danot Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 My question is about the evolutionary process that allegedly is responsible for there being various groups of people of differing physical appearance, commonly known as races. I understand and accept the theory of what caused the various physical attributes which gives each race of people their particular look of ethnicity, but if it is simply the melanin in the body reacting to extremes of climate conditions, what would happen if for instance, the world has we know it ended tomorrow due to massive tidal waves of biblical proportions which resulted in 99% of humanity being wiped out. Now only two groups of people exist, a group of only white's in an extremely hot, dry and humid climate, and a group of only black's in an extremely cold,damp and green climate. If both groups lived this way for the next 100,000 years unaltered and uninterrupted by technology or modern day science, (as the world as we know it no longer exists remember) would the white group eventually evolve and develop the physical appearance of black people (and vice versa ) due to the extremes of climate which they have been accustomed to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pretty_big Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Often wondered this myself !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 never stop thinking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pretty_big Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Surely logic would say yes ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Surely logic would say yes ! Surely it would. Think of all the money saved by collagen lip implants to White women. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 If the evolutionary pressures were such that those with those attributes were more likely to reproduce, then possibly. However it is also possible different solutions may develop. Thing is it doesn't take 100,000 years for evolution to take effect. A white person going to a hot climate can change colouration within days. Interestingly Blacks don't because their colouring is natural, evolutionary wise that is. Cross continent interbreeding would also have an effect..as it does now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danot Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 If the evolutionary pressures were such that those with those attributes were more likely to reproduce, then possibly. However it is also possible different solutions may develop.Could physical attraction really affect the course of our evolution? I'm talking about genetics, specifically, how the human body is designed to adapt to changes to our environment that we have little if not no control over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sausagefinga Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Thing is it doesn't take 100,000 years for evolution to take effect. A white person going to a hot climate can change colouration within days. Interestingly Blacks don't because their colouring is natural, evolutionary wise that is. Cross continent interbreeding would also have an effect..as it does now. That is not evolution. The darker colouring will not be passed on to the next generation. In your example the tan/sunburn is an acquired trait. The child of a sunburnt man and a sunburnt women would not produced a red peeling child. Their appearance may change in response to the environment but their genetics will not have. (hopefully) On a side note I was wondering that if these two groups, that are seperated physically with very different environments, could have speciated within 100,000 years. I assume there is no interbreeding with these two populations are they are clearly in different parts of the world and are "uninterrupted by technology". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 They haven't actually changed colour - if they left that climate they would go back to being white. Actually, it should be noted it isn't the heat that causes the colour change. Yes I understand that. I was using it as a microcosm of evolution. Is there any evidence that man evolved from White to Black? considering Africa is the cradle of man. Excuse me but I've had a few Whiskys and lots of contradiction floating around mt head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinz Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 That is not evolution. The darker colouring will not be passed on to the next generation. In your example the tan/sunburn is an acquired trait. The child of a sunburnt man and a sunburnt women would not produced a red peeling child. Their appearance may change in response to the environment but their genetics will not have. (hopefully) Stand to be corrected but isn't their/our genetics Black? From an evolutionary perspective that is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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