Humans continue to dramatically evolve biologically, behaviorally, environmentally, and culturally. With major advances in technology and education, humans have become more consciously aware of their behaviors. For instance, with loads of information at their fingertips, humans have become consciously aware of what they are eating, have the ability to be ‘choosy’ of what they purchase/consume, in addition to the impact on environment they have on waste. The two behavioral traits that have evolved with humans and continue to evolve alongside technology, is the increase of environmentally friendly generations with consumption and waste.
Unlike historical times, humans now have variety of choices on foods to consume. Instead of having only one large meal for the day, humans have evolved to having various breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack options. Besides just the advance variety of foods, the selection from various countries is another plus. With a large selection, humans have the ability to be ‘choosy’ and learn more about the foods that they are consuming. For instance, according to CNBC News, the consumption of milk is shrinking which is having a large negative impact on many dairy farms. Because humans are learning about the effects of dairy and lactose on the body, humans have resorted to dairy free options. By using technology, humans have evolved to learn more about the foods that they are consuming and the foods they should consume. Going ‘dairy-free’ is just one example of the many ways humans are evolving and becoming ‘choosy’ on their dietary habits. For instance, other common behavior traits include: vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian. These dietary changes tend to be for ethical reasons for animals, and/or food preference for healthier eating. These behaviors may in fact alter human evolution in the future and the environment due to food source changes.
Another recent debate that directly effects and alters the human biology and evolution is the ability to change your genetics. Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of DNA to alter an organism’s characteristics (phenotype) in a particular way. The process of modifying ones genes has started many debates since there are many places for error and abuse. In regard to food, many claim that genetic engineering of food can be useful since it can be used to produce plants that have a higher nutritional value. But what are the long-term effects of this? In regard to humans, genetic engineering has been used for people with diabetes to modify insulin. But what about the discussion in regard to genetically modifying future offspring’s? In regard to ethical terms, where do you draw the line? And who is the one to say you can/can’t genetically modify your genes? I think it is important to look at long-term effects, and how our decisions can impact generations to come.
The biological, environmental, cultural and behavioral changes from humans continue to change over time. However, it will be fairly interesting to see how these decisions and choices will impact human evolution in the future. I think it is important to depict why something is a trend in society, is it to benefit the consumer (healthier/long-term positive outcomes) or for the seller (to make money/sale). I think it is important to look at the benefits and consequences of our decisions, and to continue to make ethical and conscientious choices to better future generations and the environment.
It is really interesting that you brought up genetically modified organisms. GMOs and the consequences of modern technological advancements are a major concern to many people. However, humans have been genetically modifying their food since we began utilizing agriculture and domesticating animals. My tiny Shih Tzu puppy is an evolutionary descendent of a wolf. Humans took control of the selection process to create this tiny puppy; there is NO way this non-threatening form would be naturally occurring in nature. The same thing happened with crops. Humans will select the biggest crops that yield the largest fruit to ensure that they have enough food. Humans are not strangers to GMOs. Using technology to speed up this process is another step in taking control of our environments.
You’ve brought up various good and interesting points in this post. Humans evolving and having the technology to be able to choose from a variety of foods and diets can be seen as a good thing, since our ancestors had limited food sources. However since we have so many options available at any time, this has also contributed to the obesity epidemic. GMO’s can help feed people in need, however they also affect farmers that grow specific kinds of food. Genetically modified humans and babies is a very scary topic and many experiments have been done without oversight and regulations. While it may help to decrease risks for certain diseases/conditions, it will be a slippery slope and regulations are needed. As humans evolve, we need to give more critical thought to these kinds of discussions.
I liked that you mentioned our drastic change in diet compared to our ancestors. I wrote about this in a previous blog because it was something that I found to be really interesting. Like you mentioned we have a significant difference in our diet compared to how our ancestors ate. We have more options now than ever but the options we have might not be the best for our current bodies. I remember learning that with the huge consumption of dairy products outside of childhood our anatomy is changing. It is small things that seem insignificant to people that really have an impact on our bodies and evolution. This course has taught us a lot on how little things that we do not always think about have a huge impact on the future of our species.
Hello! I quite enjoyed reading your post about the ways in which human beings are continuing to evolve biologically, environmentally, culturally, and behaviorally. I agree that the increased use of technology in our society is shaping many of our behaviors and the way we interact with the world around us. As someone who has many dietary restrictions, I often have to be careful about the things that I eat and having a tiny computer in my pocket at all times makes it very easy to check whether or not something is healthy for me to eat. I have also been able to use the internet to change my diet so that I can live a healthier life and the use of technology for the betterment of my health has been a positive change to my life that I believe will become a centerpiece in many people’s lives moving forward.