Rapid Evolution Possible

[WHITE DEVIL]

“Hyper-Speed” Evolution Possible? Recent Research Says "Yes" -A Galaxy Classic

Think it takes thousands or even millions of years for animals to evolve significantly new traits? Think again. New research lends just a touch of credibility to the idea behind the popular sci-fi TV series Heroes, which portrays certain humans as having quickly evolved new astounding traits in response to increasingly tumultuous environmental pressures.

In 1971 biologists moved 5 adult pairs of Italian wall lizards from their island home of Pod Kopiste, in the South Adriatic Sea, and introduced them to the neighboring island of Pod Mrcaru. Now, an international team of researchers has discovered that introducing these small, green-backed lizards, Podarcis sicula, to a new environment caused them to undergo shockingly fast and large-scale evolutionary changes.

Researchers returned to the islands twice a year for three years, in the spring and summer of 2004, 2005 and 2006. Captured lizards were transported to a field laboratory and measured for snout-vent length, head dimensions and body mass. Tail clips taken for DNA analysis confirmed that the Pod Mrcaru lizards were genetically identical to the source population on Pod Kopiste. In other words, there is no doubt that these lizards are the offspring of the 1971 transplant. The results of the study were recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The lizards evolved entirely new digestive system features to cope with dietary changes, evolved bigger heads and also ceased to defend territories—an instinct once very integral to the species behavior back on their original home territory.

“Striking differences in head size and shape, increased bite strength and the development of new structures in the lizard’s digestive tracts were noted after only 36 years, which is an extremely short time scale,” remarks Duncan Irschick, a professor of biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Observed changes in head morphology were caused by adaptation to a different food source explains Irschick. The lizards on the barren island of Pod Kopiste were well-suited to catching mobile prey, feasting mainly on insects. Life on Pod Mrcaru, where they had never lived before, offered them an abundant supply of plant foods, including the leaves and stems from native shrubs. Analysis of the stomach contents of lizards on Pod Mrcaru showed that their diet included up to two-thirds plants, depending on the season, a large increase over the population of Pod Kopiste.
“As a result, individuals on Pod Mrcaru have heads that are longer, wider and taller than those on Pod Kopiste, which translates into a big increase in bite force,” says Irschick. “Because plants are tough and fibrous, high bite forces allow the lizards to crop smaller pieces from plants, which can help them break down the indigestible cell walls.”

Examination of the lizard’s digestive tracts revealed something even more surprising. Eating more plants caused the development of new structures called cecal valves, designed to slow the passage of food by creating fermentation chambers in the gut, where microbes can break down the difficult to digest portion of plants. Cecal valves, which were found in hatchlings, juveniles and adults on Pod Mrcaru, have never been reported for this species, including the source population on Pod Kopiste.

“These structures actually occur in less than 1 percent of all known species of scaled reptiles,” says Irschick. “Our data shows that evolution of novel structures can occur on extremely short time scales. Cecal valve evolution probably went hand-in-hand with a novel association between the lizards on Pod Mrcaru and microorganisms called nematodes that break down cellulose, which were found in their hindguts.”

Change in diet also affected the population density and social structure of the Pod Mrcaru population. Because plants provide a larger and more predictable food supply, there were more lizards in a given area on Pod Mrcaru. Food was obtained through browsing rather than the active pursuit of prey, and the lizards had given up defending territories.

“What is unique about this finding is that rapid evolution can affect not only the structure and function of a species, but also influence behavioral ecology and natural history,” says Irschick.

So next time you see Hayden Panettiere on TV running around in her cheer skirt regenerating her limbs, just think how the premise may be just slightly less crazy that you previously suspected.
Posted by Rebecca Sato.

 

[Smile]

Now the question remains, can humans mimic this? Logically, we should. But is everyone ready for this type of responsibility for change?

