Will humans become separate species?
The nature of evolution itself is fast evolving. Just as the great apes (including chimps, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans) and homo sapiens splintered into different species from common ancestors, humans will likely not evolve into just one new type of ape, but several.
Did humans evolve in multiple separate events?
Multiregional evolution holds that the human species first arose around two million years ago and subsequent human evolution has been within a single, continuous human species. The multiregional hypothesis was first proposed in 1984, and then revised in 2003.
Are we still evolving as a species?
Yes, we’re still evolving. Credit: watchara/Shutterstock Modern medicine’s ability to keep us alive makes it tempting to think human evolution may have stopped. Better healthcare disrupts a key driving force of evolution by keeping some people alive longer, making them more likely to pass on their genes.
How does evolution occur in a population?
It can occur by natural selection, when certain traits created by genetic mutations help an organism survive or reproduce. Such mutations are thus more likely to be passed on to the next generation, so they increase in frequency in a population. Gradually, these mutations and their associated traits become more common among the whole group.
What is the fastest evolutionary change in humans?
The spread of genetic mutations in Tibet is possibly the fastest evolutionary change in humans, occurring over the last 3,000 years. This rapid surge in frequency of a mutated gene that increases blood oxygen content gives locals a survival advantage in higher altitudes, resulting in more surviving children.
How will better healthcare affect human evolution?
Better healthcare disrupts a key driving force of evolution by keeping some people alive longer, making them more likely to pass on their genes. But if we look at the rate of our DNA’s evolution, we can see that human evolution hasn’t stopped – it may even be happening faster than before.