Future human evolution: What we might look like 4m yrs from now

[Larson Conway]

I've always been intrigued about the possibility of further evolution of the human race in the future. Dug up some articles on the matter and they were all very intriguing to say the least. Two positions on it, it seems: one being "evolution STOPS" and the other being "we evolve FURTHER".

This 2008 article says that future humans will resemble the human race as we are now:

• 'We now know so much about the process of evolution that we can make some predictions about what might happen in future.'
• 'In a modern world of central heating and plenty of food, mutation is far less likely to give a child any advantage.'
• 'History is made in bed, but nowadays the beds are getting closer together. We are mixing into a global mass, and the future is brown.'

Here's an interesting 2005 article about possible different stages of future human evolution. Visual-interactive look here. Some highlights:

• We become "Unihumans": interracial, intergenetics, inter-everything (this article is in agreement)
• There could be "Survivalistians": humans who evolve to adapt to harsh conditions after a supposed apocalyptic event
• "Numans" versus "Naturals": the battle between the genetically-modified and the purist-humans
• "Homo roboticus" is the scientific term for cyborgs: humans who have grown to have a symbiotic relationship with robotics
• For interstellar travel, we become "Astrans": humans who have been genetically and robotic-ally re-engineered to be able to survive "voyages" to other star systems

We will evolve only into two distinct kinds of humans, according to this 2007 article:

• The human race will one day split into two separate species, an attractive, intelligent ruling elite and an underclass of dim-witted, ugly goblin-like creatures
• Human race will have reached its physical peak by the year 3000
• "Physical features will be driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility that men and women have evolved to look for in potential mates."
• Advances in cosmetic surgery and other body modifying techniques will effectively homogenise our appearance
• While humans will reach their peak in 1000 years' time, 10,000 years later our reliance on technology will have begun to dramatically change our appearance.
• Medicine will weaken our immune system and we will begin to appear more child-like
• "Over-reliance on technology will reduce our natural capacity to resist disease, or our evolved ability to get along with each other."

What does GAF have to say?

[Bernbaum]

Men will still have nipples.

[akachan ningen]

[speculawyer]

Evolution has slowed but has certainly not stopped. Speciation not likely to happen since we now live in a global village.

I think the races will melt away for the most part.

[Hitokage]

Joy, somebody just discovered H. G. Wells.

I think the races will melt away for the most part.

Not at all likely to happen. The selective pressures of UV radiation and Vitamin D production that created color disparities in the first place haven't gone away.

[Larson Conway]

Joy, somebody just discovered H. G. Wells.

*Does more googling.

[PjotrStroganov]

Unless we find a way to remove the major imperfections from our genes(cancer etc.), medicine will cause our species to weaken. We are going the way of the dodo.

[Hitokage]

*Does more googling.

The two class scenario is ripped out of The Time Machine.

[Alx]

Evolution has slowed

When did that happen ???

[The Experiment]

So who are the Eloi and who are the Morlocks?

[YYZ]

that two classes thing is intresting, but a little out-of-date now. Yes, it is literally the plot of The Time Machine, which makes that bullet point lol-worthy.


During that time, there was more of a disparity between the upper and lower classes. Although the counter argument is that there will be expensive modifications that poor people can't afford and the more wealthy will only become more attracted to the more wealthy (some the exceptions of the Romeo and Juliet scenarios).

[Larson Conway]

The two class scenario is ripped out of The Time Machine.

Indeed. And it's quite shameful that the closest I've ever been to to Well's theory on future humans is the film adaptation of The Time Machine. Wouldn't know if the film's even faithful to the book.

EDIT:

that two classes thing is intresting, but a little out-of-date now. Yes, it is literally the plot of The Time Machine, which makes that bullet point lol-worthy. During that time, there was more of a disparity between the upper and lower classes. Although the counter argument is that there will be expensive modifications that poor people can't afford and the more wealthy will only become more attracted to the more wealthy (some the exceptions of the Romeo and Juliet scenarios).

Ah, makes sense. I'm new to this, if I'm being honest, so that sounds...new and interesting to me. :P

[RevenantKioku]

When did that happen ???

