I was interested by this story which says that humans are not only still evolving, but are evolving faster now than ever before. Its counter-intuitive which makes it all the more attention-grabbing.

In fact its so counter-intuitive that I find it hard to believe. The bloke in charge of the study says:

The widespread assumption that human evolution has slowed down because it’s easier to live and we’ve conquered nature is absolutely not true. We didn’t conquer nature, we changed it in ways that created new selection pressures on us

Something about that doesn’t sound right. I understood the assumption that human evolution had slowed down to be based on the idea that possessing genetic disadvantages no longer made it less likely to pass those traits on. Maybe that’s what he means but he decided that “it’s easier to live” summed it up in a dumbed-down way.

Of course I am basing everything on a Euro-centric perspective, where most people have children and pass their genes on but those with all the genetic advantages – or at least who are most successful – seem to have fewer children.

But that’s just my first impression, and only part of the story. Perhaps the bit about more mutations is what makes a difference. And that sounds feasible. Actually it sounds a bit like ‘Heroes’… (I’ll have Peter Petrelli’s powers please, with flying as a second choice)

Anyway, I do wonder how the creationists will take it all.