so more children with dark skin were born, so that after many generations the whole population had dark skin? Because that's evolution.

 

[ForeRunner]

the idea is that people grow larger because they have a better diet, not the amount of food they eat. some native american tribes ate only corn and died at around the age of 18, yet they could still eat all the corn they could ever dream of~!~!~! no no no, the growth, it seems to be, is from people eating food that is better for their bodies and can sustain more energy and more growth.

I understand what you are saying, however...

If the US diet were to suddenly revert to that of the ancient Romans people in the next generation would still, on average, be a heck of a lot taller than the ancient Romans.

Why? Because the genes for growing big and tall have an advantage in mating. With a poor food supply and poor nutrition this advantage is outweighed by the metabolic cost of having a larger frame. If we eliminate or decrease the disadvantage of that metabolic cost by improving nutrition then we increase the advantage being bigger has. Therefore people will grow up to be bigger because of their genes.

Over time, in that poor diet enviroment, people would probably get smaller again.

 

[the_gloaming]

why do we not see evolution in humans?

good point, but still no ape to man.

screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech.

that must be the sound of goalposts moving.

africans live close to the equator and are exposed heavily to the sun, so their skin becomes darker to avoid skin cancer

Errrrrm. It is not merely an adaptation, because babies of black parents are born black (unless they're albino). It is not something which develops through childhood. And of course African people retain their skin colour even if they've not lived in a particularly sunny place their whole life.

How would you define an adaptation and an inherited characteristic ?

 

[brightlights]

Do you mean that those with darker skin were better able to survive and have children, so more children with dark skin were born, so that after many generations the whole population had dark skin? Because that's evolution.

wrong, that is natural selection

 

[Nathan Poe]

wrong, that is natural selection

Natural selection is a mechanism for evolution.

 

[brightlights]

screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech.

that must be the sound of goalposts moving.


How would you define an adaptation and an inherited characteristic ?

forgive me for digressing.

well let's say that after the towel of babel that God changed skin colors based on their environment. black to protect from skin cancer. dunno, there is no scriptural basis for this but it is not entirely unfeasible (infeasible??). im really not sure how skin color originated, mutations probably, but i still consider that micro evolution.

 

[brightlights]

Natural selection is a mechanism for evolution.

in theory

 

[ForeRunner]

in theory

Then I suggest you not fly on a Boeing Jet

 

[Nathan Poe]

in theory

Viral infection is a mechanism for sickness..... in theory. What's your point?