Humans 'could evolve into two species'

The Australian ^ | October 17, 2006 | Mark Henderson

[presidio9]

HUMANS could evolve into two sub-species within 100,000 years as social divisions produce a genetic underclass.

The mating preferences of the rich, highly educated and well-nourished could ultimately drive their separation into a genetically distinct group that no longer interbreeds with less fortunate human beings, according to British scientist Oliver Curry.

Dr Curry, a research associate in the Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science of the London School of Economics, speculated that privileged humans might over tens of thousands of years evolve into a "gracile" subspecies, tall, thin, symmetrical, intelligent and creative.

The rest would be shorter and stockier, with asymmetric features and lower intelligence, he said.

Dr Curry's vision echoes that of H.G. Wells in The Time Machine. He envisaged a race of frail, privileged beings, the Eloi, living in a ruined city and co-existing uneasily with ape-like Morlocks who toil underground and are descended from the downtrodden workers of today.

Dr Curry also said that the current concept of race would be gone by the year 3000, as relationships between people with different skin colours produce a "coffee-colour" across all populations.

With improvements in nutrition and medicine, people would routinely grow to 6ft 6in and live to the age of 120, he said. Genetic modification, cosmetic surgery and sexual selection - whereby mate preferences drive evolution - meant that people would tend to be better-looking than today.

Otherwise, humans will look much as they do now, with one exception: Dr Curry also suggested that increased reliance on processed food would make chewing less important, possibly resulting in less developed jaws and shorter chins.

Ten thousand years from now, this effect could be compounded as human faces grow more juvenile in appearance. This effect - neotony - is known from domestic animals: dogs resemble young versions of

[wideawake]

Besides the fact that this is impossible and a complete fantasy, it's a fantasy that's already been done.

The Morlocks and the Eloi, anyone?

[ahayes]

He envisaged a race of frail, privileged beings, the Eloi, living in a ruined city and co-existing uneasily with ape-like Morlocks who toil underground and are descended from the downtrodden workers of today.

Privileged? They lived to be eaten. The Morlocks were ugly, but they were running the show.

[jiggyboy]

Speculation fromn Dr. Curry?....Hasn't this already been done in HG Well's "Time Machine" long, long, ago?

You get an A for memory and erudition but an F for reading comprehension.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Humans 'could evolve into two species' "

We already have. There are humans then there is a subspecies of humans called Marxists.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Humans 'could evolve into two species' "

We already have. There are humans then there is a subspecies of humans called Marxists.

[FormerACLUmember]

Pulp fiction silly pseudo-science:

[Lazamataz]

Humans 'could evolve into two species'

Islamics, and human beings.

[Lazamataz]

Otherwise, humans will look much as they do now, with one exception: Dr Curry also suggested that increased reliance on processed food would make chewing less important, possibly resulting in less developed jaws and shorter chins.

I am doing my share.

[JasonC]

He read HG Wells, how had the idea over a hundred years ago after reading Nietzsche. It was a silly notion then. Today it is beyond silly, it is agitprop and conscious drivel.

[right-wingin_It]

huh?

[right-wingin_It]

oh..#5

[50sDad]

Many try to claim Wells was a Social-Darwinist, sounding the drums of fear amonst the rich royals and upper-class British in the last years of Empire that the underclass was not to be trusted, and that without constant force and moitoring, the violent, stupid, dangerous Morlocks of society (the "working class") would rise up and eat the natural rulers (both figuratively and literally!)

Nothing could be further from the truth. Wells was rather warning that the stratified English "class system" was forcing the wealthy and the workers farther and farther apart, and that oneday this very mechanism might produce two different species where each could not survive on their own.

Or so I said in my college term paper, written in the dead of night to meet the deadline. Hey, I got an "A" and course credit to read SF! That's a good deal to me!

[50sDad]

Look at the bag! BEEF JERKEY IS PEOPLE!

[exnavy]

God might have something to say about this.

[right-wingin_It]

In my version of the story...All the soft lilly Limosine Liberals on the surface have evolved into carnivorous freaks of nature, screwing and killing everything in sight.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"With improvements in nutrition and medicine, people would routinely grow to 6ft 6in..."

[Lazamataz]

Look at the bag! BEEF JERKEY IS PEOPLE!

I don't have a problem with that; after all, someone told me to 'Eat me' earlier today.

[supremedoctrine]

If things continue the way they are , it may be
1. Those that live in Australia


2. Those that don't

[FormerACLUmember]

In my version of the story...All the soft lilly Limosine Liberals on the surface have evolved into carnivorous freaks of nature, screwing and killing everything in sight.

:"THEY ARE ALREADY HERE!"

[50sDad]

I don't have a problem with that; after all, someone told me to 'Eat me' earlier today.

It would explain why jerkey is so tough...look at the people they put in it! Those athletes are all too wirey and tough!