New take on evolution: effects of parasites:

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

Science

26 Aug 19

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined: 28 Dec 04
Moves: 53321

26 Aug 19

https://phys.org/news/2019-08-parasite-human-neurological-evolution.html

This work can explain some evolutionary changes going on in species around the world including humans.

wildgrass

Joined: 20 Oct 06
Moves: 9627

26 Aug 19

1 edit

@sonhouse

The malaria parasite alone likely has exerted more adaptive change on the human genome than anything else. (At least among things we know about)

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined: 28 Dec 04
Moves: 53321

26 Aug 19

@wildgrass
So now the hunt widens. The more we learn the more we learn we HAVE to learn.

wildgrass

Joined: 20 Oct 06
Moves: 9627

26 Aug 19

@sonhouse said
@wildgrass
So now the hunt widens. The more we learn the more we learn we HAVE to learn.

Sounds like the tag line to a sci-fi thriller. I can't wait to see the end.

https://www.asianscientist.com/2014/10/health/malaria-shaped-human-genome/

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined: 28 Dec 04
Moves: 53321

27 Aug 19

@wildgrass
Amazing the way we have been shaped by evolutionary stresses.

DeepThought

Losing the Thread

Quarantined World

Joined: 27 Oct 04
Moves: 87415

27 Aug 19

@sonhouse said
@wildgrass
Amazing the way we have been shaped by evolutionary stresses.

Well, that is the essence of the Theory of Natural Selection.

sonhouse

Fast and Curious

slatington, pa, usa

Joined: 28 Dec 04
Moves: 53321

27 Aug 19

@DeepThought
Now we know it much deeper.

wildgrass

Joined: 20 Oct 06
Moves: 9627

28 Aug 19

@deepthought said
Well, that is the essence of the Theory of Natural Selection.

I think the sickle cell trait and other genes selected by parasitic co-evolution are ideal examples of adaptive compromise.