Homo Erectus
 

http://www.canoe.ca/TravelChinaImage...archeology.jpg
Forgotten Apeman: a bust of the famous gorilla-browed skull, one of the fossils belonging to what scientists now call Homo erectus.

A small park on Beijing's outskirts marks one of the most famous finds in the search for mankind's origins: fossils of a creature part human, part ape, called Peking Man.

OK so we made this big jump from ape to man
 

You can see from the statue (artists have great imaginations) that it's indeed part ape, part man and all Asian. Also sporting a grin, as if to say "I'm going to kick all your ape asses with my brain power".

What I want to know is if we're currently scheduled to make any more jumps to the next level.

What will our transitional phase look like? Will we call these new humans by the town where they are first seen ("Chicago man - half man, half bubble headed, big eyed, pencil necked alien, IQ of 3000, bench presses 8lbs, soon to dominate the entire earth through uncomprehendable technology)

Maybe they already walk among us? The "Daily Alarmer" tabloids have photos of these guys all the time. Maybe they're real?

what's next?
 

Ok, I'm no scientist, but I play one on TV...

But my guess is that the next stage in human evolution will:

1. Not be physiologically significant. (i.e. You won't be able to tell by watching someone walking down the street.)
2. Involve a dramatic increase in the capacity/throughput of the human brain.

and (here's where it gets all fun and controversial...)

3. Engineered.

Anyone else think the next step in human evolution will involve kicking Darwin out the door?

peace,

mh

I think your observations about the next evolution of man being engineered are right on.

But I think the evolution will, indeed, involve significant physiological differences, first affecting longevity, and later involving appearance.

Don't think so
 

I think that there are at least two possible scenarios:

A) If you have 1) and 2) you probably didn't use 3)

and

B) If you did go for 3) you can throw 1) and 2) right out the window. Step aside when THOSE guys come through.

Well, new species develop over an incredibly long period of time. We're pretty unlikely to see in our lifetimes what random mutations stay in the gene pool for the long haul.

I think we are seeing some evolution within our own species right now. People live longer and grow taller...at least in the Western world. I would partially attribute that to better nutrition and medical technology.

yep
 

I just happened to drive by a big warehouse dance party one night, and there were hundreds of kids lined up outside waiting to get in.

I couldn't believe how many were at or over six feet tall.

I remember when being over six feet tall in high school was really something, you'd be instantly recruited by one of the sports teams. Now it's apparently no big deal.

We've been getting taller for over a centuary, mostly diet/health related. Go to a third would country, chances are you'll be a head taller.

Yea i'm saying engineered too, although i think if misused it'll be the end of us. Diversity is they key to forward change and development, there is now a signifigant base of evidence to suggest that there are multiple ways of wiring the brain that are fundamentally different, loss of any one of these etc i think in the long term will cause a profound loss to the human race.


This wired article has some facinating insights. The other problem with engineering is social, and its twofold, apart from the usual debate - a whole now degree of class struggle, there is one of behaviour modification. What is a defect and what is a personality trait? Mild autism, ADD, short fuses, all could be called 'defects' and removed, yet in reality, many are the things that make us individuals, scary stuff.

Best. Signature. Ever.

I had a heart attack from laughing so hard when I first read it.

Crap - how'd i miss that one lol.