Environment and Human Evolution: Super-humans or Sub-humans?
by Aakanksha GaurRecently, I was reading an article on 'Multidisciplinary nature of environment sciences' which implied how the study of Environmental Sciences is an almost inseparable part of every discipline we study, yet I am sure that nearly 70% of the readers will discontinue reading this article after reading the word 'Environmental', passing me off as another cynical environmentalist trying to run away from technology and preaching to plant more trees. But sometimes a time comes when one needs to re-look from alpha to omega to see what has been left behind for the future generations or where are we actually heading in order to secure a bright future for them.
I believe the time has arrived for us to rectify some of our mistakes, else in no time we'll be coming to the point of no return as the threat to the human race due to environmental degradation is as great as from other factors like a nuclear holocaust. Inspite of the serious problems facing us, environmental sciences has never got its deserved place, even though I consider it the most exciting disciplines as compared to the other moribund subjects.
In contrast to more theoretical disciplines, Environmental Sciences is problem oriented field i.e. it seeks a new, valid, and generalized knowledge about the natural world and our impacts on it and often the solutions to these problems involve a multidimensional approach.
So is there a psychological factor working behind the fact that we are so desperate to dig our own graves and are refusing to accept the obvious?
Life has been flourishing in myriad forms since millions and millions of years and humans are forgetting the fact that we are mere links in the infinite loop of existence and keeping in mind the fact that we are superior to most of the life forms on earth, the most fundamental duty of contributing our bit to this cycle shouldn’t be forgotten.
Species may not remain the same as they were and may be we could never make out where evolution is taking us but there is a strong possibility that this mother nature will be responsible for our doom because as there are changes in the environment, for example: increased pollution levels, its the genetic diversity is at stake in addition to the usual damage to the ecosystem or decreasing species diversity.
Talking about genetic diversity, differences between different organisms arise from variation in the genetic material possessed by all organisms and passed on to successive generations. And it is this variation which is the raw material for both evolution by natural selection and artificial selection.
There are five major risk categories into which the causes of extinction are
grouped:
1. Population risk
2. Environmental risk
3. Natural catastrophe
4. Genetic risk
5. Human actions
The interdependency of one factor on the other can’t be ruled out, so
if we talk about evolution rather than extinction then a valid question arises:
Is a silent evolution changing the humans, which can finally lead them to extinction?
And if yes, how are we supposed to know that? Because we could never make out
where evolution is taking us and it is not at all necessary for a species to
get evolved into something superior to the previous one. Detrimental changes
in the genetic characteristics in a small population of a species, due to reduced
genetic variation, genetic drift or mutation makes the species more vulnerable
to extinction because a mutation that leads to poor health becomes fixed in
population and this genetic variation can definitely be caused by pollution.
This is a known fact that increased levels of pollution have an adverse effect on the capacity and functionality of every human organ. And going by the steep rise in the levels of pollutants in the atmosphere which is rising exponentially, can we ignore its contribution in OUR EVOLUTION?
Strictly speaking, evolution is nothing more than adaptation where a species
is forced to adapt to its surroundings by suitable changes in its characteristics.
So the possibility that we are adapting ourselves to the increased levels of
pollution can’t be ruled out.
Studies have proven that people who are exposed to higher pollution levels possess
a higher risk of diseases, short concentration spans and reduced mental alertness
and this level of pollution is not the same as is was say a 100 or 200 years
back, and knowingly or unknowingly it is affecting our mental health adversely
and if this deterioration becomes permanent in the form of genetic variation,
it will be passed on to the progeny as well.
If all this is true, why do we feel that evolution is going to transform us
into some 'super humans' with infinite capacity of brain and body? Can’t
we become 'sub humans' with lower mental capacity and are less intelligent?
The difference of a single base in the DNA molecule or a single error in the
reading of the code can cause a change in the amino acid sequence. The tiny
defect in the haemoglobin molecule that results in sickle cell anaemia has been
traced to a single gene and when the nature of the base is changed by chemical
reaction, its size and hydrogen bonding ability are altered and base pairing
between strands is impaired. This damage can lead to mutations i.e. changes
in the sequence of bases and once the effect is embedded, it is passed on to
the next generation.
Therefore I feel that there is a tremendous potential for research in this area
and the problem should be taken seriously before we become helpless and are
wiped away from this earth in a silent death!
June 2006, Jeev
http://www.dce.edu/jeev
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.