The Current Evidence of Human Evolution - Essay Example

The current Evidence on Human Evolution DNA evidence shows that modern human beings originated about the past 250,000 from Africa. Modern humans havedeveloped emotions, language, introspection and brain that are capable of intellectual reasoning (Bednarik &Falk, 2011, p.34). This human mental competence when combined with arms controlling objects, has given humans a chance to make greater use of many tools than all other species that are existent. Humans are also social in nature just like most primates, however, modern humans have adapted to communication systems for exchanging ideas, self-expression and organization (Ward, 1993, p.19). Unlike in the past, modern humans have created complex communal structures that are composed of many competing and cooperating groups, from individuals’ families to states. Social communications between humans also have established wide diversity of traditions, values, ethics, laws and social norms which all form human society’s basis modern humans have showed a bigger appreciation for aesthetics and beauty which when joint with the wish for self-expression, it has led to modernizations like music, literature and art. Modern humans are largely distinguished for their numerous desires to comprehend and influence the earth in search of answers to of explaining and manipulating normal phenomena through religion, science, mythology and philosophy (Cremo, 2010, p.49). This curiosity is what has enhanced the development of skills and advanced tools; modern humans are the only species that are currently known to clothe themselves, cook their food, build fires, and develop and enhance other numerous technologies (O’higgin &Cohn, 2000, p.89). This is unlike in the past where species dint use to light fires, eat healthy and nutritious food clothe themselves or know how to use any modern tools which shows that human beings have evolved over many years and are still evolving. Modern humans also pass their knowledge and skills to future generations through continuous education. Modern humans are genetically different from early human because of the increased rate of evolution which is as a result of increase growth of human population and their movements into new environments like cities, where most are taken as major subject to emerging natural collection pressures (Cunnanes & Stewart, 2010, p83). Evolution of human is characterized by various essential morphological, behavioral, physiological and developmental changes that have occurred since the split between chimpanzees and the last human being’s ancestor. The first morphological change that occurred was the bipedal loco motor evolution an adaptation from semi-arboreal or arboreal one, with all its related adaptations, like a valgus knee, reduced strength of the upper body and low intermembral body index (Donald, 1991, p.68). Years later the past human developing larger brains that were twice as the gorillas’ or chimpanzees’ capacity. Modern humans postnatal growth of their brains differs greatly from that of apes or gorillas and gives room for much longer social learning periods and acquisition of language in juvenile humans. It’s argued by physical anthropologists that there is much significance in the differences between human brains structure and those apes or gorillas compared to their body sizes (Nitecki & Nitecki, 1987, p.93). Other important morphological changes that have occurred in the past many years include: decrease of canine tooth, the evolution precision grip and power; masticatory system that is reduced; and the development of the hyoid and larynx bone, that makes speech possible. A physiological change that was very important in humans’ beings was the evolution of hidden ovulation that may have concurred essential behavioral changes’ evolution, for example pair bonding (Elewa, 2010, p.58). Another important social change was material cultures were the development, with man-made substances becoming gradually common and spread over time. There has also has been a great change diet change from the ancient periods. Vegetarians worldwide are now dependent on foods that are made from cereal grains (Gangestad & Simpson, 2007, p.26). It’s likely that all kinds of human species have all adapted to these and many other new environmental change pressures since it have developed a steadily larger hereditary diversity.   A population that is larger naturally has more alterations adding difference to its genetic factor pool basically because more people are there (Haviland & Haviland, 2014, p.68). This can happen even if the rate of mutation per a single person remains constant.  However, there might be an increase in the mutation rate because human beings have been exposed to a lot of new environmental pollutions that are man-made which may cause additional mutations. It’s however not clear what behavioral and environmental changes consequences have been. It has appeared that the normal body size of human body has become shorter in the past 10,000 years, and humans have also acquired extensive immunity to more adverse effects of diseases like influenza and measles. Human beings over time have also adapted to different environmental changes which is a great factor that boosts human evolutions’ over recent years. For example adaptation to climatic changes as a result of early movement out of the African continent exposed ancestral inhabitants to much colder surroundings, with less sunlight (Harrison, 2011, p.113). These new environmental differences were adapted by humans and are to date still evolving and responding differently to different climatic changes. Those in Africa also were able to adapt well to its surrounding. Another adaptation was the dietary adaptation, over the past years early human to modern human have been able to adapt to various dietary changes that have occurred and are still occurring (Gibson, 1998, p.31). In the past human were largely dependent on wild fruits and agricultural products which are still used to date. Adaptation to pathogens Infectious diseases throughout many centuries have continually been a major cause of mortality. This is mainly because humans have undergone variety of demographic changes and occupied new areas; diseases’ spectrum has also varied through time; For example, our denser and larger populations are making it easier for many contagious diseases, like small pox, influenza, tuberculosis and the plague, to spread rapidly through all communities and cause disorders (Summers, 2013, p.61).  This has increased a strong selection for those individuals with high immune systems which allow them to survive. Conclusion Human beings are continually evolving to date and will still evolve in future. As they have evolved from the past millions years so will their evolution continue till they are extinct (Lewin, 2005, p.74) Various researches have conducted have confirmed human in future to contain the following characteristics; lack of wisdom teeth, disappearance of race difference, less hair, resistance to heart diseases and diabetes , more vulnerability to pathogens and physical weakness. Bibliography BEDNARIK, R. G., & FALK, D. (2011). The human condition. New York, Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9353-3. CREMO, M. A. (2010). The forbidden archeologist: the Atlantis Rising magazine columns of Michael A. Cremo. Los Angeles, Bhaktivedanta Book Pub. CUNNANE, S. C., & STEWART, K. M. (2010). Human brain evolution the influence of freshwater and marine food resources. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley-Blackwell. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10419456. DONALD, M. (1991). Origins of the modern mind: three stages in the evolution of culture and cognition. 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