Are humans still evolving?

Since the first forms of life on earth, evolution has lead the path to creating successful and complex life. Starting off with a simple microorganism and working its way up to what some call the pinnacle of evolution; humans. As a species, we exert a strong influence on the planet, with a thriving and exponentially increasing population. Some may say, thanks to this grasp that we have over the earth and our lives, humans have stopped evolving. In this essay, I will address these thoughts and present some evidence for both sides of the argument, concluding as to whether humans are still evolving by the end. Firstly, we must discuss how evolution occurs. When organisms reproduce or its cells divide by mitosis, there are chances for mutations to occur in the genetic code. These mutations can manifest in different ways for example a mutation in coding DNA may cause proteins to be formed differently affecting their final structure as they fold differently due to different interactions between amino acids. This often is not beneficial for the animal, as these proteins are often not able to fulfil their function in the organism. However, sometimes these features (which form due to new proteins being made) can benefit the organism’s chances of survival, due to making it more suitable for the conditions presented by the environment or other animals, such as predators. When this does happen, the animal will have a greater chance of surviving and reproducing, therefore passing its beneficial alleles to its offspring. Over time, the alleles are spread throughout the population, as more of the organisms with the mutation survive, and eventually the old phenotype becomes rarer and then extinct. This is known as adaptation, and is what has led to the production of complex animals, such as humans, over the history of life on earth (Christopher Bryant, Valerie A Brown, 2021). Some minor genetic mutations are all that differentiates us between the other primates as a research paper shows that we share 99% of our DNA with primates (Scientific American, 2014). This one percent of DNA that is different has created the basis for the domination of Homo sapiens, it provides us with vastly different appearances to the primates and much greater abilities in communication, learning and planning. However, this research concludes that the difference in DNA occurs almost entirely in non-coding DNA, meaning that it does not physically manifest in proteins in our bodies, therefore evading the genome. Humans may have stopped evolving due to a lack of requirement for evolution. In our current state as a species, we are at an all time low in terms of deaths, this is due to new technological developments in medicine (that would not have been possible without the evolution of our brains). This has given us the capacity to survive for longer as individuals and improves the life expectancy of those without beneficial mutations. Therefore, it is argued that there is no need for new phenotypes in humanity so we have stopped evolving. However, some may say that humans are still evolving. This is due to the rate of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms remaining high, as much as 1.2 million SNPs have been found in studies across the globe (Nature, 2001) this is equivalent to 1 mutation per 1,900 bases. This provides much potential for mutations, as a base changing which provides a benefit will still be passed on, no matter how minor the change, just given enough time. In conclusion, I believe that humans have not stopped evolving, however the direction of evolution has changed, as the lives and requirements of humans change, adaptations that once would have been considered beneficial, are no longer needed, and therefore do not get passed on more than other alleles, so do not manifest enough to change the species as a whole. Rather, recently in the developed world, a humans success more often relies on its ability to think and to process information, which would make mutations to the neural system more beneficial than before. Therefore, I believe that the direction that humans will evolve in has changed for good, as we tend towards a more digital and assisted future.