A question about evolution

[spacedoggie 10]

If the human race has evolved from monkeys/apes-why are there still primative monkeys to this day??? The same thing goes for all other forms of life actualy;Us humans have evolved SO much over time into the super inteligent beings that we are(except for big brother contestants)and yet there are forms of life today that havnt evolved much at all over millions of years:huh:

And no im not a religeous/creationist wierdo!

 

If you think about it, you're answering your own question.

 

Evolution neither goes at the same pace, nor in the same direction for living creatures. If it did there would be no cats, rats, bats or gnats. There'd just be people, and they'd all look the same.

 

Evolution doesn't act the same way for everyone because it isn't really evolution at all - it's evolution and mutation.

 

Every one of us has at least a dozen genetic flaws. After all this time the chances of a new flaw (such as maybe savant syndrome, but without the disabilities), is incredibly unlikely, but if there was one that made you more attractive/successful and likely to survive and procreate, then it'd be passed on down the line until it eventually outcompetes those that don't have it.

 

If you're on to a loser then the best way to react is to do what the american's do. They don't play the same sports as the rest of the world because they don't like to lose. The evolutionary analogy is to become a new species - hence biodiversity and the answer to your question.

[Guest]

or is it simply that all life simply shares the same biological building blocks ?

I'm not sure why you prefaced that question with the word 'or'. Of course all life shares the same biological building blocks.

does that therefore mean we all followed the same tree ?

Yes, but different species have different branches.

[sheffmail 10]

Its just strange that the animal kingdom just hasnt evolved over millions of years like we have.

[Cyclone 10]

I'm not sure why you prefaced that question with the word 'or'. Of course all life shares the same biological building blocks.

 

Yes, but different species have different branches.

 

Strictly speaking it's not accurate to think of things branching off earlier or later.

Monkeys have continued to evolve at the same time that humans have, there have simply been different pressures on the two populations which caused a divergence. This is speciation in action.

 

If you want to think of it as a tree, imagine a fractal tree without a main trunk, just with branches.

[Guest]

Strictly speaking it's not accurate to think of things branching off earlier or later.

Monkeys have continued to evolve at the same time that humans have, there have simply been different pressures on the two populations which caused a divergence. This is speciation in action.

 

If you want to think of it as a tree, imagine a fractal tree without a main trunk, just with branches.

Quite. I was trying to be a little less technical though .

[Cyclone 10]

Its just strange that the animal kingdom just hasnt evolved over millions of years like we have.

 

It has.

 

Don't fall into the trap of believing that evolution was 'aimed' at producing intelligent self aware creatures, that's just a random by product.

Evolution just means that species evolve to best fit the neiche they are in, when different populations of the same species have different pressures applied, the evolution diverges and eventually you have two different species.

[plekhanov 10]

Its just strange that the animal kingdom just hasnt evolved over millions of years like we have.

If other organisms haven't and aren't evolving then why is penicillin far less effective than it was 50 years ago?

 

For a rather less unfortunate example of evolution try Darwin’s finches.

[babychickens 10]

If other organisms haven't and aren't evolving then why is penicillin far less effective than it was 50 years ago?

 

For a rather less unfortunate example of evolution try Darwin’s finches.

 

 

exactly. if i was an unfriendly bacteria (not one of yakult's, obviously), i'd spend my time evolving antibiotic resistance rather than growing legs, odd mating rituals and a liking for expensive jewellery.

[blackspot 10]

Ive men a few blokes who havent evolved yet :hihi:

 

hey steady on there:suspect:

[downtroad 10]

I am actually doing a research paper on evolution at the moment.

 

It's title is; "A population-based survey of the female mammary gland to ascertain natural selections impact on size and perkiness."

[Jabberwocky 46]

I hope they have that on the open univertitty! I mean university.

[downtroad 10]

I hope they have that on the open univertitty! I mean university.

 

Excellent