When people stopped dying of simple infections or diseases in their youth.

[nubbe]

With genetic engineering and nanotech, who the fuck knows?

[Powerslave]

lmao at the notion that we came from monkeys

[D4Danger]

"Homo roboticus" is the scientific term for cyborgs: humans who have grown to have a symbiotic relationship with robotics

http://www.geol.lsu.edu/hart/NOTES/h_roboticus.htm

As humankind evolves there will be a limit to what genetic changes are possible before Homo meets an environment that cannot be colonized. To progress further humankind must then become an individual entity that is beyond the concept of a genetically altered human being or an extra-terrestrial probe. This is where and when Homo roboticus must evolve. Those belonging to Homo roboticus will be individuals in which control is still by a conscious human mind existing within a normal biological human brain. However, the body to which this brain is attached or implanted is totally manufactured.

It's interesting stuff but doesn't seem feasible.

[Grug]

lmao at the notion that we came from monkeys

LMAO at deluded people who think humans are any more "special" than any other of the millions of species on the planet.

Evolution is real. Deal with it, or GTFO of the thread.

[Bernbaum]

lmao at the notion that we came from monkeys

True dat. We are apes, not monkeys.

[Powerslave]

what happened to the 40 steps of evolution between ape and human? Oh they just disappeared huh?

[CTLance]

Heh... what a coincidence, I just re-read Asimovs "The last question". In it, humanity unifies into one being over the course of eons. That's something I could see happen, if we manage to survive for long enough (which in turn I'm not nearly as optimistic about).

I agree with the parts in the OP that states that evolution will take a turn and possibly slow down thanks to medicine and general advancements toning down the (dis)advantages of mutations.

I think we'll start to influence our own evolution by ways we currently just don't notice yet. We will adapt to a world which we ourselves shape, which means any prediction is highly imprecise. Maybe we'll gain the ability to become fat blobs of lard. Maybe we'll all become skinny dudes with huge eyes and brains. I refuse to predict how technology will advance even only the next 500 years. And the internet shows just how fundamentally even small changes affect the world.

Plus, we're still bloody savages, clubbing each other over the noggin for stuff that won't matter over the long run while we're consuming resources at an alarming rate - while others starve to death in miserable conditions. I'm not so sure we'll survive long enough to really evolve significantly before some sudden shift will force the issue.

[Dabookerman]

I think he's kidding.

[Alx]

When people stopped dying of simple infections or diseases in their youth.

I can see the reasoning behind this, but I'm not sure less mortality involves a decrease of evolution. Maybe a decrease of natural selection. But with more people making more childrens who will live long enough to reproduce, you should increase the chances of random changes and their propagation through the population.

[Sir Fragula]

I think he's kidding.

Hope so.

[Binabik15]

that two classes thing is intresting, but a little out-of-date now. Yes, it is literally the plot of The Time Machine, which makes that bullet point lol-worthy. During that time, there was more of a disparity between the upper and lower classes. Although the counter argument is that there will be expensive modifications that poor people can't afford and the more wealthy will only become more attracted to the more wealthy (some the exceptions of the Romeo and Juliet scenarios).

Sexual selection is very important in human evolution at this point. No longer the strongest dude gets all the girls. The most "desirable" people will get all the attention.

BUT with contraception and people wanting to "have a career" many children come from "lower class" here in Europe and overall population declines. That could mean that in 500 years everybody around here could be the result of people to drunk/dense to use birth control

[OnkelC]

[MrHicks]

there are actually theories out there that "the greys" are humanity from the future...time traveling and visiting the past

[Wii]

We evolve into desktop PCs?! :O

Looks like Homo Erectus is about to murder Homo Rhodesiensis?

[Mr. Pointy]

there are actually theories out there that "the greys" are humanity from the future...time traveling and visiting the past

I wonder why our future selves will think that there is much to be learned from us through anal probes?

