• Question: Will humans over time evolve so that we dont have organs we dont need such as the apendix? and how long would it take?

    Asked by Stephen to Anthea, Chloe, Kevin, Michel, Sean on 12 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Michel Dugon

      Michel Dugon answered on 12 Nov 2014:


      To make the answer short: probably yes. Evolution is a dynamic process that is still active right now! But it is a bit more complicated than that: even if a body part is not needed anymore, it it may stay for a long time if it does not require extra physiological effort to be made and maintained, and if it is not a handicap for the bearer. Evolution is not a conscious Being. It is a complex process that does not produce the best organisms possible, but more simply organisms that function well enough to survive and breed successfully in a particular environment at one particular time in the History of Life. So things can remain the same for a long time if they don’t disturb the good function of the organism, even if they are not particularly needed!

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