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What Will Humans Look Like In 1/2 A Million Years?

NOT for Religious Debate - Science Only
For the Religious angle please see: Intelligent Design

Question: What would humans look like in half a million years?

Obviously there is no possible way to know what kind of evolutionary changes could take place within us over half a million years, but I think it is interesting to speculate.

My analysis of the subject comes solely from alien conjecture. People always describe certain aliens as short, extremely pale, hairless, large headed creatures with basically no mouths and no noses.

Perhaps in half a million years we will have developed a way to live for hundreds of years by slowing the growth of our bodies and relying more heavily on our brains. Living in space might provide the pale skin and the devoidance of a nose (Nothing to smell). Perhaps telepathic communication and a new way of nourishing the body remove the need for mouths. A hairless body would also indicate a lack of dying skin cells.(I'm not so sure about that last one, so if anybody can tell me otherwise I would like to hear it.)

I'm not saying any of it is fact, or that it could even possibly happen, I'm just trying to start a conversation: If we evolved from monkeys, who says we can't evolve into aliens?

JMississippi

Years Million Like Humans What

While I appreciate your interest in this topic, I disagree with the basics. You are starting off by assuming two things as true: One, that there are such creatures as aliens; and, Two, that humans evolved from monkeys. (Yes, I know you put a disclaimer at the end, but your conversation starts from here.)

I don't believe either of those things to be true. I believe in 500,000 years we will still look like humans, because humans were designed by an Intelligence and not evolved from pond scum. We are too complex to have been an accident.

I recently read a quote that said, "If men evolved from apes, why are there still apes?"

What Will Humans Look Like In 1/2 A Million Years? UFO & Writing Art Education Sciences

I would be curious to listen to your insight on the discovery of other human species such as Homo Florensis, Homo Erectus, and Homo Habilis.

Rather off topic, but...
Do you feel they are separate distinct creatures created by God? Does your ideas of intelligent placement by God extend to all other creatures?

How would you explain the multiple different species of cats and other such animals? If we do not evolve, how would explain genetic mutations?

I do realize that evolution is in no way completely provable and I do most definitely believe that we were put here by a higher power.

Rather off topic, but...
I just think it is a great injustice to God to just dismiss the idea that he might have molded us from even the tiniest fragments of life. I don't make any claims to know how God created life, I only sit back and watch in amazement. You have to admit, it is pretty incredible.

PS. I apologize if I asked too many questions. I just like to get insight from people with different opinions.

Message Edited...
Persephone: This Topic is in the Science related Board therefore Religion and Religious points of view should not be brought up here. For the Religious angle please see: Intelligent Design

Years Million Like Humans What

First of all, in the literal way, it is impossible for us to evolve into aliens, because alien means from another planet, and we cannot be aliens to ourselves. It maybe possible that we will evolve into something close to how we envision aliens, but all the changes which you described would have to take more than half a million years, in my opinion.

Offtopic but, QUOTE I recently read a quote that said, "If men evolved from apes, why are there still apes?" Evolution does not have to be worldwide. Humans may evolve from apes in one isolated place while in another the apes still remain.

Evolution does not have to be worldwide. Humans may evolve from apes in one isolated place while in another the apes still remain.

Years Million Like Humans What

Another missing point here is that macro evolutionary proof does not exist. Species have definitely evolved within their own species, thus showing why there are so many different species of cat. However, if you are a logical thinking person, it would seem to beg the asking, how a hundred million years of humans evolving from apes could go with little to no evidence of it happening. We can find entire skeletons of dinosaurs that live 100 million years ago, but not a full skeleton of at least one from every stage of human evolution? They should be closer to the top and easier to find. As for your questions, Homo Florensis, Homo Erectus are both excellent examples of humans evolving withing their species. Homo Habilis is suspected of being pieces of other species of apes and some human constructed to make an in between species of human and is not even shown as definitely human in the Smithsonian Institute.

In half a million years, we will look different, but still human. We will evolve to fit our surroundings even more, that is if we aren't extinct but will not evolve into something else completely. As for living in space, if we do, then we will decidedly evolve towards adapting to that environment, at least those that live in space will. Life begets life, if we survive, it will be because we adapt to the world as it is in half a million years.

What Will Humans Look Like In 1/2 A Million Years?

That isn't what I said, and in fact that is exactly what He did, in my opinion. What I said was, we were "not evolved from pond scum."

