Last Ape Standing by Chip Walter
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” – Frederick Douglass
During the course of evolution different kinds of humans have always been challenged by nature and were forced to adapt. In his book “Last Ape Standing” Chip Walter tries to explain thoroughly how we are the only remaining human species that inhabits our planet right now and why so many others vanished from the face of the earth in the last seven million years. Only the best and most useful genes have made it this far. The others disappeared. Genes, inherited in equal doses from our parents, are the basis for the construction of our brain, its fundamental neuronal infrastructure, complete with our specific talents and predispositions. But luckily for us the development of our brain doesn’t stop there. A parallel genetic system called the epigenome, which profoundly affects the person we become, is responsible for the continuing maturation of the brain in our childhood. This is the stand out thought that comes to mind …show more content…
Where will human evolution take us now after our long and astonishing adventures? Are we still evolving? And if we are, what will the next act look like?” In my opinion a complete standstill in human evolution is not likely, but the changes to human anatomy might change in a slightly different manner than before. It could be possible that big physical changes to our anatomy become less frequent than in the last seven million years. Substantiating this hypothesis are the rapid technological advances in the last few thousand years. For millions of years the different human species had to adapt to even slightest environmental changes. But humans are more and more able to shape their environment to their needs. To be mobile and life an almost unimpaired life humans don’t even need two working legs anymore. Technology has developed certain escape routes like cars, wheelchairs, prosthetics and
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” – Frederick Douglass
During the course of evolution different kinds of humans have always been challenged by nature and were forced to adapt. In his book “Last Ape Standing” Chip Walter tries to explain thoroughly how we are the only remaining human species that inhabits our planet right now and why so many others vanished from the face of the earth in the last seven million years. Only the best and most useful genes have made it this far. The others disappeared. Genes, inherited in equal doses from our parents, are the basis for the construction of our brain, its fundamental neuronal infrastructure, complete with our specific talents and predispositions. But luckily for us the development of our brain doesn’t stop there. A parallel genetic system called the epigenome, which profoundly affects the person we become, is responsible for the continuing maturation of the brain in our childhood. This is the stand out thought that comes to mind …show more content…
Where will human evolution take us now after our long and astonishing adventures? Are we still evolving? And if we are, what will the next act look like?” In my opinion a complete standstill in human evolution is not likely, but the changes to human anatomy might change in a slightly different manner than before. It could be possible that big physical changes to our anatomy become less frequent than in the last seven million years. Substantiating this hypothesis are the rapid technological advances in the last few thousand years. For millions of years the different human species had to adapt to even slightest environmental changes. But humans are more and more able to shape their environment to their needs. To be mobile and life an almost unimpaired life humans don’t even need two working legs anymore. Technology has developed certain escape routes like cars, wheelchairs, prosthetics and