If we had failed then you wouldn't be reading this. — Bradskii
What caught me eye is cancer - we're relatively fast evolving - from apes to humans in, what?, 2.5m years? One reason why that's possible is greater genetic instability (mutation rate in our species is higher, compared to other species) and that has the downside of increased risk of malignancy. Everything comes at a price, oui mes amies? — Agent Smith
Ants got it right early on, so they haven't had to change much in their configuration or mode of operation order to keep adapting to new environments and changing conditions. They have somewhat fewer genes - 18,000 to our 23,000 - but it's possible that, because of the high turnover and low tolerance for maladaptation, ants are better able to afford detrimental mutation: it isn't passed on. — Vera Mont
As one bad mutation in such an individual pairing could render the entire colony disadvantaged/defective. — Benj96
So with ants it seems the key to the kingdom isn’t as easy as marrying a prince. You’ve got to be born at the right time, with the right gene expression, in the right place.
We better multiple, steal resources and invade other areas to maximise our chances of surviving." — Benj96
But it may also serve as a reason for our propensity for cancers. — Benj96
we're relatively fast evolving - from apes to humans in, what?, 2.5m years? — Agent Smith
:lol: That, of course, eventually backfires, oui? — Agent Smith
Do we have a propensity to develop cancer? In 1901 the leading cause of death was infectious disease -- endemic infections like tuberculosis, and acute infections like staphylococcus. Sulfa and antibiotics reduced infections, allowing cancer a greater opportunity. Better food and sanitation led to greater longevity, which gave us more time to develop cancers and heart disease. — BC
Not really. If the queen is defective, or she mated with a defective male, her new colony will never get started; she and her one mate are bred out of the gene pool in one generation. Which doesn't matter, because new ones are started all the time. If that one mating was successful, it establishes the gene pool for the entire colony; all her offspring are siblings, but they collectively decide which few are good enough to reproduce. — Vera Mont
now that we are living longer, social pressures brought around by rigorous and longer education, establishing social and financial security, are pushing the average reproductive age later and later in life, which applies pressure for those that maintain health and reproductive viability into their 30s and 40s. — Benj96
. Infection may have a very bright future, unless we find a solution to antibiotic resistance — BC
I wonder then what selective pressures are at work on humans as a society rather than just individuals. — Benj96
I wonder what's up with autoimmune disorders? Do you have any idea whether they're linked to cancers? — Agent Smith
Yoi're well-versed with the rules of the game mon ami. — Agent Smith
she scorns badly behaved children, as any self respecting mother ought to do. I don't blame her in the slightest — Benj96
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