Charles Darwin
Image: Wikipedia

I often find myself wondering what Charles Darwin, the most famous zoologist of all time, would make of society and evolution today. It has been 150 years since ‘On the Origin of the Species’ was published and, although the same species walk the planet (give or take a few), a lot has changed.

He argued each species had evolved in order to survive changing conditions, like a new habitat, predator or climate. Darwin’s ideas clashed with the era’s accepted view that every creature was created by God, exactly as they were. Yet 150 years on, scientists unanimously agree Darwin was on the right track.Darwin’s theories too have evolved as we learn more about Earth’s history and genetics, but his belief that every species, from tapeworms to tigers, originated from a few ancestors still underpins modern science.

The population keeps on increasing,
but is natural selection doing its job?
Image: Donncha, provided by Flickr

Yet on days when it seems my greatest struggle isn’t surviving predators or hunting for food, but finding a seat on the train or hitting deadlines at work, I have to question whether Darwin’s theory of evolution can be applied to the modern world.

According to Darwin, natural selection should eliminate individuals who can’t adapt fast enough, leaving only the fittest to reproduce. As our population races towards seven billion people, it’s glaringly obvious reproduction has not been an issue.

But are the fittest really passing on their genes? We’ve learnt to fight most of the pressures that should wipe out all but the select few.

• Disease – we’ve got facemasks, vaccines, drugs and antibacterial handwash to keep the majority of viruses and infections at bay.
• Competition for resources – we don’t compete with other species, we just take what we need with the help of modern agricultural practices such as irrigation.
• Drought/flood/volcano eruption – modern transportation means we can move somewhere more pleasant if our current habitat is spoiled.

Could all the technology we have spent years developing in order to prevent the loss of human life be theoretically hindering natural selection? Screw the fittest; we’re going to keep all the genes alive!

Penicillin has elped
millions survive infections
thatwould previously have
been deadly.
Image: wikipedia

With dodgy genes being passed on simply because their pretty packaging has tricked our natural instincts, have humans moved beyond Darwin’s well-considered theory of evolution into some kind of random free-for-all? Or has the definition of 'fittest' merely changed?

But it’s not just disease and disaster we’re interfering with, it’s sex as well. In the natural world, individuals are attractive because of their genetic makeup. Plants or animals with beneficial mutations or traits (like big horns, insect-attracting petals, colourful feathers) always get the most action because their offspring will have the best chance of survival and reproduction – and everyone wants to keep their genes alive!

Theoretically, this also applies to humans. Men are supposed to like women with curvy hips and big breasts because subconsciously they believe they will produce healthy children. Now that we can get breast implants and curve-creating liposuction, a man can’t count on his lust to lead his genes in the right direction!

All of these individuals have traits that
make them attractive partners. When we
fake these traits (far right image) are we
cheating evolution?
Image: wikipedia

A person’s smell is meant to indicate reproductive compatibility  – the more attractive their scent the better the match, and the healthier the baby. But with the amount of fragrance most people douse themselves with I can’t imagine anyone could pick out a good baby-making match.

With dodgy genes being passed on simply because their pretty packaging has tricked our natural instincts, have humans moved beyond Darwin’s well-considered theory of evolution into some kind of random free-for-all? Or has the definition of ‘fittest’ merely changed?

The truth is, there are factors at work in modern society that Darwin could never have imagined. To be continued in Part II.

Darwin’s legacy is being celebrated 200 years after his birth, in an exhibition in the Royal Botanic Gardens and The Domain. Find out more here.