Humanity may be “stuck” in 14 evolutionary traps, from the climate crisis to new pandemics, according to a new study. The research was published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.
Evolutionary traps are a common concept in zoology. Thus, many insects are attracted to light, which may be beneficial to them in nature, but is dangerous in the human-created world. In a new study, scientists used the concept of evolutionary traps to predict humanity’s future and identified 14 scenarios that could lead to our extinction.
Simplifying farming systems is one of the traps. The use of some highly productive crops (wheat, rice, corn, and soybeans) has led to a significant increase in the amount of calories produced over the past century. But it has also made the food system susceptible to extreme weather or new diseases. Growing a variety of plants will help spread the risks.
The 12 traps are in an advanced state, so it will not be easy for humanity to escape from them. Moreover, societies continue to fall deeper into 10 of the 14 traps. Complicating matters further, evolutionary traps tend to reinforce each other: If societies get stuck in one, they are more likely to get stuck in the others. Two less dangerous predicaments at the moment are the autonomy of technologies (artificial intelligence and robots) and the loss of social capital due to digitalization.
The findings do not mean the end of humanity. But people need to engage in active transformation. Until now, the Anthropocene, the geological epoch created by humans, was largely an unconscious byproduct of human evolution. But it is time to recognize the new reality and work collectively to overcome the crises that threaten humanity.
Previous scientists to create An ancient Egyptian woman had a tumor of bone mass along with teeth in her ovary.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.