In order for there to be a genuinely separate species of human – one that could no longer successfully interbreed with hom*o sapiens, which is a key definition of a separate species – two conditions would need to be met.
First, a part of the present population of humans would have to be physically isolated from the rest. Second, there would have to be sufficient evolutionary pressure on that isolated community. Then, given enough time, the genetic change in the isolated community might eventually lead to the formation of a new species. However, humans were isolated in Australia for at least 50,000 and possibly as much as 125,000 years, and yet they remained the same species as those in the rest of the world.
Hanno Schmidt Mainz, Germany
It wouldn’t be exceptional to have more than one species of humans on this planet, because this was the case over most of the time of our existence. The last “sympatric” humans we know of were Neanderthals, who became extinct only about 30,000 years ago.
Since stable separation of parts of the species is the key factor for the formation of new species, we can say that a new split of our species is impossible under current circ*mstances. We are globally connected as never before and this trend is accelerating.
However, we can still play “what if?”. The only realistic scenario for the evolution of two species out of ours would probably be if we expanded beyond our home planet and then lost contact with the settlers. If both populations survived long enough – much more than 100,000 years – we might see divergence and maybe two species of humans.
We might get the evolution of new human species if we colonise other planets where people have to adapt to an alien environment.
Mars, for example, is further away from the sun so residents there may evolve bigger eyes to see better in the dimmer light. And without life, Mars is essentially a sterile environment and this may make Martian colonists more susceptible to disease so that mixing with people on Earth is discouraged. This could rule out sex and increase the chance the colonists would develop into a new species.
However, such speciation might happen if we stay on Earth too. If scientists mastered germline therapy, a person’s genome could be manipulated. This might bestow an advantage like longer life to the individual and their children. This therapy would probably only be available to wealthier people who might tend to pair up with other “enhanced” individuals, perhaps eventually leading to a new species. This process is started artificially by tinkering with genes, but reinforced and consolidated by cultural differences. This might be in the realms of science fiction at the moment, but it wouldn’t be the first time that science fiction became science fact.
Herman D’Hondt Sydney, Australia
Of course it is possible, but I feel strongly that it won’t happen.
hom*o sapiens split from Neanderthals at least 400,000 years ago, when Neanderthals moved into Europe and Asia, while H. sapiens stayed in Africa. Yet, when the two subspecies met again hundreds of thousands of years later, they were still able to interbreed. Even if we could spread to other planets and interstellar travel took thousands of years, this is still a short period compared with the time required for the evolution of new species.
Ben Haller Ithaca, New York, US
One obstacle is that selection due to environmental differences has largely ceased to operate in humans today. Earlier in our evolutionary history, our survival would have depended on our degree of adaptation to local environmental conditions, but culture and technology have now largely mitigated that.
For an interesting exploration of these ideas, try The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. Published in 1895, it is one of the earliest examples of the genre of science fiction, and remains a classic.
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This might not be the end of the story, though. With monumental changes to our civilization on the horizon, it's possible that hom*o sapiens could diverge into multiple different species, creating a world (or even galaxy) of multiple hominins
hominins
The Hominini form a taxonomic tribe of the subfamily Homininae ("hominines"). Hominini includes the extant genera hom*o (humans) and Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos) and in standard usage excludes the genus Gorilla (gorillas).
Human evolution relies on the differences in our genes and in our ability to pass on these genetic differences (ie our breeding capabilities). Over time, the population should change as these differences become more apparent. If the genetic changes are great enough, a new species will arise.
Different groups of humans are never apart long enough for genetic differences to add up. Human DNA is too similar to split us into subspecies, or into “races.” So we can't use biology to sort people into groups like we can with other animals.
However today, there has never been any support for a separate SE Asian human origin. No. There are virtually no knowledgeable people who consider it possible that hom*o sapiens has multiple, separate origins. Our species has little genetic variation as it is.
This suggests some surprising things about our future. We will likely live longer and become taller, as well as more lightly built. We'll probably be less aggressive and more agreeable, but have smaller brains. A bit like a golden retriever, we'll be friendly and jolly, but maybe not that interesting.
To fly! The dream of man and flightless bird alike. Virtually impossible. To even begin to evolve in that direction, our species would need to be subject to some sort of selective pressure that would favour the development of proto-wings, which we're not.
Humans in the year 3000 will have a larger skull but, at the same time, a very small brain. "It's possible that we will develop thicker skulls, but if a scientific theory is to be believed, technology can also change the size of our brains," they write.
In Europe, Asia and North Africa, interbreeding between Neanderthals and Denisovans with modern humans took place several times. The introgression events into modern humans are estimated to have happened about 47,000–65,000 years ago with Neanderthals and about 44,000–54,000 years ago with Denisovans.
Examples of human–animal hybrids mainly include humanized mice that have been genetically modified by xenotransplantation of human genes. Humanized mice are commonly used as small animal models in biological and medical research for human therapeutics.
We did not evolve from a modern, living ape, like a chimpanzee. We evolved and descended from the common ancestor of apes, which lived and died in the distant past. This means that we are related to other apes and that we are apes ourselves.
In 100 years, the world's population will probably be around 10 – 12 billion people, the rainforests will be largely cleared and the world would not be or look peaceful. We would have a shortage of resources such as water, food and habitation which would lead to conflicts and wars.
Humans looked essentially the same as they do today 10,000 years ago, with minor differences in height and build due to differences in diet and lifestyle. But in the next 10 millennia, we may well have refined genetic 'editing' techniques to allow our children to all be born beautiful and healthy.
Perhaps we will have longer arms and legs. In a colder, Ice-Age type climate, could we even become even chubbier, with insulating body hair, like our Neanderthal relatives?
(It also considered scenarios in between.) In 10,000 years, if we totally let it rip, the planet could ultimately be an astonishing 7 degrees Celsius warmer on average and feature seas 52 meters (170 feet) higher than they are now, the paper suggests.
It would require many centuries of evolution. Bonobos are most likely to evolve into a civilized species, but it could be bears, or orangutans. There are others too. any great ape is likely, such as gorillas or chimpanzees.
If left to natural selection, assuming we survive another 1000 years, we will probably look pretty much like we do now. A thousand years is an eyeblink in evolutionary terms. Just look at sculptures and drawing depicting people 1000 years ago.
What we do know is that from about 40,000 years ago, H sapiens was the last human standing out of a large and diverse group of bipedal hominins. Hypotheses range from benign, such as H sapiens having better infant survival rates than other hominins, or climate changes pushing other species to the brink.
So in reality, with the progression of current technology, a few percentage of human population would have fully operational mechanical body function in less than 60 years but due to the law and policy implications of human and machine merging ethical guidelines, it might take time to become mainstream and fully ...
Introduction: My name is Terrell Hackett, I am a gleaming, brainy, courageous, helpful, healthy, cooperative, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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