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If evolution is real, then why isn’t it happening now? An anthropologist explains that humans actually are still evolving (theconversation.com)

submitted 7 months ago by otters_raft@lemmy.ca to c/biology@mander.xyz

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[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

We've been figuring out that evolution can move fast, given pressure. I often point to African male elephants shortening or losing their tusks due to humans poaching the super tuskers.

I've heard several arguments that boil down to, "That's not evolution." But it is! The environment ramped up a selection pressure, the animals adjusted. Same as Atlantic fish (trout I think?) attaining maturity faster and smaller. We've been keeping the big ones for decades.

Take the "humans did that" out of the equation and imagine another factor, evolution still happened quickly.

tl;dr: Animals can evolve quite quickly, but such events are hard to observe they were rare and weird outside of human influence.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 0 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I feel like that's more evidence that humans have some control over evolution not just among ourselves, but other animals also. The elephants with smaller tusks are just able to keep breeding since they aren't being poached (or poached as much).

Dogs, cats, birds, even plants are all affected by human behaviour.