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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2007 : 12:37:22
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I have taken the liberty of using a comment on this article for a title, as I can't come up with anything better. I put it in this folder because I can't think of any other more suitable, especally C/E. The mods, of course, may prefer it elsewhere; like the septic tank Recycle Bin.
Anyhoo:Human race will 'split into two different species' By NIALL FIRTH - More by this author » The human race will one day split into two separate species, an attractive, intelligent ruling elite and an underclass of dim-witted, ugly goblin-like creatures, according to a top scientist.
100,000 years into the future, sexual selection could mean that two distinct breeds of human will have developed.
The alarming prediction comes from evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry from the London School of Economics, who says that the human race will have reached its physical peak by the year 3000.
| You might know that it'd be an economist, evolutionary theorist who came up with it. These humans will be between 6ft and 7ft tall and they will live up to 120 years.
"Physical features will be driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility that men and women have evolved to look for in potential mates," says the report, which suggests that advances in cosmetic surgery and other body modifying techniques will effectively homogenise our appearance.
Men will have symmetrical facial features, deeper voices and bigger penises, according to Curry in a report commissioned for men's satellite TV channel Bravo.
Women will all have glossy hair, smooth hairless skin, large eyes and pert breasts, according to Curry.
Racial differences will be a thing of the past as interbreeding produces a single coffee-coloured skin tone.
The future for our descendants isn't all long life, perfect bodies and chiselled features, however.
While humans will reach their peak in 1000 years' time, 10,000 years later our reliance on technology will have begun to dramatically change our appearance.
Medicine will weaken our immune system and we will begin to appear more child-like.
Dr Curry said: "The report suggests that the future of man will be a story of the good, the bad and the ugly.
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H G Wells' Science Fiction novel The Time Machine (which was later adapted into two films - this picture is from the 2002 version) the human race has evolved into two species, the highly intelligent and wealthy Eloi...
...and the frightening, animalistic Morlock (as seen in the 1960 film version of the classic book) "And so it goes," as another, far better writer than he and I often said.
I really hope that this is a spoof.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2007 : 15:55:29 [Permalink]
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This guy apparently gets press attention for his HG Wells "hypothesis" about once a year, around Halloween. His training and background has nothing to do with the scientific study of either Morlocks or Eloi. As far as I've been able to determine, he's not performed any experiments in the field, either, nor observed his subjects in the wild.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 11/11/2007 15:56:01 |
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dv82matt
SFN Regular
760 Posts |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2007 : 18:58:06 [Permalink]
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Well, that's a relief. Not so comforting to know how The Mail presented this as actual science, though.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 06:05:03 [Permalink]
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Racial differences will be a thing of the past as interbreeding produces a single coffee-coloured skin tone. |
Pitch black? I find that hardly unlikely... |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..." Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq: Send them unarmed civilians for target practice.. Collateralmurder. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 06:07:22 [Permalink]
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I was hoping for that green tea skin, myself.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 06:30:06 [Permalink]
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I think the Morlock must have more going for him than the Eloi. His girlfriend looks like she's enjoying the backrub and the Eloi, who makes me check to be sure my pistol's loaded, doesn't even have a girlfriend.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 06:41:50 [Permalink]
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Come on, this must be a joke.
That said, it's not unlikely there will be speciation in the future of humanity. It's not exactly uncommon with life. Of course, extinction is much more common...
Just some thoughts on possible evolutionary futures... Humanity today, as far as I know, has no reproductively isolated population, so speciation is not very likely. But is this likely to stay the case?
I for one fantasize about a space faring future humanity which would almost certainly guarantee reproductive isolation. And with the variety of new environments our children might populate, any number of new species might evolve.
Transhumanists fantasize about post-humanity which would take any number of forms from the highly geneticly engineered to the cybernetic borg-like monstrosity. Or both. There's certainly speciation in their future.
The pessimists who expect the collapse of global civilizition due to rampant environmental decay or some other catastrophe can also expect many reproductively isolated pockets of surviving humanity. And depending how long the new dark age lasts, you might end up with new species.
Any scenarios I've missed? |
-Chaloobi
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Edited by - chaloobi on 11/12/2007 06:44:06 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 09:11:20 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
...the Eloi, who makes me check to be sure my pistol's loaded, doesn't even have a girlfriend. | Really, why is it that so many scifi movies assume that our more "evolved" descendants will be leather freaks or PVC fetishists? Is it just wishful thinking? |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail) Evidently, I rock! Why not question something for a change? Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 09:23:15 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
Originally posted by filthy
...the Eloi, who makes me check to be sure my pistol's loaded, doesn't even have a girlfriend. | Really, why is it that so many scifi movies assume that our more "evolved" descendants will be leather freaks or PVC fetishists? Is it just wishful thinking?
| I think that covers it. Or they cynically pander to leather freaks & the PVC crowd (I'm not sure what that is. Are there clothes & paraphernalia made from PVC?).
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 10:06:41 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W. Is it just wishful thinking?
| Yes, I second that. |
-Chaloobi
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bngbuck
SFN Addict
USA
2437 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 10:31:45 [Permalink]
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I think the Morlock must have more going for him than the Eloi. His girlfriend looks like she's enjoying the backrub and the Eloi, who makes me check to be sure my pistol's loaded, doesn't even have a girlfriend. | Come on, Filthy, that Morlock is either you getting revved up for another hideous act of perversion or your identical twin, Stinky, who is well known to have more than double your number of rape genes. You're just pissed off that Golden Boy caught you in the act of molesting his wife! How the hell did you manage to shave the tentacles off your face in a feeble attempt to look presentable before comitting another sodomy? |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 11:31:56 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
Originally posted by filthy
...the Eloi, who makes me check to be sure my pistol's loaded, doesn't even have a girlfriend. | Really, why is it that so many scifi movies assume that our more "evolved" descendants will be leather freaks or PVC fetishists? Is it just wishful thinking?
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Or projecting... |
by Filthy The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 12:12:07 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by bngbuck or your identical twin, Stinky, who is well known to have more than double your number of rape genes. | Technically, if they are identical twins, their genes ought to be identical as well and so they should both have the same number of 'rape genes.' |
-Chaloobi
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2007 : 13:06:01 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by bngbuck
I think the Morlock must have more going for him than the Eloi. His girlfriend looks like she's enjoying the backrub and the Eloi, who makes me check to be sure my pistol's loaded, doesn't even have a girlfriend. | Come on, Filthy, that Morlock is either you getting revved up for another hideous act of perversion or your identical twin, Stinky, who is well known to have more than double your number of rape genes. You're just pissed off that Golden Boy caught you in the act of molesting his wife! How the hell did you manage to shave the tentacles off your face in a feeble attempt to look presentable before comitting another sodomy?
| No, no, that's me. Stinky died in a freak opium accident when his pipe exploded in his face -- can't imagine how that came to pass.
She really did enjoy her back rub, and Golden Boy really respects the pistol.
Gracious!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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