Human Evolution

[Space05us]

I dont get it, evolution happens by mistake right? Than why are we told that people who live in northern climates have facial features which are more tuned to keep warm. While people in equatorial places have facial features more tuned to keep cool. Yet we are also taught that evolution happens by mistake, not intentionally.
Its not like over the past thousands of years the MooMoo people developed hands more fit for milking cows because thats what thier ancestors did all day.

Before you go telling me that its because the people with facial features more tuned to equitorial climates in northern climates froze to death Id like to mention tools, and fire. The two things that make it possible for an otherwise crippled person lead a normal life, we've had warm clothes since the beggining of who knows when.

I dont know if you guys will understand what Im asking or not, but if you do an explanation wuold be greatly appreciated. I dont have time right now to check my wriritng.

[Kuciwalker]

Evolution happens by mistake, yes. However, those mistakes that are MORE SUCCESSFUL reproduce more, and so it give the appearance of being intentional.

[yavoon]

mutation+selection=evolution

[SlowwHand]

Evolution is not the same thing as adaptation.

[yavoon]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Evolution is not the same thing as adaption.

?

[Kuciwalker]

Yes, adaptation occurs within the lifetime of a single organism and is not genetic. For example, learning to walk is adaptation. The ABILITY to walk upright, however, is evolution.

[SlowwHand]

What I'm saying is, if one believes in an evolutionary process, what he says can't occur, does occur, for the very reasons he notes.

[Boris Godunov]

Re: Human Evolution

Originally posted by Space05us
I dont get it, evolution happens by mistake right? Than why are we told that people who live in northern climates have facial features which are more tuned to keep warm. While people in equatorial places have facial features more tuned to keep cool. Yet we are also taught that evolution happens by mistake, not intentionally.
Its not like over the past thousands of years the MooMoo people developed hands more fit for milking cows because thats what thier ancestors did all day.

Before you go telling me that its because the people with facial features more tuned to equitorial climates in northern climates froze to death Id like to mention tools, and fire. The two things that make it possible for an otherwise crippled person lead a normal life, we've had warm clothes since the beggining of who knows when.

I dont know if you guys will understand what Im asking or not, but if you do an explanation wuold be greatly appreciated. I dont have time right now to check my wriritng.

This is just a basic misunderstanding of how evolution works.

Species evolve (not organisms or individiduals) over time when the gene frequency of a population shifts. The physical traits you see arose by random mutation. They survived due to natural selection. Natural selection is simply saying that populations that are better suited to an environment will survive better. Over the long term, this means that mutations which serve to enhance the survivability of a population will gradually become ubiquitous.

No species is optimally suited for its environment, but successful species are better suited to it than the competition.

[jdd2007]

Evolution- gradual accumulation of adaptions over time.

[reds4ever]

Also there is no guiding direction, a species is merely more or less suited for a given enviroment at a given time

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
What I'm saying is, if one believes in an evolutionary process, what he says can't occur, does occur, for the very reasons he notes.

This makes no sense. In English, please!

[Lord Merciless]

An organism that is more efficient at energy extraction and regeneration dominates. This is even true about human societies: the country/culture that has the strongest economy and big populations dominates.

Of course, this is only true until the next big change in environment. Then the cards are mixed and redealt. Here is where adaptability comes in handy.

[Boris Godunov]

Yes, evolutionary changes suited to one environment can be a hindrance in another. Just look at the poor dinosaurs.

One can also look at species of cave-dwelling fishes which, once having eyes, are now devolving them. There's no need for an eye in the dark, so the eyes have gradually reduced to a useless vestige.

[Lord Merciless]

It's generally the norm that microorganisms have the strongest adaptability. The evolution at bacterial level can occur in a matter of hours: 2 organisms that are supposed to be toxic to each other are able to learn how to cooperate and merge into a single organism within an hour.

The question in the end is about how to mostly effciently extract energy, giving a changing environment. I think intelligence definitely helps here since it gives a lifeform the ability to extract enegy from means that would be otherwise unavailable though purely biochemical processes. Nuclear fissions and fussions are 2 good examples.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Lord Merciless
It's generally the norm that microorganisms have the strongest adaptability. The evolution at bacterial level can occur in a matter of hours: 2 organisms that are supposed to be toxic to each other are able to learn how to cooperate and merge into a single organism within an hour.

When one reproduces by non-sexual means, this is of course going to be the case!