[Sir Fragula]

I can see the reasoning behind this, but I'm not sure less mortality involves a decrease of evolution. Maybe a decrease of natural selection. But with more people making more childrens who will live long enough to reproduce, you should increase the chances of random changes and their propagation through the population.

Yes, but those children will no longer die young as a result of genetic disease. If we don't have methods to manually correct such problems before birth, then the fact that medicine allows people with those diseases to live will mean those diseases will become more prevalant.

[Mohonky]

there are actually theories out there that "the greys" are humanity from the future...time traveling and visiting the past

That's my theory. First I've ever heard of anyone else mention it but I always thought what we might otherwise consider aliens are infact an evolution of humans visiting the past.

If I am abducted by aliens tonight and do not return, I think we can consider this confirmed.

[klausbert]

Wow. Those predictions are pretty shitty when you have read Time Machine by H G Wells, which was written 114 years ago.

[Mr. Durden]

LMAO at deluded people who think humans are any more "special" than any other of the millions of species on the planet. Evolution is real. Deal with it, or GTFO of the thread.

Euhm didn't you get the latest update on evolution? The Homo Sapiens don't decent from the Neanderthalers.... The Neanderthalers and Homo Sapiens even lived in the same time fame for a period of time. It is indeed very likely the Neanderthalers do decent from apes just like monkeys, it is however very dificult to know where the Homo Sapiens come from, all they know is that originate from Africa, about 150.000 years ago and that they've started scattering througout the rest of the world from there out. There are even fossils showing interbreeding between Homo Sapiens and the Neanderthalers. Therefore the theories that our current breed doesn't even originate from earth isn't such a far stretch. Since the Homo Sapiens were quite different from the other primal species living on earth such as the Neanderthalers and the other species that became extinct in Australia. Of course these findings aren't widely accepted, but still, it's not as simple as it used to be anymore.

[speculawyer]

When people stopped dying of simple infections or diseases in their youth.

Exactly. Plus many more things such as welfare, help for people with disabilities, fertility treatments, IVF, etc.


Nothing wrong with these things, but they slow evolution by natural selection.

[Bernbaum]

We evolve into desktop PCs?! :O Looks like Homo Erectus is about to murder Homo Rhodesiensis?

Wii, you are the most bizarre, unpredictable poster on GAF. Your posts span from inane, juvenile banter to some pretty in depth stuff when it comes to technology and science, and then back to borderline fanboyish comments on gamingside threads, and posts that are complete non sequiturs to the discussion being had and then back to highly intelligent responses and then the next four threads I open up, you've responded with nothing but the : lol emoticon.

And then, bam, out of no where you amaze me with your ability to accurately recognise different species of hominid from a single picture.

I am convinced that you are actually 3 or 4 different people using the same account.

Never stop amazing me.

[Wii]

We were genetically engineered from apes (the most evolved creature on this planet) by human-looking aliens to look like them.
That's how we lost two chromosomes, lost all our strength, started growing hair on our chests rather than on our backs like apes in such a short time.

Neanderthal man evolved into Bigfoot/Yeti/etc, that's why they're so hairy.

I'm kidding you idiots!

[speculawyer]

I can see the reasoning behind this, but I'm not sure less mortality involves a decrease of evolution. Maybe a decrease of natural selection. But with more people making more childrens who will live long enough to reproduce, you should increase the chances of random changes and their propagation through the population.

But the only way a particular random change propagates through a population is through natural selection . . . hence evolution has slowed.

[Bernbaum]

nvm

[Graf Nudu]

[Wii]

Wii, you are the most bizarre, unpredictable poster on GAF. Your posts span from inane, juvenile banter to some pretty in depth stuff when it comes to technology and science, and then back to borderline fanboyish comments on gamingside threads, and posts that are complete non sequiturs to the discussion being had and then back to highly intelligent responses and then the next four threads I open up, you've responded with nothing but the : lol emoticon. And then, bam, out of no where you amaze me with your ability to accurately recognise different species of hominid from a single picture. I am convinced that you are actually 3 or 4 different people using the same account. Never stop amazing me.

Fanboyish?! Why I never!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywld4xFHiM

But thank you :P

[Napoleonthechimp]

Believe it or not I read that 2008 article on GAF in 2008.

