Scientists have spotted signs of recent evolution in the human genetic code, suggesting that diet and changes in habitat have had a lasting effect on our make-up.
In one of the first detailed scans of the entire human genome, researchers discovered more than 700 tweaks to genes they believe have arisen in the past 5,000 to 10,000 years, a period of time that saw humans spread north from equatorial regions and develop agriculture as a means of securing food.
Moving north had other implications for our health. While the genetic code of the Africans tested revealed a gene that makes our bodies retain salt that would be lost through sweating, the Europeans and Asians had a version that causes more salt to be released, possibly acting as a defence against salt-induced hypertension (high blood pressure).
The study also reveals the emergence of a gene now found in 90% of Europeans that allows them to digest milk into adulthood, a likely consequence of dairy farming. The gene will probably be found in everyone in a further 1,000 years, the researchers say.
Hopefully, we’ll lose more of the Stone Age genes as civilization continues to take hold.
Steve Sailer reported on this back in December. Why did the media take it’s time in getting to this? From the same NYT article (emphasis mine): “The genes that show this evolutionary change include some responsible for the senses of taste and smell, digestion, bone structure, skin color and brain function.”
You mean different races might have different mental abilities? Ruh-Roh!
10,000 years is not surprising. I am curious about selective changes in the last few hundred years, when medicine has allowed just about everybody to become reproducing adults. How does natural selection work in such cases?
Ruh-Roh is right! There might actually be diversity of abilities instead of the “diversity amongst clones” that the PC crowd is really after. Wow, that’s dangerous information.
The gene will probably be found in everyone in a further 1,000 years, the researchers say.
Interesting to read that, when I was under the impression that lactose intolerance was on the rise, not on the decline.
I thought it was increasing, just like the occurance of food allergies and asthma.
is this evoultion:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=evolution
or adaptation:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=adaptation
(2nd entry)
the scientific community (IMO) seems to use the word “evolution” when they really mean “adaptation”.
Careful kids, you don’t want to be adding fuel to the fire of the eugenics crowd now do you? LOL
> the scientific community (IMO) seems
> to use the word “evolution” when they really mean “adaptation”.
Jim,
To scientists evolution merely means decent with modification. Thus, regardless of the vernacular word you chose, the implication is the same: our species is changing at the genetic level due to environmental effects just all species change.
While it is theoretically possible for different variants of homo sapiens to evolve into a separate species where interbreeding is no longer possible, it would take *much* longer and is highly unlikely due to the ease with which humans can interbreed now.
How does natural selection work in such cases?
If by that you mean: “Survival of the Fittest”?
It doesn’t.
“…with which humans can interbreed now.”
With whom or what are you referring to, Thomas, that humans currently interbreed with?
from wikipedia:
Interbreeding, or inter-breeding is breeding between different, albeit closely-related species.
And yes, I do beleive in Creation. But I’m not blind to the obvious. That adaptation happens as an environment changes.
from the Oxford American Dictionary:
interbreed – breed with another of a different race or species
I think he is getting at the fact that groups of humans will not become too unique in their regional adaptations because the different human races interbreed with each other. i.e., caucasoid mating with mongoloid or negroid.
“…the different human races interbreed with each other. i.e., caucasoid mating with mongoloid or negroid.”
Oh silly me, here I was thinking we were all one species/race (homo sapiens). How unenlightened of me. 😉
Jim,
For humans to diverge into separate species would require isolation over an extended period of time (on the order of 500K to 1Mil years). That sort of isolation over that long a period in the modern age would be difficult to achieve and thus make isolated decent improbable.
By the term “interbreeding”, I was refering (perhaps incorrectly) to “breeding amongst other groups of humans”
HOPEFULLY WE WILL EVOLVE AWAY FROM THOSE DAMN CHRISTIAN ELITIST ASSHOLES AND REPUBLICANS