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

Stephen hawkings has an interesting view on it

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

July 03, 2009

Stephen Hawking: "Humans Have Entered a New Stage of Evolution"

Although It has taken homo sapiens several million years to evolve from the apes, the useful information in our DNA, has probably changed by only a few million bits. So the rate of biological evolution in humans, Stephen Hawking points out in his Life in the Universe lecture, is about a bit a year.

"By contrast," Hawking says, "there are about 50,000 new books published in the English language each year, containing of the order of a hundred billion bits of information. Of course, the great majority of this information is garbage, and no use to any form of life. But, even so, the rate at which useful information can be added is millions, if not billions, higher than with DNA."

This means Hawking says that we have entered a new phase of evolution. "At first, evolution proceeded by natural selection, from random mutations. This Darwinian phase, lasted about three and a half billion years, and produced us, beings who developed language, to exchange information."

But what distinguishes us from our cave man ancestors is the knowledge that we have accumulated over the last ten thousand years, and particularly, Hawking points out, over the last three hundred.
"I think it is legitimate to take a broader view, and include externally transmitted information, as well as DNA, in the evolution of the human race," Hawking said.

In the last ten thousand years the human species has been in what Hawking calls, "an external transmission phase," where the internal record of information, handed down to succeeding generations in DNA, has not changed significantly. "But the external record, in books, and other long lasting forms of storage," Hawking says, "has grown enormously. Some people would use the term, evolution, only for the internally transmitted genetic material, and would object to it being applied to information handed down externally. But I think that is too narrow a view. We are more than just our genes."
The time scale for evolution, in the external transmission period, has collapsed to about 50 years, or less.

Meanwhile, Hawking observes, our human brains "with which we process this information have evolved only on the Darwinian time scale, of hundreds of thousands of years. This is beginning to cause problems. In the 18th century, there was said to be a man who had read every book written. But nowadays, if you read one book a day, it would take you about 15,000 years to read through the books in a national Library. By which time, many more books would have been written."

But we are now entering a new phase, of what Hawking calls "self designed evolution," in which we will be able to change and improve our DNA. "At first," he continues "these changes will be confined to the repair of genetic defects, like cystic fibrosis, and muscular dystrophy. These are controlled by single genes, and so are fairly easy to identify, and correct. Other qualities, such as intelligence, are probably controlled by a large number of genes. It will be much more difficult to find them, and work out the relations between them. Nevertheless, I am sure that during the next century, people will discover how to modify both intelligence, and instincts like aggression."

If the human race manages to redesign itself, to reduce or eliminate the risk of self-destruction, we will probably reach out to the stars and colonize other planets. But this will be done, Hawking believes, with intelligent machines based on mechanical and electronic components, rather than macromolecules, which could eventually replace DNA based life, just as DNA may have replaced an earlier form of life.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

^^ There is somewhat of an underlying social darwanistic quality to Hawking's view in addition to the idea of "self designed evolution"

Almost like survival of the fittest; fittest being the most educated.

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

But I definitely agree with him in that our capacity now far exceeds anything due simply our genetic makeup

For the vast (huge) majority of earth history, this has not been the case

 

[marty50]

for us modern day caveman it is evolution of the brain.

adapting to new neural processes. learning new ways of doing things.

 

[SeriouslyThug]

 

[Smile]

July 03, 2009

Stephen Hawking: "Humans Have Entered a New Stage of Evolution"

Although It has taken homo sapiens several million years to evolve from the apes, the useful information in our DNA, has probably changed by only a few million bits. So the rate of biological evolution in humans, Stephen Hawking points out in his Life in the Universe lecture, is about a bit a year.

"By contrast," Hawking says, "there are about 50,000 new books published in the English language each year, containing of the order of a hundred billion bits of information. Of course, the great majority of this information is garbage, and no use to any form of life. But, even so, the rate at which useful information can be added is millions, if not billions, higher than with DNA."

