Evolution Update

I saw an article on this in the Sunday paper, and I found it to be a theoretical answer to an interesting question: Why are we humans the only species that developed technology?

The answer that scientists have come up with involves evolution. First of all, it's obvious that we are not the only species to use tools. Crows use primitive tools, hyenas cooperate to solve problems, rats exhibit empathy, and ducklings show abstract thought. Chimps also know how to use primitive tools.

The first human invention is wood fire. There is evidence that humans have genes that prevent them from being affected by the toxic fumes of wood fires. Neanderthals don't have those genes, but it's obvious that they used fire to cook. We survived and they didn't, but there are many more theories about why that is.

When humans first began milking animals, lactose intolerance soon disappeared, except in cultures that used milk primarily to make cheese and yogurt, which don't have a lot of lactose. This could have stymied the spread of the genes that led to being able to eat lactose, and we see lactose intolerance nowadays. That's because some people don't have the genes needed to consume lactose.

I find this one interesting. It seems that the genes that allowed humans to consume alcohol go back 10 million years when ape-like creatures came down from the trees and ate fermented fruit, and along with it genes that make a human sick of they consume too much. This is nature's way of keeping us from drinking a toxic amount of alcohol. This protection variant developed in Asia with rice wine.

Another important evolution event was when humans began to throw spears. We're the only species that can throw hard and accurately at the same time. Also, when humans developed stone tools this made teeth shrink allowing humans to talk.

Frankly, I don't think science really knows the answer.

However, these genetic changes suggest that evolution is still on going, maybe from the invention of things like the modern smart phone. Just saying!

Thanks for reading.