Since the beginning of written human history, have there been any GOOD mutations?

Question

Plenty of BAD mutations (cancer, Down's Syndrome, etc.), but have there been any that have improved the human race?

I know we had to have some good ones to evolve to where we are, but since we found fire and started writing on walls and made stone weapons, have had any good mutations?

So we discovered fire and wrote on walls before we had opposable thumbs and walked upright?

Is the fact that having one sickness causes you not to get another sickness really a good thing? "Congratulations, you have Parkinson's but you wont get breast cancer now"

Geezah- I forgive you for insulting my intelligence. Someone asked a question in R&S about evolution/natural selection and most answers were "mutation." So it got me thinking and what better (lazy) way to get questions "answered" than here at Y!A.

Answer 1

Do you really want an answer? Or like most anti-science zealots, are you just asking to give yourself the false sense of somehow "stumping" the entire science community?

Since I'm a nice guy, I'll give you a source with a nice answer (AND references which you can look up, assuming you know how to use a library):
http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/CB/CB101.html

Answer 2

Opposable thumbs. Upright walking.

And some diseases like sickle cell anemia are actually beneficial, depending on the circumstances and environment. Sickle cell anemia helps protect against malaria. It's also been proposed (but not confirmed) that the mutation that causes cystic fibrosis may lead to resistance to typhoid fever and cholera.

(Just a little side note: While Down's syndrome is a genetic defect, it isn't a mutation, exactly. It's caused by an uneven distribution of Chromosome 21. Instead of having 1 pair (2 chromosomes) you have 3 copies of the chromosome.)

Answer 3

Most of the mutations are older than human history.

Down's syndrome is not technically a mutation, but is a non-heritable nondisjunction event. (There are a few variants that are based in balance translocation mutations.

Favorable mutations are not easily detectable. It's easy to detect disease. It's not as easy to detect improved health.

Answer 4

I don't think you are understanding what a mutation is. Every single individual born has mutations. I would bet you consider yourself a good mutation.

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

One of the last major changes in the human genome has been the ability to digest cow milk.

http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070226/full/news070226-4.html

Answer 7

Check this page you'll get your answer,
http://www.gate.net/~rwms/EvoMutations.html

Answer 8

i think it's no coz mostly mutation causes cancer .