This means Hawking says that we have entered a new phase of evolution. "At first, evolution proceeded by natural selection, from random mutations. This Darwinian phase, lasted about three and a half billion years, and produced us, beings who developed language, to exchange information."

But what distinguishes us from our cave man ancestors is the knowledge that we have accumulated over the last ten thousand years, and particularly, Hawking points out, over the last three hundred.
"I think it is legitimate to take a broader view, and include externally transmitted information, as well as DNA, in the evolution of the human race," Hawking said.

In the last ten thousand years the human species has been in what Hawking calls, "an external transmission phase," where the internal record of information, handed down to succeeding generations in DNA, has not changed significantly. "But the external record, in books, and other long lasting forms of storage," Hawking says, "has grown enormously. Some people would use the term, evolution, only for the internally transmitted genetic material, and would object to it being applied to information handed down externally. But I think that is too narrow a view. We are more than just our genes."
The time scale for evolution, in the external transmission period, has collapsed to about 50 years, or less.

Meanwhile, Hawking observes, our human brains "with which we process this information have evolved only on the Darwinian time scale, of hundreds of thousands of years. This is beginning to cause problems. In the 18th century, there was said to be a man who had read every book written. But nowadays, if you read one book a day, it would take you about 15,000 years to read through the books in a national Library. By which time, many more books would have been written."

But we are now entering a new phase, of what Hawking calls "self designed evolution," in which we will be able to change and improve our DNA. "At first," he continues "these changes will be confined to the repair of genetic defects, like cystic fibrosis, and muscular dystrophy. These are controlled by single genes, and so are fairly easy to identify, and correct. Other qualities, such as intelligence, are probably controlled by a large number of genes. It will be much more difficult to find them, and work out the relations between them. Nevertheless, I am sure that during the next century, people will discover how to modify both intelligence, and instincts like aggression."

If the human race manages to redesign itself, to reduce or eliminate the risk of self-destruction, we will probably reach out to the stars and colonize other planets. But this will be done, Hawking believes, with intelligent machines based on mechanical and electronic components, rather than macromolecules, which could eventually replace DNA based life, just as DNA may have replaced an earlier form of life.

No, when I am talking about evolution, I am speaking out REAL EVOLUTION. People who actually know how to live would never participate in war, torturing, obsession over the constantly changing material world (this includes our bodies), or any of those other completely inane ideas.

Stephen Hawkings repeatedly misses the whole point of the human soul, and what it truly does encompass. This is the most important aspect while speaking about the topic of life in general, without a soul to experience life, there is no life.

Lol this cat also thinks that aliens are malicious in nature, stupid humans.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Lol this cat also thinks that aliens are malicious in nature, stupid humans.

What would extraterrestrials say about the nature of "aliens" (humans)?

 

[LyfeCentenz]

No, when I am talking about evolution, I am speaking out REAL EVOLUTION. People who actually know how to live would never participate in war, torturing, obsession over the constantly changing material world (this includes our bodies), or any of those other completely inane ideas.

Stephen Hawkings repeatedly misses the whole point of the human soul, and what it truly does encompass. This is the most important aspect while speaking about the topic of life in general, without a soul to experience life, there is no life.

Lol this cat also thinks that aliens are malicious in nature, stupid humans.

For someone bashing inane ideas your addition to this discussion seems to be full of them. IMO

 

[Smile]

What would extraterrestrials say about the nature of "aliens" (humans)?

First and foremost, aliens have been here for a long time, and they have the technology to blow us to smithereens. They are not here for warfare, or else there would have been advancement already.

Second, we are a very un-evolved society in general. Have you not seen how our cities look from a satellite image? They literally are the cancer on the Earth. There is no plant life or forestation. Just because many people on Earth live on the fear energy, doesn't mean that all souls do. Have you not heard of Saints from so many of Earth's religions?

 

[Smile]

For someone bashing inane ideas your addition to this discussion seems to be full of them. IMO

You have contributed nothing by saying this. Congratulations.

