In an environment characterised by change, a species cannot afford to stand still. Genetic lethargy, genetic detachment or genetic derogation risks evolutionary demise. Certainly, in the evolutionary world, nothing good comes out of doing nothing. Evolution is a transitional process. The adoption of individual change drives wider change, environmental change. This spurs further individual change ..read more

Society has an intrinsic flaw, a weakness that generates a perilous vulnerability, something that, ultimately, may well threaten humanity’s existence. And although it may sound rather melodramatic, even scaremongering, by observing societal development we can see that there is an evolutionary logic to it. Society was created as our defensive mechanism to protect us from the vagaries and savageries of Nature. By living together, humanity could support and provide for one another to better ensure our overall survival. It was a very clever and effective arrangement. Rather than waiting for Nature ..read more

When opportunity arises, some people will grasp their chance, many will not believe or trust their luck, whilst others will sit back and let the opportunity pass or have it taken away from them. Fate may deliver new possibilities but whether or not those possibilities prove fruitful will depend on the individual. The same may be said for genetic performance. Whenever genetic mutation occurs it amounts to genetic opportunity. It is the moment of genetic change when new possibilities become available. Although there are various types of genetic mutation the common element to each is that in the ..read more

Watching futuristic sci-fi films often proves quite problematic for me. A large proportion of the population always seem to be missing. Where are all the ugly, over-weight, bespectacled, disabled people? They no longer seem to exist. I can only presume that they must have been transferred into some “Wellsian” underworld. But maybe not; maybe there is some reasonable explanation for this exorcism of great swathes of our existing population. Fearful of stereotypical and prejudicial accusations and seeking to give some credence to the vision they have portrayed, producers of these programmes may ..read more

Right here; right now. What are the odds? So often – too often – we take our existence for granted. It didn’t have to be like this. We didn’t have to be here; we didn’t have to be here in this state of being. Things could have turned out very differently. In Nature there are no guarantees or assurances with regard to survival. It’s a very uncertain world. There are so many variables; so many possibilities. There are so many things that have shaped the past, so many things that can impact the future. As a species, Nature owes humanity no favours. We are in no privileged position; we are no bett ..read more

If something works then you will persist in doing that something. You may even try to enhance or extend that something. In fact, the more you can do of that something then the better it should be for you. It’s tried and tested. Why would you do anything different? This is not only a natural instinct but it also explains why, in Nature, when comparing species there’s so much variety, so many unique characteristics, so much that is extraordinary. Giraffes with their long necks; camels with their humps; narwhals with their lengthy tusk; chameleons with their darting tongue….. the remarkable, the ..read more

If we want society to support us then we have to support society. That is the basis of our contractual relationship with society. Society will look after us but we must also look after society. Society gives us rights and protections as individuals, support and benefits when we’re in need, a living environment that is safe and secure, conditions that enable us to develop nourishing relationships with others. Without society our survival – both individually and as a species – would be in jeopardy. In a world without society’s rules we would be living in chaos and discord. Hobbes accurately desc ..read more

In the film Sophie’s Choice, Sophie (played by Meryl Streep) is ordered by a Nazi officer to make the difficult choice as to which of her two children she keeps – one would be gassed to death and one would be sent to a children’s camp. As any parent will testify, it’s an impossible decision to make. How can you choose between your children? And yet Sophie was forced to choose. On the face of it, Sophie’s dilemma is brought about by the cruel, inhuman behaviour of a Nazi officer but there is more to it than this. The situation arose because in the death camps the normal protections and rules of ..read more

If you had to think of an analogy to best describe evolution and the process of natural selection you might well opt for it being akin to a game of Chinese Whispers (or as some people call it – the Telephone Game). This comparison between the two is often made and is even used in some schools as part of the teaching process. It provides a practical demonstration of how evolution operates. In scientific terms, the game of Chinese Whispers is described as a Transmission Chain Experiment. The game is a simple one. Players stand in a line and a message is whispered from one person to the next. Whe ..read more

One thing that is apparent from our longer lifespans is that, as we age, the human form is prone to many genetically driven debilitating conditions. In other words, the longer we live the more likely we are to succumb to some genetically prescribed condition, notably cancers and degenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. Similarly, throughout our lives, we live a genetic lottery, not knowing what the genetic fates have in store for us; not knowing what might happen, not knowing when something might happen. These genetically driven events are described as being “prescribed” because their poten ..read more