Dinosaurs stopped evolving millions of years earlier than thought

[RichardCranium]

the old meteorite theory gave me a gift of a question for Biology A level (Iridium poisoning = constipation or something like that)

You're thinking of Imodium.

[NickFitz]

True. Nor are people trained in IT best suited to interpreting house prices, politics, aliens or the economy.

I used to try to tell them that... didn't work out

[EternalOptimist]

By being perfectly adapted to the environment?

If all of the available (favourable) genetic traits have been adopted through the evolution process then I suppose that is having "stopped evolving".

not possible.

there are always disease and predators to put pressure on a population. The only way that evolution can stop is if natural selection stops ie if both the 'fit' and the 'not so fit' survive any population pressure.

The only time that has happened is with us, humans. we keep everyone we can alive and breeding and so there is no 'survival of the fittest' for humans anymore

[Diver]

Can devolving be classed as evolving to best meet the prevailing conditions ?

[EternalOptimist]

Can devolving be classed as evolving to best meet the prevailing conditions ?

there is no such thing as devolving. There is an excellent SF story called 'the swarm' which makes the point that intelligence might be a real handicap in the long run

[Diver]

there is no such thing as devolving. There is an excellent SF story called 'the swarm' which makes the point that intelligence might be a real handicap in the long run

It was a trick question

[EternalOptimist]

It was a trick question

[Diver]

The Swarm was a load of old carp, I read it years ago.

My post was in the hope of generating an illogical debate (can't expect logic on here I thought)

Any alteration or viable genetic mutation that meets the requirement for increased survival in the prevailing conditions/environment is of course evolution.

Then you had to stick your oar in with a logical response

[EternalOptimist]

The Swarm was a load of old carp, I read it years ago.

My post was in the hope of generating an illogical debate (can't expect logic on here I thought)

Any alteration or viable genetic mutation that meets the requirement for increased survival in the prevailing conditions/environment is of course evolution.

Then you had to stick your oar in with a logical response

yeah soz.

the point about the story though, is that evolution does not have a goal, there is no target that stuff aspires to. Like we think having intelligence makes us 'more' evolved. not true.





have a double on me

[Diver]

yeah soz.

the point about the story though, is that evolution does not have a goal, there is no target that stuff aspires to. Like we think having intelligence makes us 'more' evolved. not true.





have a double on me

One of the lower forms of life on this planet is the virus, with habits somewhat akin to the human race in my opinion.