How come Evolution stopped? How come we can't see half ape, half man? Aren't we still suppose to be evolving

Answer 1

Evolution did not stop. All organisms are continually evolving over time. It's just that with a complex organism, such as a human, it takes about 15-25 years for each new generation to come about, and so there is no way to see human evolution happening before your eyes (unless you were somehow outside of time and could exist for tens to hundreds of thousands of years to see it happening).

But there are many organisms that reproduce very quickly, such a single-celled organisms and viruses, and one can literally watch them evolve right before ones eyes.

You know how "they" are all talking about how the "avian flu" could possibly change into a new form that can be infectious human-to-human? Well, when and if that happens, it will have happened because that virus EVOLVED into a human-lethal form (by changing one or more of its genes, through spontaneous, random mutation).

What IS evolution? Evolution consists of many, many tiny changes in single genes that happen randomly, through a process called "mutation." Sometimes a gene mutation causes harm to the organism, the organism then dies without reproducing, and the change is lost from the gene pool. In that case, no evolution happened. Now, let's imagine a random mutation that caused a change to a gene that made the organism stronger in some way. That organism could then pass on this "better" gene to its offspring, and these stronger organisms would tend to live longer and reproduce more, and soon that mutated gene would become very common--maybe even universal within the species. THAT is how evolution happens. It's all about one gene getting reproduced preferentially over other genes, over a period of time. When you're talking about complex organisms, like humans, it takes many, many generations for changes to occur.

Why don't we see half-ape-half-men? Well, actually, we DO see them. They lived a very long time ago, and their skeletons are being continually dug up by anthropolgists around the world. We don't see them around in the present day because they either died out a long time ago or they evolved...into US.

What kinds of human evolution can you observe right now? Well, I can think of a couple of examples. One is race. We all used to come out of one race. But then, as the population increased, people broke off into groups and went to other parts of the world. As they traveled, over the generations, random mutations occurred in their genes. If they were mutations that helped them to survive and reproduce in their new environments, then the genes became more common. But if some genes were not helpful in the new environments, then the people who carried those genes didn't reproduce as much and those genes died out. For example, let's say that humans started out in Africa, where it's hot and the sun is intense. Having dark skin helps in Africa, because people need less clothing, so their skin is always exposed to the intense sun. Dark skin helps to protect them. But some people moved up north, to places where it's cold. So they wore clothes. And now their bodies needed the sun to make Vitamin D, or their bones would be soft and weak. So the people who had naturally-lighter skin--through random genetic mutations--were better-able to survive and reproduce in colder climates where there was less sun and people covered up their skin with slothing to keep warm. Over time, the population of people who lived in the north got lighter and lighter. And that's one way that races come about.

Another way that races come about is through deliberate breeding, such as what animal breeders do with pets. They select out certain dogs or cats or horses who have the genetic traits that they want, and they mate two animals that show those traits. After several generations of dogs or cats or horses, you've got a whole new breed (race) that's been developed. This can be done with cats and dogs a lot more-readily than you can do it with humans because 1-we don't "breed" humans under controlled mating conditions like we do with animals, and 2-a cat or a dog can reproduce when it's only one or two years old, and humans take a LOT longer to mature to breeding age.

Here's another example of how genes become prominent: You've heard of sickle-cell anemia? Normally that's a very bad gene to have! You'd think that it would have been "bred out" of the human race, because it makes people sick, so they die younger, and they don't reproduce as much as people who don't carry the sickle cell gene. But in some parts of the world, there is a very bad mosquito-borne disease called "malaria." And it just so happens that people who have at least one gene for sickle cell are resistant to getting malaria. So that means that what would normally be a very bad gene turns out to be advantageous in areas where you're in danger of getting malaria (malaria makes you scker than having sickle cell, and if you get malaria you're more likely to die and not reproduce). So that's another kind of "evolution": You might have some things that aren't so good, but it's the lesser of two evils, as it were. --This is somewhat similar to losing your pigmentation and no longer having sun protection...but it doesn't matter, because you're not living in Africa anymore, like your long-ago ancestors did...where you live, having light skin is better for your health over-all, even though you can get sunburned..

