what is the probablilty that the humans (homo sapians) (us) evolve into something else?

Question

crocodiles have been around for millions of years but not all species. (educated researchers only)

Answer 1

I've never actually seen any evidence of any in-between species surviving long enough to evolve to the next. (Hairy guys excluded) In other words, there is no credible evidence to prove that we evolved from another, lower species, into Homo Sapiens. I've read a lot of theories but nothing with existing surviving proof. Now as to the question of whether we will change over time, the answer is certainly yes. As DNA mingles, a gradual shift occurs. Unfortunately for humanity, without an enforced selective breeding program which actually focuses on improving humanity, we will probably not rise, but fall. We recall the philosophy of the Nazis suggesting a controlling political regime to enforce selective breeding for traits like longevity, health, strength, intelligence. With those kind of negative implications (imagine, not marrying for love, but for duty to the human race!), I don't see it happening.

Answer 2

I agree with honiebee. The race is, without a doubt, undergoing microevolution as we speak (...or type, rather). Without any major obstacles, though, the changes are hardly noticeable. Remember, individuals don't evolve, species do.

It's quite possible that a catastrophe such as nuclear war (a threat that seems to have been constantly upon us as of late) could hasten the process of natural selection and/or change what gets "selected" (while adding the factor of mutation). That's how evolution works, and it's an ongoing process.

To answer your question, we won't spontaneously change into "something else", but humanity will change, most probably slowly enough that nobody will notice.

Answer 3

With the current state of affairs in this world of ours, very, very slim.

Actually, species do not evolve into different species. A new species evolves (via natural selection) from individuals within an existing species. Basically all that is needed is some environmental pressure that selects for certain individuals within a given species preferably, confering to those individuals increased survival. A classic example would be the "evolution" of insecticide resistance in insects.

Secondly, and most importantly is some mechanism for reproductive isolation must arrise. Reproductive isolation allows a group of organisms the ability to "concentrate their “New” genetic material" and prevent "contamination” of that “New” material with the “old” material. Reproductive isolation need not be reproductive incompatibility; many cases exist where two species are inter fertile and produce viable reproductively capable offspring, so reproductive isolation arises from behavioural mechanisms, geographical isolation (several mosquito species are inter fertile but exist on islands isolated by 100's or miles of ocean) and other mechanisms.

For instance, Neo-tropical orchids and Euglossine bees evolved together. As the male bee visits an orchid flower (to collect organic chemicals -scents), the stamens deposit pollina (pollen packets) on the bee. As the bee visits another orchid flower, the pollina contact the stigma and the flower is fertilized. However, since the bee visits the flowers of several different species, how do the flowers prevent cross-pollination?

The orchids themselves have adapted in that they are highly specific in their placement of their pollina on the bodies of the male orchid bees (some behind the hear, some on the side of the body, others under the head, etc., etc.). It is the specificity of pollina placement that prevents that cross-pollination from occurring between orchids of different species. Orchid bee males of different species are attracted to different chemicals, so there is also some specificity regarding which orchid bees visit which types of orchid. Thus while interfertile, cross-pollination doesn't occur because of pollina placement in different places on the bodies of the polinating bees.

Now, introduce the honeybee into the New World. The honeybee is notoriously vigorous in the collection of pollen, and notoriously indiscrimate in what flower is the next one to be visited. Thus, the reproductive isolation strategies evolved by neo-tropical bees is breaking down because of the introduction of another polinator. Currently there are many examples of "natural" hybrids in neo-tropical orchids brought about by the indiscriminate practices of the honeybee.

While the above is somewhat off-topic, unless some mechanism behavioural, chemical, or mechanical arises to isolate specific populations of humans we cannot evolve into something else. A case in point here is the development of different eye colours in humans. Blue eyes may have afforded some form of increased survival, but two things happened. 1) No reproductive isolation, and 2) we progressed beyond whatever survival advantage blue eyes conveyed

Answer 4

Humans (Homo sapien sapiens), have attained the near perfect form. The evolution has relatively slowed down and in the case of man, there are very slim chances of some significant change.

Answer 5

It seems like that its a large probability that we are evolving as we speak. Every time we recreate and also the environment in which our offspring is born into, changes, those of us with the most resistant and resilient gene's acclimate and live on to recreate. And that's changing the human race.

Answer 6

I can guarantee ALL of us will evolve into something else within the next 100 years...its called dirt!