Do you believe in human mutation??

Question

What do you know about it?
Is there any evidence about it?

Answer 1

Yes.

Because of the complexity of our genome, humans can be more suceptible to gene or chromosome mutations. However most mutations have been detrimental to the human species, although some have actually been helpful in a way.

For example, a disease such as Down's syndrome is due to a chromosome mutation, that is to say the sufferer has an extra chromasome on their 21st chromosome pair. This is an example of a negative mutation, as the sufferer is severely handicapped by it.

On the other hand, sickle cell anemia is a genetic mutation, decreasing the carrying capacity of oxygen due to incorrect formation of sickle shaped red blood cells. However, in Africa where malaria is prominent, it is actually an advantage to be a carrier of the mutant gene, (that is not a sufferer, but somebody with both one mutant chromosome and one normal chromosome), as they show immunity to malaria. This can be seen as a positive mutation as a carrier suffers much less than if they have malaria.

In fact mutations can be seen all the time, eye colours, skin colours etc. were all brought about by a past gene mutation.

Answer 2

Yes, humans have mutations just like every other living thing.

I have read quite a bit about it and have what I would call a good lay person's knowledge on the subject.

As for evidence, there is plenty. There are many fossils of early humans and our predecessors. Neanderthals died out only between 12,000 and 20,000 years ago and they were another branch of the human family. Now with new DNA analysis individual genes can be studied for mutations. There are leftover inactive genes from our ancestors. There are new genes that duplicated from from other genes. All of these things are mutations.

Here's a good example: a long ago ancestor had a mutated gene that gave it some color vision with the ability to see red and green. This was very useful in the jungle where red fruit hid in green leaves. It was an advantage to be able to find the best food and to be the healthiest member of the group. Better health and nutrition would mean more offspring with color vision. When humans moved out of the jungle, this color vision became less useful - especially the red/green color detection - so now it is falling by the wayside via mutation of that color detection gene. About 8% of the male human population can no longer identify red/green colors.

Answer 3

Well, yes, I do, but that's because I'm not stupid. Have you ever been to a really, really old house, say Mount Vernon near DC? The doorways, the beds, everything is super short because people were a lot shorter then. Because genes mutated and people became taller.
A lot of diseases are caused by mutations within humans also. Ever hear of a little disease called cancer? That's entirely based on mutated cells growing and dividing without regard to the whole person- their controls have been shut off.
Plus, I'm sure you've heard stories of people born with 6 fingers or toes- these can be due to mutations also.
Most mutations are detrimental, but some are harmless, or even helpful, and these are the ones that stick around in the gene pool. It's a little thing called "Natural Selection" Some guy wrote a book about it. Look it up.

Answer 4

Of course.

There's no scientific reason humans would be immune from a process that affects all other life forms.

I know a lot about it. Geneticists and microbiologists know a lot more than I do. There are many kinds of mutations (transcription errors, gene duplications, transpositions of genes between chromosomes, etc. et.)

Is there evidence of it? In spades. I was born with a mutation called 'pyloric stenosis' which is an over-tightening of the pylorus muscle in my stomach. As a result, as an infant, I could not pass anything from my stomach into my intestine ... I would have died had it not been for a rather routine bit of surgery (I still have the scar on my belly).

Answer 5

I think you mean human evolution, not human mutation.

There is plenty evidence for human mutation. Just look at the genetic diversity of the people around you. Clear evidence that there is genetic reassortment.

Evidence for human evolution however is shown by fossil evidence.

Answer 6

I have a large mole on my right arm. It comes from a cell that had a mutation in the regulatory gene for production in melanin. The mutation wasn't enough to stop the cell from reproducing, et voila, a visible presence. Sort of makes you wonder what other mutations I might have in body cells that aren't so visible.

Answer 7

Yes, lay around in the hot summer sun too long and inevitably some ionizing radiation from the sun will mutate the DNA in one of your skin cells and you will develop skin cancer.

Mutations happen all the time. Sometimes they are fatal and the fetus never develops, sometimes they are beneficial and that organism goes on to be the founder of a new, stronger race. It is all random.

Answer 8

People have been mutated but usually it's a genetic defect. It's never anything good though.

Answer 9

I know a guy with no elbows mutation happens all the time it is part of evolution and willnever end until we do

Answer 10

life evolves by successfully adapting to changing enviroment..since man changes his enviroment to suit him as he now is,evolution is stunted,until some facet of enviroment becomes unmanageable...say,global warming at it's extreme,or lack of gravity on a permanent settlement off-earth...any mutations currently underway will be undesirable,as there is no survival need for them,and the current human form is dominant...