Interesting to think about – how will humans appear in the future after many generations of evolution.
Recently National Geographic tried their hand at forecasting the future and ‘prophesized’ about humanity’s future evolutionary trajectory. Their first quatrain reveals that the evolution of humankind has come to a halt.
As Darwin wrote in his book – On the Origin of Species – Natural selection happens when for genetic reasons, a mutant transformation gets handed down the family tree since it may be of some benefit. Eventually this transformation is the new standard.
However, if populations do not remain remote from one another, crossbred inhabitants cause difficulty for any noteworthy modifications to embed themselves in the genetic sequence unit and this is where humans are at today. This, according to an anthropology expert.
The next guess at the future of man is that we will carry on evolving coupled with copious bits of proof that we as a species have yet to cease our Darwinian morphing. An evolutionary psychologist from the University of New Mexico, believes that human progression is in fact, moving at a quickened pace.
He put a spotlight on how we choose our sexual mate as one of the motivating factors. Humans have a strong urge in selecting their mates and this is determining psychological characteristics. Specifically those features required to be financially sound and a capacity to rear children.
Having a powerful sexual preference process is innately imbedded in humans particularly due to technical advancement, this will have a broader impact on a person’s general intelligence and the ability to provide financially and be socially acceptable. The more challenging technology becomes, the greater the intellect one requires to be good at it.
Still another prognostication into future humankind is that we as a species with thumbs may accomplish a form of technological immortality in the millennia to follow. The term transhumanism is becoming more popular as individuals begin to take control of their evolutionary destinies and work toward surpassing any organic restrictions that we have been burdened with utilizing our technical expertise.
Transhumanism poses a wonderful number of potentialities such as the mythical super warrior, athletes who excel beyond the norm of human ability, and even those who have achieved immortality by having cerebral scans one atom at a time so they achieve data transfer – very Matrix-like.
The director of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University states that on top of immortality, these data mined individuals would have an ability to reach speed of light travel via data pattern. They would be able to download their being to automatons and take a walkabout in the actual world. They would think at phenomenal speed while operating on futuristic operation platforms. Their food budget would also be nil.
The last National Geographic futuristic insight is that we as a species require segregation in order to change and therefore interplanetary exploration and migration could actually ignite even more evolutionary development.
If humankind ever establishes colonies on other planets in the far corners of our universe, it could mean that the necessary distancing has been achieved for new post-earthling species to be created.
If in the future, astral travelers from earth took no-return flights to unknown planets, this could be the fuse to ignite the evolutionary formation of new natural human species.
Fri, Nov 27, 2009
Bioscience, Immortality, Longevity