I’ve just read a news on Times online that reports a talk given by Steve Jones at the University College of London (UCL). Quoting the news:
Speaking today at a UCL lecture entitled “Human evolution is over” Professor Jones will argue that there were three components to evolution – natural selection, mutation and random change. “Quite unexpectedly, we have dropped the human mutation rate because of a change in reproductive patterns,” Professor Jones told The Times.
The rest of the news gives some more details, however, I don’t completely agree with the reasoning exposed. I would be more favourable to a slowing of the process, a change of direction or something like that. Evolution is a dynamic process and stating it is on halt or simply over is very reductive. Different variables come into play in different times and stages. Anyway, it’s an interesting news and topic for thought.
Jorge Tavares Notes 