Recent and Current Human Evolution
Natural selection occurs in modern human populations. For example, the population which is at risk of the severe debilitating disease kuru has significant over-representation of an immune variant of the prion protein gene G127V versus non-immune alleles. The frequency of this genetic variant is due to the survival of immune persons. Other reported evolutionary trends in other populations include a lengthening of the reproductive period, reduction in cholesterol levels, blood glucose and blood pressure.
It has been argued that human evolution has accelerated since, and as a result of, the development of agriculture and civilization some 10,000 years ago. It is claimed that this has resulted in substantial genetic differences between different current human populations. Lactase persistence is an example of such recent evolution.
Read more about this topic: Human Evolution
Famous quotes containing the words current, human and/or evolution:
“If the current is right, one can drift to success.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
“The poet’s place, it seems to me, is with the Mr. Hydes of human nature.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)
“The more specific idea of evolution now reached is—a change from an indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a definite, coherent heterogeneity, accompanying the dissipation of motion and integration of matter.”
—Herbert Spencer (1820–1903)