If we look at multiple genes, the ethnic variations such as the ones we found are likely to be counterbalanced by other differences. Just because these genes are still evolving, doesn't necessarily mean they make you any smarter. We've evolved genes for selfishness, violence, cruelty û- all of which are in place because they may make survival easier. |
If we look at multiple genes, the ethnic variations--such as the ones we found--are likely to be counterbalanced by other differences. It just happens that we looked at two genes for which the variants favored by selection have a higher frequency in some populations, such as Europeans. It might be that for the next two brain size genes we find, the variants favored by selection will have a higher frequency in Asians or Africans. |
In a very short period of time, this class of variants arose from a single copy to many copies. That implies that this must have happened because of positive selection. |
Meanwhile, our environment and the skills we need to survive in it are changing faster then we ever imagined. I would expect the human brain, which has done well by us so far, will continue to adapt to those changes. |
My concern is that this is going to become justification for prejudices against certain groups. |
Our studies indicate that the trend that is the defining characteristic of human evolution -- the growth of brain size and complexity -- is likely still going on. If our species survives for another million years or so, I would imagine that the brain by then would show significant structural differences from the human brain of today. |
Our studies indicate that the trend that is the defining characteristic of human evolution--the growth of brain size and complexity--is likely still going on. Meanwhile, our environment and the skills we need to survive in it are changing faster then we ever imagined. I would expect the human brain, which has done well by us so far, will continue to adapt to those changes. |
People like to think of modern human biology, and especially mental biology, as being the result of selections that took place 100,000 years ago. But our research shows that humans are still under selection, not just for things like disease resistance but for cognitive abilities. |
The jury is still out on what this means because we aren't entirely sure what these genes do. It's possible they just control size and shape of the brain, rather than cognition. But the data is pretty compelling that the brain is evolving. |
The next step is to find out what biological difference imparted by this genetic difference causes selection to favor that variation over the others. |
We don't know what these new variants do. But they might confer a selective advantage by improving cognitive abilities. This needs to be confirmed. |
We, including scientists, have considered ourselves as sort of the pinnacle of evolution. |
We're envisioning what societies will want. |