Of course! Including grass, trees, insects, water, air, and dirt, etc. etc. etc. He created the entire universe; why would humans be the only item intelligently designed? Nothing on this earth is an accident.

God is infinite in His wisdom. Do you think He would create just ONE type of cat? I don't suppose to second guess Him. In the case of cats and dogs specifically, there has also been human intervention there, and even in certain plants and such. I would guess that many, if not most, of those instances aren't "evolution" but cross-breeding and hybridizing.

Genetic mutations are exactly that: genetic mutations. I suppose that humans can evolve to adapt to their surroundings, but evolve into another creature altogether? I just don't buy it.

What Humans Like 1/2 Million Years

First, a definition of evolution.

500,000 years down the road, we could look, act, and think entirely differently. However, this would NOT be a result of natural evolution as I will now explain.

Alright, to start off, I would first explain that as society progressess, human beings will evolve PHYSICALLY, less and less. This is because evolution is based upon "Natural Selection". The strong survive, and the weak die off. In America, and many countries today, Natural Selection is no longer a factor. With modern medicine and highly prosperous societies, there are no longer survival distinctions between the strong and the weak. Everyone is saved in our societies, and they go on to reproduce. Human beings' brains will not evolve further if things continue as they are, because further evolution does not increase survival rates. In today's society, regardless of how intelligent or strong a person is, his chances of surviving and reproducing are barely greater than that of some random dullard off the street. Granted, horrible genetic diseases that quickly kill the young will eventually be weeded out of the gene pool, but those that don't kill the young will remain.

However, one must take into consideration that there is another type of evolution aside from the physical; cultural and technological evolution. As human beings compound their knowledge, the species as a whole becomes more prosperous. As a result of technological evolution, human beings could be vastly different a few thousand years down the road. It all depends upon whether we eventually begin to use our knowledge in genetic engineering. It is my assumption that eventually minor forms of genetic manipulation will be allowed. The greatest defects in human children will be removed, such as mental retardation and other diseases.

Eventually this will lead to people saying:
"Well, why not go just a LITTLE further? I want my son to be a great athlete!".

Eventually there will be no tangible line between what we CAN manipulate and what we SHOULD. Human beings will undergo vast physical changes as a result of genetic engineering. With that in mind, it's not really possible to even remotely predict what we'll look like 500,000 years down the road. Something tells me we won't make it that far.. .

Also, in regards to evolution versus creationism:

The idea of intelligent design is completely illogical. To say that life is too complex to not have been created by the intelligent design of some higher being is absurd. Who are WE to say what is complex and isn't? Our limited human cognisance has only a subjective view of the world around us. To us, life and existence are vast and complex, yet to suggest that all of this HAD to have been created by intelligence is no sort of logical proof. Simply because we can't imagine it being otherwise doesn't make it so.

Rather off topic, but...
Also, on a further note, who's to say HOW "God" Actually created life? Perhaps evolution was his tool, or means of creating life? If one uses the Bible as means of refuting such a statement, it would be wise for one to remember that the accounts of the Bible are largely metaphorical in nature. To take the Bible literally in all aspects shows a great lack of understanding in one's own religion.

Also, in regards to scientists being unable to discover transitional forms between phases of humans:

From what I have been able to surmise, the truth is this: There is no such thing as a transitional form. All forms are complete in and of themselves. You're not going to find partially evolved limbs and organs in a creature. When a creature differs significantly enough from it's original breed, we start calling it a different species. Yet, perhaps these different "Complete" Species are the transitional forms between two vastly different species?

In a college text book titled "Evolutionary Psychology", (Which I currently do not have, otherwise I would quote from it) I read that there is a good deal of evidence suggesting that human beings did not always have a logical thought process, because at one point, the cerebrum in human beings (Which houses logical thought), did not exist. This part of our brain is something we evolved after we began walking upright. We developed it as we learned to use tools. In any case, since I don't have a relevant source of reliable information to quote at the moment, it would be best if I didn't continue this train of thought.

So, that's all I have to say about that. Sorry for being long-winded.

Message Edited...
Persephone: Religion should not be brought up here, this is Science only.

What Humans Like 1/2 Million Years Sciences Education Art Writing & UFO

Wow! That was deep zuets every word you have said makes perfect sense to me.

If this is possible then why do we call people from another area in the world an illeagle alien? To be more specific I believe alien means not from here.