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The
Future of Evolution
One exciting thing about the theory of evolution is
that we can see its effects both today and in
the past. For example, the book "Evolution"
mentions this:
The earliest known reptiles are so amphibian-like that their
assignment to one category or the other is largely
a matter of opinion. In this area of life, however,
there was no missing link; all the gradations
from amphibian to reptile exist with a clarity seldom
equaled in paleontology.
In other words, there is plenty
of evidence, past and present, for some sort of evolutionary
process. We see it in bacteria and insects today, and we see
it in the fossil record through the development of
millions of species over millions of years.
After thinking about questions
like the three mentioned in the previous sections,
different people come to different conclusions. In
the future, there are three possible scenarios for the theory
of evolution:
- Scientists will come
to a complete understanding of DNA and show how mutations
and natural selection explain every part of the development
of life on this planet.
- Scientists will develop a new
theory that answers the questions posed above to
almost everyone's satisfaction, and it will replace
the theory of evolution that we have today.
- Scientists will observe
a completely new phenomenon that accounts for the
diversity of life that we see today. For example,
many people believe in creationism. In this theory,
God or some other supernatural power intervenes
to create all of the life that we see around us. The fossil
record indicates that hundreds of millions of new species
have been created over hundreds of millions of years --
Species creation is an intense and constant process with
an extremely long history. If scientists were to observe
the creation process occurring the next time a major
new species comes into existence, they could document it
and understand how it works.
Let's assume that the theory of
evolution as currently stated is the process
that did bring about all of the life that we see today.
One compelling question is: "What happens next?" Evolution
must be at work right now. Our species, Homo sapiens, only
appeared about 40,000 years ago. What does evolution have
in store for human beings, and how will the change manifest
itself?
- Will a child appear one day
whose brain is twice as big as any normal human brain?
If so, what will be the capabilities of that brain,
and how will it differ from the brain seen today? Or are
our brains slowly evolving right now?
- Will children appear one day
who have more than 23 chromosomes? If so, what will be the
effects of the new chromosomes?
- Will man learn how to control
or accelerate evolution through genetic engineering? Once
we completely understand different genomes, will we be able
to engineer evolutionary steps that lead to new species
on a much faster schedule? What would those species
look like? What would we design them to do?
These are all fascinating questions to think about. They reveal
just how big an effect evolution can have. Given enough time,
evolution could completely alter life on this planet
by disposing of the species we see today and creating
new ones.
For lots more information on evolution
and related topics, check out the links on the next page.
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Home
Table of Contents:
› Introduction
to How Evolution Works
› The
Basic Process of Evolution
› How
Life Works: DNA and Enzymes
› The
Simplest Example of Evolution
› The
Speed of Mutations
› Natural
Selection
› Creating
a New Species
› Holes
in the Theory
› Question
1: How Does Evolution Add Information?
› Question
2: How Can Evolution Be So Quick?
› Question
3: Where Did the First Living Cell Come From?
› The Future of Evolution
› Lots
More Information!
По материалам сайта www.howstuffworks.com
Словарик к статье.
| account for |
[q'kaunt fL] |
объяснять (какое-либо явление) |
| alter |
['Lltq] |
изменять (жизнь и т.п.) |
| assignment |
[q'saInmqnt] |
причисление (к определенной
категории) |
| both ... and ... |
[bquT ... qnd ...] |
и ... и ... |
| brain |
[breIn] |
мозг |
| bring about |
['brIN q'baut] |
вызывать (изменения и т.п.) |
| capabilities |
["keIpq'bIlItiz] |
способности |
| clarity |
['klxrIti] |
ясность |
| compelling |
[kqm'pelIN] |
убедительный |
| conclusion |
[kqn'klu:Zn] |
заключение, вывод |
| currently |
['kArqntli] |
в настоящее время, в текущий
момент |
| dispose of |
[dIs'pquz qv] |
разделаться с |
| diversity |
[daI'vE:sIti] |
разнообразие |
| equal |
['Jkw(q)l] |
равняться |
| exciting |
[Ik'saItIN] |
волнующий, удивительный |
| gradation |
[grq'deIS(q)n] |
градация |
| have in store |
[hxv In stL] |
сулить (=иметь в запасе) |
| intervene |
[Intq'vJn] |
вмешиваться |
| major |
['meIGq] |
большой, главный |
| manifest oneself |
['mxnIfest wAn'self] |
проявляться, проявлять себя
(чем-то) |
| matter |
['mxtq] |
вопрос (времени и т.п.) |
| mention |
['menS(q)n] |
упоминать |
| missing link |
['mIsIN lINk] |
недостающее звено |
| observe |
[qb'zE:v] |
наблюдать |
| plenty of |
['plenti qv] |
много, множество |
| pose |
[pquz] |
задавать (вопрос) |
| previous |
['pri:vjqs] |
предыдущий |
| record |
['rekLd] |
запись |
| replace |
[rI'pleIs] |
заменять, замещать |
| reveal |
[rI'vi:l] |
открывать, раскрывать (тайну
и т.п.) |
| satisfaction |
["sxtIs'fxkS(q)n] |
удовлетворение |
| schedule |
['SedjHl] |
расписание |
| scientist |
['saIqntIst] |
ученый |
| state |
[steIt] |
заявлять, утверждать |
| supernatural power |
["sjHpq'nxC(q)rql 'pauq] |
сверхъестественная сила |
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