 

[LyfeCentenz]

You have contributed nothing by saying this. Congratulations.

I don't know if there was ever anything to contribute to in the first place so i'm quite alright with having nothing constructive or of substance to add to this SHIT.

 

[FILTH*DEE]

2012 IS WHEN SOME SHIT IS SUPPOSE TO GO DOWN IN EVOLUTION

 

[FILTH*DEE]

NICE

 

[ParkBoyz]

What's up White Devil!

Good find. It is remarkable how fast they developed these new traits. To a much lesser extent, this has also been seen among human beings, namely in Africa's Nile valley mesolithic populations. Among what was observed was mass dental reduction and facial elongation, among other changes. Such was explained due to the rapidly increasing aridity of a previously Savanna-like Sahara. The inhabitants were trapped along the banks and forced to adapt (See van Gerven--1973). This is not evolution however in the formal sense, because the Lizard and human populations still retained genetic affinity with their source populations. They did not genetically diverge, they developed adaptive traits. People in the andes with larger lung capacity are not "evolved humans", they just need larger lungs to take in more oxygen at high elevation.

On a side note, I used to post here a very long time ago and argue against evolution, mostly with a poster named G (wonder if he still posts here as well). I have no idea why I used to do that; denying evolution is just ridiculous so my point in making the above distinction wasn't to support any of my old arguments.

 

[JoMoDo]

I'm glad I've finally found the missing link for my proof of reptilian existence. shits no joke

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

What's up White Devil!

Good find. It is remarkable how fast they developed these new traits. To a much lesser extent, this has also been seen among human beings, namely in Africa's Nile valley mesolithic populations. Among what was observed was mass dental reduction and facial elongation, among other changes. Such was explained due to the rapidly increasing aridity of a previously Savanna-like Sahara. The inhabitants were trapped along the banks and forced to adapt (See van Gerven--1973). This is not evolution however in the formal sense, because the Lizard and human populations still retained genetic affinity with their source populations. They did not genetically diverge, they developed adaptive traits. People in the andes with larger lung capacity are not "evolved humans", they just need larger lungs to take in more oxygen at high elevation.

On a side note, I used to post here a very long time ago and argue against evolution, mostly with a poster named G (wonder if he still posts here as well). I have no idea why I used to do that; denying evolution is just ridiculous so my point in making the above distinction wasn't to support any of my old arguments.

Whats up fam been what, a year or two (three?) at least. Hope all is well with you.

Interesting about that particular Saharan population. I will look up that study when I have some time. ThaG is still here along with 206, Heresy, and several others. I have been much more inactive of late, but I do think ima spend more time comin through here and choppin it up, even while I know the high risk factor/fail rate for trying to battle most of the OGs here.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

First and foremost, aliens have been here for a long time, and they have the technology to blow us to smithereens. They are not here for warfare, or else there would have been advancement already.

Second, we are a very un-evolved society in general. Have you not seen how our cities look from a satellite image? They literally are the cancer on the Earth. There is no plant life or forestation. Just because many people on Earth live on the fear energy, doesn't mean that all souls do. Have you not heard of Saints from so many of Earth's religions?

My point is you are only approaching this with a limited geocentric perspective.

If extraterrestrials were to find us; to them WE would be aliens.

In that scenario the "aliens" (humans) would be malicious and destructive in nature as you have readily admitted.

So not only does that refute your point that aliens are not malicious in nature because from the perspective we are aliens we are also malicious in nature; it also lends credibility to the idea that other "aliens" COULD be malicious in nature as well.

From an evolutionary biological point of view, many of the characteristics that have allowed us as a species to evolve and progress technically are the same ones that contribute to our malicious and destructive nature.

Therefore, it's an assumption made with first hand evidence that a species that has developed the necessary level of technology to travel to Earth; may also share in the characteristics that similarly drive our own malicious behavior.