evolution

[snorbitz]

if we evolved why are there so many different types of human? i e african, chinese,alaskan's. is it just the envoirement that we live?

[heathfield]

There are many indications that the environment is the cause of such changes.
Northern asiatics, including eskimo - layer of fatty tissue over the eyelids to keep the eyes warm, giving them a slanted look.
Caucasian - long noses to help warm the air entering the lungs.
Equatorial - dark skin to radiate heat from the body more efficiently.
Etc, etc.
These, and many other distinguishing features, help anthropologists determine the geographic origins of the world's peoples.

[dot.hawkes]

that is what evolution means, we can't evolve in a static environment, goldfish grow bigger and tougher in a larger pond, the only thing that doesn't seem to evolve is the pet dog, they either resist it or stay static because humans suppress their evolution by giving then an unnatural habitat and pampering to their needs.

[vehelpfulguy]

That it what Chalres Darwin noticed in the Galapogos Islands, and set him off on his Origin of the Species.

There are finches on all the islands, but they all had slightly different beaks.

This was because the food they ate on each island was different, which meant their beaks evolved slightly differently to make the best of the food available.

He carefully collected all the finches and studied them on the way home, but had forgotten to note which finch came from which island, but it had sown the seed in his mind.

He was also told that which island a turtle came from could by identified by the pattern on its back. They brought home loads of turtles, but they were eaten on the boat and their shells thrown overboard, so he was not able to study the different shapes.

[Grunty]

I wonder if heathfield could expand on the dark skin theory. I would have thought that light skin would radiate the heat and dark skin would absorb it.

[Chocolatelvr]

yall' know that be4 the guy who thought of evolution died he said that there was know way to prove it with out a higher person aka GOD!! ok if u guys aren't christians then u better get u butts up ans go cause God is there!!!!! Evoulution is dumb i mean evoultion its like ok , here is a volley ball next to a basket ball the BOOM into a golf ball give me a break!!!!basically thats what u are saying!!!!!!!!i dont see myself sniffing other ppls butts NS ITCHING MY PITTS AND EATING BANANAS AT THE SAME TIME. so if u have a another opion just write it down it go put it in the trash can ill get back to u ASAP!!

[jake-the-peg]

Well I must say choclatelvr has caused me to re-evaluate my conception of human evolution.

Until I read (tried to read) that I was under the distict impression that Neanderthals had been extinct for thousands of years - Now one pops up on the Answerbank!

Looks like I'm off for my Nobel prize!

[heathfield]

Jake - just goes to show, there are throwbacks in every species!
And Grunty- white reflects light and heat, black absorbs heat, but also radiates it.
There are several factors regarding skin colour and climate, some discussed here

[Octavius]

Modern Homo Sapiens originated between 110 ,000 and 50,000 years ago. But until 50,000 years ago, it existed only in Africa. Then, in just a few thousand years, they suddenly expanded into the whole of Europe and Asia, and eradicated all the previous humanoids like Homo Neanderthalus and Homo Erectus. Genetic research shows that certain genes related to the brain size have changed, indicating that humans are still evolving (indeed some areas of genetic modifying aka designer babies, may even evolve into a new species altogether in a few hundred thousand years or so).

One can note that a Darwinian type of evolution today exists not only for Homo Sapiens itself, but for various cultural organisations of humans within the species. The difference between cultures or human �families� is as a result of an evolutionary �genetic drift� along the lines of survival of the species to suit the environment, as heathfield has so adequately identified above.

[snorbitz]

thank you all for your answers, very helpful. now i have an answer for people like chocolatelvr.