Human evolutionary divergence

[Brucelles]

According to an evolutionary theorist, humanity may diverge into two sub-species over the next 100,000 years.

Evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry of the London School of Economics expects a genetic upper class and a dim-witted underclass to emerge.

The human race would peak in the year 3000, he said - before a decline due to dependence on technology.

People would become choosier about their sexual partners, causing humanity to divide into sub-species, he added.

The descendants of the genetic upper class would be tall, slim, healthy, attractive, intelligent, and creative and a far cry from the "underclass" humans who would have evolved into dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like creatures.

So. Apart from the fact that anyone who has visited Wales would argue that this is already happening, does anyone think this is a likely scenario?

I don't. I think that the urge to reproduce is too unfocussed to allow for it. As Goldie Hawn once said "Men would feck mud". No matter how ugly the "Morlocks" became some of the "Eloi" would still mate with them. I hesitate to mention Wales again, but you can see from Cardiff University students that intelligent, educated young, fit men will still mate with anything, given enough beer.

Seriously, though. Does anyone think that in 100,000 years the human races will look like this?



You have to bear in mind that this is an artist's impression; real "gracile" human men "will exhibit symmetrical facial features, look athletic, and have squarer jaws, deeper voices and bigger penises."

[MadduckUK]

its Tobey Maguire!

[Colossous]

Well, i'm from Wales and i've been to Belgium - i need to say no more lol !!

[Lucio]

Yet another pointless piece of "scientific" prediction. If it doesn't affect something within the next handful of generations, what's the point?? Are we really going to put in a forced breeding program to ensure genetic diversity is preserved??


Hmmm, given I'm a morlock that could be worth doing *grin*

[Brucelles]

Well, i'm from Wales and i've been to Belgium - i need to say no more lol !!

OK. I admit it. The Belgians already represent this step forward, and the Luxembourgers, but I think that's actually a lack of evolution combined with inbreeding, rather than what we biologists call neotony. A genetic step backwards.

[Colossous]

OK. I admit it. The Belgians already represent this step forward, and the Luxembourgers, but I think that's actually a lack of evolution combined with inbreeding, rather than what we biologists call neotony. A genetic step backwards.

He he, you're a funny guy Brucelles - Belgium was very nice to be fair ! I want to know which category the artist (in the above "impression") fell into ?

[IBM]

Don't fancy yours much

[Brucelles]

Don't fancy yours much

Her head's at the right height though.

[Brucelles]

He he, you're a funny guy Brucelles - Belgium was very nice to be fair ! I want to know which category the artist (in the above "impression") fell into ?

Perhaps this will help. I was so amazed by the ugliness of Luxembourgers I created a website about them. Actually, I assume that the artist was an Eloi. You would tend to make yourself look a bit tidier if you were a dwarfish, ugly, ignorant, fat pig.

[Fraz]

Totally pointless bit of "research", and gives a bad name to academia. I could come up with better "predictions" down the pub in five minutes after 5 pints (of gin).

[UltraMagnus]

personally.... i hope we will all be cyborgs before the year 3000....

[Optical668]

I think humans will be dead within the next 10,000 years. Were either wipe ourselfs out by some technological advancement, consume all the natural planets resources, get hit by a huge meteorite or simply the planet will shut down after years of abuse from pollution & global warming and our ozone layer will cease to function and were all be microwaved like chrispy BBQ Chicken...

But if none of this happens and our race some how survives then i would suspect that humans would become completly dependant on technology, like implants to help our 5% brain power because were all be stupid by then to do common day tasks. Nobody will have to work as robots would do all the work, child birth would be outlawwed as the world population would be too much. Everyone would be fat and lardos as exercising would be silly and lazy would be the new trend.... Oh wait a sec thats like now abit init?... errr yeh but anyway were all have brain implants little computers that tell us what to do there wont be no more violence as theres proberly gonna be emo implants etc etc.

So while you still can i say.

[MadduckUK]

wipe ourselfs out by some technological advancement

worst invention ever

[pauldarkside]

I think humans will be dead within the next 10,000 years.
<snip />

Oh, great ... please let me know how it goes won't you?

I'd like to think that we'll not be limited to living on this little blue marble by then. I mean, what about all of those people in Star Trek and Babylon 5 - what's going to happen to all of them?

[iranu]

No, we'll be manipulating our genes within the next 50 years and I have no doubt that augmentation of the brain and body will start happening within the next 200 years.

I think we'll be growing all sorts of appendages for fashion and practical reasons and bolting and implanting all sorts of technological gizmos to aid ourselves. Imagine a new set of eyes that could zoom, see infra-red, ultra-violet, etc.

By the year 3000 I doubt that we would recognise a 21st century human as anything other than a quaint biological past.

[mycarsavw]

...

Seriously, though. Does anyone think that in 100,000 years the human races will look like this?



...

I take it you've never been to Norfolk. They look like that now