Answer 2

Given that there were at least a half dozen fully human species the existed in various overlapping time frames measured in millions of years, I suppose we can assume that some other species could be evolving as we speak. Fully human Homo Sapiens go back about 250,000 years, so while we managed to out live or 'eliminate' these other human species that doesn't mean that in another 250,000 years some offspring of the current 'ape' family tree won't come along and replace or at least compete with us. Human civilization (our particular species) is only about 10,000 years old. From simple farming to space flight in 10,000 years is remarkable, but 10,000 years isn't much more than a blink of the eye compared to a several hundred thousand years. Our species may experience genetic breakdown or a natural disaster that could reduce our numbers below a given level of genetic variation....after that it's curtains for us and an open door for a more robust species. Evolution takes a long time..even punctuated equilibrium...while rapid in relation to millions of years of evolution still takes a long time. We just haven't been around that long to observe 'evolution' tending toward 'human' in other species.

Answer 3

Evolution didn't stop. People and animals are still evolving, but there won't be any half man half ape, even though we share a lot of our dna with apes. We came from the same family as apes, but we are not from the same species as apes. Everything is still evolving and adapting to the surrounding areas to survive.

Answer 4

Evolution hasn't stoppled. We are still evolving, you can see the changes in some persons. To see the complete futuristic evolution you will have to wait for another 1000 years. Evolution is happening and is slow, very slow. It took 10000 years to become a man from an ape. So for even a Little bit of evolution to be seen, it would definitely take 1000 years at least. See you there.

Answer 5

We are evolving. How else do you explain the dissapearing tailbone, the wisdom teeth we no longer need, the tonsils and appendixes that are useless? these organs once fulfilled a purpose, but we no longer need them. As for evolving features, people are getting taller (they are almost 7 inches taller on average than a grown man in 1895). They are getting smarter, as well. Brain size and capacity is increasing, but ever so slightly. (I'm sure you will agree that there are some people we know that haven't quite finished evolving!!)



Most of these answers are inaccurate, at least in this post.

The appendix is not absolutely necessary, but neither is your arm. You can survive without both, but life is a bit simpler with them. The appendix aids in digestion. We need our tailbones. I know someone who broke their tailbone. Now they wear diapers.
Capiche?

As for people getting taller since 1895, that because our diets have improved dramatically. At least in your average westerner.

I'm not saying evolution is not still happening, but I am saying this evidences are faulty.

-Stephen

Answer 6

In my opinion we do see evolution today. A majority of people see it as being a "Freak". If a child is born with an extra arm we don't see it a progress we see it as a disability. There have been many such occurrences, but even more in recent years. I think the reason we don't see the signs are because we don't want to see them. We have become so clouded by the standards that we leave no room for the new. The reason we do not see evolution is because we are afraid of how it will affect us. In simple terms we do not see it because we fear it.

Answer 7

We are evolving. How else do you explain the dissapearing tailbone, the wisdom teeth we no longer need, the tonsils and appendixes that are useless? these organs once fulfilled a purpose, but we no longer need them. As for evolving features, people are getting taller (they are almost 7 inches taller on average than a grown man in 1895). They are getting smarter, as well. Brain size and capacity is increasing, but ever so slightly. (I'm sure you will agree that there are some people we know that haven't quite finished evolving!!)

Answer 8

Evolution is subtle and has taken millions of years so you won't necessairly see change immediately, in fact you may/might not see any in your lifetime. So far as the 1/2 ape-1/2 human goes he's extinct by another process called natural selection aka survival of the fittest. Full on humanwas more intelligent and adapted more quickly to his/her surroundings better than 1/2-ape-1/2 human did and hence we survive.

Answer 9

It didn't stop. But a better word for it is adaptation not evolution. As smart humans we have adapted our living styles to our surroundings by better building materials and such. I for one would not want to live in northern Canada without a heater nor Death Valley without an air conditioner. So instead of our human forms changing, we have changed the surroundings to fit us. For animals, it takes a few thousand years for any major adaptations to happen due to the weather being a slow constant.

Answer 10

Look at politics as on the left any were on the globe and you find people wish to understand those who wish to harm based on fear. And yet they evolve to call them self's progressive. But they only change their name and stay the same. The same is can be said about mans repeating the past.

Answer 11

The apes are evolving into better apes.