I think I saw a representation of what the other versions of humans would look like and it was basically us but with a tan.

[Bernbaum]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hywld4xFHiM

O_O

[Alx]

But the only way a particular random change propagates through a population is through natural selection . . . hence evolution has slowed.

Well, natural selection makes it propagate in percentage, but if there is less selection, the changes won't disappear, and the number of people carrying them will grow larger along the generations. So it would be an evolution towards diversification instead of specialization (no more "only the fit will survive") but it's still evolution.
Besides, death is not the only mean of natural selection. All parameters helping some kind of people to reproduce themselves more than others are a way of spreading the characteristics of these people.

[Hitokage]

But the only way a particular random change propagates through a population is through natural selection . . . hence evolution has slowed.

Uh, read up on genetic drift and sexual selection.

[KHarvey16]

Advances in cosmetic surgery and other body modifying techniques will effectively homogenise our appearance

How? I'm curious.

[Diablos]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

[Rektash]

This thread desperatly lacks more Brave New World influence.

[RevenantKioku]

Uh, read up on genetic drift and sexual selection.

Instead of reading, can't I just make rash assumptions?

[Esperado]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?

Asian grandmother.

[Shockgamer]

How? I'm curious.

Nobody wants to be the ugly duckling. Make the proceedures cheap and risk free enough and you'll inevitably give rise to a society of Barbie and Ken dolls. I mean, look at what we do to ourselves today. We get botox injected into our faces, get nose jobs and plastic surgery done, get breast implants, liposuctions, get tans, cover our faces in layers of make up, buy rogaine and get hair transplants, buy viagra, buy steroids, buy into gym memberships and equipment, get tattoos, get piercings, buy nice clothes to impress other people with. We continue to develop things like excerise pills that give people the benefit of the excercise without the the exertion or effort, pills designed to grow muscles without the negative effects of steroids, stem cell treatments to grow bigger 'natural' breasts.

Of course, you'll also always have the people who won't want to conform and would use such advanced medical proceedures to declare individuality. The practical definition of humanity would be shattered as instead of the races homogenizing, you see them become even more distinct and different. How funny would it be for us to never find alien species, but to effectively create them by altering ourselves out of the standard defintion of human? Already we have subcultures of people who proudly embrace the idea of being something not traditionally human, it's just a matter of giving them better tools to accomplish their goals.

There's also the consideration of brain machine interfaces. I mean, if we're going to shoot out 4 million years and assume that we haven't been killed off, it's pretty safe to say that we would have perfected such a thing. Through videogames, we effectively live other lives in other dimensions, it's just that because we still use controllers and are separated by television screens and computer monitors, most people still keep the experience at an arm's length. However, if somebody would really experience World of Warcraft or Gears of War or Mario as if they were actually there, as those characters, what would that mean for the definiton of reality?

Overall, I'd say that if humanity were to live for 4 million more years and not end up being killed off or sent into a permanent dark age by disaster or war, that we'd effectively end up as gods, able to get whatever we want, be whatever we want and experience whatever we want. We would know no desire because we would only whisper our wishes to the air and get them. An enviable position, yet at the same time, a pitiable one.

[Matt_C]

Euhm didn't you get the latest update on evolution? The Homo Sapiens don't decent from the Neanderthalers.... The Neanderthalers and Homo Sapiens even lived in the same time fame for a period of time. It is indeed very likely the Neanderthalers do decent from apes just like monkeys, it is however very dificult to know where the Homo Sapiens come from, all they know is that originate from Africa, about 150.000 years ago and that they've started scattering througout the rest of the world from there out. There are even fossils showing interbreeding between Homo Sapiens and the Neanderthalers. Therefore the theories that our current breed doesn't even originate from earth isn't such a far stretch. Since the Homo Sapiens were quite different from the other primal species living on earth such as the Neanderthalers and the other species that became extinct in Australia. Of course these findings aren't widely accepted, but still, it's not as simple as it used to be anymore.

Well I guess we are cylons then.