2007-03-26 08:06:59 · 9 answers · asked by leo s 1 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
Disease can advance the process of natural selection, or survival of the strongest, by culling out the weaker people and sparing only those with a natural immunity to that particular disease. As far as evolution within a species, sure. As far as helping one species change into another no. It will only make the survivors stronger against that particular disease. The problem with it helping us evolve is how do you mean. Stronger as humans with better immunity, possibly, yes. Change to an entirely different species no.
To Jim Z- as for only small advantage gained to make evolution to change features, it would have to be an advantage that also had a increase in genetic information. You can have a beneficial mutation, rare but it happens, but there has never been a mutation that increased information. Even the diseases that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics are caused by the mutant strain losing information in their genetic structure, that allows it to survive. For evolution to change one species to another you would have to have a lot of information gain to move to a higher form of life, such as from a simple hominid to current homo sapiens
2007-03-26 20:06:39 · answer #1 · answered by mark g 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Diseases are a selective pressure for adaptation. World wide pandemics kill millions of people, those that catch the disease, but survive, are probably more resistant to the disease than those that died. Their offspring will probably be more resistant to the disease than most people. So, when another pandemic of the same disease hits, more of the population is resistant, and more will survive. It would have been an interesting scenario if AIDS had been transmitted not by fluid transfer, but by airborne particles. The death toll would have been catastrophic, considering there is up to a 10 year latency period in the disease. Malaria has resulted in haemoglobin variations to arise, because it is so prevalent in the African population, these variants (like sickle cell haemoglobin) confer some immunity to the disease.
2007-03-27 02:46:37 · answer #2 · answered by Terracinese 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course, it is common sense. Those that have immunity will survive and those that have less will survive in lesser numbers. For the theory of evolution to work, there only needs to be a small advantage gained for any particular feature to evolve. For the closed minded individuals that claimed evolution is only a theory, perhaps they should study a tiny bit of science. They would learn that for those of us who have ancestry from Eurasia, are far more resilient to diseases such as small pox, measles, and even AIDs. This is because our ancestors had to go through many famines that usually spread from China to Europe. It usually developed in China due to their large population of domesticated animals in close proximity to humans.
2007-03-26 16:05:25 · answer #3 · answered by JimZ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No ,I think they [diseases] will destroy a big part of the human race and other creatures that share the earth with us, since this diseases are brought on by pollution, chemicals , man-made stuff , is only a downfall, not for evolution! sorry is the way I see it. Hugs.
2007-03-27 15:19:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe, to get immune systems to create a defense against it, to build a tolerance.
2007-03-26 15:09:48 · answer #5 · answered by Konjo Nashi Pirate™ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well yes it will kill off the weak and the resistant will survive.
2007-03-26 15:09:37 · answer #6 · answered by Samantha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evolution is a theory not a fact!
2007-03-26 15:10:15 · answer #7 · answered by K11 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
yes i do
2007-03-26 15:09:04 · answer #8 · answered by devora k 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
of course it does.
2007-03-26 15:11:23 · answer #9 · answered by dr.macgruder 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