El futur genètic (evolutiu) de la humanitat

Authors

  • Jaume Bertranpetit Universitat Pompeu Fabra-CSIC
  • Juli Peretó Universitat de València-CSIC

Keywords:

human evolution, purifying selection, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, genome edition, transhumanism.

Abstract

Ever since Darwin proposed natural selection as an engine of evolution, concern has arisen as to how far human culture could be changing the course of our own evolution, by allowing the survival and reproduction of individuals who would not otherwise pass their genes to the offspring. What we humans essentially do is to change the environment through culture and reduce (not make it disappear) purifying selection. This brings a genetic balance defined by a new environment in which there is room for genetic variants that were once disadvantageous. Other evolutionary forces have been greatly diminished (positive selection, drift, migration, and introgression) and the hybridization of individuals from populations that had differentiated is now increasing. On the other hand, the possibility of modifying our genome opens up the possibility of trying to design our genetic future: modifications, especially therapeutic ones, can be made to specific individuals, but this will not have a significant impact on humanity as a whole. For better or for worse, the genetic future of humanity will be made with components very similar to those we have now and we will have to rely on technology if we want, as a species, to reach milestones beyond our genomic potential.

Keywords: human evolution, purifying selection, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, genome edition, transhumanism.

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Author Biographies

Jaume Bertranpetit, Universitat Pompeu Fabra-CSIC

Institut de Biologia Evolutiva IBE (Universitat Pompeu Fabra-CSIC), Departament de Ciències
Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. Institut d'Estudis Catalans (IEC)

Juli Peretó, Universitat de València-CSIC

Institut de Biologia Integrativa de Sistemes I2SysBio (Universitat de València-CSIC), Departament
de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat de València. Institut d'Estudis Catalans (IEC)

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Issue

Vol. 71 (2021)

Section

Articles

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