Faces Of Indigenous Earth
Somewhere in this maze of faces could lay an unrevealed secret to human evolution.
Many thousands of years of migration, integration and adaptation have contributed to the physical identities and differences of modern humans.
The slight changes in our characteristics occur molecule-by-molecule, day-by-day and generation-by-generation over the millennia. Throughout history, people have made a big deal over differences in various cultures, religions and superficial features. The fact is that any two people on earth today; whether an Eskimo, Swahili, Hindu, Chinese, Scandinavian, male or female, have very similar genetic make-up. According to the Human Genome Project (HGP), all of our genetic structure is 99.9% identical. (Completed in 2003, the HGP was a 13-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institute of Health). Everything that makes us unique is concentrated in that one one-thousandth of our genetic code. So what is in that tiny percentage of our molecular structure, which makes us unique as individuals and different as groups?
The genome is comprised of chromosomes and DNA that transfers inheritable characteristics in all life forms. Some mutate throughout long periods of time, passed on from generation to generation, and change to adapt to newer conditions. HGP results suggest many of our genetic changes came during periods of radical change such as the emergence of agriculture about 15,000 years ago. Mutations also occur with rapid climate change as populations were forced to adapt to different conditions, with the availability of various food supplies and with collaboration of ideas and the emergence of new methods for survival. By this logic, it would make sense that we are going through major changes right now. The age of globalization is certainly upon us; people will travel near and far, societies will merge, communication and sharing ideas are instantaneous and it’s pretty much a brave new world.
Though the HGP was finished in 2003, complete data analyzation will continue for many years. It should be interesting to discover how and why earth’s varied geography, climate and inhabitants have influenced these differences in modern humans and for what purpose. Does each characteristic hold a secret piece of a greater common evolutionary puzzle? One has to wonder if a healthy balance between the natural evolution of people over the past 50,000 years and the fast moving and merging of people and societies of today can be maintained and used for positive gain.
